How to Hack Community Growth

In today’s thriving games industry, creating an outstanding game is just the beginning. A strong community not only keeps players engaged but also drives the game’s growth and ensures longevity.?

Still wondering WHY building a community matters or HOW to get started? We’ve got you covered.?

Why Build a Community??

Long Lasting Relationship and Player Retention

Building a community helps to establish long-term relationships with the players. When players find others who share the similar interests, they feel a sense of belonging. This creates a space for them to have a conversation and enjoy shared-experiences, making them more likely to stick around. Once players feel connected? to both the game and the community, it enhances user retention, creating a loyal player base that continues to return..

Valuable Feedback for Development

Communities are a goldmine for feedback. Once players have a space to engage, they will naturally start offering their thoughts and suggestions. This feedback can be invaluable, helping developers fine-tune mechanics, improve gameplay, and address bugs. By listening to your community, you can ensure updates and new features resonate with your players, improving the game as it evolves.

Word of Mouth Promotion

Keeping your community engaged not only enriches their experience but also encourages them to spread the word. Engaged players are more likely to recommend your game to friends, fellow gamers, and across social media platforms. This organic growth amplifies your game’s reach, without additional marketing costs.??

Brand Loyalty for Future Updates and Releases

When players feel involved in the development process, they become passionate about your game’s future. This sense of belonging extends to new updates and releases. Your community becomes the perfect place to test new features or beta versions, as they’ll be eager to share feedback and support your game’s continued success.

If you want to stay in the loop with everything happening in the Kwalee Gaming community, feel free to join us at kwalee.com/gaming/pc-console-community .

How to Build a Community

In-game Chat Rooms

A great way to begin is by incorporating chat rooms or messaging features directly within the game to keep players engaged and connect with each other. These spaces allow players to strategise, share tips, and discuss the game, helping them bond over their shared experiences.?

Guilds and Clans

Everyone has group chats, be it iMessage or Whatsapp, think of Guild and Clans as the same but in a gaming sense. You can have Clans for Call of Duty to pick the best days where you are all online or a Guild/Free Company in Final Fantasy & WoW to master the art of Raids. In the same way, introducing guilds or clans in your game can help foster a strong community. These groups create social connections that keep players engaged and coming back regularly.?

Social Media Platforms

Platforms like Discord and Twitch are excellent tools to building and nurturing communities. Sharing new gameplay features or amazing trick shots, from behind-the-scenes, regular updates, and fun, engaging posts keeps players excited and invested. Social Media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok or YouTube can be a great place to connect with players. Responding to player’s queries and acting on their feedback in real time can enhances the community experience.

Influencer Marketing and Player Advocacy

Collaborating with influencers, bloggers and content creators who are passionate about video games can boost your game visibility and help in growing the community. Since these creators already have a dedicated audience, introducing your game to their fanbase can be a great way to attract new players and foster community growth.??

Offline Events

Sometimes, taking the community offline is the best way to strengthen bonds. Hosting events, whether it’s a competition, a game launch, ora community meet-up at a local event like EGX or Comic-Con, can provide players with the opportunity to meet and connect in person, deepening their connection to the game.

Promoting User-generated Content and Fan Art

Once the players are invested in your game, you’ll see a lot of user-generated content. Showcasing and celebrating this content on social media will boost player engagement and also will encourage them to keep playing and creating.?

What’s Next?

Creating and building a community is not just essential. It’s an opportunity to enhance the player experience and ensure your game’s long-term success. By offering players a space to connect with each other and with your development team, you create a strong foundation for lasting relationships, higher retention, and sustainable growth.

As your community grows and becomes more active, over time the loyal members may evolve into advocates for your game. These passionate players often step up to help others by responding to their questions, offering advice and creating guides for those in need. This organic exchange enhances the community vibe, creating a supportive space for all participants involved.??

Make sure to start fostering a sense of community for your players to keep them engaged and connected with your game or platform.??