authentic virality: you share if you care. gdc europe 2013
DESCRIPTION
Research results on how mobile gamers discover games and how sharing content can drive authentic virality. Presented at Game Developers' Conference Europe 2013TRANSCRIPT
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Authentic Virality You Share if You Care
Jussi Laakkonen, Applifier The Kitten’s Toe
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Lots of data. Just 20 minutes.
No need to do notes. Download presentation for data:
http://slideshare.net/abyssi/
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Data from two surveys
1800 mobile gamers North America March 2013
3000 mobile gamers North America Q2 2013 Heavy payer: >$10 / month
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For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
00%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Word of mouth, social media
App Store TV, Youtube, web sites, print or other
media
Advertising
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24%
26%
34%
35%
36%
40%
42%
48%
58%
63%
67%
72%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Twitter post
Mainstream media
Text message invite
Video service
Mobile game discovery app
Gaming websites
Ads in other apps
Facebook invite or post by a friend
Top charts in storefront
Featured apps in storefront
Saw another person
Word of mouth
Percentage of Mobile Gamers that Endorse They Sometimes or Often Use Source
Sources Mobile Gamers use to Discover Games
Simplified chart. See appendix for full chart.
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“Hey, you got to play this game. Watch this!”
00%
05%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Hearing from a friend, family
Seeing gameplay
Facebook post
Tweet Shared screenshot
Fan videos
In person Online
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
Opportunity
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0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Which of the following features are important while playing?
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
Viral growth
Playing together Sharing
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Viral growth through
invites
Viral growth through
shared content
Playing together Sharing
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Viral growth through
invites
Playing together
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0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Easy to invite friends Playing with real friends Playing with non-friends
Playing with real friends nearly 2 x more important than with non-friends
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
Which of the following features are important while playing?
34% 44% 24%
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But >60% prefer nicknames over real identity
21%
Real identity (e.g. login with Facebook)
19% Nick name + stylized photo that masks my real identity 43%
Nick name + avatar (e.g. game character)
17%
No identity even if it means friends can’t find me
How do you want to appear to others when you play?
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Fairly few use social gaming services
00%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Which mobile game services have you used?
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Your Contacts are your real friends.
Fairly few games leverage Contacts, while all mobile social services do this to bootstrap growth (e.g. Snapchat)
Go with nicknames or partial identity (e.g. “Jussi L”)
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Don’t force FB login.
Demonstrate fun first, then upsell Facebook Connect to play with friends
Incentivize FB Connect (questionable, but works)
“We never spam your friends”
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Viral growth through
shared content
Sharing
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10-20% rank sharing extremely important
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Sharing tips, helping others
Sharing achievements
Sharing screenshots
Sharing video replays
Broadcasting my game
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
Which of the following features are important while playing?
Sharers
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22%
27%
33%
34%
44%
47%
54%
74%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Post a video of gameplay footage
Discuss the game on the forums
Write a review in the storefront
Invite friends through email
Invite friends to play through FB
Give the game a star rating
Show friends gameplay
Tell friends about the game verbally
Percentage of Mobile Gamers that Endorse Reason
Mobile gaming sharing activities
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Sharers play more
00%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Games downloaded / month Hours played / week
00%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
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5%
11%
25%
40%
55%
55%
55%
34%
20%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
All mobile gamers
Heavy Sharers
Heavy Video Sharers
Heavy payer Payer Non-Payer
Mobile Game Spending by Sharing Activeness
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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Discuss the game on the forums
Invite friends through email
Post a video of gameplay footage
Invite friends to play through FB
Write a review in the storefront
Give the game a star rating
Show friends gameplay
Tell friends about the game verbally
Percentage of Mobile Gamers that Endorse They Sometimes or Often Use Source Heavy payer Payer Non-Payer
Mobile game sharing activities [By Spend Segment]
Simplified chart. See appendix for full chart.
