1) Word of mouth and social sharing play a significant role in mobile game discovery and decisions to download games. According to surveys, word of mouth influences 40-70% of game discovery and is equally or more influential than app stores.
2) "Sharers" who rate sharing gameplay, tips, and achievements as extremely important tend to play more, spend more on in-app purchases, and are more social in their gameplay. They are more likely to discover and be influenced by word of mouth, videos, and ads.
3) Videos are very influential, with over 65% of players and 80% of sharers watching game videos. Videos often directly lead to game installations and referrals. Automatic
10. 1-5 games / month 1-3 hours / week
Games downloaded / month Hours played / week
100% 50%
80% 40%
60% 30%
40% 20%
20% 10%
00% 00%
11. For the last five games you’ve downloaded,
what was highly influential in your decisions?
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
00%
Word of mouth, App Store TV, Youtube, web Advertising
social media sites, print or other
media
12. EEDAR: Social plays part in 70% of mobile
game discovery, October 2012
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
h"p://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/178516/Research_How_mobile_players_find_new_games_to_play.phpB
13. Nielsen: Word of mouth equal to App Store,
Q3 / 2011
h"p://www.businessinsider.com/searchCisCtheCbiggestCdriverCofCappCdiscoveryC2012C8B
16. 68%: “Easy to find games
on the App Store”
Extremely difficult
6%
Easy to find any game
I want to find Somewhat
difficult
34% 26%
34%
Easy to find a game I’d
like to download
How do you rate the App Store for finding games?
17. Reviews ! decision to download
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
05%
00%
User reviews Featured Top list Search result
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
18. App stores are good enough.
App Store Optimization. Test
keywords, names, icons,
screenshots
Ask users to review you. Target
users likely to rate you highly.
Read your reviews. Fix issues.
20. “Hey, you got to play this game. Watch this!”
50%
In person Online
45%
Opportunity
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
05%
00%
Hearing from Seeing Facebook Tweet Shared Fan videos
a friend, gameplay post screenshot
family
For the last five games you’ve downloaded,
what was highly influential in your decisions?
21. Which of the following features
are important while playing? Part 1
100%
80%
60%
Retention
40%
20%
0%
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
22. Which of the following features
are important while playing? Part 2
Playing together Sharing
100%
80%
Viral growth
60%
40%
20%
0%
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
23. Playing together Sharing
Viral growth Viral growth
through through
invites shared
content
25. Playing with real friends nearly
2 x more important than with non-friends
100%
34% 44% 24%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Easy to invite friends Playing with real friends Playing with non-friends
Which of the following features are important while playing?
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
26. But >60% prefer nicknames
over real identity
No identity even if it means
friends can’t find me Real identity (e.g. login
with Facebook)
17% 21%
Nick name + stylized
19% photo that masks my
43% real identity
Nick name + avatar
(e.g. game character)
How do you want to appear to others when you play?
27. Still, everyone is on Facebook
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
00%
Which social networks have you used in the last week?
28. And fairly few use social gaming services
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
00%
Which mobile game services have you used?
29. Your Contacts are your real
friends.
Fairly few games leverage
Contacts, while all social services
do.
Go with nicknames or partial
identity (e.g. “Jussi L”)
30. Don’t force FB login.
Demonstrate fun first, then upsell
Facebook connect to play with
friends
Incentivize FB connect
(questionable, but works)
“We never spam your friends”
De-emphasize or even avoid
FB in core and mid-core games
34. 10-20% rank sharing extremely important
Sharers
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Sharing tips, Sharing Sharing Sharing video Broadcasting
helping others achievements screenshots replays my game
Which of the following features are important while playing?
Extremely important Somewhat important Not important
35. Sharers play more
Games downloaded / month Hours played / week
100% 50%
80% 40%
60% 30%
40% 20%
20% 10%
00% 00%
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
36. Sharers buy in-app purchases
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
00%
Did you purchase a mobile game in last 30 days?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
37. Sharers are more social. Part 1
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Which of the following features are extremely important while playing?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
38. Sharers are more social. Part 2
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Which of the following features are extremely important while playing?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
39. Sharers more likely to find games through
WoM, advertisements, media
140%
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
00%
Word of mouth, App Store TV, Youtube, web Advertising
social media sites, print or other
media
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
40. Remember this?
40%
In person Online
35% Opportunity
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
05%
00%
Hearing from Seeing Facebook Tweet Shared Fan videos
a friend, gameplay post screenshot
family
For the last five games you’ve downloaded,
what was highly influential in your decisions?
41. WoM: Sharers find games more
often online than in-person
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
00%
Hearing from Seeing Facebook Tweet Shared Fan videos
a friend, gameplay post screenshot
family
For the last five games you’ve downloaded, what was highly influential in your decisions?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
42. Share from Social
the game Sharers media
Get Try a
engaged new game
48. >65% of all players, >80% of sharers
watch game videos
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
00%
What types of game-related videos did you watch last week?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
49. Videos drive installs,
decision making and referral
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
00%
What actions have you taken after watching game related video?
All respondents Sharing is extremely important
50. You share if you care. Tap into
emotions.
Show, don’t tell ! screenshots,
video.
Automatic screenshots, instant
replays ! just share!
Sharing is self-reinforcing
Build social features to attract &
retain Sharers
Sharers play & pay and get your
more users. You want them.
51. Word of Mouth & App Store
Reviews are crucial
Play with real friends
Sharers are your best users
In-person WoM ! Online Sharing