How best to soft-launch your mobile game! Matej is covering the most important elements of a successful gaming soft launch, including the core setup, best and worst practices, and practical tips to wrap it all up. Which countries to choose for soft-launch? Presentation based on examples.

1. Why your game's soft launch isn't working?
Matej Lančarič / 5.3.2019

3. Content
Pre-soft launch activities
UA channels
Soft launch process
Creatives
Experiment
ASO
Takeaways

4. Market research
Marketing
USP
Target Audience
Competition Game Genre
Monetisation strategy

5. Theme Testing / CTR tests

6. Trainstation 2

7. Soft launch

8. Lowering
the risk of failure
Understanding
our game performance
Understanding
our audience Collect feedback
Optimize FTUE A/B test tutorials
Test marketing
channels
Test creative assets
LTV>CPI Kill the game if necessary

9. UA channels

10. STAGES OF SOFT LAUNCH

11. STAGE 1 - Technical test
Goal: Technical test of the game
- Test game stability
- Check the whole data tracking set-up
- Identify & fix critical issues/bugs
About the stage:
- Small amount of players
- Test infrastructure and tools – data tracking,
attribution
- Test if the game is working – technically (servers)
- Find and fix critical bugs
Market
- Tier4
User Acquisition channel:
- Facebook Ads
User volume:
- Data tracking testing - 50-100 new
users/day
Duration:
1-2 weeks (max 3 weeks)

12. STAGE 2 - Retention
Goal:
Measure retention KPIs
Achieve D1 retention >= 50%
Achieve D7 retention >= 20%
Identify issues in the game
About this stage:
Relevant user volume at respective cost
Optimizing product funnels and balancing
We should see improved retention early in this stage
Markets:
- Tier2
UA channel: Facebook Ads
Duration: 1-3 months
To do:
Add iOS build
Add new markets, if volume is needed
Measuring:
Tutorial completion rate
Retention (D1, D7, D28)
Onboarding flow
FTUE
What we need:
A/B testing - 4000 players per version
D1 retention: 1000 new players
D7 retention: 2000 new players
D28 retention: 4000 new players
Budget: $5 000 - 20 000

13. STAGE 3 - Monetisation
Goal:
LTV > CPI
About this stage:
- Measure and improve monetization metrics
- ROAS oriented campaigns
Markets:
- Tier1
UA channels:
- Facebook Ads & Google UAC
- Video ad networks
Duration: 1-3 months
Measure:
- Monetisation KPIs
- Conversion rate to payment
- LTV/ROAS
- ARPU/ARPPU/ARPDAU
What we need:
400 paying users = ± 20 000 Tier1 users
Requirements:
- Live Operations
- In-game events/offers
Budget:
$20 000/month

14. COUNTRIES
English speaking
Device penetration
Payment behaviour

15. DARTS CLUB SL COUNTRIES

16. MY FAVOURITE GEO’s
Philippines
Czech Republic
Poland
Denmark
Slovakia Netherlands
United Kingdom

17. COUNTRIES

18. ASO
Keywords research Screenshots
Feature graphicIcons

19. Soft launch conversion
Tanks a Lot! 17,4% 20,6%
Beginning End
Seaport 18,9% 26,9%
DIFFERENCE?

20. But how?

21. But how?

22. Game Analytics

23. Game Analytics
GA TEAM
UA TEAM
GAME TEAM

24. cooperation with
Facebook
best quality
Experienced
team
Targeting
Facebook Rep

25. UA channels

26. Creative testing

27. The art of killing a game!
Soft launch length
Data driven decisions
CPI ? LTV
Retention &
Monetisation KPI’s
Kill the game, save your company

28. Smart!

29. Define soft launch owner
Setup & test integration of
desired tools
DONT’S
Emotion / Assumptions
driven decisions
DO’S
Start soft launch
without having a plan
Expect organic growth of
your player base
Skip testing & optimising
marketing
Set Goals & KPI’s
Define the kill factor

30. Let’s create a SL “plan”

31. LET’S DO IT TOGETHER
STAGE 1
GOAL?
COUNTRIES?
MEASURING?
STAGE 2
GOAL?
COUNTRIES?
MEASURING?
STAGE 3
GOAL?
COUNTRIES?
MEASURING?

32. TAKEAWAYS
UA channels
Soft launch is key for
success
Kill the game, save your
company
ASO Creatives

33. Thank you!
linkedin.com/in/matejlancaric matej.lancaric@boombit.com