Production 101 – #5 Free to Play Game Performance Metrics – Part 3
Why performance metrics matter to game producers.
Performance metrics help developers fine-tune their engagement strategies, ensuring that players remain hooked and motivated to return.
F2P games leverage psychological tricks to engage players.
Ethical considerations in F2P game design include addressing predatory monetisation tactics, transparency, and the impact on players' mental health.
Welcome back to Production 101! In part one and part two of our series, we explored the fundamentals of the Free-to-Play (F2P) model and advanced performance metrics. Now, let’s examine the intricacies of engagement loops, feedback mechanisms, and the psychological and ethical considerations underpinning the F2P model.
The Core Loop
Next, we must understand the core loop, central to maintaining player engagement. The core loop is the fundamental cycle of actions players repeatedly perform, driving continuous engagement and progression. This loop is meticulously designed to keep players returning, making it a cornerstone of successful F2P game design.
Understanding the Core Loop
To grasp how F2P games captivate players, we must understand the core loop and its interconnected activities. The core loop typically involves a series of interlinked activities that create a rewarding and compelling cycle for the player. These activities include resource collection, upgrading, battling or competing, and receiving rewards. Each action within the loop feeds into the next, maintaining a flow that keeps players engaged.
Resource Collection – At the heart of many F2P games is the collection of resources, whether it’s currency, materials, or energy. Players gather these resources through various in-game activities, such as completing missions, winning battles, or logging in daily. This collection phase is crucial as it provides the means for players to progress within the game.
Upgrading and Building – Once resources are collected, players use them to upgrade their characters, buildings, or abilities. This upgrading process is a key motivator, as it directly enhances the player’s capabilities and opens up new possibilities within the game. The sense of progression and improvement is a powerful driver of engagement.
Battling or Competing – The upgraded abilities and resources are used in competitive or cooperative gameplay. Whether it’s battling other players, competing in tournaments, or engaging in PvE (player versus environment) challenges, this phase is where players test their progress and skills. Success in these activities often yields more resources and rewards, feeding back into the loop.
Rewards and Feedback – Rewards are the final but vital component of the core loop. Players receive rewards based on their performance in battles, competitions, or challenges. These rewards can be new items, currency, or even cosmetic upgrades. These rewards’ immediate feedback and gratification reinforce the cycle, encouraging players to continue the loop.
Designing an effective Core Loop
Having laid out the core loop, it’s time to focus on principles for designing an engaging and balanced loop. Creating an effective core loop requires a deep understanding of what motivates players. Here are some principles to consider:
Balance and Pacing – It is crucial to ensure a balanced progression where players feel consistently rewarded without becoming overwhelmed or bored. The pacing of rewards and upgrades should keep players motivated without making the game feel ‘grindy’ or too easy.
Variety and Depth – Introducing variety within the core loop keeps it fresh and engaging. Adding different challenges, varied rewards, and periodic events can prevent the loop from becoming monotonous. Depth in gameplay mechanics also provides players new strategies and ways to engage with the core activities.
Social Interaction – Incorporating social elements into the core loop, such as cooperative missions or competitive leaderboards, leverages the power of social interaction. These features can enhance the core loop by adding layers of social motivation and peer influence, which are powerful engagement drivers.
Clear Progression – Players should always feel like they are progressing. Clear indicators of advancement, such as levels, rankings, or achievements, provide tangible goals that keep players focused and motivated. The sense of growth and accomplishment is vital to maintaining long-term engagement.
Example: Clash of Clans Core Loop
A prime example of an effective core loop can be seen in “Clash of Clans.” Players start by collecting resources such as gold and elixir. These resources are used to upgrade buildings and train troops. The upgraded troops are then used to attack other players’ bases or complete in-game challenges, yielding more resources and rewards. The cycle continues, with each phase feeding into the next, creating a compelling loop that keeps players engaged.
Other engagement loops and feedback mechanisms
Engagement loops and feedback mechanisms are the lifeblood of F2P games, driving player retention and monetisation. These elements are meticulously designed to keep players returning, making them crucial for sustaining long-term engagement.
One effective engagement loop is the daily reward system, which incentivises players to log in daily by offering increasingly valuable rewards. For example, a game might provide small amounts of in-game currency or items for the first few days, with the rewards becoming more substantial the longer the player maintains their streak. This creates a habit, encouraging players to return daily to avoid missing out on valuable rewards.
