Apr
21st
Wed
21st
# A hit game is one that friends will share with each other and use to express one another. # Bold beats make games endure: figure out a way to introduce a feature that excites and ignites your users, that you can do in less than a month. Two examples from Zynga: the Moscow city pack in Mafia Wars, which let them test new ideas; and in FarmVille, functional buildings with mini-games around them. # Metrics leading to new feedback loops: “A successful bold beat will permanently change your engagement and retention. An unsuccessful one will do it temporarily. We don’t want to be on a treadmill where we’re not adding a new dimension,” Pincus said. And a game can never be static: “It’s equally important that we kill features.” # Don’t lose the sense of delight: In other words, keep the artistic, creative side in games — an idea Pincus has emphasized more in his speeches following criticism of Zynga’s focus on analytics and feedback loops. # Innovate on social ROI: Pincus thinks social virtual goods are something people should “copy more.” Sweet Seeds for Haiti brought 400,000 new buyers and raised $3 million.
