Surviving the Game Launch: Tips & KPIs from an Anxious PM
After launching 10 products in a decade as a PM, I can state with 100% certainty that it's no easy feat. My primary aim with this post is not just to offer you general guidelines for a product launch but also to provide mental health tips for each phase. This ensures that you remain enthusiastic and invigorated every day you work on a game launch. Launching a product might be the most challenging task you undertake as a PM. Therefore, it's crucial to prioritize your mental well-being throughout the process, ensuring you emerge even stronger. I genuinely care for all of you and wish you immense support. After all, this journey, though challenging, is also incredibly rewarding. ❤️
1. Concept (1-2 months)
Purpose: At this stage, you're laying the groundwork, molding your vision, and assessing its viability.
KPIs and Benchmarks:
Market Analysis: Identify 3+ primary competitors.
Unique Value Proposition (UVP): Define your game's distinctiveness.
User Persona: Create profiles for your target audience.
Concept Validation: Aim for 70%+ positive reception in early feedback.
Tasks:
Idea Generation: Brainstorm sessions, workshops.
Market Research: Analyze existing successful games, trends, audience preferences.
Prototype Development: Create a basic model of your game for internal feedback.
Early User Feedback: Surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews.
Mental Health Tips:
Embrace Uncertainty: Understand that not all ideas will be winners, and that's okay. Be prepared to iterate and adjust based on market analysis and feedback.
Avoid Comparison Overload: While analyzing competitors, it's easy to fall into the trap of feeling inferior or overwhelmed. Remember that every game has its unique journey and value.
Open Communication: Talk openly with your team about your vision and concerns. Collaboration can help refine ideas and ease doubts.
Flexible Mindset: Stay receptive to changing or pivoting your game's concept based on feedback, without seeing it as a failure or a personal critique.
Time Management: Don't let the research and brainstorming phase consume all your time. Set specific hours for work to ensure you're not always "on" and mentally fatigued.
2. Development (6-12 months)
Purpose: Your idea transitions into a tangible product. The depth and mechanics of your game will dictate the timeline.
KPIs and Benchmarks:
MVP Completion: Adhere to the established timeline.
Bug Rate: Limit to under 1% for primary functions.
Usability Testing: Conduct multiple rounds; aim for 80% approval.
Platform Compliance: Align with guidelines by phase end.
Tasks:
Design: Graphics, UI/UX, level designs.
Coding: Core game mechanics, features, functionalities.
Internal Testing: Alpha testing to uncover bugs and issues.
External Testing: Beta testing to gain external feedback.
Iterative Refinement: Adjust based on feedback and test results.
Platform Submission Preparation: Assemble assets, documentation for store submission.
Mental Health Tips:
Celebrate Achievements: Recognize both minor milestones and larger achievements. Celebrating even small wins can boost morale, motivation, and team cohesion.
Set Boundaries: Development can be all-consuming. Dedicate specific times for breaks, relaxation, or non-work-related activities to ensure you don't burn out.
Stay Organized: A cluttered workspace can lead to a cluttered mind. Use tools and methods that help you keep track of tasks, bugs, and feedback efficiently.
Constructive Feedback: Encourage a culture where feedback is constructive, not destructive. It's essential for the team's mental well-being.
Coping with Perfectionism: It's natural to want your game to be perfect. However, understand the difference between 'perfect' and 'functional and engaging'. Sometimes, it's okay to prioritize the latter to avoid prolonged stress.
Seek External Perspectives: Sometimes, being too deep in the process can cloud judgment. Get an external perspective, maybe from a friend or a mentor, to refresh your outlook.
3. Soft Launch (3-6 months)
Purpose: A limited introduction to refine the game further using real-world feedback.
KPIs and Benchmarks:
Select Markets: Introduce in 1-3 regions.
Initial User Base: Target 1,000 users in the first month.
DAU: Aim for a 30%+ DAU rate by the soft launch's end.
User Feedback: Gather from 50% of users.
Store Rating: Target 4+ stars.
Tasks:
Regional Selection: Choose low-risk markets resembling your primary market.
Marketing: Limited promotions to gain initial traction.
Monitoring: Use analytics tools to track user behavior and feedback.
Refinements: Implement changes based on soft launch data.
Localization: Adjust game language/content if testing in different linguistic regions.
1. Early Retention & First-Time User Experience (2 months)
Purpose: Focus on the initial player experience, ensuring that users are captivated from their very first interaction and have reasons to return in the immediate days following.
Milestones:
Day 0 (D0):
Description: The player's first experience with the game. Focus on captivating tutorials, smooth gameplay, and an intuitive user interface.
Tutorial Completion: >85%. Ideally, a vast majority of users should be able to finish the introductory tutorial without dropping out.
Day 1 (D1):
Description: Track the players returning after their first day. Refine elements that encourage revisits.
Retention Rate: 40-50%. A good game can expect to retain almost half of its new users the day after the first play.
Day 3 (D3):
Description: Measure early retention rates. If users are returning after three days, initial engagement strategies are working.
Retention Rate: 25-35%. If a quarter to a third of your users return three days later, your initial engagement strategies are on the right track.
Tasks:
A/B Testing: Different variations of tutorials, story introductions, or gameplay mechanics to see what retains users best.
Feedback Collection: Use pop-up surveys or feedback forms to get insights directly from users.
Iterative Refinement: Continually refine the gameplay based on the metrics and feedback from the first few days.
