Applications of User Generated Content for RealArcade.com

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Notes on slide 1

Results so far for 2007:Over 300 million impressions and over $2.5 million in revenue (and we haven’t even finished the holiday push)

I call out streaming video here in detail because it is a new initiative, but as you’ll shortly see, there is a lot of old thinking that needs updating…

RealArcade is very “web 1.0” still with regard to advertising and marketing campaigns. We use static ads on our web pages (see Figure 1) that wrap around web page content.

Let’s look at RealArcade’scurrent home page. Call out Featured game slot stars and reviews – look more closely at it (but with a different example from Little Shop Big City)…

Real-time = chat. Customers are in a forced solitary browsing experience. Or they can post in very limited forums (standalone per game)

Real-time = chat. Customers are in a forced solitary browsing experience.Review submissions are run through a moderation queue before publishing. The stated purpose of this is to prevent any objectionable material (copyright violations, obscene materials, etc.) from appearing on a family‐oriented website. In reality, however, the moderating copywriter views this as a low‐priority task and reviews the queue infrequently.

“Read Reviews” doesn’t mean that there are any to read!Also noticeable is an arbitrary 5‐star rating system that doesn’t appear to have any logic tied to it – it isn’t an average of user reviews like Amazon.com, nor is it a reflection of the “Editor’s Rating” on the Reviews pop‐up.Every game gets 5 stars on the featured games spot.

Notice how Amazon calls out the average customer rating, as well as reviews

User account is the foundation, and will be used for all the following points.This started as a project here in class, but these ideas are being explored for the next generation of RA.

Here’s a mock-up of a proposed new product pageCall-out:Authenticated users can write a review, which is pushed live. Live comments have a rating & reporting system for offensive content. User account accrues TAF = word of mouth (“Jeremy recommends this game…”)Average user rating = “real” ratings, not subject to editorial bias or marketing “adjustments” (not that Real does this, but it’s perceived as more legit by the user)Link to more robust forums package

This is a continuation of the previous mock-up…Based on the game that the user is current looking at, similar games are listed here. This might be based on marketing genres (“match-3”, “hidden pic”, etc) or more organic to the users – “people who bought this also bought”…The recommendation dropdown shows similar results, based on a pre-populated list of “genre defining” games (such as Diner Dash, Bejeweled, etc)

When a first-time user visits the site, they are presented with more generic experience, highlighting best-selling, genre-defining games – “guaranteed likes”. When a return user visits the site (and is logged in with their account), they are presented with a more personalized experience, highlighting current hits, offering recommendations based on previous download history (ala Netflix), as well as one-click navigation into…

With the recent acquisition of GameTrust, Real is going to start offering community features, such as buddy lists, real-time chat, game-based accomplishments (badges).What you are seeing here is web (free) version of Glyph with community wrapper on right side.Future plans include offering downloadable games that contain multiplayer functionality. Remember SG3 in Jason Robar’s presentation a couple of weeks back - Imagine playing Super Granny 3 with your mom, each of you controlling a character on screen trying to rescue the cats. Or head-to-head solitaire, or … you get the idea.

Our content philosophy is to be the Neiman-Marcus of casual games – we offer fewer, higher quality content to our customers. We release two new releases (EN, D/L) every Wednesday.This is our current content strength. Allowing UG games = unknown quality, drowns out the quality games.

Current industry conversion average is just under 2%; we’re above thatCurrent lifespan is 1.4 games purchased#3 – no “kitchen sink” mentality (throw everything at it)

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Applications of User Generated Content for RealArcade.com - Presentation Transcript

Applications of UGC for RealArcade.com
Jeremy Snook
COM 597 – Autumn 2007
Overview of RealArcade
Launched in 2001
Distributes downloadable casual games through a platform client
Real is big in casual games: $28.8 million in Q3*
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
* According to RealNetworks earnings announcement
Business Models
Download sales
“Try Before You Buy” – 60 minute demo
Price: $19.99 per game
60% of revenue
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Business Models
Download sales
Subscriptions
Two variants: “Book of the Month” (GamePass, $9.99 / mo) and “All-You-Can-Eat” (FunPass, $19.95 / mo)
40% of revenue
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Business Models
Download sales
Subscriptions
In-game streaming video ads
Customers play extended demo (120 minutes) or unlimited play
15 second video ads streamed in every 10 minutes (between levels)
Download revenue boosted up to 5x
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
In-game Streaming Video
(video)
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
The Challenge
RealArcade is very “web 1.0”
Static ads
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
The Challenge
RealArcade is very “web 1.0”
Static ads
Weekly newsletters
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
The Challenge
RealArcade is very “web 1.0”
Static ads
Weekly newsletters
Little UGC
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
A Lack of UGC
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
A Lack of UGC
No real-time interactivity with user experience
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
A Lack of UGC
No real-time interactivity
Limited ability for customers to review games
But…
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
A Lack of UGC
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Reviews on Amazon.com
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Intelligently Using UGC
- Universal User Account
- User Reviews
- Average User Ratings
- Dynamic Recommendations
- Dynamically Generated Displays
- Chat / Matchmaking
- User-Created Games
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
User Reviews & Ratings
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Dynamic Recommendations
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Dynamically Generated Displays
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Chat / Matchmaking
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
User-Created Games
So what about allowing the users to create their own games (ala Kongregate) and submit them for everyone to play?
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
No!
Conclusion
RealArcade is currently behind the times
New UCG-based features…
Add “real world” data for customers = potentially lower downloads, but higher qualified downloads
Add stickiness to site through interactivity = higher sales over customer lifetime
But we need to add features that strengthen and enhance our strategy
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute
Questions?
Snook - COM 597 - Autumn 2007 - Do Not Distribute