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1. Jeong Seoyeon / SMARTSTUDY
- By focusing on sentiments over numbers
<Monster Super League> Report on 15%
Improvement in Player Retention

2. Introduction of Presenter/Monster Super League
Early-stage guide designs for release specifications
Plans for boosting retention after the release
4 updates for retention enhancement
Tasks after early-stage retention enhancement
Q&A

3. - By focusing on sentiments over numbers
<Monster Super League> Report on 15% Improvement in Player Retention
Capture & evolution-focused monster-collecting RPG
Early-stage targets are D+0-D+7 level users
Enhanced indicators by 4 updates
Encouraging users who are learning the game to have affection,
rather than unconditionally upgrading rewards

4. Current/ Monster
Super League
Development/Live PM
System, UIUX & content
planning
Game Designer
Passionate designer
Graduated from
Dept. of Law
Likes to write proposals
Previous/Puzzle, Casual
Game Designing
Kakao / Disco Panda
Line / Fluffy Diver
Facebook / Bumping Bears
Jeong Seoyeon

5. 8 months
Official release on
Sep. 7, 2016
1Build
Global one-build strategy
Supporting languages for
11 countries
Preparing for entering
Chinese market
$ 20,000,000+
Accumulated sales for
6 months since the release

6. Recorded highest sales raking in history
in 15 countries (As of Mar. 2017)
Praiseworthy project that makes gradual achievements
U.S. U.K. Italy
Denmark AustriaNorway

7. What Monster Super League is like?
It can be explained with only two characteristics:

8. Capturing monsters,

9. And evolving monsters into 3rd-level creatures

10. D+1
D+3
D+5
D+7
First, let’s check the results!
The curve of retention-rising after the release

11. Release Spec/ Concept Setting for Early-stage Retention
Fast appeal Lucky account Smart player
Install first, and delete
if I don’t like it!
Can I be the lucky user
who meets all the good
and rare monsters?
OMG, I am learning the
game so well?!

12. Release Spec/ Strategies for Early-stage
Retention #1
Miho
Fast appeal
Linking visual experiences in and out of the app
Lucky account
The character appearing on an app icon
= 1st captured monster
Smart player
Clearing early stages with good and balanced stats

13. Release Spec/ Strategies for Early-stage
Retention #2
Smart player
Early-stage missions that can be cleared
with minimal efforts
Providing missions one after another
to guide users along the way
Mission
D’s Brunch(Blog)
Go on
adventures
Equip
with gems
Capture
monsters
Equip jewel once
Mission: is the most notable differentiator for this game
Never getting lost
When “missions” also work as a tutorial

14. Designing/ Establishing Early-stage Guide
Do users complete missions
by default?
Do users complete difficult
missions for big rewards
Early-stage users are
not accustomed
to basic features
They don’t know the value of the goods
so don’t focus on numbers
Let users clear missions
with minimal efforts
First 5 missions
Can be cleared
without deliberate playing
Commonsense-level behaviors
Basic behaviors
commonly seen in any
RPG (one tutorial/adventure)

15. However!!!
Worse-than-expected retention rate
just after the release
;(

16. Enhancing Retention/ Setting Targets
Most games’ common major breakaway points
Resource
download
/Intro
During
tutorial
Clearing
the 1st
boss
After
tutorial

17. Intro: app’s introduction/presenting concise graphics and world
view for first glance
Hard to overcome the difference in “taste in
graphics” of users who leave the game at an early
stage
Changing graphics to attract them means making
game again from the first
Dare to ignore factors that cannot be changed!
Major Early-stage Breakaway Points/ Considerations for Target Setting to Enhance Retention
Resource
download
/Intro
Are 4-cut cartoons needed during resource
download?
Is a feature to skip intro video needed??

