How do you work with esports communities to design better games?

1 Understand your target community

The first step to working with esports communities is to understand who they are, what they want, and what they value. Esports communities are not monolithic; they vary by game genre, platform, region, culture, and skill level. You need to research your target community and find out what motivates them to play and watch your game, what challenges and frustrations they face, and what features and improvements they suggest. You can use surveys, interviews, forums, social media, and analytics tools to gather this information.

3 Collect and analyze feedback

The third step is to collect and analyze feedback from your esports community. Feedback is essential for improving your game design and addressing the community's needs and expectations. You can collect feedback from various sources, such as surveys, polls, ratings, reviews, comments, bug reports, and gameplay data. You should analyze the feedback and identify the common themes, issues, and suggestions. You should also prioritize the feedback based on its impact, urgency, and feasibility.

4 Implement changes and updates

The fourth step is to implement changes and updates based on the feedback from your esports community. You should test and iterate your changes before releasing them to the public, and make sure they are compatible with the existing game systems and mechanics. You should also document and communicate your changes and updates clearly and promptly, and explain the rationale behind them. You should also acknowledge the community's input and contribution, and thank them for their support and feedback.

5 Measure and evaluate results

The fifth step is to measure and evaluate the results of your changes and updates. You should track and analyze the effects of your changes and updates on the game performance, quality, and popularity. You should also monitor and assess the community's reaction and satisfaction. You should use various metrics and indicators, such as downloads, sales, retention, engagement, reviews, ratings, comments, views, and likes. You should also solicit feedback from the community and ask them for their opinions and suggestions.

6 Keep the cycle going

The final step is to keep the cycle of working with esports communities going. You should not stop engaging with your community after launching or updating your game. You should continue to communicate, collect feedback, implement changes, and measure results. You should also seek new ways to grow and diversify your community, and to provide them with more value and enjoyment. You should also keep an eye on the trends and developments in the esports industry, and adapt your game accordingly.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?