When you are preparing to start the development process of a new game, it is far more important to further comprehensively review the gains and losses in the previous project than to start new development directly. Successful sequels often result from the systematic review of the original work and the discarding of parts that did not meet the needs.
Review the core data of the first generation project
Analyze all the operating data of your previous game, not just the total revenue. Pay attention to specific metrics like daily active users, paid conversion rate, and average time users are online. This data can reveal the actual health of your game and help you determine whether the core gameplay has lasting appeal.
In particular, you should carefully study the user retention curve and pay attention to the loss of players on the first, seventh, and thirtieth days. If retention drops off sharply at a specific point, it often means there's a problem with onboarding, mid-term content, or long-term goals. These data gaps are extremely important for the sequel to fill.
Accurately diagnose the source of the problem
When the data is poor, the problem may appear in many aspects such as core gameplay, art style and technical performance. You have to judge whether the game theme is not suitable for the target users, or whether the operation is too complicated, causing novices to be discouraged. For example, if a product targeted at casual users has a hard-core growth system, it will easily lead to user loss.
The art style is the first key aspect to attract users. If the user portrait presented by the first-generation game shows that the age level of players tends to be younger, but the art style is too realistic and heavy, this will lead to a deviation in the goal. The art adjustments for the sequel must be based on clear data about user preferences, and it is by no means a matter of the team's subjective preferences.
Leverage existing resources to reduce costs
There is a major advantage in developing a sequel, that is, you can reuse some of the existing resources. You can rely on the engine and server architecture that have been proven effective in the first generation game to carry out development. This can save a considerable amount of underlying technology costs. Art resources can also be iteratively upgraded based on the original style to maintain brand recognition.
The more critical point is that you already have a player base involved in the original game. They are the most critical potential consumers for the sequel. You can use community announcements and in-game emails to convey information about the sequel to these loyal players in a direct and low-cost way, thereby starting the initial stage of market warm-up.
Marketing strategy and proportion
When promoting the sequel, you need to clearly convey the inheritance and optimization of the first-generation game, and inform old players that you have retained the well-received core experience, while at the same time correcting the known flaws and adding new content, avoiding over-promises and preventing damage to credibility due to inconsistency between publicity and actual conditions.
When marketing, it is also necessary to be precise and proportionate. It must not cause old players to have the feeling that the sequel is just a "reskin", nor can new players mistakenly think that they must have played the previous game before they can get started smoothly. The independence of the sequel and the completeness of the experience must be highlighted. At the same time, appropriate linkage rewards or emotional content should be given to old players.
Targeted innovations in gameplay and systems
The evolution of gameplay in the sequel must be carried out in a targeted manner. If the numerical growth system in the first-generation game becomes boring in the later stages, then the sequel should introduce richer strategic aspects or social interaction content. For example, it can transform the monotonous level advancement mode into a dynamic mode with season themes and team challenges.
In any case, the addition of new mechanics must go through a small-scale testing process. The purpose is to ensure that the new mechanics are consistent with the core gameplay of the game and are accepted by the target user group. If you blindly follow popular gameplay without thinking, there is the possibility of destroying the balance of the game itself. The innovation work should be carried out comprehensively based on the principle of "strengthening the advantages and making up for the shortcomings".
Technology optimization and experience improvement
Technical presentation has a direct impact on user experience. Subsequent works should focus on optimizing the installation package capacity, loading speed and smooth operation. In a mobile environment, limiting the installation package to 150 MB can significantly reduce the obstacles faced by users when downloading operations. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that smooth operation can also be achieved on devices with mid- to low-end configurations.
It is necessary to plan more modern technical features, such as supporting screens with high refresh rates and achieving faster server response. Polishing these technical details can improve the overall quality of the game and allow players to feel the sincerity shown by the team and the progress made.
When developing a sequel, where do you think the team is most likely to make mistakes – is it too conservative and lacks change and dare not innovate, or is it blindly abandoning the essence of the previous work in pursuit of change? You are welcome to share your ideas and feelings in the comment area. If you find it inspiring, please give it a like and support.
