PLEASE NOTE: This presentation contains animations not viewable on SlideShare, please email me for the full version. The rapid growth of free to play mobile gaming has brought about an ever increasing level of sophistication in game design, and increased competition to retain users. Understanding proper game design has become more important then ever. In this talk, we'll take a closer look at the do's and don't for building successful F2P mobile games, from the tutorial, to the game play, to the purchase point, every aspect of design is an opportunity to win or lose a user.

1. How UI Impacts
Engagement and
Monetization in F2P
Mobile Games
Brian Sapp
Director, Developer Partnerships

2. Overview
• Introduction To Tapjoy
• New User Flow
• Store Design and Funnel
• The Devil is in the Details
• Monetization
• Final Thoughts

3. Tapjoy by the Numbers
5,000
Active Apps
75,000
Historical Apps
1.2 MM
Daily Ad
Engagements
600 MM
Daily
Sessions
100 MM
Monthly
Active Users

4. Tapjoy’s Mobile Value Exchange
How it Works
I need more Coins to gear up in Triple Town.
1
2
I can buy Coins I can earn Coins by
1 with real money. 2 engaging with ads via
Tapjoy.

5. New User Flow

6. Optimize the Download
Tapjoy Network Android Conversion Rate:
(clicks to installs)
Total Conversion
Megabytes Rate (CVR)
0-50 50-60%
50-100 30-45%
100+ 14-20%
The smaller the file,
the better the CVR.

7. Don’t Force A Registration
User drop off is typically 50%-75% when forcing registration,
including a mandatory Facebook login
• Not only hurts engagement, but also your chart position, especially for
new apps and especially on Android
• Think of mobile as a new, untapped audience
• Consider rewarding users for creating accounts with virtual currency or extra conte
• If possible, create guest accounts

8. New User Flow
The new user flow is one of the most important parts of a
successful game.
• Optimize the download (<50 MBs)
• Show off the cool parts of the game
• Use clear directions
• Get the user playing as soon as you can
You have @ 30 seconds to hook your users and
under 5 mins to teach them.
• The goal is to shoot for 70% tutorial
completion rate

9. A Confusing Tutorial
• Too wordy, use as little text as possible
• Walk users through the core
mechanic, don’t explain what it is
• The two user choices here are bad and
worse
• Once a user leaves, they’ll likely never
return. Don’t lose them before they’ve
even seen the good parts

10. Tutorial - Start Off Simple
Take Users by the Hand and Guide Them Into the App
• During the first 30 seconds put the user on rails, don’t let them get lost
• This is your chance to take an uncertain user and create a engaged user
• You can’t display everything, show off your core loop and build from there
CSR Racing iOS

11. Store Design
and Funnel

12. R
Store Funnel
• Make it easy for users to find your store and buy items.
• No more then two clicks
• Prompt to the store when currency runs out

13. R
Currency Store Design (The Bad)
• Text is too small
• Unimaginative icons
• Nothing grabs the user, no calls to action
• How much does each package cost? Put most
popular purchase first.

14. R
Currency Store Design (The Good)
• Use icons over text when possible
• Design for the phone, not tablet, use all your real estate
• Let users know they’re getting a deal
• A well designed, clean store = happy customer

15. R
Virtual Goods Store Design (The Bad)
• Text is hard to read, color scheme is all the same
• Icons are poor to non existent
• What do I get for my upgrade?
• Bank call out is not enticing

16. R
Virtual Goods Store Design (The Good)
• Easy to navigate and understand
• Large icons over text
• Upgrades are clear, I know what I’m getting
• Proper call outs to get more currency

17. The Devil is
In the Details

18. Loading Screens
Loading screens are an opportunity to engage users with messages
• Loading screens by nature are
time consuming
• Give users helpful hints
• Make it humorous
• Make it what you want

19. Daily Rewards
Give your users a reward for coming back every day.
• In the later days of the reward cycle give the users bigger or exclusive
rewards
• Show them what they earned and also show them what is coming up

20. Build Daily Rewards Into Game Play (CSR
Racing)

21. Build Daily Rewards Into Game Play (Subway
Surfer)

22. Design is the Name of the Game
• Early games were web first designs, ported over to mobile
• New companies are moving to mobile first design
• Polish, polish, polish
• Where will it go next?

23. Don’t Let Rules Confine You
There are always exceptions to the rule
• Now take everything I’ve said
and throw it out the window
• First to market
• Great game mechanic
• Great content
• Hardcore, niche audiences

24. Monetization

25. Mobile Revenue: Ad Types
5
3
2
4
1
1
1 Rewarded Offerwall 3 Featured Ads 5 Videos
2 Non-rewarded Offerwall 4 Banner Ads

26. Which Ad Units Are Right For My
Game?
HARDCORE CORE CASUAL
Usage: Usage:
Usage: Low Engaged User/Massive User Base
Highly Engaged User/Smaller User Base Engaged User/Large User Base
Monetization: Monetization:
Monetization: Low ARPDAU ($.01-$.04)
High ARPDAU ($.15-$1.00) Mid Level ARPDAU ($.04-$.15)
Ad Solution: Ad Solution:
Ad Solution: Alt Pay/Featured Ads/Video Ads
Alternative Payment Platform Alternative Payment Platform
Featured Ads/Video Ads Banner Ads/Cross Promo Wall
Are you leaving revenue on the table? Are you balancing user
engagement with monetization?

27. Final Thoughts

28. Final Thoughts
• "It's about empathy for the user.”
Luke Muscat (Creator of Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride)
• If you can’t build it better, don’t build it.
• Small teams are primed for innovation.
• Play, play, play.

29. Thank You!
Brian.Sapp@tapjoy.com
@sappalicious
© 2013 Tapjoy, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Tapjoy, Inc. Confidential and Proprietary - Please Do Not Copy or Distribute Without Tapjoy,
Inc.’s Prior Written Consent. The data provided herein is for information purposes only and while all efforts are made to ensure
accuracy, errors may arise. Tapjoy and the Tapjoy logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tapjoy, Inc. All third party logos and
trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.