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1、WHITE PAPERUnlocking the full potential of legacy gamesNOVEMBER 20232INTRODUCTIONUnlocking the full potential of video games Keeping good mobile games alive forever has long been an open trade secret in the industry,even through the golden age of hypercasual.Out of the top grossing mobile games in 2
2、022,just two were released this decade,with none released during 2022 itself.Half of them were part of the very same ranking in 2019.In a maturing mobile gaming industry where low-cost and effective marketing is no longer a commercial reality,the business of creating,launching and growing successful
3、 new mobile games has never been more difficult.An inflection point has been reached.A solution has been sitting under the noses of the entire industry:good games that have already been created.Developers and publishers have the opportunity to revisit amazing gaming content,and there is real potenti
4、al to make these good games live longer,and prosper for significantly greater periods of time.SuperScale spoke to more than 500 mobile game developers across the US and UK,delivering insights about key challenges present in contemporary game development.Thats a lot of blood,sweat,tears,and revenue,w
5、hich goes to the wayside as business losses.In this study,we delve into the business and human cost of this untapped potential.The games industry has a clear opportunity to tap into the vast unlocked potential in existing video games.Ivan Trancik CEO and founder of SuperScaleGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE
6、 PAPER NOVEMBER 2023What is Legacy Game Management?The most successful mobile games are supported for years.Theold adage in the industry is that once a game launches,thats when thereal work starts.But while some blockbuster games can last thetest of time,not all titles can match that level of succes
7、s.Most are managed over time,either through steep or steady decline,until its either time to launch something new or an even more successful title takes priority.Legacy Game Management is the process of rejuvenating games that seemingly have their best days behind them and perhaps no longer receive
8、significant UA and updates.They still have an audience and paying users,but are either experiencing a long-term downward revenue trend,or the developer has chosen to focus resources on other,potentially more profitable projects.Developers,on average,have 18 legacy games in their portfolio.Butgood ga
9、mes dont have to die.They can come back to life through new learnings,better data analytics,combined with effective marketing and expert LiveOps support.Andthroughthese foundations,the future of your business canbebuilt.BACKGROUND3GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023EXECUTIVE SUMMARY4Develop
10、ers outsource parts of development and/or publishing to support their businesses,with just less than a quarter ofdevelopers keeping all operations internal.Our survey shows 83%of launched games die within three years,and 43%of games are killed in development before they launch.This results in a thir
11、d of respondents making safer choices for their next games,while a quarter took riskier decisions on their next project.Of those surveyed,25%said ending development of a game left them feeling creatively unfulfilled or demotivated.The majority of games released on the app stores die within three yea
12、rs,with just 5%receiving support beyond seven years.Mostdevelopers surveyed admitted they preferred working on newgames,rather than titles they had already launched.While 62%of developers use LiveOps in their most profitable mobile games,38%do not release regular newcontent or updates,and less than
13、half push out monthly updates,suggesting they are not maximizing their opportunities for engagement and monetization.Facing challenges from ATT,inflation,significant competition and other headwinds,more than two-thirds of developers have reported having to make significant changes to their business
14、during the last 12months,including layoffs and budget cuts.Just over a third of developers believe afocus on new releases willimprove theoverall success rate ofmobile games,while 30%believe focusing onlegacy titles instead will provide more successfuloutcomes.GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER
15、202340%of studios have outsourced development tasks in the last 12 months253UK251US504mobile game developersx18legacy games41%Action42%Shooter44%Puzzle/MatchDeveloping mobile games for+4yrs47%3yrs53%Most common game categories in development5KEY FINDINGSTHE AUDIENCEof studios have made layoffs in th
16、e past 12 months32%Average number of legacy games in portfolio62%of developers are using LiveOps in their most profitable titles37%of studios update their most profitable titles weekly76%of launched games hit peak revenue in year 130%of developers believe a focus on legacy games is the path forward
17、in the current industry climate43%of games in development are killed before they launchof developers prefer to work on new titles78%of mobile games die within 3 years83%18GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 20234Market DynamicsWhile mobile games publishers have been embattled with headwinds like
18、 ATT,heavy competition in a mature mobile market and macroeconomic conditions like high inflation,its been a tough time for the entire games industry.Data shows that in 2023 alone,there have been more than 6,000 layoffs in the industry,with mass redundancies also impacting the wider technology secto
19、r.As such,many developers are searching for efficiencies and growth in their existing portfolio,not just the next potential hit.6,000layoffs in 20236GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023MARKET DYNAMICS7Tough timesOur survey shows that 32%of developers conducted layoffs during the past 12 mont
20、hs,while 27%said they had permanently downsized.Whats more,nearly a quarter of developers surveyed said they had come close to shutting down their business.Developers also cut budgets in other areas.Interestingly,with new privacy-focused rules and increasingly higher user acquisition costs due to th