18. Tutorial: the stage to show the essential of the game
the stage for users to actually see applied graphics
Along with “taste in graphics,” users also have
another essential “taste in system structure” for
growing characters
From the aspect of development cost, “tutorial is the
result of hardcoding,” and is difficult to make
changes unless there are obvious problems
(Therefore, you have to examine closely during the
CBT & FGT!)
Does the tutorial need revision?
Major Early-stage Breakaway Points/ Considerations for Target Setting to Enhance Retention
During
tutorial

19. Finishing a tutorial means “I will play the game,”
doesn’t it? Why do users leave the game at this
point?
Finishing a tutorial ≠ fulfilling user’s tastes in
graphics and game structure
Forced to finish it ≠ users’ willingness to play game
Don’t put too much emphasis on “finishing a
tutorial” itself!
Major Early-stage Breakaway Points/ Considerations for Target Setting to Enhance Retention
After
tutorial
Users did not enter adventures by choice
They show interest by voluntarily playing the game
after finishing a forced tutorial
But users’ active interests are not fulfilled
Supplement factors for first experience after the
tutorial!
Users who enter adventures by choice

20. Does the boss stage need revision?
Are changes made for users to easily find
the next area?
Clearing a boss = one concise cycle of this game
Users naturally feel to leave the game at this point
(similar instance) Many users reaching full level stop
playing games
Major Early-stage Breakaway Points/ Considerations for Target Setting to Enhance Retention
Interests in new areas = showing intention to keep
playing the game
New areas may provide quite similar experiences
to previous areas
Consider other settings to stimulate users
Clearing
the 1st
boss Users having not moved to the next areas
Users having moved to next areas

21. Actual measures taken to enhance retention
after setting targets

22. [Key Point] enhancing retention, while not
interfering with the new content development
1st
Sep. 29, 2016
2nd
Oct. 10, 2016
3rd
Nov. 24, 2016
4th
Dec. 8, 2016
release
Sep. 7, 2016
4 Updates

23. Why do users who easily cleared several stages leave?
Do they run out of money too soon before getting attached to the game?
Do they find it hard to leave if they have enough money to build assets?
Yes, give more rewards at early stages to let them play
longer!
enhancing retention / 1st Update
Mission/ Raise rewards for level-ups
Give 10x more gold for reaching 2-10
levels
Mission/ Raise Rewards for clearing
the 1st boss
Give 3 more gem boxes
Mission/ Establish new missions
at early stages
Give additional fruits (level-up item)
Tutorial/ Raise rewards for completion
Give 5x more gold for reaching 2-10 levels

24. 1st Update Completed
1st
Sep. 29, 2016
2nd
Nov. 10, 2016
3rd
Nov. 24, 2016
4th
Dec. 8, 2016
release
There were no reactions...
Retention increased slightly due to non-organic users who downloaded the
game as a result of marketing campaign during the initial launch.
Upgrading early-stage rewards

25. New users are not accustomed to compare
goods’ value
They must have showed no reaction
to even 100x rewards
1st Update Post-mortem
Why did users show no reaction
to 10x rewards?
Take care of users’
feelings!
Rewards don’t mean a lot to users until
they feel attached to the game
So, developers should not let users play
without getting attached!

26. High breakaway rate at the point of 1st defeat?
Enhancing Retention/ 2nd Update
Delete or put back 1st defeat point?
1st defeat point = the spot where users must feel the need to raise
monsters through this difficulty
Putting back the point also results in breakaway
Factors appealing to early-stage users ≠ rewards (Verified in 1st
update)
Does giving more rewards after defeat comfort users?
How about adding features to divert their attention from defeat?
Defeat is a natural process in a game that doesn’t generate negative
feelings but lead users to challenge again
Come up with something to draw users’ attention from defeat!

27. Using Miho Once More!
Capturing Miho = Pleasure
Miho was chosen to offset users’ unpleasant
feelings at defeat points
How to please users when they meet Miho?
Give Miho as a reward
after getting defeated
(Through missions or sent
to mailbox)
Miho appears at the
stage as a “capturable
monster” and the user
captures it

30. 2nd Update Completed
1st
Sep. 29, 2016
2nd
Oct. 10, 2016
3rd
Nov. 24, 2016
4th
Dec. 8, 2016
release
...But ambitiously prepared update resulted in minor
enhancement...
Slightly more users moved to the next stage at 1st defeat point,
but retention of overall early-stage users didn’t enhance much
Encountering and capturing Miho at the 1st defeat point

