While attending BIG Festival, we had the opportunity to meet with industry leaders to discuss the latest trends in the gaming industry. In this article, we explore Google’s strategies for achieving long-term success in the ever-evolving world of mobile gaming.

During the event, Google’s Luana Andre Assumpção and Leandro Baer Barbosa, head of AppDev sales Brazil at Google, took the stage to share their insights on how game developers can effectively scale their games.

The Art of Standing Out

Barbosa emphasized that while it’s now easier to create and release a new game, it’s also more challenging to capture the attention of potential players and reach new audiences. Developers must prioritize maximizing game discovery. In the Play store, optimizing the game’s description, title, and icon can make it more appealing to consumers. The ultimate goal is to create a positive feedback loop. By developing an engaging and entertaining game, word of mouth can spread, leading to greater exposure and reviews from users. Additionally, leveraging revenue generated by the game can be reinvested in advertising or creating new content, further expanding the game’s reach and enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Building a Foundation for Success

Assumpção highlighted the importance of defining a business model to effectively scale a game. She emphasized one key approach – thinking like a player. By understanding the player’s initial steps after downloading the game, developers can predict the best approach to retain users. For example, in a Match 3 game, a tutorial with ten levels can convert players into active users and reduce churn. These crucial milestones within the game are referred to as markers, which serve as indicators of success.

Assumpção also emphasized that markers are not fixed and can change as the game progresses through different phases. Strategies focused on user acquisition (UA) are critical in the early stages, while revenue-related key performance indicators (KPIs) such as return on ad spend and average revenue per daily user become more relevant in the later stages of a successful game’s lifecycle.

However, Assumpção stressed that the most important element is the quality of the game itself. Good creatives, including visuals and advertisements, play a significant role in performance. While existing intellectual properties (IPs) can contribute to long-term success, original titles from small studios have still managed to thrive by delivering exceptional app experiences. Detailed environments and addictive gameplay have propelled some of the biggest mobile games to evergreen status. Ultimately, the game’s quality remains the single most important factor in achieving long-term success.

So, what can we learn from Google’s insights? Simply focusing on a single KPI is not enough. Success in the gaming industry is dynamic and evolves over time. Agile game developers understand the need to adjust their strategies based on changing market conditions and player expectations. Assumpção’s advice to put yourself in the players’ shoes serves as a reminder that gaming is fundamentally about entertainment. Attracting and delighting audiences is the key to long-term success in the gaming industry.

Achieving evergreen status as a game involves cultivating a dedicated audience that remains engaged with the title for years. While leveraging established IPs can generate initial buzz, it is not a guarantee of sustainable success. Original games can still flourish, provided they offer compelling experiences. Investing in exceptional app quality, captivating environments, and addictive gameplay are crucial steps towards becoming an evergreen title. While the use of existing IPs can provide a head start, it is not the sole determining factor in long-term success.