Another common mechanism is limited-time events. These events introduce particular challenges or content that is only available for a short period. Creating a sense of urgency motivates players to participate frequently to earn exclusive rewards or achieve high rankings. For instance, a game might host a weekly tournament where players can compete for rare items or characters. The time-limited nature of these events compels players to engage more intensively with the game during these periods.
Push notifications also play a vital role in re-engaging lapsed players. Notifications can remind players about upcoming events, new content updates, or even when their in-game energy has been replenished. For example, a notification might alert players to a special sale on in-game items, prompting them to open the app and purchase. By strategically timing these notifications, developers can draw players back into the game, increasing session frequency and overall engagement.
Social features further enhance engagement by leveraging players’ social connections. Leaderboards, for example, allow players to compete with their friends or the broader player community, fostering a sense of competition and achievement. Games like “Clash of Clans” implement clan systems where players can join groups, share resources, and collaborate on strategies, building a community within the game. These social interactions create a more immersive and rewarding experience, encouraging players to stay engaged and invest more time and resources.
Progression systems are fundamental to keeping players hooked. These systems often include levels, achievements, or quests that provide a clear sense of advancement. As players complete tasks and progress through the game, they unlock new content, abilities, or areas to explore. This continuous sense of progression and the anticipation of what comes next can be incredibly motivating, driving players to keep playing to see what new challenges and rewards await them.
By integrating these engagement loops and feedback mechanisms, F2P games create a compelling cycle of play that keeps players invested, coming back day after day, and willing to spend money to enhance their experience.
Metrics for evaluating engagement
Developers rely on various metrics to evaluate and fine-tune their strategies to ensure players remain engaged and return frequently. Here’s a look at some key metrics for assessing player engagement:
Response to In-Game Rewards – Track how players react to various rewards. Do they log in more frequently when rewards are increased? Are they more motivated to play harder for rarer rewards? This metric helps identify which rewards are most effective in driving player behaviour.
Effectiveness of Push Notifications – Measure the success rate of push notifications in bringing players back to the game. Are players returning after receiving a notification about an event or a special offer? Effective push notifications can significantly boost re-engagement.
Daily Active Users (DAU) and Monthly Active Users (MAU) – These metrics track the number of unique players who open the game at least once per day or month, respectively. Higher DAU and MAU numbers indicate better overall engagement and a more extensive active player base.
Retention Rate – This metric measures the percentage of players who return to the game after a specific period, such as one day, seven days, or 30 days. High retention rates indicate that players find the game compelling enough to return regularly, which is crucial for long-term success.
Session Length – The average duration of a single gameplay session. Longer sessions typically indicate higher engagement, suggesting that players are deeply immersed in the game and enjoying their experience.
Sessions per User – This measures the average number of gameplay sessions per user over a given period. More sessions per user signify better engagement, showing that players consistently return to the game multiple times.
Progression Metrics – Track how many players complete certain levels, quests, or milestones. This provides insight into the game’s most engaging parts and where players might drop off or lose interest.
In-game actions – Measure specific player actions such as clicks, purchases, and social shares. A higher frequency of these desired actions indicates more robust engagement and a more active player base.
Churn Rate – The percentage of players who stop playing the game after a certain period. It is the opposite of the retention rate. A lower churn rate indicates fewer players leave the game, a positive sign of sustained engagement.
Stickiness Ratio – The ratio of DAU to MAU shows the percentage of monthly players engaged daily. A higher stickiness ratio suggests that a significant portion of the player base is active daily.
These metrics help developers fine-tune their engagement strategies, ensuring players remain hooked and motivated to return. By closely monitoring these indicators, developers can make data-driven decisions to enhance the gaming experience and maintain a vibrant, active community.
In-depth analysis of player behaviour
Understanding player behaviour is paramount for refining engagement strategies and boosting retention. This involves segmenting users and analysing churn rates to identify patterns and predict future behaviours.
Cohort Analysis – Segmenting users based on their behaviour and interaction with the game can yield profound insights. By examining specific cohorts—such as players who joined during a particular event or made an initial purchase—you can tailor your strategies to meet their needs better and enhance their gaming experience.
Churn Rate Analysis – Identifying when and why players leave your game is critical. By analysing churn rates, you can pinpoint the exact moment players tend to drop off and address the issues causing it. Understanding churn allows you to implement targeted improvements, whether a difficulty spike or a lack of engaging content.