31. More users moved to the next stage at 1st
defeat point
Miho seems to have worked
2nd Update Post-mortem
Didn’t Miho work? Gee, did we aimed at right
target whom we first chose?
Users who arrived at 1st defeat point were
not first-chosen targets
They already felt satisfaction at early
stages
Designers missed to check at which point
target range was effective as they were
distracted to indicators and dents in charts

32. Intermission/ Reconsideration before 3rd Update
Process experienced by new users
Tutorial Free play
App
installation
Resource
download
Think all over again from the first with renewed mind!

33. Do the missions considered well designed to help users
easily find routes actually do their fair share?
Enhancing Retention/ 3rd Update
Examine first 4 missions again
Mission 1
Complete
tutorial
Mission 2
Go on an
adventure
Mission 4
Equip with
jewel once
Mission 3
Capture
a monster
Already
completed when
the mission starts
Easy to move on
Common process
of many games
Easy to move on
Specific to this
game
But not difficult to
do the mission
Equipping with
jewel
Not difficult if
following red
marks

34. Enhancing Retention/ 3rd Update
A comment from a user at official site gave a hint by chance
Ah, I have to go back to the 1st area to get mission rewards ;(
I forgot capturing the monster haha
Each Mission is not difficult at all!
Then, what’s wrong with them? What’s wrong?
Forgot capturing the monster haha
Forgot capturing the monster haha
Forgot capturing the monster haha
Forgot capturing the monster haha

35. Enhancing Retention/ 3rd Update
Mission 2
Go on an
adventure
Mission 3
Capturing
a monster
Enter
1-3
Clear
1-3
Enter
1-4
Clear
1-4
Enter
1-5
The user by mistake skipped the mission
Users experience negative feelings since
they later have to clear again the stages they
already passed after completing missions
This undermines users’ confidence
Smart player
OMG, I am learning the
game so well?!

36. Enhancing Retention/ 3rd Update
Guide users not to forget capturing a monster!
Insert texts of “Don’t forget capturing a monster!”?
Memory is involved in reading highlighted texts as well as doing
missions
Texts don’t work well once users forget them
This can change mission routes later, and adding a hardcoding feature
is not easy to expand. In addition, it’s unnatural experience.
Add an arrow that forces users to touch a Capture button?
Users may capture monsters if they are what they want?
Rare monsters appear = strong factor with “visual attractiveness”
Induce users to capture monsters and naturally clear the mission
But users do not know in advance where rare monsters will appear

37. Adventure Scene before
Enhancement

38. Adventure Scene after Enhancement
#1

39. Adventure Scene after Enhancement
#2

40. Enhancing Retention/ 3rd Update
Since “rare” monsters are added anyway,
make users meet them in all of four early-stage areas!
Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4
Encounter & Capture various rare monsters at each area
Let users capture different monsters at early stages to stimulate users’
desire in monster-collecting RPG
Playing in new areas becomes more attractive
When users move to new areas, monsters that users can newly raise rapidly
appear, inducing users to keep playing the game

41. Enhancing Retention/ Features Delayed to 4th Update Due to Schedule
Dialogues provided when encountering rare monsters
Users’ expectation of a monster-capturing and evolving game
80% of Monster Super League users are in their 20s or order
They have nostalgia for having conversations with newly-encountered
monsters and adventuring the world

42. 3rd Update Completed
1st
Sep. 29, 2016
2nd
Oct. 10, 2016
3rd
Nov. 24, 2016
4th
Dec. 8, 2016
Release
.... Reactions are detected...!
Mistakes in early-stage guide are revised to produce better reactions compared
to previous updates
Check 4th-update features that were not done in the 3rd update
Setting features to smoothly guide users to easily forgettable missions

43. Reaffirming the importance of
setting pleasant routes
It’s very important to deliver
message of “You’re doing well” to
early-stage users
3rd Update Post-mortem
Re-doing “what’s already done”
at early stages is
a trivial but critical problem
Not forcing but making
users want to play the
game has great power
Create users’ demand
instead of giving
unconditional rewards!
Merits for review ratings
A review pop-up appears
after clearing Mission 4
Eliminating the threshold
effect of Mission 3 has a
positive effect that users
give reviews when they start
enjoying the game

