Nine insights into loyalty for mobile gamers

The Nine Insights into Loyalty
for Mobile Gamers
A Joint Research Project

November 26, 2012

Friday, November 16, 12

OBJECTIVE
Mobile gaming is the single most popular category in mobile applications.
With over 250 developers, 37m gamers in the U.S.1 and 129,538 mobile
games in the iTunes app store alone2, the overall market size is simply
massive. In fact, Juniper Research recently projected that the global
mobile games market will be worth $18.3 billion by 2016.

Given the ultra-competitive nature of this market, developers, brands and
agencies must invest in gamer loyalty programs in order to stay ahead of
their competitors and drive revenue.

1. Source: Newzoo Research and Analytics Mobile Gamer Study 2012
2. Source: Reported Directly from Apple iTunes as of September 2012


METHODOLOGY
‣ Online survey with 1,515 respondents conducted between October 9-11, 2012
‣ All respondents were between 18-74 years of age and smartphone owners (iPhone, Android,
Windows, or Blackberry devices)

‣ 75% of respondents played games on their mobile phone (1,137). Of these, they were classiﬁed
into two groups based on how much they typically pay for mobile games

Group 1: Free mobile gamers (typically only play free mobile games) – 766 respondents
Group 2: Paid mobile gamers (typically pay something for mobile games) – 371 respondents


INSIGHT 1:

GAMERS’ EXPERIENCE GOES FAR
BEYOND THE GAME ITSELF.
EXPLANATION: Q: WHICH OF THESE THINGS HAVE YOU DONE?

Paid mobile gamers, especially, are 60%
engaged with game-related content 51%
48%
outside of the game environment, 42% 41% 45%
which implies a deeper connection to 30% 30%
the gaming experience. 30%
27% 30%
24%

14% 15%
ACTION:
Make sure that your loyalty strategy Played a game
the day it was
released
Purchased an
expansion pack Read a wiki/
0%
compensates for all aspects (or additional
content) for a
game
community
board about a
game I'm playing
Downloaded an
app to help me
with a game I'm
Posted to a wiki/
community

surrounding a mobile game. playing board about a
game I'm playing

Free mobile gamers Paid mobile gamers


INSIGHT 2:

MOBILE GAMERS MAKE
GAMING A PART OF THEIR LIVES
Q: HOW WELL DOES THIS DESCRIBE YOU?
EXPLANATION: (TOP2 BOX AGREEMENT)

Paid mobile gamers place value on 58% 56% 54% 60%
the experiences the game provides. 45% 44%
Opens the door for more 40% 42% 45%
opportunities for developers. 30%
30%

15%
ACTION:
Encourage discovery, sharing, and I am always
searching for
new games to
I can discuss
games I play in I have my
0%
deeper relationship within game titles. play detail with favorite game
people developers My friends and I play
the same games



INSIGHT 3:

PAYING FOR GAMES (OR NOT) IS
CONSISTENT ACROSS PLATFORMS
Q: HOW MUCH DO YOU TYPICALLY PAY FOR
EXPLANATION: GAMES ON EACH PLATFORM?
100%
Paid mobile gamers are more likely to 94%
86% 82%
pay for games across platforms, while
free mobile gamers are more likely to 75%
only play free games across platforms. 56%
47%
50%
38%

25%
10%
ACTION:
7%
Most popular price range for both 0%
Social Network
Tablet
$0 On the computer
$0

mobile and tablet gamers is $1-5 $0 Console
$0



INSIGHT 4:

PRICE OF GAME DIRECTLY IMPACTS
INTEREST IN LOYALTY PROGRAMS.
EXPLANATION: Q: HOW INTERESTED ARE YOU IN A FREQUENT
PLAYER PROGRAM?
As the price of the game increases, 52%
60%

the interest in a loyalty program
decreases, suggesting that a loyalty 41% 45%
36%
program alone isn’t enough to justify
a higher priced game. 25%
27% 30%
17% 18%
13% 15%
ACTION:

When developing a loyalty program Interest in loyalty
for Mobile Game
that costs $1.99
Interest in loyalty
for Mobile Game Interest in loyalty
0%
for gamers, consider segmenting by
that costs $4.99 for Mobile Game Interest in loyalty
that costs $6.99 for Mobile Game
that costs

game price. $14.99



INSIGHT 5:

SIMPLY BECAUSE A GAMER ISN’T
PLAYING DOESN’T MEAN THEY
AREN’T LOYAL.
Q: HOW LIKELY Q: WHICH OF THESE DO YOU
ARE YOU TO PLAY CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A
EXPLANATION: A GAME THAT IS... LOYAL CUSTOMER?
66%
70% 72% 80%
Paid mobile gamers are loyal to the 54%
68%

game itself and the game experience. 51%
53% 60%
43%

35% 36% 40%
30%

19% 19%
ACTION: 18% 20%
10%
6%
Developers must focus on storyline, 0% 0%
content and rewards to keep From a
developer/
Part of an active
community of
Game
developer
Game
genre
Wiki/community
boards
Store/
purchase

engagement high.
company I like players games from

IMPLIED LOYALTY STATED LOYALTY


INSIGHT 6:

