Teamfight Tactics, recognized as the “largest PC strategy game globally,” holds a rather unconventional view on player departures. Peter Whalen, the game director at Riot Games, emphasizes that it’s perfectly acceptable for players to leave the game. This perspective aligns with the design philosophy that anticipates players may exit but also encourages their eventual return.
During a recent panel on Teamfight Tactics at GDC 2025, which was attended by industry enthusiasts, Whalen noted that many games typically engage players through mechanisms such as daily quests, progression loops, and intricate meta systems, combined with events and time-limited content. While these strategies aim to “enhance engagement frequency and minimize churn,” they often lead to a decline in the overall player base, “coalescing around their most core players.”
But what if we aimed for a game that could last indefinitely? We can’t just focus on acquiring new players, or we’ll eventually run out. We must realistically accept that players will chime out – there are only so many hours in a day for them to engage. This leads us to one clear path: what if we concentrated on reacquisition?
And that encapsulates cyclical reengagement. It’s a strategy centered around anticipating player churn and committing fully to crafting significant moments that entice them back.
Peter Whalen
Managing Churn Effectively
While the concept sounds appealing, implementing this design philosophy is quite challenging. There must be standout moments, and players should “have a great time” upon return. This also necessitates a close partnership with the publishing team, as “it doesn’t matter how excellent your content is if no one is aware of it.”
Achieving this success means steering clear of complacency, according to Whalen, because “it’s crucial for players to leave feeling satisfied.” He highlighted the types of games that emphasize retention, which many have experienced, that feel like a burden lifted when they are finally uninstalled.
“Ultimately, it’s essential that players enjoy their return,” he added. The game should strike a balance between being both familiar and innovative – “it’s a delicate balance to maintain, and for us, it’s a constant consideration.”
The game must foster a sense of fairness, ensuring an equitable playing field regarding skill and progress while steering clear of any feelings of regret.
“Players shouldn’t feel remorseful about the time they’ve missed,” Whalen elaborated. “This means their accounts can’t fall behind, and there can’t be enticing, limited-time content that they’ll never have the chance to obtain.”
However, many of these design choices are popular for a reason. Retention is indeed beneficial, right? And all these strategies contribute to enhanced monetization, right? While this holds true, at least for Teamfight Tactics, short-term metrics don’t seem to be the ultimate goal.
“Short battle passes and limited daily quests can detract from how effectively you keep players engaged in the short run, but they can yield significant benefits in the long term,” Whalen stated.
“For one, it’s simply more player-centric, and people notice that. It aligns incentives remarkably well – as a developer, you desire players to stick around for the long haul, which involves making decisions that build player trust instead of depleting it.”
If you’re not currently engaged with Teamfight Tactics or are seeking alternatives, be sure to explore our ranking of the best strategy games.