Problem Statement
The flagship game Cookie Jam, with over 1.5 million DAU and a long history, has been facing stagnant growth due to the highly competitive landscape and the diverse needs for fun among players.
Goal & Achievement
- Revenue Growth: Achieved a 13.5% lift in revenue
- Engagement: Increased the number of completed rounds by 21%
- Install Growth: Boosted new installs by 90%
Product Planning
- Market Analysis to Identify Opportunities
Based on market analysis and player surveys, I identified a significant overlap in audience and interests between the game and several popular TV shows. This synergy presented a unique opportunity to engage fans from both sides, leveraging cross-brand content to drive new growth and reinvigorate player interest.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Worked closely with marketing, publishing, and legal teams to ensure all relevant promotions on social media and the App Store, as well as the development plan, were ready.
- Created Testing Plan
To assess the performance and key factors of the IP partnership, I collaborated with the data and engineering teams to develop a comprehensive testing plan. This plan included the timeline, methodology, metrics, variants, and tracking. Below are the events I worked on:
1. Wheel of Fortune, Rerun
2. Unbranded Version: Chef's Specials, Rerun
3. Family Feud, Rerun
4. Unbranded Version: Pastry Class, Rerun
5. Plinko - Price is Right
Release & Insight
- IP vs. Non-IP Content
1. Both IP and non-IP events intrigued players with new game elements, but their impact gradually faded after the novelty effect wore off.
2. IP helped promote the game event and attracted more traffic, but the cost of IP was high, and it was only for one-time use.
3. Players loved progress-based IPs as a new meta like puzzles and survey questions. However, they didn’t enjoy the gambling mechanics, as players couldn’t see the connection between gambling and puzzles, and their progress wasn’t fully recognized or guaranteed.
- 7-day vs. 14-day Duration
1. Engagement in the 7-day event was stronger than in the first week of the 14-day event.
2. The 7-day event generated higher average daily revenue compared to the 14-day event, which ultimately produced more total revenue.
- Additional vs. Normal Content Volume
Additional content and with more rewards encouraged longer engagement and added more enjoyment to the new and challenging content as players progressed further in the game.
- Entry Requirement: First-Win Only or Open to All
First win raised the barrier to entry for players, which made it more competitive and engaging.
- Final Reward
Cash rewards were much more attractive, even with only one winner and regardless of whether it was $15k or $10k. However, in-game rewards were significantly cheaper, resulting in a higher ROI.
Learning - Game as the Art of Balance
- Balancing Familiarity and Novelty
If a feature feels entirely unfamiliar, players may struggle to see its relevance or connection to the game. Conversely, if it’s too similar to existing elements, it may fail to generate excitement. Additionally, the timing and frequency of introducing new features are crucial, as the novelty effect naturally diminishes over time.
There are two major levers to enhance the core loop:- LiveOps: Various event types, such as progression and collection events, encourage player participation and engagement.
- Meta Progression System: Features like house decoration or character dressing-up integrate with familiar core loops while offering fresh visual or thematic updates as players progress.
- Balancing Player Experience and Monetization Through Difficulty
Free-to-play games typically monetize from a small percentage of players, while the majority remain non-payers, aligning with the 2/8 principle. Delivering personalized difficulty is ideal for finding the sweet spot, ensuring a great gameplay experience for all players while optimizing monetization.