NOT ALL GAME GENRES ARE
SUITABLE FOR LOYALTY PROGRAMS
Q: WHICH TYPE OF GAME WOULD YOU BE
EXPLANATION: MOST INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF A
FREQUENT PLAYER PROGRAM?
Interest in having a speciﬁc game 60%
genre be a part of a loyalty program 51%
47% 46% 45%
is highest for the most popular game 41%
43%
41% 39%
45%
genres for each group. 34% 33%
36%
31%
28%
27%
24% 26%30%
24% 22%

15%
ACTION:

Paid Gamers most interested in loyalty 0%
program for Action Genre, Free Gamers Action
Adventure
Strategy

Puzzle
RPG
Arcade
FPS
Simulation
Mystery

most interested in Puzzle Genre.


INSIGHT 7:

LOYALTY PROGRAMS CAN ENCOURAGE
PLAY DURING SLOW TIMES
Q: WHICH OF THESE WOULD YOU CONSIDER
EXPLANATION: DOING IN ORDER TO EARN POINTS?
60%
Most common time to play games 52%
(across all devices) is during 45%
weekday evenings. Slowest time is 36%
on weekends. 25% 27% 30%
17% 18%
14%
13% 15%
ACTION:

Oﬀer incentives for completing levels or Gamers that would
consider completing
certain levels of the Gamers that would
consider completing
0%

gaining achievements during speciﬁc game to earn points Gamers that would
certain achievements consider spending Gamers that would consider
of the game to earn certain dollar amount posting/contributing to a
points

slow time periods.
on games to earn community to earn points
points



INSIGHT 8:

FREE GAMERS LESS LOYAL IN ALL
CATEGORIES BEYOND MOBILE GAMING
EXPLANATION: Q: HOW LOYAL ARE YOU TO THIS COMPANY THAT IS
PART OF THIS FREQUENT PURCHASER PROGRAM?
Although Free and Paid gamers (TOP2 BOX AGREEMENT)
belong to about the same number of 77%
75%
82%90%
76%
loyalty programs on average, Free 73% 74%
70% 69% 69%
mobile gamers are less loyal to 62%
59% 62%
57% 56%
63%
57%
68%
companies than Paid mobile gamers.
45%

23%
ACTION:
Focus loyalty program primarily on Airline Hotel Restaurant
0%
Paid mobile gamers.
Gas station Credit card Retailer Game Related Store Bank



INSIGHT 9:

COMMON WANTS FOR MOBILE GAME
LOYALTY PROGRAM
EXPLANATION: FREE MOBILE GAMERS PAID MOBILE GAMERS
Rank Order of Wants for Mobile Rank Order of Wants for Mobile
Game Loyalty Program Game Loyalty Program
For both Free and Paid Mobile gamers, earning
points to redeem for products is the most 1. Earning points to redeem 1. Earning points to redeem
important ‘want’ for a loyalty program. for products for products
2. Free real world items 2. Free in-game items
However, Paid mobile gamers rank receiving Free
in-game items as more important than Free mobile 3. Free in-game items 3. Free real world items
gamers; Free mobile gamers ﬁnd free real world 4. Rewards based on levels 4. Rewards based on levels
items more valuable. Points to the value that Paid passed passed
mobile gamers place on the gaming experience. 5. Receive discounts on 5. Receive discounts on
products products
Both groups are less excited about programs that 6. Rewards based on 6. Rewards based on
base rewards on their ability to earn achievements achievements earned achievements earned
in the game.


KEY TAKEAWAY 1: KEY TAKEAWAY 4:

Dedicated loyalty mobile gaming Loyalty programs not only encourage
programs have distinct business playing new games, but increasing
value, but targeting the right mobile gameplay of games that have already
gamers is key. been downloaded.

KEY TAKEAWAY 2: KEY TAKEAWAY 5:
If you can’t monetize a gamer on one Important to remember that the
platform, you likely won’t be able to game experience goes far beyond
on any platform. the game itself, marketing is crucial.

KEY TAKEAWAY 6:
KEY TAKEAWAY 3:

Mobile gamers most loyal to game Don’t try to monetize gamers all at
titles, which makes investing in the once. Important to think about
game itself critical. customer lifetime value. Focus on
moving gamers up the pricing ladder.


Thank You.


Nine insights into loyalty for mobile gamers

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Nine insights into loyalty for mobile gamers