44. Enhancing Retention/ 4th Update
Add dialogues with monsters which were not included in the
3rd update due to schedule!
Adding conversations with about 10 common and rare
monsters with illustrations

45. And surprisingly,

46. 4th Update Completed
1st
Sep. 29, 2016
2nd
Nov. 10, 2016
3rd
Nov. 24, 2016
4th
Dec. 8, 2016
release
Retention went up 15% from the release like a dream...!
Increased across all of service-provided countries
Especially, highest increase was recorded in North America
The power of focusing on sentiments is... strong!
Adding more conversations with monsters when encountering them

47. D+1
D+3
D+5
D+7
The results AGAIN!
The curve of retention-rising after the release

48. Supporting Details/ Further Explanation for Enhancing Retention
If monsters must appear at given stages, how about having marked
where rare monsters appear for every area?
Then users may have played the game to reach the spots as a target
Rather than just giving awards, appeal to users’ sentiments
A rare monster is already provided as a reward at the end of each chapter
Decided reward = reward definitely provided to all users ≠ no “wow” feelings
Avoid lessons learned from 1st updates focusing on reward-centered solutions that
attracting users with decided rewards
Finding rare monsters = “unexpected joy”
Making early-stage users feel they are lucky is very important

49. Summary/ Enhanced Retention Through 4 Updates
release Specifications: Missions
Consisting of very simple quests
Guiding Users to carry out all missions
Removing experiences of revisiting places users
already passed in order to complete missions
Setting spots where rare monsters appear
Users who meet rare monsters get more attached to
the game
Dialogues with monsters
Nostalgia arises with memories! I want to capture all!
Capturing monsters leads to clearing missions
Neat experience during the early stages help users keep
playing the game
Lucky account
Smart player
Smart player
Fast appeal
Smart player

50. Strategy Appealing to Sentiments/ Fueling Desire to Evolve Monsters
Producing a tutorial for evolving monsters
Three more Mihos makes its appearance rate right
Lucky users who encounter Miho get more attached to the game
1+3 Mihos = easy to fulfill the evolution condition
Users naturally want to evolve monsters

51. D+1-D+7 Retention/ Attendance Check: Encouraging New Users
to Make Commitment
Visual attractiveness & different dialogues every day
Having different conversations for 7 days to make mental commitment
Using a push feature to call users if users doesn’t appear again till 12 p.m.

52. D+21 retention/ Clan: Enhancing Retention
through Communication Channels & Sense of Belonging
Update on Jan. 19, 2017
Voluntary communication channels for users (should have been in release specifications)
About 20% rise in retention of mid-/long-term users with D+21 or higher level
Joining forces to defend specific areas against huge bosses
Users encourage each other better than the provided system
Next plan aims to help new users rapidly and smoothly stabilize in clans

53. D+7-D+22 retention/ Contract of Heroes: Establishing Strong Relationship
through Commitment
Update on Mar. 9, 2017
Hard to capture but high value & points for mental commitment
A 30% rise of D+14-level retention in Mar. compared to pre-update Feb.
5-star monsters = attractive
Able to select 5-star monsters users want = rare chance
Exchanging high value of 5-star monsters with users’ time
Inserting scenes of “making a vow” to follow the timeline = users’ mental commitment

54. Advanced retention strategy/ Bingo: Random game
based on in-game time
Mini-games with Miho provided based on in-game time
Peak-time simultaneous log-ons increased up to 15% after the update
Less than 15 minutes taken for each bingo
Two and a half hours of average in-game time per day
Using monster icons to provide visual pleasure
Update on Apr. 13, 2017

55. Make players get attached to the game
rather than playing the game just for rewards

56. Monster Super League’s retention is still evolving.

57. Seeking for co-workers!
Search for SMARTSTUDY!

58. Jeong Seoyeon: joje@smartstudy.co.kr
Q&A

59. Thank you