The shift from quantity to quality: Tips for gaming companies

We recently had an e-meetup with Peggy Anne Salz , the chief analyst and founder of MobileGroove. In a deep-dive chat, Peggy decoded the gaming industry's game-changing shift: a move from sheer numbers to a robust quality-first strategy. She shed light on how gaming companies can tackle this new consumer-centric approach with some tactical advice.

Below, you'll find some key takeaways from Peggy's expert guidance. For a fuller picture of our conversation, you can dive into the entire blog post here.

1. Invest in Talent and Technology

High-quality games demand skilled teams, a cross-functional approach, and a tech stack that aligns with the player's journey. As Peggy succinctly puts it, “It's mind-boggling if we think that Coke has just released the first-ever commercial made entirely by AI - and someday soon, we’ll see AI take on more of what it takes to make and market a game.” But remember, while AI can augment development, the need for human creativity remains paramount to create standout gaming experiences.

2. Take Player Feedback Seriously

Players are the ultimate judges of game quality. Provide easy avenues for players to share their feedback and heed their criticisms and suggestions. Peggy notes, “Companies are going to have to be more innovative about their approach to data, and that means spending more effort to develop models to interpret this data and make it actionable.”

3. Focus on Player Retention

In the rush to continually release new games, don't neglect the importance of engaging players with your current games. As Peggy highlights, “You're always looking at your most valuable users and you're trying to figure out ways to get more of them. That hasn't changed. All that has changed is the metrics you look at. Retention wasn’t part of that picture; now it’s front and center.”

4. Understand Opportunities and Challenges of Niche vs. Broad Markets

The gaming market is diversifying at a rapid pace. Peggy underscores this when she says, "Covid has given rise to a whole new group of gamers who were never previously engaged in gaming. They didn’t even think of themselves as gamers, but their numbers and enthusiasm for gaming make them an attractive market segment to serve.”

Read the full blog post 'Expert Opinion with Peggy Anne Salz: The Shift from Quantity to Quality' on our website.