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Setting Bejeweled Blitz free

Setting Bejeweled Blitz free. Lessons learned moving from premium to freemium on iOS. Giordano Bruno Contestabile, PopCap Games March 5 th , 2011 Twitter: @ giordanobc. b usiness…. …even though I suck at it!. My job: managing the . My excuse: half of those people work at PopCap

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Setting Bejeweled Blitz free

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  1. Setting Bejeweled Blitz free Lessons learned moving from premium to freemium on iOS Giordano Bruno Contestabile, PopCap Games March 5th, 2011 Twitter: @giordanobc

  2. business… …even though I suck at it! My job: managing the • My excuse: half of those people work at PopCap • But so do I • Oh dear! • I suck!

  3. Some quick facts • Launched in late 2000 • History: Bejeweled, Bejeweled 2, Bejeweled Twist, Bejeweled Blitz, Bejeweled 3 • Key platforms: PC/Mac, Facebook, iPhone, XBox360, DS • Units: > 55 million • Installs: > 200 million • MAUs: > 25 million • Users: 500 million+

  4. One Very Long Minute History of Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook & iOS • Bejeweled 2 iOS Client launched 2 days after iTunes app store opened (Summer 2008) • Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook launched in November 2009 • Blitz mode and FB Connect added to Bejeweled 2 iOS client (April 2010) • Major Feature Launches: Rare Gems; Daily Spin; Keystones Tutorial • One of the first games to be fully integrated FB and iOS • 2+ years from launch, still consistently popular: • Facebook: top 10 games by DAU (3M+) • iPhone: top 10 top grossing games

  5. Doubling Down on Bejeweled

  6. Why Change? • From mode in a paid game to freemium game • Reach much wider audience • Update more nimbly; follow Facebook closely • A new iteration of a great premium game • Feature set and game rules from Bejeweled 3 • Lose the version number: an evergreen product that continues to evolve over time

  7. The Great Maneuvers Retiring one game, launching two new ones

  8. Did It Work? Change in metrics from premium to freemium … and still growing (every week has been bigger than previous one)

  9. Comparing iOS to Facebook

  10. Learnings – behavior iOSvs FB • On most metrics, iOS users are 2x higher than Facebook users • Contributing factors: • “Always on, always with me” nature of mobile • Bejeweled Blitz strongly suited to bite-sized gaming • Efficient Apple ecosystem, in particular for billing • We see significant FB / iOS cross-over in user base • New FB users discovering the game through iOS first

  11. The Power of Free

  12. Premium Vs. Freemium: Downloads Freemium client has 9x as many downloads per day vs. premium

  13. Many Play For Free… • As expected, ARPPU declined when switching from paid to free • Higher percentage of free players • ARPPU still higher, but closer, to Facebook

  14. …But Enough of Them Pay! • Increased user base driving much higher revenues

  15. Facebook Connect: A High Barrier • FB Connect required to unlock full features • Ongoing campaigns to incentivize users to connect Approximately 20% of Blitz iOS downloads have activated Facebook Connect, unlocking full game content

  16. Facebook Connect: A High Barrier • Benefits of full integration FB / iOS: • Opportunity to leverage the same social graph • Cross-promotion and higher awareness • Big part of what makes the game fun • Drawbacks: • Only 20% of iOS users connect with Facebook • Extremely complex to maintain and operate • Conclusions: • Worth it if it improves the game • Try to make FB Connect optional on mobile

  17. Reacting to feedback

  18. App Store Ratings & Customer Feedback

  19. Ratings of new version significantly higher, and buoyed overall rating of app Stabilized App Store ranking Additional updates planned to address remaining and ongoing feedback Results of Customer Response Updated app (with faster speed & iPad support) released Source: Distimo Monitor Source: Distimo Monitor

  20. Lessons Learned • Don’t mess with everyone’s favorite game! • Listen to feedback and address it • Make sure the team is ready! • Make sure that updating the game is easy • Anything that can be server-side, should be!

  21. Lessons Learned • Be proactive • Happy users are less likely to rate your app • A “rate our game” interstitial works well • Don’t try to force them • Be honest in your messaging (“if you like us...”)

  22. Business Model

  23. Boosts • Low-priced in-game effects meant to be used regularly • Balanced not to grant excessive advantages • The better player will still score higher on average

  24. Rare Gems • Higher-impact bonuses • Can be activated every few games, appearing randomly • Require skill to be fully taken advantage of • Entertainment value as important as effect

  25. Daily Spins • Slot machine mechanic granting in-game currency • 1 free “daily spin” every day • Additional “daily spin” can be purchased

  26. Key tenets • “Play forever”: no pay walls or limitations for non-paying users • Game is fun and balanced also without paying • Pay to have fun, not because the games forces or punishes you • Server-side code to tweak economy in real time • Events really important: busy marketing calendar

  27. Our secret? Science! A simple equation… mF =↑eng + ↑ret + ↑mon …that I just made up! More fun = more engagement, retention and monetization If players are having fun they will play, stay and pay

  28. Marketing Efforts

  29. Marketing Mix Ads on Bejeweled Blitz Facebook “Apple Love” “Free App Of The Day” programs Mobile Ads

  30. Result analysis • Vast majority of downloads from: • “Apple love” • Chart position • Organic searches • Existing Blitz players • Free app programs didn’t drive significant installs • Encouraging conversion from paid advertising • Very high CPI in December ($0.50 / $1) • Organic growth more valuable than paid growth • Sustained efforts more effective than “burst” actions

  31. What’s Next?

  32. Next Steps for Bejeweled on Mobile • Bejeweled Blitz (Freemium) • Monthly updates • Add new features close to FB updates • Continue to address customer feedback • Encourage and incent players to unlock full features by activating FB Connect • Android • Bejeweled Premium • Updates every 2-3 months with additional game modes and content • iPad

  33. The Challenge of Android 3 2 (iOS 4, iOS 5) 10 100% 250M 1 Integrated Closed • Screen resolutions • Supported OS versions • Phone models • ARPU as % of iOS • Active user base* • Distribution Channels • Ecosystem • Platform 5 (key resolutions) 4 (2.2, 2.3, 3, 4) 100+ 25% 250M 10+ Fragmented Open (?) *Estimated

  34. A Billion New Players! iOS Android Gree DeNA … • Facebook • Google+ • QQ • Vkontakte • …

  35. Thanks! Questions? @giordanobc

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