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Mastering Retention Podcast

Understanding game economy design

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cwMCfIwVI4⁠

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🎙️ Mastering Retention Podcast Roundtable: Deep Dive into Game Economies

Host: Tom Hammond, Co-founder of UserWise

Guests:

Javier Barnes, Senior Product Manager at Tilting Point

Adrian, Game Economy Designer and Monetization Manager

Caitlin, Lead Economic and Monetization Designer at Rovio

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Introduction

👋 Host Introduction:

Tom Hammond welcomes listeners to a roundtable discussion on game economies.

Expresses excitement about having some of the smartest game economists on the show.

🧑‍💼 Guest Introductions:

Javier Barnes:

Senior Product Manager at Tilting Point.

Over 10 years of experience in mobile free-to-play.

Former Economy Director at Gameloft Montreal and Game Lead at Social Point.

Writes a blog at

jvdev.net⁠

and contributes to Gamasutra and Medium.

Adrian:

Started in math but transitioned to game design focusing on numbers and systems.

Specialized in game economy design.

Worked at Ubisoft as a Game Economy Designer.

Experience as a LiveOps Manager and Monetization Manager.

Currently working on new projects and enjoys playing World of Warcraft and mobile RPGs like Summoners War.

Caitlin:

Lead Economic and Monetization Designer at Rovio.

Began career at Funcom working on The Secret World.

Moved to Finland to work in mobile gaming for nearly six years.

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Defining Game Economies

🧐 What is a Game Economy?

Caitlin:

A system where players make transactions, converting one resource into another.

Involves both real-world money and in-game resources.

Drives player behavior and engagement with different content.

Discussion Points:

Game economies encompass currencies, systems, and strategies that support transactions.

Designed to create scarcity, desire, and manage time as a resource.

The goal is to influence player behavior to make the game fun and monetizable.

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Making Game Economies Fun

🎯 Key Elements of Fun in Game Economies:

Player Motivation:

Understanding target audiences and their preferences.

Aligning economic loops with core gameplay (e.g., exploration, combat).

Optimal Reward Structures:

Ensuring the most fun activities are also the most rewarding.

Avoiding scenarios where players optimize the fun out of the game.

Emotional Engagement:

Designing monetization so players feel excited and satisfied with their purchases.

Aiming for players to share positive experiences with others.

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Simulating Game Economies

🛠️ Can Game Economies Be Simulated in Pre-Production?

Yes, Through:

Making assumptions about player behavior.

Using tools like Excel, Python scripts, and Machinations for modeling.

Creating personas and control models to predict player progression and resource flow.

Challenges:

Players may behave differently than expected.

Assumptions need to be validated and adjusted based on real data during soft launch.

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Tools and Approaches

🔧 Tools for Modeling Economies:

Excel:

Preferred for its speed and flexibility in making quick changes.

Allows for linking data and seeing immediate impacts on graphs and tables.

Machinations:

Useful for visualizing complex systems and demonstrating flows to non-designers.

Better suited for high-level overviews rather than day-to-day modeling.

Custom Scripts:

Python or other programming languages can simulate player behavior over time.

Helpful for modeling multiple iterations and player profiles.

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Adjusting Economies Post-Launch

📈 Adapting to Real Player Behavior:

Collecting Data:

Use analytics to understand actual player actions.

Compare against initial assumptions and adjust accordingly.

Player Feedback:

Surveys and direct communication with players, especially whales.

Gathering emotional responses to understand how players feel about the economy.

🛠️ Fixing Broken Economies:

Identifying the Issue:

Understanding in what way the economy is broken (e.g., inflation, imbalance).

Possible Solutions:

Adjust rewards and costs carefully to avoid backlash.

Introduce new currencies or systems to replace or supplement existing ones.

Use live events to test changes before making permanent adjustments.

Challenges:

Players may resist changes that devalue their prior investments.

Important to maintain trust and transparency with the player community.

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Monetization Strategies

💰 Monetizing the Economy:

Scaling Purchases:

Adjusting in-game shop offerings to match player progression.

Introducing better value bundles as players advance.

Time as Currency:

Selling time-saving options (e.g., speeding up resource collection).

Provides consistent value across different progression stages.

Compartmentalization:

Isolating parts of the economy to prevent inflation from affecting the whole system.

Allows for introducing new features without disrupting existing balance.

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Live Ops and Events

🎉 Using Live Operations:

Testing New Features:

Introduce new mechanics as limited-time events to gauge player response.

Allows for adjustments or removal without long-term commitment.

Seasonality and Resets:

Implement seasons to refresh the economy and content.

Can help fix broken economies by resetting certain aspects while rewarding players.

Player Retention:

Events can re-engage players by offering fresh experiences.

Must ensure that new content doesn't overwhelm or confuse new players.

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Conclusion

🌟 Key Takeaways:

Understand Your Players:

Tailor the economy to fit player motivations and behaviors.

Flexible Design:

Be prepared to adjust based on real data and feedback.

Holistic Approach:

Balance the fun factor with monetization to create a sustainable game economy.

📞 Connecting with the Guests:

Javier Barnes: Blog at

jvdev.net⁠

, LinkedIn.

Adrian: Reach out via LinkedIn.

Caitlin: Blog at

treasuresavvy.wordpress.com⁠

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