Methods for increasing player retention on the example of SLOT games: Part 1
CASINO games have the highest Retention Rate and Stickness factor (according to GameAnalytics Mobile Gaiming Benchmarks). This is not surprising, because the cost of attracting one user to the game ranges from $ 6-8. This article discusses the main methods of increasing retention, which are used in SLOT games. For the analysis, 10 SLOT games were selected, which are included in the TOP50 games by income in the AppStore.
Conventionally, all methods of retaining players can be divided into three types: basic, social and monetization. Social methods include tournaments, chat rooms, interaction with friends, etc. Monetization methods are more aimed at improving the monetization of the game, but also contribute to increasing the retention of players. Prominent examples are stocks and annuity payments. It is impossible to put all the methods in one article. Therefore, a series of three articles will be published. This article will discuss the basic methods of retention.
Daily bonuses are one of the most popular ways to stimulate players to return to the game more often. On average, every second game in the US TOP-300 by income uses this method. Positive emotions from receiving a bonus create a positive association with the game as a whole. As a result, users more often start the game and play more often, which, in turn, increases their attachment to the game. In addition, they allow non-paying players to continue playing.
In games there are several types of bonuses. Some reward daily returns, others encourage the player to return several times during the day. You can learn more about the types of daily bonuses and what bonuses to choose for your game in the Playliner company report.
Let us examine some examples of daily bonuses in SLOT games:
Roulette in the game Heart of Vegas. It is a masterpiece! On one screen, the player sees three bonuses at the same time: daily bonus, return bonus, friends bonus. Messages that are instantly decrypted as - “Come in every day, bring friends, and you will have guaranteed money every day!” Done beautifully, concisely, understandably at a glance.
In the game Big Fish Casino there are several types of bonuses. Safe deposit bonuses are designed for players to return during the day and recharge every 30 minutes and 4 hours, and the roulette for daily returns. Some bonuses are available only from a certain level, in the screenshot below this is the Gold Vault. This gives players a goal and an incentive to return to the game and spend more time in it.
An interesting implementation of the bonus game Caesars Slots. The player not only receives bonuses, but also learns interesting facts. This stirs the interest of the players to come every day, not only for getting the bonus itself, but also for the sake of new information.
The game HuuugeCasino cool implemented a daily bonus. It is designed for the player to enter the game every three hours. Moreover, the bonus is progressive, with each subsequent entry into the game the reward increases.
Daily missions (Daily Missions / Quests or “deadlines” on the game slang) - a daily offer to the player to perform several tasks for a reward (as a rule, from five or more). Tasks can be completely different: to recruit resources, build buildings, fight with a certain monster, or run one or another game mechanics. The goal of the daily tasks is to develop a user’s habit of returning to the game every day.
The most common daily tasks are found in strategies and battlers. This is due to the additional role of daily tasks in the games of these genres. Both strategies and battlers have a very wide gaming functionality. It is usually not possible to explain it within the framework of a tutorial (more precisely, it is possible, but the quality of training suffers from this). For this reason, daily tasks in these genres often act as educational mechanics, demonstrating the functionality of the game and teaching the user (through setting a number of tasks) to the game cycle.
Detailed information about daily tasks can be found in the free Playliner report .
An example of a daily task in the game HuuugeCasino.
The first session of the player is very important. At this point, the players decide whether to return to your game or delete it. I have never met a tutorial in SLOT games before. Most likely this is related to the topic that game manufacturers were guided solely by the audience of players who have played in real casinos many times and they do not need to explain the rules of the game. Now out of ten games analyzed in four was a tutorial. This is explained by the fact that companies are interested in attracting newcomers who can become a loyal target audience. In addition, game mechanics and additional content appeared in the games, with which it is necessary to introduce users.
HuuugeCasino step by step tutorial
The disadvantage of this tutorial is that there is no skip button at every step. The tutorial skip button should always be, you should not force experienced players to waste time on the passage of what they already know.
DoubleDown Laconic Tutorial
A distinctive feature of SLOT games are various systems of loyalty programs and mini-games.
VIP - programs encourage players to be committed to the game, and for that get more significant bonuses and benefits. Each game has its own loyalty program, with its own nuances and advantages. This is an indication that the developer approaches the game as a service. The main objective of these programs is to keep the user in the game.
In Heart of Vegas there is a loyalty program, which clearly shows what is waiting for the loyal players and in what quantity. Plus a mysterious screen, for which you can get only by invitation (INVITE ONLY). This is an imitation of closed playing houses, access to which is open only to the elect.
VIP program at Big Fish Casino:
Also an excellent solution is the accumulation of tickets that allow you to win additional prizes. By implementing this method, you create an additional game loop in the game. The player plays slot machines, earns tickets. When he collects the right amount or when he gets bored with the main gameplay, he will not leave the game, but will play additional mini-games on tickets. They encourage not only to earn them in the game, but also to make purchases. As with each purchase various variants of incentives are charged (tickets, cards, experience, etc.). Thus, this method not only enhances retention, but also improves the monetization of the game.
Example from Big Fish Casino
The DoubleUCasino game has a lotto mini game. The player collects the tickets in the form of lotto cards and participates in the draw. The more such tickets a player has collected, the greater the chances of winning a large prize.
In my opinion, a mini-game with tickets is great for match-3 games. I love match-3, and I can play long enough, but a certain uniformity of players tires. If there is no additional content in the game, like in Gardenscape or Homescape, then players quickly get tired of the levels and leave the game. By creating a new game cycle, you will keep the players and increase the time of the game session.