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Sharers = your most valuable users
Play More Pay More
Spread the Word
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31%
38%
44%
59%
67%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
To be more involved in the game’s community
To be an expert in the game
To show off my skill or accomplishments in the game
To get my friends to play the game with me
To let others know about a game I enjoy
Percentage of Mobile Gamers that Endorse Sometimes or Often Engaging in Activity
Reasons Mobile Gamers Engage in Sharing Activities
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7%
12%
14%
20%
19%
18%
26%
32%
43%
40%
47%
56%
57%
54%
56%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
To be more involved in the game’s community
To be an expert in the game
To show off my skill or accomplishments in the game
To get my friends to play the game with me
To let others know about a game I enjoy
Heavy Video Sharers Heavy Sharers Full Sample
Reasons Mobile Gamers Engage in Sharing Activities [By sharing activeness, only “Endorse reason often”]
Percentage of Mobile Gamers who Endorse Often Engaging in Activity
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Sharers are more social. Part 1
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
Which of the following features are extremely important while playing?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Sharers are more social. Part 2
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
Which of the following features are extremely important while playing?
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Sharers = Retaining users, want community features
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Sharers more likely to find games through WoM, advertisements, media
00%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
140%
Word of mouth, social media
App Store TV, Youtube, web sites, print or other
media
Advertising
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
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Remember this?
00%
05%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Hearing from a friend, family
Seeing gameplay
Facebook post
Tweet Shared screenshot
Fan videos
In person Online
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
Opportunity
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WoM: Sharers find games more often online than in-person
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
00%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Hearing from a friend, family
Seeing gameplay
Facebook post
Tweet Shared screenshot
Fan videos
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5%
8%
7%
8%
10%
10%
13%
18%
16%
18%
23%
24%
37%
53%
43%
54%
44%
50%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Twitter post
Another social network
Text message invite
Video service
Facebook invite
Facebook post by a friend
Heavy Video Sharers Heavy Sharers Full Sample
Sources Mobile Gamers Use to Discover games [Only “Often used online social sources”]
Percentage of Mobile Gamers who Endorse Reason Often
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Share from the game,
invite
Social media
Try a new game
Sharers
Get engaged
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What type of sharing is most influential?
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It’s like snake, but you fight monsters. Swipe to steer your snake made of heroes you level
up, kill the baddies and don’t hit anything!
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SHARED WITH
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Videos drive installs, decision making and referral
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
What actions have you taken after watching game related video?
00%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
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You share if you care. Tap into emotions.
Show, don’t tell à screenshots, video.
Automatic screenshots, instant replays à just share!
Sharing is self-reinforcing
Build social features to attract & retain Sharers
Sharers play & pay and get your more users. You want them.
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slideshare.net/abyssi [email protected]
@jussil
For More Information on EEDAR’s Annual Deconstructing Mobile & Tablet
Gaming Report Visit www.EEDAR.com
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Data Appendix
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24%
26%
29%
31%
34%
35%
36%
36%
40%
41%
42%
45%
48%
58%
63%
67%
72%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Twi0er post
Mainstream media
Another social network
Currency offer in an app
Text message invite
Video service
TradiIonal gaming websites
Mobile game discovery app
Mobile gaming websites
Facebook adverIsement
Banner ads in other apps
Facebook invite
Facebook post by a friend
Top charts in storefront
Featured apps in storefront
Saw another person
Word of mouth
Percentage of Mobile Gamers that Endorse They SomeDmes or OFen Use Source
Source
Sources Mobile Gamers Use to Discover Mobile Games
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2%
6%
12%
12%
22%
33%
42%
65%
16%
18%
29%
23%
42%
59%
65%
83%
50%
59%
64%
72%
77%
83%
91%
94%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Discuss the game on the forums
Invite friends through email
Post a video of gameplay footage
Invite friends to play through FB
Write a review in the storefront
Give the game a star rating
Show friends gameplay
Tell friends about the game verbally
Percentage of Mobile Gamers that Endorse They Sometimes or Often Use Source
Sour
ce
Mobile Gaming Sharing Activities [By Spend Segment]
Heavy payer Payer Non-Payer