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Mastering Retention Podcast

Using UX to deliver on what players want

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeB00zRmAWs⁠

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Podcast Summary: Mastering Retention Episode Featuring Natalie Saradsky

In this special episode of the Mastering Retention Podcast, host Tom welcomes Natalie Saradsky, a UX Consultant at Google, who brings a fresh perspective from outside the traditional gaming industry. Accompanied by a charming dog, the episode delves into the critical role of user experience (UX) in gaming and strategies to enhance player retention.

Key Points Discussed

Natalie’s Background and Expertise

Career Path: Natalie has a strong foundation in market research and user experience, starting with board games for children, then moving through roles at L'Oréal and tech startups.

Current Role: At Google, she focuses on improving customer experience for apps and games, aiding developers globally in enhancing retention, engagement, and monetization.

Importance of UX in Gaming

Overlooked Aspect: UX is often neglected by gaming companies, leading to missed opportunities for improving player retention.

Retention Link: Effective UX design directly influences retention by ensuring players find immediate value and enjoyment in the game.

Strategies to Improve Day One Retention

Benchmarking with Peer Groups: Compare your game’s retention metrics with similar games (e.g., Archero clones) to understand performance relative to industry standards.

Onboarding Optimization: A seamless and engaging onboarding process is crucial. It should quickly demonstrate the game’s value and mechanics to hook players.

Understanding Player Motivations: Leveraging theories like self-determination theory, focus on elements like competence and the feeling of accomplishment to satisfy player motivations.

Identifying the “Magic Moment” in Games

Definition: The point where players become engaged and want to continue playing.

Implementation: Design game elements that create a compelling flow early in the experience, encouraging longer session times and ongoing engagement.

Effective Use of Surveys and Market Research

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Methods:

Qualitative: Interviews and usability testing to gather in-depth insights.

Quantitative: Surveys with closed questions to validate hypotheses derived from qualitative research.

Survey Best Practices:

Avoid leading questions to prevent skewed data.

Segment surveys to target specific user groups, such as engaged players or those who churned after the first day.

Actionable Insights: Use survey data to inform game development decisions, ensuring that player feedback shapes future updates and features.

Engaging with Players Directly

User Feedback: Actively reach out to both retained and churned players to understand their experiences and reasons for staying or leaving.

Incentivizing Participation: Offer rewards or in-game benefits to encourage players to provide feedback without being intrusive.

Leveraging Community Platforms

Discord Servers: Utilize platforms like Discord to foster a community where players can engage, share feedback, and feel connected to the game’s development process.

Priming Users: Introduce community engagement opportunities at appropriate times to maximize participation and relevance.

Practical Tips for Developers

Usability Testing: Conduct simple tests with friends or family to identify and resolve usability issues before full-scale launch.

Data-Driven Decisions: Combine qualitative feedback with quantitative data to create a comprehensive understanding of player behavior and preferences.

Adaptation to Markets: Tailor game experiences to different regions by understanding local behaviors, payment preferences, and cultural nuances.

Final Takeaway

Natalie emphasizes the trio of knowing the market, knowing the user, and knowing the behavior as fundamental to mastering retention in gaming. She encourages developers to integrate user research into their workflow, leveraging both expert and informal methods to continuously improve the gaming experience and sustain player engagement.

Connecting with Natalie

Listeners interested in reaching out to Natalie can find her on LinkedIn, where she is active and open to connections.

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Thank you for listening to this insightful episode featuring Natalie Saradsky. Stay tuned for more expert discussions on mastering retention in the gaming industry!

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