Success Factors and Pitfalls of Cross-Platform Games
Michael KalkowskiCo-Founder & Creative Director GameDuell
Cross-Platform
Mobile
PC
Squeezebox
API / AppsSocial Networks
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Cross-PlatformIn The Games Industry?
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What is Cross-Platform?
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SNSOwn Website Mobile
Level 1: Cross-Platform Brands
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SNS
MobileOwnWebsite
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Level 2: Cross-Platform Marketing
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Level 3: Shared Social Graph
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Level 4: Shared Virtual Economy
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Level 5: Cross-Platform Gameplay
Cross-Platform:
1. Brands
2. Marketing
3. Social Graph
4. Virtual Economy
5. Gameplay
Complexity and Limited Resources
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Overcoming DifficultiesThe Path To Cross-Platform
Path to Becoming A Cross-Platform Company
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80Cumulative users and installs (mio)
First Facebook app
First Android App
• Launch in USA•Opened San Francisco office•Wellington invest $17.5 mio
Seed investment by Holtzbrinck Ventures and Burda Digital Ventures
First HTML5
game
Break-even•Move into France• European expansion
Founded in Berlin
First iPhone app
•Over 70 million users and installs• Team reaches 180 people• Expanding to new office
• Cross-platform technology• 60+ games
20122003
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
20072005
2004Dec 2003
Lesson 1: Focus
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• Less is more
• Quality (not quantity)
• Lead with fastest platform
Lesson 2: Excellent Analytics
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• Data information
• Cohort Analysis
• Reporting infrastructure
• Cross-platform tracking
Lesson 3: Create Synergies
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• GFX
o asset management
o dynamic sizes
• Payment providers and infrastructure
• Marketing partners
• Common core technology
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MobileOwn
Websites
SNS
OwnWebsites
OwnWebsites
Tests
Tests
CoreTechnology
Lesson 4: Be Customer-Driven
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• Add user valueo Single sign-on
o Cross-platform features
• User typology• Filter audiences• Funnel traffic
Lesson 5: Be Platform-Specific
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• Same core gameplay
• ...but platform-specific adaptations
o Usability (Luke W: “Mobile first“)
o Reinvent and innovate
o Controls!
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3x Benefits of Cross-Platform
• Acquisition• Monetisation• Retention
1. Better Acquisition Via Multiple Platforms
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• Multiple traffic sources• Lower total CPI• Leverage existing fanbase • Brand recognition• Higher virality• Independence from facebook
2. Better Monetisation
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• More ways to monetise • Funneling• Deep cross-promo• Higher ARPUs• Increase up to +75%
3. Higher Retention
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• 24/7/365• More CRM channels• Remain active longer• up to 2.5x after 90days
Thank You