How can you measure player engagement and retention using testing tools?

Measuring player engagement and retention using testing tools is a staple that can be found with most game developers. As Arthur C. Clarke, a renowned science fiction writer, once said, "The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible." Testing tools provide insights into player behavior, allowing developers to track metrics like player retention, session duration, and in-game actions. They also offer A/B testing capabilities to compare different game elements' impact on engagement. Leveraging these tools enables developers to push the boundaries of player engagement, continually improving the gaming experience and increasing player retention.

Utilizing testing tools for player engagement and retention involves tracking key metrics such as daily active users, session duration, and in-game actions. A/B testing can help analyze the impact of different features on player engagement, while cohort analysis allows for a deeper understanding of player behavior over time. Additionally, leveraging feedback loops and surveys within the game can provide valuable qualitative insights. Combining quantitative and qualitative data ensures a comprehensive approach to measuring and enhancing player engagement and retention.

Analyzing player engagement and retention is paramount in the gaming industry. Leveraging testing tools allows for a data-driven approach, unveiling valuable insights into user behavior, preferences, and pain points. By meticulously measuring metrics such as user interactions, session durations, and retention rates, game developers can fine-tune experiences, optimize features, and ultimately foster a more immersive and enduring connection with players. It's not just about creating games; it's about crafting experiences that resonate and endure.

Engagement metrics help you understand how players interact with your game. By analyzing data on player behavior, such as session length, frequency, and specific actions, you gain insights into what keeps players engaged and what might cause them to leave. To borrow a quote from Peter Drucker, the management consultant and educator: "What gets measured gets improved." These metrics are the compass guiding you towards enhancing the gaming experience, solidifying player loyalty, and improving the success of your game.

In 2021, Google Play partnered with The Behavioural Architects to develop a set of best practices for improving retention in mobile games. They interviewed 5 leading industry experts and 12 successful mobile game developers with diverse backgrounds, including varied genres, levels of seniority, and monetization models. Key findings suggest that the most successful titles prioritize retention from the earliest stages of game development: - Retention targets and goals are established before development begins. - Core gameplay features are added with retention in mind. - Roadmaps are created to ensure continuous player engagement throughout the game's lifecycle.

When you have retention problems, instead of adding more and more layers to your game ,try to iterate stuff in your core gameplay. Low retention often signals out weak & uninteresting core gameplay.Making changes to your core gameplay then adding supporting factors to your gameplay should be the correct order.

Try to test out one thing at a time ; When you are testing multiple features ,it is very hard to understand what made your game better or worse.Instead try to A/B test all features one by one. Don't evaluate single metric; There should be multiple metrics or in game events you can measure. A good example would be churns. They usually tell why and when players leaving your game , pointing out flaws.

In that research project (in cooperation between Google Play and The Behavioural Architects) they identified 9 characteristics of games that retain They: - balance short-term monetization with long-term retention - go beyond just time based retention metrics - keep right balance between player effort and early reward - actively manage player progression - know what journey their most valuable players take, so they can push/move others on it - are not afraid to ask what their players want and why (going deep on players motivations) - take variable rewards to the next level (varying both the reward itself and the cadence) - ensure that the game still feels fresh and rewarding at all stages of the player lifecycle - test continuously.

Always consider testing early and as often as you can. Building a house while testing every floor once they are completed is much safe and practical than demolishing whole finished structure and building it over again.