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Mastering Retention Podcast

When to pivot your mobile game's approach

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

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🎙️ Mastering Retention Podcast Episode: The Love & Pies Journey

Host: Tom Hammond, Co-founder of UserWise

Guest: Matt Baker, Lead Designer at Trail Mix

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Introduction

👋 Host Introduction:

Tom Hammond welcomes listeners to a special episode focusing on pivoting in game development.

Highlights the journey of Love & Pies, a game that pivoted from a Match-3 to a Merge game.

Encourages listeners to download and play Love & Pies to better understand the discussion.

🧑‍💼 Guest Introduction:

Matt Baker:

Over 16 years of experience in the gaming industry, primarily in mobile gaming.

Started his career in QA before transitioning to game design.

Worked at companies like Glue Mobile and King, contributing to titles like Farm Heroes Saga.

Joined Trail Mix to work on Love & Pies.

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Matt's Journey into Gaming

🎮 Early Passion:

Inspired by strategy games like Theme Hospital and Dungeon Keeper.

Knew from a young age he wanted to be involved in game design.

📚 Education and Early Career:

Studied Artificial Intelligence, covering programming, philosophy, and psychology.

Briefly worked as a roadie for a band before returning to pursue a career in gaming.

Started in QA at EA but couldn't afford the position due to living costs.

Joined Glue Mobile in 2006, working on early Java phone games.

🛣️ Career Progression:

Transitioned from QA to game design at Glue Mobile.

Gained diverse experience across educational games, toys-to-life projects, and social gambling.

Spent five years at King as a Lead Game Designer on Farm Heroes Saga.

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Joining Trail Mix and the Vision for Love & Pies

🌱 Formation of Trail Mix:

Founded by Cara and Tristan, former colleagues from King.

Aimed to create "snackable" games that contribute positively to the world.

🚀 Matt's Role:

Joined Trail Mix to develop the meta-game and narrative aspects of their new project.

Attracted by the company's vision and the opportunity to innovate.

🧩 Initial Concept for Love & Pies:

Began as a Match-3 game with merge mechanics—a hybrid approach.

Focused on heavy narrative elements with consequential player choices.

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Challenges and Early Pivots

🔄 Multiple Iterations:

Initial versions included a time management game and narrative-focused gameplay akin to Choices or Episode.

Players desired more control over customization, particularly of the in-game cafe.

📝 Emphasis on Narrative:

Hired a professional writer, Laura, to build robust characters and world-building.

Shifted towards a "puzzle and decorate" model to align with player expectations.

🧪 Playtesting and Feedback:

Conducted qualitative surveys and friends-and-family tests.

Used platforms like PlaytestCloud for multi-session tests.

Identified that players struggled with mastering innovative core mechanics.

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Identifying Problems and Deciding to Pivot

📉 Analyzing Metrics:

Retention rates were acceptable but not meeting internal goals (around 7-8% Day 30 retention).

Monetization was lower than expected, particularly with end-game purchases.

🕵️‍♂️ Diagnosing Issues:

Funnel analysis revealed players weren't reaching mastery in core mechanics.

Level pass rates dropped significantly when advanced understanding was required.

💡 The Decision to Pivot:

Time-boxed the decision-making process to ensure efficient use of resources.

Formed a small "skunkworks" team to explore a pivot to a Merge-2 game.

Aimed to retain the beloved meta-game and narrative elements.

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The Pivot to a Merge Game

⚙️ Developing the New Core:

Focused on integrating the new merge mechanics seamlessly with existing meta-game.

Addressed known issues in merge games like board space, scalability, and narrative linkage.

🚀 Positive Outcomes:

Early internal testing showed immediate improvements in engagement and enjoyment.

Expanded the team to build enough content for a Day 30 retention test.

Day 30 retention rates increased to around 20% in Tier 1 countries.

🎯 Key Innovations:

Improved live operations and events to enhance player engagement.

Strengthened the connection between core gameplay and narrative.

Leveraged their strengths in high-quality production and storytelling.

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Live Ops and Future Plans

🎮 Implementing Live Operations:

Introduced live events to keep the game dynamic and engaging.

Recognized the potential for live ops to drive long-term retention in merge games.

💰 Addressing Monetization Challenges:

Acknowledged that merge games often face monetization hurdles beyond initial engagement.

Developing strategies to provide ongoing value for in-game purchases as players progress.

🛠️ Upcoming Features:

Hired a Product Manager to help shape the long-term roadmap.

Plans to introduce new features that maintain consistent value for both new and veteran players.

Committed to innovating in areas like live ops, narrative integration, and player engagement.

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Lessons Learned and Advice

🤝 The Power of Team Resilience:

Emphasized the importance of a team that can adapt and persist through challenges.

Highlighted that great games are made by teams that can recover from setbacks.

🕵️‍♀️ Understanding Player Needs:

Stressed the necessity of listening to player feedback and being willing to pivot accordingly.

Recognized that innovation must be balanced with player expectations and market realities.

🎯 Focus on Core Competencies:

Leveraged their expertise in narrative and high-quality game production.

Identified opportunities within the merge genre to differentiate their game.

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Conclusion

🌟 Final Thoughts:

The pivot to a merge game revitalized the project and aligned it better with player desires.

Time-boxing decisions and being decisive were crucial in successfully pivoting.

Matt expresses confidence in the team's ability to execute their vision.

📞 Call to Action:

Encourages listeners to download and try Love & Pies.

Looks forward to future updates and possibly revisiting the discussion as the game evolves.

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