Behavioural Segmentation Beyond Purchases – While segmenting based on purchase behaviour is expected, diving deeper into non-monetary interactions can provide richer insights. For example, grouping players based on their preferred gameplay styles, such as competitive versus casual play, can help craft more personalised experiences. Tracking players’ interaction with different game modes, social features, or specific in-game activities can reveal nuanced engagement patterns.
Sentiment Analysis – Leveraging natural language processing (NLP) to analyse player reviews, in-game chat, and social media interactions can provide qualitative insights into player sentiment. Understanding the emotional tone behind player feedback helps identify underlying issues that quantitative data might miss, such as frustration with specific mechanics or satisfaction with new features.
Heatmap Analysis – Implementing heatmaps to track where players spend the most time or encounter the most difficulties within the game environment can highlight areas for improvement. This spatial analysis helps developers understand which parts of the game world are most engaging or problematic, allowing for targeted design adjustments.
Engagement Drop-off Points – Beyond simply identifying when players churn, it’s crucial to understand the precise in-game activities or points where engagement wanes. Are players leaving after failing a particular level multiple times? Do they drop off after reaching a specific progression milestone? Pinpointing these exact moments enables more effective intervention strategies.
Player Lifecycle Analysis – Understanding the typical lifecycle—from initial engagement to peak activity and eventual decline—can inform retention strategies. Mapping out the typical stages in a player’s journey and identifying critical touchpoints for engagement or re-engagement can help maintain player interest over a longer period.
Cross-Platform Behaviour – Many F2P games are available on multiple platforms, so analysing cross-platform behaviour can reveal how players interact with the game in different contexts. Do players engage differently on mobile versus PC? Are there patterns in how they switch between devices? This insight can guide platform-specific optimisations.
Network Analysis – Exploring the social networks within your game, such as how players are connected through friendships, guilds, or clans, can offer valuable insights. Understanding the influence of social connections on player behaviour can help design features that foster community and encourage social interaction, which are vital retention drivers.
Psychographic Profiling – Going beyond demographics and into psychographics—such as players’ values, interests, and lifestyles—can enhance personalisation. This more profound understanding of what motivates your players can inform marketing strategies and in-game content that resonates more personally.
Developers can gain a more holistic understanding of player behaviour by incorporating these techniques and analyses. This comprehensive approach not only refines engagement strategies but also fosters a more satisfying and personalised gaming experience, ultimately boosting retention and monetisation.
Predictive analytics in F2P games
Predictive analytics has become a game-changer in the F2P model, enabling developers to forecast player behaviour and adapt accordingly. These models provide invaluable foresight by leveraging historical data, allowing developers to intervene proactively and keep players engaged.
How predictive models forecast behaviour
Predictive models analyse historical data to forecast future behaviours. These models can predict when a player will likely churn, how much they might spend, and what content they prefer. This foresight enables developers to offer timely incentives or content, enhancing player retention and monetisation.
Predictive analytics tools and technologies
Various tools and technologies support predictive analytics, from machine learning algorithms to sophisticated data analytics platforms. These tools sift through vast amounts of data to uncover patterns and trends that might not be immediately obvious, providing actionable insights for developers. These tools and techniques include:
Player Sentiment and Feedback Analysis – Incorporating sentiment analysis of player reviews, feedback, and social media interactions into predictive models can better understand player moods and satisfaction. This qualitative data complements quantitative metrics, leading to more nuanced predictions and personalised interventions.
Contextual Data Integration – Integrating contextual data such as time of day, geographic location, and device usage can enhance predictive accuracy. Understanding when and where players engage with the game helps tailor content and offers that fit their lifestyles and preferences.
Micro-segmentation – While broad segmentation is joint, micro-segmentation refines predictive models. Grouping players into particular segments based on minute behaviour patterns yields more targeted and effective predictions, allowing for precision in engagement strategies.
Behavioural Anomalies Detection – Detecting and analysing anomalies in player behaviour can preempt significant shifts in engagement or spending. For instance, a sudden drop in session length or a spike in in-game purchases might indicate a potential churn risk or an emerging spending trend.
Longitudinal Studies – Conducting longitudinal studies to track player behaviour over extended periods identifies long-term trends and lifecycle patterns. This approach helps understand how player engagement evolves, predicting future states based on past trajectories.