There are many methods to increase retention of players. Most of the methods are applicable to games of any genre. Thus, a detailed analysis of the behavior of players and the correct selection of methods is the way to increase the income from the game.
Conventionally, all methods of retaining players can be divided into three types: basic, social and monetization. Social methods include tournaments, chat rooms, interaction with friends, etc. Monetization methods are more aimed at improving the monetization of the game, but also contribute to increasing the retention of players. Prominent examples are stocks and annuity payments. It is impossible to put all the methods in one article. Therefore, a series of three articles will be published. This article will discuss the basic methods of retention.
1. Daily Bonuses
Daily bonuses are one of the most popular ways to stimulate players to return to the game more often. On average, every second game in the US TOP-300 by income uses this method. Positive emotions from receiving a bonus create a positive association with the game as a whole. As a result, users more often start the game and play more often, which, in turn, increases their attachment to the game. In addition, they allow non-paying players to continue playing.
In games there are several types of bonuses. Some reward daily returns, others encourage the player to return several times during the day. You can learn more about the types of daily bonuses and what bonuses to choose for your game in the Playliner company report.
Let us examine some examples of daily bonuses in SLOT games:
Roulette in the game Heart of Vegas. It is a masterpiece! On one screen, the player sees three bonuses at the same time: daily bonus, return bonus, friends bonus. Messages that are instantly decrypted as - “Come in every day, bring friends, and you will have guaranteed money every day!” Done beautifully, concisely, understandably at a glance.
In the game Big Fish Casino there are several types of bonuses. Safe deposit bonuses are designed for players to return during the day and recharge every 30 minutes and 4 hours, and the roulette for daily returns. Some bonuses are available only from a certain level, in the screenshot below this is the Gold Vault. This gives players a goal and an incentive to return to the game and spend more time in it.
An interesting implementation of the bonus game Caesars Slots. The player not only receives bonuses, but also learns interesting facts. This stirs the interest of the players to come every day, not only for getting the bonus itself, but also for the sake of new information.
The game HuuugeCasino cool implemented a daily bonus. It is designed for the player to enter the game every three hours. Moreover, the bonus is progressive, with each subsequent entry into the game the reward increases.
2. Daily tasks
Daily missions (Daily Missions / Quests or “deadlines” on the game slang) - a daily offer to the player to perform several tasks for a reward (as a rule, from five or more). Tasks can be completely different: to recruit resources, build buildings, fight with a certain monster, or run one or another game mechanics. The goal of the daily tasks is to develop a user’s habit of returning to the game every day.
The most common daily tasks are found in strategies and battlers. This is due to the additional role of daily tasks in the games of these genres. Both strategies and battlers have a very wide gaming functionality. It is usually not possible to explain it within the framework of a tutorial (more precisely, it is possible, but the quality of training suffers from this). For this reason, daily tasks in these genres often act as educational mechanics, demonstrating the functionality of the game and teaching the user (through setting a number of tasks) to the game cycle.
Detailed information about daily tasks can be found in the free Playliner report .
An example of a daily task in the game HuuugeCasino.
3. Tutorial
The first session of the player is very important. At this point, the players decide whether to return to your game or delete it. I have never met a tutorial in SLOT games before. Most likely this is related to the topic that game manufacturers were guided solely by the audience of players who have played in real casinos many times and they do not need to explain the rules of the game. Now out of ten games analyzed in four was a tutorial. This is explained by the fact that companies are interested in attracting newcomers who can become a loyal target audience. In addition, game mechanics and additional content appeared in the games, with which it is necessary to introduce users.
HuuugeCasino step by step tutorial
The disadvantage of this tutorial is that there is no skip button at every step. The tutorial skip button should always be, you should not force experienced players to waste time on the passage of what they already know.
DoubleDown Laconic Tutorial
4. VIP - programs and hoarding
A distinctive feature of SLOT games are various systems of loyalty programs and mini-games.
VIP - programs encourage players to be committed to the game, and for that get more significant bonuses and benefits. Each game has its own loyalty program, with its own nuances and advantages. This is an indication that the developer approaches the game as a service. The main objective of these programs is to keep the user in the game.
In Heart of Vegas there is a loyalty program, which clearly shows what is waiting for the loyal players and in what quantity. Plus a mysterious screen, for which you can get only by invitation (INVITE ONLY). This is an imitation of closed playing houses, access to which is open only to the elect.
VIP program at Big Fish Casino:
Also an excellent solution is the accumulation of tickets that allow you to win additional prizes. By implementing this method, you create an additional game loop in the game. The player plays slot machines, earns tickets. When he collects the right amount or when he gets bored with the main gameplay, he will not leave the game, but will play additional mini-games on tickets. They encourage not only to earn them in the game, but also to make purchases. As with each purchase various variants of incentives are charged (tickets, cards, experience, etc.). Thus, this method not only enhances retention, but also improves the monetization of the game.
Example from Big Fish Casino
The DoubleUCasino game has a lotto mini game. The player collects the tickets in the form of lotto cards and participates in the draw. The more such tickets a player has collected, the greater the chances of winning a large prize.
In my opinion, a mini-game with tickets is great for match-3 games. I love match-3, and I can play long enough, but a certain uniformity of players tires. If there is no additional content in the game, like in Gardenscape or Homescape, then players quickly get tired of the levels and leave the game. By creating a new game cycle, you will keep the players and increase the time of the game session.
There are many methods to increase retention of players. Most of the methods are applicable to games of any genre. Thus, a detailed analysis of the behavior of players and the correct selection of methods is the way to increase the income from the game.