Success Factors and Pitfalls of Cross-Platform Games

Michael KalkowskiCo-Founder & Creative Director GameDuell

Cross-Platform

Mobile

PC

Squeezebox

API / AppsSocial Networks

8

Cross-PlatformIn The Games Industry?

9

What is Cross-Platform?

10

SNSOwn Website Mobile

Level 1: Cross-Platform Brands

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SNS

MobileOwnWebsite

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Level 2: Cross-Platform Marketing

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Level 3: Shared Social Graph

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Level 4: Shared Virtual Economy

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Level 5: Cross-Platform Gameplay

Cross-Platform:

1. Brands

2. Marketing

3. Social Graph

4. Virtual Economy

5. Gameplay

Complexity and Limited Resources

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Overcoming DifficultiesThe Path To Cross-Platform

Path to Becoming A Cross-Platform Company

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80Cumulative users and installs (mio)

First Facebook app

First Android App

• Launch in USA•Opened San Francisco office•Wellington invest $17.5 mio

Seed investment by Holtzbrinck Ventures and Burda Digital Ventures

First HTML5

game

Break-even•Move into France• European expansion

Founded in Berlin

First iPhone app

•Over 70 million users and installs• Team reaches 180 people• Expanding to new office

• Cross-platform technology• 60+ games

20122003

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

20072005

2004Dec 2003

Lesson 1: Focus

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• Less is more

• Quality (not quantity)

• Lead with fastest platform

Lesson 2: Excellent Analytics

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• Data information

• Cohort Analysis

• Reporting infrastructure

• Cross-platform tracking

Lesson 3: Create Synergies

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• GFX

o asset management

o dynamic sizes

• Payment providers and infrastructure

• Marketing partners

• Common core technology

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MobileOwn

Websites

SNS

OwnWebsites

OwnWebsites

Tests

Tests

CoreTechnology

Lesson 4: Be Customer-Driven

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• Add user valueo Single sign-on

o Cross-platform features

• User typology• Filter audiences• Funnel traffic

Lesson 5: Be Platform-Specific

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• Same core gameplay

• ...but platform-specific adaptations

o Usability (Luke W: “Mobile first“)

o Reinvent and innovate

o Controls!

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3x Benefits of Cross-Platform

• Acquisition• Monetisation• Retention

1. Better Acquisition Via Multiple Platforms

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• Multiple traffic sources• Lower total CPI• Leverage existing fanbase • Brand recognition• Higher virality• Independence from facebook

2. Better Monetisation

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• More ways to monetise • Funneling• Deep cross-promo• Higher ARPUs• Increase up to +75%

3. Higher Retention

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• 24/7/365• More CRM channels• Remain active longer• up to 2.5x after 90days

Thank You

kalkowski@gameduell.com