Adaptive Learning Models – Using adaptive learning models that evolve with new data improves prediction accuracy. These models continuously update as new data arrives, ensuring predictions remain relevant and reflect player behaviour.
Cross-Game Analytics – For developers with multiple titles, analysing player behaviour across different games reveals broader patterns and preferences. Understanding how players interact with various games informs strategies for cross-promotion and unified player engagement tactics.
Real-Time Analytics – Implementing real-time analytics enhances the immediacy and relevance of predictive interventions. By processing data as generated, developers can make on-the-fly adjustments to engagement strategies, responding to player behaviour changes almost instantly.
Psychographic Data Integration – Incorporating psychographic data—such as players’ interests, values, and lifestyle choices—enriches predictive models. This deeper level of personalisation leads to more meaningful interactions and tailored experiences that resonate with individual players.
Bias Mitigation – It is crucial to ensure that predictive models do not perpetuate biases. Implementing fairness-aware machine learning practices helps create equitable models that do not disadvantage specific player groups.
By integrating these advanced techniques, predictive analytics in F2P gaming becomes even more powerful and precise. These methods offer deeper insights and more effective strategies for enhancing player engagement, retention, and monetisation, ultimately leading to a more dynamic and responsive gaming experience.
Psychological and ethical considerations
The F2P model employs numerous psychological tricks to engage players, but these tactics raise significant ethical concerns. While some psychological factors are well-known, additional tactics and moral issues are often overlooked but equally important.
Psychological factors
Intermittent Reinforcement – Similar to gambling, the unpredictable nature of rewards (like loot boxes) triggers the brain’s reward system, creating a compulsive urge to continue playing.
Artificial Scarcity – Limited-time items create a sense of urgency, driving players to spend money to avoid missing out.
Hedonic Adaptation – By limiting play sessions (through lives or energy systems), games prevent players from getting bored, renewing their desire to play again.
Social Pressure – Features like leaderboards and social media integration create competition and a desire to keep up with friends.
Sunk Cost Fallacy – Players become more committed as they invest time and money, reluctant to abandon their progress.
However, additional psychological tactics are not commonly thought of:
Dark Patterns – Design elements trick players into making decisions they might not otherwise make. Examples include manipulative UI designs that make it easy to make purchases but hard to exit or overwhelming players with pop-ups and offers.
Emotional Manipulation – Using emotional triggers such as guilt or fear to drive engagement and spending. For instance, games might imply that failing to purchase will disappoint teammates or prevent progress.
Loss Aversion – This strategy capitalises on players’ fear of losing progress or rewards. Features that threaten to take away earned items unless the player continues to engage or spend money can be particularly manipulative.
Variable Ratio Schedule – Beyond simple intermittent reinforcement, using a variable ratio schedule—rewards given out at unpredictable intervals—can be more addictive, keeping players engaged in the hope of a big win.
Skinner Box Techniques – Implementing operant conditioning techniques, where players are rewarded for performing specific actions, thus repeatedly conditioning their behaviour to engage with particular game mechanics.
Ethical considerations
In the pursuit of profit, F2P games often employ strategies that push ethical boundaries, leveraging psychological principles to maximise player engagement and spending. However, these tactics can raise significant moral concerns, mainly when they exploit vulnerable populations such as children or individuals prone to addictive behaviours.
This section will explore the various predatory monetisation tactics, the impact of artificial scarcity and paywalls, the issues surrounding transparency and informed consent, and the broader implications for player privacy, mental health, and fair play. Developers can create more responsible and sustainable gaming experiences by understanding and addressing these ethical considerations.
Predatory Monetisation Tactics – Loot boxes and randomised rewards foster gambling-like behaviour, which is particularly harmful to vulnerable populations like children. These tactics exploit players’ impulses, encouraging spending in ways that can lead to addictive behaviours.
Artificial Scarcity and Paywalls – These tactics can feel manipulative, creating pressure to spend money to progress. Artificial scarcity increases the perceived value of items, driving players to make purchases they might otherwise avoid.
Lack of Transparency – Often, there’s little disclosure about the odds of obtaining certain rewards or the actual cost of in-game items. This lack of transparency can lead to uninformed spending, raising ethical questions about fairness and consumer protection.
