Don’t Make New Mobile Games

A piece of advice for new dev teams:Don't make new mobile games.Choose another platform for now (PC / UGC / Web).Here's why:From a business perspective, developing new mobile games has lost its appeal over the past four years because of:📊 Success Rate (For Experienced Teams):— Then: ~1 successful game out of 10-15 projects.— Now: <1 successful game out of 50 projects, even for top teams. 🔽💰 Development Costs:— Then: MVP development required 5-8 experienced specialists.— Now: 20-30 or more for casual games. 🔼💲 Potential Profit (Revenue - UA spends): remains unchanged at best.➡ As a result, the Expected Value of prototyping has decreased. 🔻Expected Value = (Potential Profit * Success Rate) - Dev CostsEven the biggest companies like Playrix and Supercell struggle to launch new games despite unlimited budgets.What does this mean for new teams?— The entry ticket for mobile game […]

Anton Slashcev May 9

Journal

How To Review Game Builds Like a Pro?

After reviewing more than 1,000 game builds I have prepared a framework for a Producer \ Creative Director \ Lead GD to review a build.Here are the aspects to evaluate and questions to ask yourself while playing:1. General Game Feel 😊 Fun: Is the game enjoyable? Why or why not? Engagement: Does the game make you want to play more? Paying Motivation: What would make you spend money in the game? Memorable Moments: What stands out about the game? Confusion: What aspects were confusing and how can they be improved? 2. Core Gameplay 🎮 Basic Actions: Are the mechanics like shooting satisfying? Complexity & Depth: How deep are the game mechanics? Clarity: Are the game goals and rules easy to understand? Variability: Does the game offer various playstyles? Evolution: Do the game mechanics evolve? 3. Art & UI 🎨 Visual […]

Anton Slashcev May 6

Journal

Mobile Games Live-Ops Cheat Sheet

The ultimate goal of any product changes in a game is to increase LTV. However, LTV is a rather general metric, and changes in it are hard to measure after each individual update.🎯 Therefore, it's better to focus on improving 4 fundamental metrics, each of which will ultimately enhance LTV - either directly or indirectly, over time. 4️⃣ Key Metrics: 1. Retention2. Playtime3. Conversion to paying user4. ARPU (Daily / Weekly)🔍 Once you determine which metric you want to influence, you should choose an appropriate aspect that can be improved in this regard.> For example, improve the game Meta to enhance long-term Retention.Some aspects of the game can influence several key metrics simultaneously:> For instance, exciting competitions with other players can both increase ARPDAU and Playtime 🏆And some changes might improve one metric at the expense of another:> By increasing […]

Anton Slashcev May 6

Journal

How to Generate Hit Game Ideas?

Here Are 20 Creative Ways:1. Combine Successful Games 🕹️Mix key aspects from different games for a fresh experience.2. Mix Gameplay Elements 🌀Blend elements from various games for a unique hybrid.3. Simplify for Broader Appeal 🌐Take a mid-core game and simplify it for a casual audience.4. Improve Existing Concepts ⚙️Polish and enhance popular, yet unpolished games.5. Adapt Across Platforms 🔄Transfer successful games from one platform to another.6. Embrace Absurdity 🤪Create memorable games by combining the unexpected.7. Iconic Moments 🎥Transform famous scenes from media into gameplay.8. Inspired by Fake Ads 📺Create games based on viral, fake game ads.9. Historical Themes 🏰Incorporate rich cultural and historical elements.10. Evoke Emotions ❤️Design each element to evoke specific emotions.11. Break the Fourth Wall 🧩Engage players with meta-narratives.12. New Technologies 🚀Leverage emerging tech for innovative experiences.13. Fulfill Childhood Fantasies 🌟Tap into common childhood dreams.14. Game Mods 🛠️Turn […]

Anton Slashcev May 2

Journal

R&D Framework for Game Prototyping

After developing over 100 game prototypes, I found that having a flexible yet clear workflow can significantly simplify the R&D process.Below is the framework I often use when starting work on new projects: I. Pre-Production (2-4 weeks) 1. Idea Generation:▶ Market analysis, gathering references;▶ Brainstorming to pick the most promising ideas2. Greybox Prototyping:▶ Focus on a single core feature;▶ Find the fun factor3. Conceptualization:▶ Preparing the GDD, user flow, and key shots;▶ Selecting the right tools and creating a roadmap II. Production (4-9 weeks) 4. Features Development:▶ Concentrate on key gameplay mechanics and speed in development;▶ Minimal meta or progression5. Content Creation:▶ Craft key art, and fun levels, and use ready-made assets;▶ Secondary art, vfx, sounds, etc. can be draft6. Minimum Viable Product:▶ Ensure the game offers 20-40 minutes of engaging gameplay with a distinctive style and polished game feel▶ […]

Anton Slashcev May 2

Journal

How to Make Players Pay in F2P games?