21、is and heavy market competition,29%of developers cut their UA budget-perhaps seeing lower return on investment than they have historically.Only a third(32%)said they did not make layoffs,downsize,shut down their business or cut their UA budget.Hypercasual hitCollectible card game(CCG)developers were
22、 hit by the highest rate of layoffs,with 62%of respondents making games in the genre reporting job losses during the past 12 months.Hypercasual,meanwhile,had the second-highest rate,with 53%of developers in the space reporting redundancies.After the gold rush of previous years,privacy changes have b
23、itten particularly hard on the hypercasual genre-reliant on advertising revenue and UA at scale-with many companies in the space pivoting to hybridcasual/casual titles.Of those surveyed,puzzle and match-3 developers saw the lowest rate of redundancies across genres at 34%.24%almost shut down29%cut U
24、A budget report job lossesCCG 62%studios have come closest to shutting downHypercasualdevelopers saw lowest rate of redundanciesPuzzle&Match 3GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 202332%of studios made layoffs8Open to outsourcingAs the mobile games industry evolves-through tackling the aforementi
25、oned challenges and,in some cases,facing longer production cycles,developers are looking at new ways to support their business and growing consumer demands.Some 40%of studios have outsourced development during the past year.Meanwhile,37%have outsourced publishing,30%UA and creatives,and 28%art.Less
26、than a quarter(23%)said they didnt outsource anything.In the hypercasual space,59%of developers said they had outsourced development,while 58%outsourced UA and creatives,and 70%publishing-in keeping with how most developers and publishers operate within the genre.40%of studios outsourced development
27、 tasks37%outsourced publishinghave outsourced art28%outsourced art30%outsourced UA&creativeMARKET DYNAMICSGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023Success&FailureMobile games are at their most lucrative when they can sustain revenue for years through successful LiveOps.Games-as-a-Service has beco
28、me a gold rush across the games industry,perhaps nowhere better executed than at the elite echelons of the mobile market.But its no easy feat.Of those surveyed,86%of developers felt that simply launching on the app stores was a success.But theres a lot more to it than that,of course.Keeping games al
29、ive is where the top publishers truly thrive.86%felt app stores launch was a success9GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023SUCCESS&FAILURE10Kill your darlingsThe term kill your darlings is well-known in the mobile games industry.Many titles never see the light of day due to failure to meet exp
30、ectations and KPIs during production and soft launch.In fact,our survey shows that 43%of mobile games are killed during development.Once a game is cancelled,33%of respondents said it made them more commercially driven for the next title.Interestingly,32%said they made safer choices for their next ga
31、me and 26%felt pressure to experiment less.Meanwhile,25%took riskier decisions on their next project.There is a human element to cancellations,too.25%of those surveys said ending development of a game left them feeling creatively unfulfilled or demotivated.Of these respondents,30%of junior devs with
32、 less than 1 year of experience reported creative unfulfillment.Meanwhile,20%of developers with 1 to 3 years experience reported the same feeling,as did 27%with 4 to 5 years in the industry,and 28%with 6 to 10 years of experience.Of the most senior developers,with over 10 years in the industry,just
33、14%said a game cancelled in development led to creative unfulfilment or demotivation.24%of these most experienced developers said cancellations are part of the job.43%of games in development are killed before they launchmade them more drivenImpact:33%made safer choices on next game32%felt pressured
34、to experiment less26%took riskier decisions on next game25%most experienced devs feel cancellations are“part of the job”GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 202324%83%of games die within 3 years11Of the games that make it to launch,83%of games die within three years.Nearly a fifth(17%)last under
35、six months,and almost half(47%)survive for less than 12.12%of games last between four to seven years,and just 5%receive longer-term support.The vast majority of launched games(76%)hit their peak revenue in their first year,and only 4%reach their peak after 2 years.While forever games are the holy gr
36、ail for many mobile games businesses:78%of developers surveyed said they preferred to work on new games,while 22%preferred to work on titles that hadalready been launched.Peaks and troughs47%of games die within 12 months17%of games die within 6 monthsGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023SUCCE
37、SS&FAILURE76%of launched games hit peak revenue Year 14%of launched games hit peak revenue Year 2+78%of developers preferred to work on new gamesMonetization&UANow we have a greater insight into how developers approach cancelling games in production and how many survive post-launch:how exactly are t
38、hey monetizing and marketing them?Best practices abound in the industry,but they arent always implemented.62%of developers are using LiveOps in their most profitable titles12GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023MONETIZATION&UA13“As a passionate game developer,seeing so many games fail shortly
39、 after launch is a pity.Its probably no secret it could get even worse for the industry which is why LiveOps is so important,especially in our case with Tiny Tower,which is over a decade old-its been instrumental to our success.”Ian Marsh Co-Owner of NimbleBit62%of developers use LiveOps in most pro
40、fitable titlesUpdates37%weekly48%monthly14%special eventsMMPs25%analytics platform52%UA agencies37%ad mediation41%LiveOps supportOur survey shows that 62%of developers are using LiveOps in their most profitable titles.Though the majority of devs support their titles post-launch with LiveOps,38%said
