Gauging the players opinions and habits of your game is never easy. Focus tests exist to gather some data, but what happens once the game goes live? Not every player has the time to fill out a survey about their experiences. That’s why GameAnalytics — a new service — exists: to gather data to help improve online game design.
“Since only 1 or 2 percent of players are paying [in F2P games], we can identify behaviors that led them to be paying players,” said Alan Miller, director of GameAnalytics’ North American Operations, in an interview with thealistdaily.com. The company looks to give and record data about a player’s habits so developers can directly cater to their experiences.
Most major Facebook developers use similar tools. “Zynga has the biggest analytics group in the biz, and I think there’s a direct correlation between that and their success,” Miller explained. “Any company that wants to compete has to respond to them.”
Other back-end services include Offerpal and Playmetrix; the latter is currently in beta.
“Because of the social grid of the Internet, consumers are often quickly aware of a good game if it’s out there,” Miller concluded. “It’s complex to set up a game company, but luckily, they are becoming more affordable, and GamesAnalytics help can provide the services you need.”
[Source: the [a] list daily]
