Developing with revolutionary concepts that reduce by the noise and hold customers engaged can seem to be a relentless battle—nevertheless it doesn’t must be that manner. The most recent pattern that’s working to chop by the noise is season-based methods”, a thematic strategy to introduce partaking new content material and, importantly, hold customers engaged.
For these unfamiliar with season-based methods, these are the place a cellular sport has a theme that kinds the premise of content material, which modifications each month or quarter. These seasonal themes are sometimes based mostly on real-world occasions resembling Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day. In addition they characteristic unique content material and different objects which are sometimes not out there as soon as the season ends, encouraging gamers to become involved whereas they’ll.
Beneath, we dive into a few of the hottest and profitable methods app builders implement season-based methods, the most effective methods to maintain monitor of them, and discover how non-gaming apps may benefit from this new pattern.
The commonest season-based methods and occasions
Listed below are a few of the commonest methods builders have been implementing season-based methods into main cellular video games:
Seasonal currencies
One of the crucial generally encountered options in season-based methods is seasonal currencies, which gamers can earn by collaborating in wider actions all through the sport or through in-app monetization. These currencies are spent in limited-time occasion shops that includes unique rewards.
Battle go
A battle go (or season go) has develop into commonplace in video video games. These are a ladder that gamers progress by by taking part in the sport to unlock numerous objects. They normally have two free and paid tiers, with the latter that includes higher prizes. Season-based methods permit builders to refresh their choices and promote a brand new go to extend income.
UI modifications
Many cellular video games give their UI a contemporary coat of paint every season by incorporating ornamental parts resembling Christmas timber or jack-o’lanterns into menus. These UI modifications permit studios with restricted sources to ship a seasonal replace with little work that seems grand in scope to gamers.
Occasion-related provides
Launching event-related provides is without doubt one of the finest methods to spice up income by seasonal-based methods. The hot button is introducing a variety of beauty objects and rewards to the sport, resembling skins and sources, after which bundling these into tempting in-app buy packages.
Development reset
In some cellular video games, season-based methods act as a reset button that retains the video games feeling contemporary. One such instance is within the hit technique title Name of Dragons, which transforms nearly your entire sport every season by introducing a brand new location, enemies, and extra whereas concurrently resetting participant progress.
Preserving monitor of season-based methods and dwell occasions
With 1000’s of cellular video games in the marketplace, holding monitor of the newest tendencies in season-based occasions may be daunting for even seasoned cellular entrepreneurs. Fortunately, GameRefinery’s first-of-its-kind Reside Occasions Tracker makes the duty far more manageable.
The aggressive intelligence instrument, up to date every day by GameRefinery’s specialist analyst crew, means that you can analysis and analyze over 35 various kinds of dwell occasions throughout the main cellular video games. It options detailed occasion descriptions and screenshots, which can assist you higher perceive how season-based methods feel and look, alongside in-depth efficiency information displaying their affect on income and downloads.
It additionally includes a extremely customizable interface, which lets you spotlight particular options or video games for direct comparisons. For instance, you might set the instrument to check all of the IAP bundles at the moment out there in puzzle video games, permitting you to find out how lengthy these stay lively and that are essentially the most profitable.
How non-gaming apps might make the most of season-based methods
Season-based methods are solely featured in cellular video games, which is a missed alternative as these methods translate nicely into non-gaming apps.
For instance, round Halloween, a relationship app might characteristic unique provides encouraging customers to search out their match earlier than the scary season. Over the summer season, a health app might implement specific duties and challenges that encourage customers to train whereas the solar is out. A buying app might even redesign its UI to place customers in good spirits throughout the vacation buying season, resembling Christmas.
When fascinated about how individuals store and devour content material extra typically, there are numerous examples of seasonality, from seasonal meals and vacation provides to main seasonal buying occasions like Black Friday and even simply the normal January, Easter, and summer season gross sales. So translating these concepts into non-gaming apps shouldn’t be an amazing leap.
Experimenting with these season-based methods inside apps might successfully increase person acquisition and drive engagement. Builders should continuously assessment their outcomes and analyze the competitors to make sure they use the very best ways.
If you happen to’d prefer to be taught extra about season-based methods and the way the newest cellular video games make the most of them, take a look at our 2023 Midcore Gaming Apps Report →