Make them feel like they DON'T need to pay. Be generous and patient.Make your game exciting and addictive, even without spending money.There will always be players who want more. Who want to advance faster. Monetize this desire for something "extra". Don't hide all the fun behind a paywall. Offer additional value for payment. Consider games like Monopoly Go or Royal Match.There players can enjoy the game for a long time without hitting a hard paywall or facing shortages. Free rewards are constantly showering down.Why pay for anything in these games, you might wonder?Yet, these games are among the highest earners in the world.They create great value for players upfront.And even non-paying players enjoy the game.So, be generous. Be patient.Ensure players don't feel forced to pay.Let it be their choice because the game is cool and they want more.You will be surprised […]

Anton Slashcev April 29

Journal

Players Are Not Idiots!

I know this might sound shocking to some game developers... Players are not idiots!They immediately notice when: You're selling them something for $60 that isn't even worth $10 Your product has nothing to do with its ads You're forcing them into "pay2win" You completely copied another game You didn't test and optimize the game enough You didn’t finish some features and cut them out at the last moment You're hiding a lack of content with tricks like reskins or tight-balancing You don't care about your community Players might not always be able to articulate exactly what is wrong.But they ALWAYS know about it. They feel it when they play.They will react accordingly.Don’t treat players like fools. Respect your audience.

Anton Slashcev April 19

Journal

Layers of Engagement in Games

Here's how to keep players hooked: 1. Second-To-Second Fun 🕹> Immediate gameplay satisfaction> Responsive and intuitive controls> Engaging basic actions like:- Chopping wood- Matching 3 items in a row with a blast- Shooting crowds of enemies2. Short-Term Objectives 🎯> Goals achievable within one session> Clear success and failure conditions> Diversity in tasks with a singular focus at a time> Examples include:- Completing tutorials- Passing levels- Defeating bosses3. Mid-Term Goals ⏳> Achievable over multiple sessions> Creates a sense of progression> Multiple simultaneous goals> Tangible rewards- E.g., Leveling up, Acquiring cool upgrades, Finishing quests4. Long-Term Mission 🏆> Provides a reason for extended play> Emotional significance> Milestone-based missions with regular prompts- E.g., Solving a crime, Reaching the top, Restoring a home⚓ Player’s Anchors – What Keeps Players Coming Back?🗺 Extra Depths> Rewards for exploration and curiosity> Secrets, easter eggs, and bonus levels🏡 Sense […]

Anton Slashcev April 2

Journal

Personalized Gaming Offers Through Phone Numbers

The trend of expanding sales channels for in-app purchases (IAP) continues. Initially, sales were available only through the Apple and Google stores, then web shops appeared. Now, there is a trend of selling in-game purchases through messenger services, where you can send push messages and personalized offers specifically for that player, which won't be available to others.Two pioneering games, Monopoly GO! by Scopely and Coin Master by Moon Active are leading the charge by collecting phone numbers from users beyond the conventional Facebook Connect and email integrations. This strategy opens many opportunities to deepen engagement and streamline the sales process.I see this as a golden opportunity to expand communication channels with players and innovate to sell in-game currency. Imagine leveraging direct-to-consumer technology with a 'Buy Button' that can be seamlessly integrated into any messaging app. This personalizes the player's journey, […]

Oxana Fomina March 18

Highlights

The Future Of GameDev: Cosmic Lounge’s AI Insights

Established in 2022, Cosmic Lounge received €4M in seed funding from Transcend Fund, fueling the advancement of their AI-driven puzzle game development. Cosmic Lounge's Puzzle Engine rapidly prototypes games in 5-6 hours, streamlining game creation for designers with user-friendly dropdown menus and prompts. CEO Tomi Huttula showcased Puzzle Engine's capabilities at the recent Google Think Games event, unveiling a puzzle game prototype dubbed "Angry Dev" created within hours. With only two human level designers, Cosmic Lounge leverages AI bots to generate, test, and optimize game prototypes, enabling rapid iteration and feedback loops for high-quality results. Huttula expressed, "We view AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, our team's capabilities, improving productivity and outcomes." While AI streamlines tasks like level and art production, it complements rather than replaces human designers. The studio envisions AI as a tool to empower designers […]

Gamigion March 17

Journal

Innovative Daily Bonus Strategies On Retention and Monetization

Developers continually optimize and innovate within their games and events to enhance the player experience and foster deeper engagement, retention, and monetization strategies. A notable trend is the evolution of universally applied mechanics, offering fresh approaches to captivate players. A prime example that caught my attention is the implementation of a Daily Bonus in two notable games: Candy Crush Soda Saga by King implements a three-tiered daily bonus system. The first reward is granted immediately upon the player's login, with subsequent rewards available 4 hours after the previous one is claimed. This incentivizes players to log in multiple times throughout the day, enhancing player engagement. Should a player fail to return within the same day, they're greeted with a visual representation of missed opportunities upon their next login, subtly encouraging a habit of regular play. This strategy is particularly effective […]

Oxana Fomina February 5

Journal

The Huge Success Of Mobile Color Sort Games?

What is the secret behind the Color Sort Games? Let's take a look! Playvalve - Water Sort Puz TapNation - Color Water Sort Dark Halo - SortPuz VnStart - Water Color Sort Zephyr Mobile - Get Color IEC Global - Water Sort

Zack Weiss January 5

gamedevelopment

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