free to play, tricky to design

Free  to  Play,  Tricky  to  Design  

1 Aki  Järvinen,  Crea9ve  Director,  Ph.D.      Northern  Game  Summit,  Kajaani,  September  28,  2012  

Social  games?  •  Games  on  mobile  or  online  which  leverage  social  network  @es  for  gameplay  – Browser:  e.g.  Facebook  – Mobile:  iOS,  Android  

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5  Things  you  should  know  about  Social  Game  Development  

•  It’s:  – Metrics-­‐driven  – SoQware  as  Service  – Cross-­‐plaSorm  – Free-­‐to-­‐play  business  model  – Extremely  compe@@ve  market  

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Agenda  •  Free  to  Play  –  what  is  it?  •  Two  kinds  of  F2P  •  Tips:  How  to  design  for  F2P  success  

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Defining  Free  to  Play  

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What  is  it?  •  ‘Free-­‐to-­‐play  (F2P)  refers  to  any  video  game  or  social  or  mobile  applica@on  that  has  the  op@on  of  allowing  its  players/users  to  play/download  without  paying.’  h_p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_to_play  

•  The  term  ‘freemium’  implies  a  ‘premium’  version    •  F2P  ≠  Freemium  

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7 http://blog.sergeydgr8.com/2011/08/19/need-for-speed-world-sucks-other-free-to-play-games-suck-too/

“F2P  sucks”  –  well,  not.  

F2P  games  and  game  design  •  Two  kinds,  in  terms  of  game  design:  

–  ‘Core’  F2P  model  –  ‘Surface’  F2P  model  

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Surface  

Core  

’Surface'  F2P  game  design  model  •  Selling  more  content,  such  as  levels  or  addi@onal  tries  •  And/or  selling  specific  func@onality:  par@cular  game  mechanic  

for  e.g.  convenience    •  Design  is  embedded  into  the  content  structure,  or  single  /  

simple  core  mechanic  

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Surface  model  –  Tricky?    •  Pre_y  straighSorward  •  Surface  model  is  simple    •  It’s  value  proposi@on  is  immediately  clear  to  even  the  most  casual  of  players  

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Pay  to  play  more!  

Surface  model:  Quali@es  •  Lives  and  dies  with  the  simple/single  mechanic    •  Tied  to  content  produc@on  •  No  need  to  include  a  virtual  currency  in  the  design  •  No  free  way  to  play  for  the  player  aQer  the  ini@al  wall  hit,  in  terms  of  content  or  difficulty  

•  Yet,  if  you  reach  significant  download  numbers,  can  be  very  profitable  

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Two  F2P  game  design  models  

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Surface  

Core  

’Core'  F2P  game  design  model  •  Selling  variety  of  virtual  goods  rather  than  gameplay  content:    – Game  resources  – Func@onal  items  – Early  Access  – Time  – You  name  it!  

•  Sinks  &  sources  virtual  economy  model  

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Core  model  –  Tricky?  •  Definitely!  •  Core  brings  with  it  complex  systems;  mul@ple  con@ngencies  across  sinks  and  sources  

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Core  model:  Quali@es  •  Free  play  needs  to  be  accommodated  as  well  •  Thus,  conversion  a  lot  tougher  •  Yet  built  for  repeat  purchases  •  Flexibility:  More  items  means  more  price  points  

•  Result:  Supports  higher  customer  life9me  value  (LTV)goals  

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The  Latest  Hotness  in  Core  Model  

16 http://deconstructoroffun.blogspot.fi/2012/09/clash-of-clans-winning-formula.html

Tradi@onal  VS  F2P  Game  Design  

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http://apps.facebook.com/armyattack http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_Wars

Core:  Tricky  to  Design  •  Bo_om  line:  

– Core  F2P  mechanics  are  a  breed  of  their  own  

– Core  F2P  is  a  ‘design  lens’  of  its  own  

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5  Tips  for  F2P  game  design  

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1.  Design  for  Reten@on  

•  retention |riˈten ch ən| •  noun •  the continued possession, use, or control of

something  20

Moving  the  Needle  

DnRU  

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Profitable  Game  Design    

Reten@on  is  everything  

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The  short  and  long  term  ‘winters’  need  to  be  crystal  clear  in  your  players’  minds    

 Content-­‐driven  reten@on,  or  Skill-­‐driven  reten@on,  or  both  

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2.  Design  for  Virtual  Goods  and  how  to  surface  them  via  merchandizing  

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Case:  Profitable  Game  Design  

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FB Credits Revenue Distribution

3.  Design  for  Rivalries  

•  =  Design  for  a  virtual  arms  race  between  individual  or  alliance  rivals  

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4.  Design  Away  from  Content  

•  Design  gameplay  systems  •  In  live  produc@on  context,  aim  for  profitable  game  design  =  feature  ROI  

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5.  Design  for  Pay  to  Win…  

•  …but  balance  for  grind  to  compete/commit    •  Furthermore,  design  for    

– Pay  to  progress  – Pay  for  convenience  

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6.  Design  away  from    audience  fa@gue  

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•  Design  for  conven@ons  yet  12  months  into  the  future  

Execute  all  this…  

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…  and  you  are  designing    for  high  LTV!  

=  Your  players  Stay  and  Pay  within  the  Core  F2P  Model  

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Fun  mone9zes  well,  and  F2P  takes  nothing  away  from  the  fun!  

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h_ps://www.facebook.com/CrazyPenguinWars    

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Thank  You!  ajarvinen@digitalchocolate.com  h_p://www.digitalchocolate.com  

@aquito  on  Twi_er  

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