Exploiting Human Psychology – Using operant conditioning and social pressure to drive spending raises moral questions about player exploitation. These methods can manipulate players into spending more money without fully realising the psychological tricks at play.
Dark Patterns – These design elements trick players into making decisions they might not otherwise make. Examples include manipulative UI designs that make it easy to make purchases but hard to exit or overwhelming players with pop-ups and offers.
Exploitative Monetisation – Designing monetisation strategies that exploit vulnerable players, including children and those susceptible to addictive behaviours, raises ethical concerns. Developers have a responsibility to protect these groups from manipulative tactics.
Informed Consent – It is essential that players fully understand what they are purchasing and the odds associated with loot boxes. Lack of transparency can lead to uninformed spending, which is ethically questionable.
Privacy Concerns – Collecting and using player data to inform game design and monetisation strategies without sufficient transparency or consent is problematic. Players are often unaware of how much their data is being used.
Mental Health Impacts – Long-term engagement with manipulative game design can impact players’ mental health, leading to issues like addiction, anxiety, and depression. Developers must consider the potential harm their games could cause and strive to mitigate these risks.
Fair Play – It is critical to ensure that spending money does not create an unfair advantage. Pay-to-win mechanics can undermine the integrity of the game and the experience for non-spending players.
Regulatory Compliance – It is crucial to ensure that the game complies with local and international regulations regarding gambling, data protection, and consumer rights. As regulations evolve, staying compliant is essential for ethical and legal operations.
By addressing these additional psychological factors and ethical considerations, developers can create more responsible and fair gaming experiences. Balancing the drive for profit with ethical considerations fosters a better player environment and builds long-term trust and loyalty.
In the South Park episode "Freemium Isn't Free," the town's residents become obsessed with a new free-to-play mobile game called Terrance & Phillip: Give Us Your Money. The game is marketed as "freemium," allowing players to download and play for free but encouraging in-game purchases for faster progress and better rewards.
The boys, particularly Stan, get hooked on the game. They start spending increasingly large amounts of money on virtual currency and items. Randy, Stan's father, notices his son's addiction and tries to intervene. He questions the ethical implications of such games, highlighting how they exploit psychological vulnerabilities.
It's revealed that the game's addictive design is part of a larger scheme. The Canadian government and Satan have teamed up to generate profit by exploiting addictive personalities. Stan consults with South Park's school counselor, Mr. Mackey, who explains the "freemium" model. Mr. Mackey describes how these games use psychological tactics like intermittent rewards and social pressure to manipulate players into spending money.
The boys eventually confront the creators of the game, including Terrance and Phillip. They address the unethical nature of the freemium model head-on. The episode concludes with a humorous twist as the boys try to stop the evil plan. Stan learns a valuable lesson about moderation and the importance of not getting caught up in manipulative schemes.
The episode satirizes the free-to-play game industry, showing how these games often prioritize profit over player well-being. It also highlights how game developers use psychological tricks to create addiction and maximize revenue. "Freemium Isn't Free" raises important questions about the morality of exploiting players, especially vulnerable individuals and children, through predatory monetization practices.
"Freemium Isn't Free" offers a sharp critique of the game industry’s freemium model. Using humor and satire, it explores serious issues related to addiction, ethics, and the psychological manipulation of players.
Conclusion
In this instalment, we’ve explored the metrics and mechanisms that drive engagement in F2P games, examined player behaviour analysis, and delved into the predictive analytics shaping the future of gaming. We’ve also addressed the psychological tactics and ethical considerations inherent in the F2P model.
Understanding F2P metrics is crucial for a game producer. Firstly, it helps define the scope of a project by identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the game's goals. This understanding makes meticulous planning possible, allowing the producer to allocate resources and time effectively to areas that maximize player engagement and revenue. Prioritising tasks is easier when the producer knows which metrics are most critical to monitor and improve. Moreover, a deep understanding of these metrics ensures that the game design remains ethical, avoiding exploitative practices that could harm the player experience. Understanding F2P metrics is the backbone of effective game production, balancing creativity, feasibility, and player respect.
As we wrap up, remember that the key to success in F2P games lies in creating engaging, fair, and ethical experiences. By understanding and leveraging these elements, you can craft games that captivate players and stand the test of time.
Stay tuned for the next part of Production 101, where we’ll continue to uncover the secrets of successful game production!
