Designing a Great First-Time User Experience

How to design a great First-Time User Experience Together with devtodev, we’ve compiled a list of tips for FTUE:𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸. • First impressions matter. • Grab attention with visuals, a quick story, or a fun challenge. • Highlight what makes your game unique (art, story, mechanics). 𝟮. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿. • Show players what to do immediately. • Use short, skippable instructions (e.g., tooltips, highlights). • Let actions teach—avoid long explanations. 𝟯. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆. • Unveil one mechanic at a time. • Reinforce learning before adding more. • Reward players for mastering new features. • Use animations or story to connect mechanics to gameplay. 𝟰. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. • Early wins = emotional investment. • Keep first levels easy for high success rates. • Show progress with bars, collectibles, or milestones. • Celebrate with sound or visual […]

Anton Slashcev January 21

Analysis

Top Casual Games LiveOps Strategy

Top Casual Games LiveOps Strategy Based on Playliner research, here’s what’s working for the top titles: 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝗼 • $92M/month revenue, 3M downloads • Focus: Co-op activities • Supporting features: Collection, passes, mini-games, task-based rewards 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 • $41M/month revenue, 4M downloads • Focus: Expeditions & Adventures • Supporting features: PvP, tournaments, win streaks, passes 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 • $120M/month revenue, 4M downloads • Focus: Tournaments • Supporting features: Co-op, mini-games, collections, gacha 𝗖𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 • $53M/month revenue, 2.8M downloads • Focus: Task-based rewards • Supporting features: Tournaments, passes, win streaks 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗵 • $86M/month revenue, 7.7M downloads • Focus: Win streaks • Supporting features: Mini-games, tournaments, task-based rewards 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 • $35M/month revenue, 6.5M downloads • Focus: Expeditions & mini-games • Supporting features: Co-op (Regata), passes, tournaments 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗽 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗿 • $23M/month revenue, 2M downloads • Focus: Mini-games & decoration events • Supporting […]

Anton Slashcev January 20

Journal

Want to be a top 1% game producer?

Want to be a top 1% game producer? Here are 20 lessons every great game producer lives by: 1. Passion matters. ↳ You can’t lead gamers without being one. 2. Own your mistakes. ↳ Transparency builds trust within your team. 3. No decision is perfect. ↳ Every choice comes with trade-offs and uncertainty. 4. There’s no magic formula. ↳ Chasing mythical insights leads to failure. 5. Iteration is key. ↳ No game starts perfect—refine it continuously. 6. Ideas are worthless without execution. ↳ Cool ideas are common; great execution is rare. 7. Respect your players. ↳ Treat them like valued guests, or they’ll leave. 8. Fun comes first. ↳ Features or monetization can’t fix a boring game. 9. Start small, succeed big. ↳ Prove a small concept before scaling up. 10. Profit is the ultimate measure of success. ↳ Revenue […]

Anton Slashcev January 18

Journal

How to use Player Segmentation to boost LTV

How to use Player Segmentation to boost LTV Based on Playliner research, here are the most common approaches to player segmentation𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁: • Tailored experiences: Match offers to player preferences. • Optimized monetization: Align pricing with spending capacity. • Better engagement: Address player needs, reduce churn. • Smarter resource allocation: Focus on what works. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 1. Non-payers: $0 spent. 2. Minnows: Under $10 (75% of paying players). 3. Dolphins: $10–$50 (15%). 4. Whales: $50–$150 (9%). 5. Grand Whales: $200+ (1%). 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀: • Non-payers: Ad rewards, starter bundles. • Minnows: Affordable offers. • Dolphins: Upsell with double offers. • Whales: High-value bundles. • Grand Whales: Exclusive premium content. 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: • Engagement: Hardcore vs. casual players. • Demographics: Age, region. • Behavior: Social vs. solo. • Device type: High-end vs. low-end. • Play style: Achievers, […]