41、they do not.When it comes to regular updates,37%said they update their top games weekly,while 48%push out monthly updates and 14%of developers only release new updates for special events and holidays,suggesting many developers are not maximizing their opportunities for engagement and monetization.To
42、ols of the tradeMaking mobile games successful is no small endeavour and it requires a mix of tools,platforms and partners.52%of those surveyed said they use an analytics platform or dashboard.41%of developers use ad mediation platforms,37%utilize UA agencies,and 25%use MMPs.It should be noted,howev
43、er,that 44%of those surveyed said they work with publishers,which may take responsibility for some of these services.GOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 20231431%54%39%26%74%predict LTV&ROASdont“AdNetworks are a vital part of the mobile gaming ecosystem,now you need to have targeted marketing ca
44、mpaigns,with killer creatives and the ability to optimise towards improved ROAS.In the past you needed AppStore featuring to successfully launch agame,now you need Tik Tok!”John Wright Vice President of Mobile Publishing,KwaleeBest performing ad networksTraditionally there has been a duopoly in the
45、ads space:Google and Meta(Facebook).But times are changing.Our survey shows that Google Ads remains on top,with 54%of developers labelling it one of the best performing networks,while TikTok stands at No.2 with 39%.Measuring performanceUsing analytics to measure the campaign and monetization perform
46、ance are key to mobile success.Without this data,it will be all but impossible to reliably and efficiently get a return on investment at scale.As such,74%of developers said they predict the lifetime value(LTV)and return on ad spend(ROAS),with over a quarter(26%)stating they didnt measure these at al
47、l.32%said they measure these KPIs for up to 180 days,while just 5%predict LTV and spend up to 360 days into the future.MONETIZATION&UAGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023Looking to the FutureGlobal mobile games industry revenue declined for the first time in 2022,with player spending falling
48、 by 5%year-over-year the sectors first ever decline.2023 has also proven a challenging year,and as we move into 2024,developers are having to adapt to a new landscape.155%Player spending falling byyear-on-yearGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 202316The Road AheadOur survey shows that developer
49、s would,of course,like larger development budgets(37%)and greater UA investment(30%)to improve the commercial success rate ofmobile games.Meanwhile,34%of respondents believe new releases are an answer-despite the tough market conditions-and 30%say agreater focus on legacy titles iswhats needed.37%of
50、 respondents said that industry uncertainty is stopping them from developing new games,while 30%said the market is too difficult to succeed in right now,and 30%also believe their niche is too competitive.With opinions split,a focus on both new game development and legacy game management,the path for
51、ward for many developers will be foundations built on the latter,and further future growth built on the former.With the integration of best practices for data analytics and LiveOps,as well as new learnings,legacy games can potentially relive their former glories and provide a longtail that extends f
52、ar further than previously expected.LOOKING TO THE FUTURE“In a dynamic mobile gaming landscape,balancing new game development while nurturing legacy games with data analytics,LiveOps,monetization and marketing is the roadmap to lasting success and future growth.Despite current industry uncertainties
53、,there issignificant untapped potential to be unlocked over the next decade,fueled by audience and geography expansion,as well as tech innovation that will further enhance gaming experiences.”Pasqual Batalla COO of Sandsoft34%of developers believe new releases are a way to succeedof developers belie
54、ve legacy games are a way to succeed30%37%uncertainty is stopping new games developmentGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023CONCLUSION17We began this research already well aware that the business of making hit mobile games is more challenging than ever before.This report quantifies the huge a
55、mount of investment and passion in mobile game-making that is ultimately not driving long-term commercial success and creative fulfilment.It also demonstrates that,while few studios have been left unscathed,theres a lack of consensus on the actions individual companies can take to consistently maxim
56、ise revenue.Part of this comes down to the tool sets available to each,which of course are not equal in size and scope.At SuperScale,were crystal clear in our conviction that applying a best-in-class approach to design,LiveOps,data analytics,monetization and marketing to existing titles can be game
57、changing for studios bottom lines.In the current mobile games industry,developers cant afford to leave untapped revenue in their portfolios while chasing the next big thing,particularly when we know good legacy games can be brought back to and even beyond their former highs.Lets change it from a tra
58、de secret to an open secret:good games dont die.Ivan Trancik CEO and founder of SuperScaleGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023The research fieldwork took place between October 6th and 12th,2023.It included 504 mobile game developers,with 253 based in the United Kingdom(UK),and 251 located in
59、 the United States(US).The survey included open questions,multi-select questions,rating and ranking questions as well as single selection questions.The online survey was conducted by Atomik Research,an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to t
60、he MRS code.Respondents completed the questionnaire via link.METHODOLOGY18253UK251US504mobile game developersx18legacy gamesDeveloping mobile games for+4yrs47%3yrs53%41%Action42%Shooter44%Puzzle/MatchMost common game categories in developmentTHE AUDIENCEGOOD GAMES DONT DIEWHITE PAPER NOVEMBER 2023WWW.SUPERSCALE.COM