Take a look at the stages you need to prepare to soft launch a mobile game on the app store. The presentation acts as a guide to preparing, running and analysing soft launches

1. Shoestring Soft Launch:
Low Budget, High Value Launch
Strategy
Tom Kinniburgh
Mobile Free to Play

6. Why learn from
a launch?

7. When you can
Soft Launch?

8. My Experience

10. Maximum Bang Minimum Bucks

11. $2,000$10,000$100,000+

12. Outline
• Definition of a Soft Launch?
• Before you Soft Launch
• Running a Soft Launch

13. Outline
• What?
• When?
• Why?
• Definition of a Soft Launch?

14. A quiet launch in a
restricted area

15. Don’t announce
Don’t communicate
Quiet

16. Restricted
Non-primary GEO
Beta Testing
Platform

17. Outline
• What?
• When?
• Why?
• Definition of a Soft Launch?

18. Fast

19. Core
Gameplay
When is
my
game
ready?
30 Days of
Content
Monetization /
Meta Game

21. Old

24. SL Sanity Check
1. Do I feel the game is fun?
2. Do I have a clear first
purchase?
3. Is my branding clear?

25. Outline
• What?
• When?
• Why?
• Definition of a Soft Launch?

26. =
Spend Money Get Data

27. =
Lowest Spent Valuable Data

28. Costs
Backend /
Analytics Video / Creative Marketing Sum
Before you launch 0 $500 $200 $700
Shoestring SL $50 $50 3X ($400) $1300
$2,000 Total

29. 30-40%
15-20%
8%
Conversion Rate > 1.5%
D1
D7
D30
Lowest Benchmarks

30. Outline
• Definition of a Soft Launch?
• Before you Soft Launch
• Running a Soft Launch

31. Outline
• Before you Soft Launch?
• AARRR + GQM
• KPI / Dashboards
• Audience / Location

32. Data, Data, Data

33. Lowest number of
events to get the
most information.
Minimum
Viable
Tracking

35. Tracking Plan
Player Progression
Activation
Dave McClure - Startup Metrics
Activity Retain Revenue Refer

36. Conversion Rate
Activation Revenue
$
CR > 1.5%

37. $
Follow the Money

38. G Q M

39. Goal + Question + Metric

40. Get more
players to level 5
1 2 3 4 5
Goal

41. Question
Does dying
affect churn?
1 2 3 4 5
When do most
players leave?

42. 1 2 3 4 5
What is my measure
of success?
Metric
30% of players
reach level 5 by D7

43. AARRR + GQM = Data Plan
MFTP Tracking Plan

44. Outline
• Before you Soft Launch?
• AARRR + GQM
• KPI / Dashboards
• Audience / Location

45. One KPI to rule
them all…

46. Battles per Day Event Complete %

47. KPIs
• CPI = Market Resonance
• Session per day = Engagement
• CR = Desirability
• ARPU = Desire x Value

48. BI Tools

49. Good Dashboard

52. Outline
• Before you Soft Launch?
• AARRR + GQM
• Tracking / Events
• Audience / Location

53. Where do my
fans live?

54. Find Competitors

56. Export to CSV

57. 😍

58. CPI Insights

59. What are my
fans like?

60. FB Audience Insights

61. Behavior + needs
vary
within segments
Ozzy Osbourne Prince Charles
Male
Born in 1948
Grew up in
2 Children
Very Wealthy
Success in
Married for the
second time
Real Estate Owner
Spends Winter
Vacation in the Alps
Likes
Limitations of
Demographics

62. Specific Broad
Audience Size

63. $0!

64. Costs
Backend /
Analytics Video / Creative Marketing Sum
Before you launch 0 $500 $200 $700
Shoestring SL $50 $50 3X ($400) $1300
$2,000 Total

65. Video Ads - Be where gamers are
Top 12 Rewarded Video Networks

66. iMovie Cut Key Action
0 mins 30 mins

68. Edit or Freelance

69. BESTMost
Useful Specific

70. Icon and
Name Testing
($200)

72. Costs
Backend /
Analytics Video / Creative Marketing Sum
Before you launch 0 $500 $200 $700
Shoestring SL $50 $50 3X ($400) $1300
$2,000 Total

73. Outline
• Definition of a Soft Launch?
• Before you Soft Launch
• Running a Soft Launch

74. Outline
• Running a Soft Launch
• Bursting
• Analyzing
• Critical Descisions

75. Goal
BurstLearn
3
days

76. Bursting

77. Signals, Signals,
Signals

78. Global
ReleasePrototype Development

79. Global
ReleasePrototype Development

80. Technical
Global
Release
Marketing
PvP
Bugs

81. Technical
Feature
Global
ReleaseFTUE
Pacing
Economy

82. Monetization
Technical
Feature
Global
Release
Conversion

83. Limitations
Accuracy Scale

84. 30-40%
15-20%
8%
Conversion Rate > 1.5%
D1
D7
D30
Lowest Benchmarks

85. FB
Configuration

86. business.facebook.com

87. FB Audience
1.Basic
2. Fans
3.Lookalike
Specific Broad
Audience Size

88. Dice
Soccer
Fans
Dice
Soccer
Philippines

89. Dice
Soccer
Football
Fans
Philippines

90. Dice
Soccer
Football
Fans
CCG Fans
Philippines

91. Lookalike
Dice
Soccer
Football
Fans
CCG Fans
Philippines

92. FB Placements

93. Schedule Ads

94. Optimize App Events

95. Outline
• Running a Soft Launch
• Bursting
• Analyzing
• Critical Decisions

96. Signals of Strength

97. Customize Columns

98. Creative Review
Performance DesirabilityBest
Creative

99. Crashes
Kill Games

100. Game Design

101. Reviews

102. Signals of Strength
Signals inform
next cycle
$$$ = Clearer signals

103. Pick Best / Fix Worst

104. GQM
• Did I get valid data?
• Was my Question answered?
• Did I reach my goal?

105. Move Forward
• Crash rate < 0.001%
• FTUE Complete > 70%
• Ad CTR > 1.5%
• Review Score > 4

106. Outline
• Running a Soft Launch
• Bursting
• Analyzing
• Critical Decisions

107. Are they stuck?

108. FTUE - Every Second Counts
Bad Marketing = big drop in first 2 Steps.
Technical breaks = big drop in Download / Registered install
Game Boredom = slow and steady decline.

109. Will it Stick?

110. Retention(%)
0
12.5
25
37.5
50
Weeks since launch
D1 D7 D14 D21 D28 D35 D42 D49
SL 1 SL 2 SL 3
D1 is easy
don’t be
distracted
Focus D7,D14,D21

111. LOTR Metric
tipping point?

112. Does it Stack?

113. Conversion is King

114. Does it Scale?

115. Marketing Mechanics Economy Content

116. Take Aways
• ASAP + Core Loop + Monetization
• Before you Soft Launch
• Running a Soft Launch
• Data, AARRR + GQM, Fans
• Bursting, Signals, Critical Decisions

117. Tom Kinniburgh
Director
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