Anton Slashcev January 17

Journal

Here is the WORST way to generate game ideas:

Here is the WORST way to generate game ideas: (avoid it at all costs)1. Open the top-grossing charts.2. Pick two random top games.3. Mash them together, Frankenstein-style.↳ Get a clunky, unplayable game, appealing to no one.Yet, I see so many studios still follow this terrible pipeline.Here’s how to do it right:𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁.Look for blue ocean opportunities:• Genres growing year over year.• Low oligopoly index (top 5 games have <50% of the market).• High success rates for newcomers (reaching 1M+ in revenue or downloads).𝟮. 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲.𝟯. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 • Their strengths and weaknesses.• Dive into player reviews. Learn what they love and hate.• Study the ads. Ads often highlight what players want but rarely get.↳ 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦.𝟰. 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 […]

Anton Slashcev January 17

Journal

10 Live Ops traps to avoid

10 Live Ops traps to avoid I teamed up with Sergei to break down the most common mistakes in Live Ops and share tips on improving them:1. Over-focusing on a single metric 📊 Track retention, engagement, and happiness—not just revenue. 2. Event overload 🔄 Too many events burn players out. Space them out. 3. Copy-paste strategies 📋 What worked before might not work now. Adapt and test. 4. Ignoring feedback 🗣️ Complaints = insights. Use them to catch problems early. 5. Over-relying on whales 🐋 Cater to all players, not just big spenders. 6. Content drought 🌵 No new content? Players leave. Keep it fresh. 7. Inconsistent updates ⏰ No schedule = frustrated players. Be reliable. 8. Misusing A/B testing ⚖️ Bad tests, bad data. Test properly to improve. 9. Weak onboarding 🛠️ Confusion = churn. Make onboarding fun and […]

Anton Slashcev January 16

Journal

10 Game Genres to Avoid in 2025

10 Game Genres to Avoid in 2025 (backed by data)𝟭. 𝗣𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲-𝗥𝗣𝗚 (https://lnkd.in/eXaSg-Fg) • New Games Released in 2024: 39 • Games Reached $1M IAP Revenue: 0 • Games Reached 1M Downloads: 0 • Success Rate (Revenue): 0% • Success Rate (Downloads): 0% • 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗜𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗥𝗣𝗚 (https://lnkd.in/eSU2EBSG)𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵-𝟯 (https://lnkd.in/eCK7KeAx) • New Games Released in 2024: 284 • Games Reached $1M IAP Revenue: 2 • Games Reached 1M Downloads: 7 • Success Rate (Revenue): 0.7% • Success Rate (Downloads): 2.5% • 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵-𝟯 𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗲 (https://lnkd.in/eVdgx3fu)𝟯. 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 (https://lnkd.in/ebZmjNAm) • New Games Released in 2024: 1,143 • Games Reached $1M IAP Revenue: 0 • Games Reached 1M Downloads: 11 • Success Rate (Revenue): 0% • Success Rate (Downloads): 1% • 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 (https://lnkd.in/emagsy63)𝟰. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 (https://lnkd.in/etqA8wBD) • New Games Released in 2024: 344 • Games Reached $1M IAP Revenue: 11 • […]

Anton Slashcev January 15

Journal

The harsh reality of Mobile Game Dev in 2025

The harsh reality of mobile game dev in 2025: 97% of mobile games fail. Over the past 3 years, 139,396* games were launched. Only 3,704 reached at least 1 million downloads. ↳ That’s a success rate of less than 3%. Most games don’t even cover their development costs. Does that mean success is impossible? No. But it’s very difficult, even for experienced teams. Plus, the mobile market isn’t growing like it did during the pandemic.Here are two main paths forward for new teams:𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • Build a strong testing pipeline. • Keep learning from multiple failures. • Have a very long runway (>2 years) until success𝟮. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 • Think about PC, UGC, or web games. • They might offer smaller revenue, but better chances. • It’s a different risk-to-reward ratio.One thing is clear: There’s no easy […]

