How Player Retention Works in Free-to-Play Mobile Games : A Study of Player Retention Methods

The purpose of this thesis was to research how player retention works in free-to-play mobile games, what methods can be used to retain players and how these methods are utilized in the three top grossing titles in Google Play Store. The aim was to gather together a categorized set of methods which could be used to improve player retention in free-to-play mobile games. However, critiquing the ethical aspects of the different methods, or assessing if they are essential to make good games, was not a part of this thesis – instead, the aim was to offer an objective research into the topic. To set the background for the thesis, the evolution of mobile devices into one of the biggest gaming platforms on the market is introduced, general design guidelines differentiating mobile games from others are explained and mobile gamers are divided into four player archetypes to be later used in the evaluation part of the thesis. Also, the concepts and terms associated with the free-to-play business model are introduced, in order to lay down the basis for a more careful examination of the different player retention methods in the research and evaluation part of the thesis. Literature review is used as the research method in order to find and define a set of different player retention methods by combining reliable and professional sources. The defined methods were further divided into three categories - core retention methods, advanced retention methods and additional retention methods. They were then used as design specifications while evaluation their use in the chosen three top grossing games in order to see how the games utilized the methods in practice, if at all. The findings indicate that player retention methods are based on basic psychological concepts, and game mechanics which create anticipation and feed motivation translate into retention. The results also suggest that more important than the amount of player retention methods used in a game, is which of the three categories they represent, how well they are integrated together and which player archetypes they cater to. In summary, the findings indicate that creating a game with solid core gameplay while offering competitive and social endgame on top of it leads to successful player retention. The evaluation process also revealed that each of the evaluated games, despite being different in nature, used most of the defined player retention methods by crafting them to suit their own theme and needs. This indicates that the theoretical methods can be applied to games in multiple different ways in practice