Anton Slashcev January 14

Journal

Live Ops Holiday Events Cheatsheet

Live Ops Holiday Events Cheatsheet Based on Playliner research, here is a list of the most popular holiday and event themes:--- 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 ❄️ ---𝟭. 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 🎄 (𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿) Thematic attributes: • Snowy landscapes, festive lights, and winter wonderland maps • Holiday soundtracks and cozy loading screens Features: • Holiday pass with exclusive festive skins • Gift-giving mechanics (Advent Calendar-style) • Story-driven quests with holiday spirit 𝟮. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿’𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 🎆 (𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰 – 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗻) Thematic attributes: • Fireworks, glittery effects, and countdown visuals • Festive city-themed locations Features: • Special currency resets for limited-time items • Collection mechanics for unique celebration tokens • Story-driven event: Celebrate heroes and fresh beginnings 𝟯. 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 🏮 (𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗝𝗮𝗻 – 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗯) Thematic attributes: • Red lanterns, firecrackers, and gold decorations • Lantern-lit streets with themed décor Features: • Themed pass with […]

Anton Slashcev January 14

Journal

Your game features aren’t USPs.

Sorry, but your game features aren’t USPs. Here’s why: 𝟭. 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 ↳ Players expect your game to have upgrades, boosters, weapons, cool graphics, etc. ↳ A USP makes your game truly memorable – like a unique narrative or a fresh gameplay twist. 𝟮. 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗱, 𝗨𝗦𝗣𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 ↳ Competitors can copy features. ↳ But a USP that evokes emotion, like excitement or nostalgia, is much harder to replicate. 𝟯. 𝗨𝗦𝗣𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ↳ Even with similar mechanics, a strong USP positions your game as unique. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀: • 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 – More than a battle royale; it’s the only one integrating live pop culture events and collaborations. • 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝘀 – Simple gameplay, but the USP lies in social deduction and group psychology. • 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 – Combines AAA quality with free-to-play accessibility in an open-world RPG. […]

Anton Slashcev January 13

Journal

Step-by-step process for reviewing new games

I’ve reviewed over 100 games in the past few years. Here’s my step-by-step process for reviewing a new game:𝟭. 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 Before playing, I focus on understanding the competition: • Read user reviews in app stores • Play 3-5 competitor games • Take screenshots of key moments • 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀: —— Gameplay tempo – is it fast or slow? —— Monetization strategies – how are purchases introduced? —— Engagement hooks – what makes players return? —— Strengths and weaknesses𝟮. 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗘 Each playthrough serves a specific purpose:𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 (𝟭 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿) – Focus on the big picture: • General feel – Does it engage from the start? • User flow – How intuitive is it for a new player? • Core loop – Do main mechanics fit together? • Goals – Are short- and long-term objectives clear? […]

Anton Slashcev January 13

Journal

30 small game changes = BIG impact

30 small game changes = BIG impact 🤑 Based on the Playliner research, here are the most popular changes for increasing LTV::---Balance fixes ⚖️ 1. Tune enemy strength & level difficulty to keep it challenging, not frustrating. 2. Adjust economy: resource generation, item pricing, and currency balance. 3. Balance characters & items: prevent overpowered builds, tweak rarity drops.---Better UI/UX 🎨 4. Rearrange UI for clarity, improve icons & colors. 5. Simplify menus, improve onboarding with better tutorials. 6. Add satisfying visual/audio feedback & better error handling.---Smooth progression 🎮 7. Adjust level pacing for better flow. 8. Introduce new mechanics gradually to keep it fresh. 9. Balance XP & rewards to maintain motivation.---Monetization tweaks 💰 10. Test IAP pricing & bundle values. 11. Fine-tune ad rewards & special offers. 12. Balance earning vs. spending virtual currency.---Content polish ✨ 13. Speed up VFX […]

Anton Slashcev January 11

Anton Slashcev

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