Mental Health Checkpoint:
Constructive Feedback Culture: Be open to critiques and changes, and ensure that feedback is always constructive. Remember, feedback is about the product, not the individual.
Manage Expectations and Perfectionism: Understand the difference between 'perfect' and 'functional and engaging'. Keep your expectations realistic, focusing on gradual improvements, and understand that challenges like financial pressures are part of the journey.
Take Regular Breaks: As you're keenly observing user interactions, ensure you take short breaks to avoid burnout and maintain clarity.
Practice Mindfulness: Engage in deep breathing or short meditation sessions to stay centered, especially when navigating through the heaps of data and feedback.
2. Late Retention (2 months)
Purpose: To ensure that the game has lasting appeal, compelling users to return weeks or even months after their first play.
Milestones:
Day 7 (D7):
Description: A week in, this will show if your game has what it takes to keep players interested beyond the initial fascination.
Retention Rate: 15-25%. One week in, a solid game will retain up to a quarter of its original user base.
Day 30 (D30):
Description: This is crucial, as a month-long retention indicates your game has consistent and engaging content.
Retention Rate: 10-15%. By a month, double-digit retention is a positive sign of the game's longevity and appeal.
Day 90 (D90):
Description: By now, players are deeply invested. If retention is still high at this stage, you have a solid foundation to build on.
Retention Rate: 5-8%. If by three months, you can retain up to 8% of the original users, it's an indication of a deeply engaging game.
Tasks:
Content Updates: Regularly release new content to keep the game fresh and engaging.
Community Building: Engage players via forums, social media, and in-game events.
Advanced A/B Testing: Test long-term features, reward systems, or progression mechanics to understand what keeps players engaged.
Mental Health Checkpoint:
Celebrate Small Wins: As days turn into weeks, celebrate the milestones, no matter how small. This will boost morale and team cohesion.
Avoid Constantly Checking Metrics: While it's essential to monitor game performance, avoid obsessively checking metrics every hour. Instead, set specific times during the day to review.
Engage in Physical Activity: The prolonged phase might make you sedentary. Regular physical activity can be a great way to relieve stress and refresh your mind.
Stay Connected and Seek Support: Regularly communicate with your team, share your concerns, and listen to theirs. Also, connect with other industry professionals for fresh perspectives and shared experiences.
3. Monetization (2 months)
Purpose: Once you're confident in your game's retention, it's time to focus on revenue generation without alienating your user base.
Milestones:
Conversion Rate:
Description: The percentage of non-paying users who start making purchases.
Benchmark: 2-5%. Top games can convert up to 5% of their user base into paying users.
Average Revenue Per Daily Active User (ARPDAU):
Description: This will provide insights into daily revenue relative to active users.
Benchmark: $0.20 - $0.50. This figure can greatly vary depending on the game's genre, target audience, and region.
Average Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU):
Description: Indicative of how much revenue you're generating from users who've chosen to make a purchase.
Benchmark: $25 - $50. This metric gives an indication of how much revenue you're generating from users who've chosen to make a purchase.
Tasks:
In-Game Store Optimization: Ensure that the purchasing process is seamless and that in-game items are appealing.
Promotions & Discounts: Offer limited-time deals to encourage spending.
Feedback on Purchases: Gather user feedback on the perceived value of in-game purchases to adjust pricing or offer more value.
Mental Health Checkpoint:
Financial Pressures are Normal: Recognize that monetizing a game can bring about financial stress. Discuss with financial advisors or senior management for guidance.
Seek Peer Support: Connect with other PMs or industry professionals. Sharing experiences and discussing common challenges can offer fresh perspectives.
Dedicate Time for Non-Work Activities: Ensure you're spending time with family, engaging in hobbies, or just taking time off to rejuvenate.
Practice Gratitude: Reflect on the journey, acknowledging the effort of every team member. A sense of gratitude can help counterbalance the pressure of revenue targets.
4. Worldwide Launch (1-3 months)
The grand debut. Position your game for broad audience reception and growth.
KPIs and Benchmarks:
User Acquisition: Achieve 100,000 users by month three.
Conversion Rate: Target 5%+ for in-app purchases in the first month.
DAU: Maintain 20%+ DAU by month's end.
Store Rating: Aim for 4.2+ stars by month three.
Partnerships: Build connections with 3+ industry entities or influencers within six months.
Tasks:
Global Marketing: Comprehensive campaigns, influencer collaborations, PR.
Community Engagement: Foster a player community via social media, forums.
Continuous Monitoring: Regularly track game performance, user feedback.
Updates: Roll out patches, new content, and features.
Customer Support: Address user issues, queries, and feedback.
Mental Health Checkpoint:
Stay Grounded: Amidst the launch excitement, ensure that you and your team remember the core values and purpose behind the game. This will help anchor emotions and keep expectations realistic.
Manage Expectations: While optimism is healthy, it's vital to remain realistic about launch outcomes. Every game will have its share of issues, and not every user will have praise.
Digital Detox: Constantly refreshing stats, reading reviews, or checking rankings can lead to anxiety. Allocate specific times to check updates and stick to them.
Prepare for Challenges: Technical hiccups, server issues, or unexpected bugs can arise. Instead of panicking, remind yourself that these challenges are par for the course. Have a response plan ready.
Engage in Relaxation Techniques: Considering the high stress of the launch, engage in relaxation methods such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or even short walks.
Celebrate the Milestone: Regardless of the immediate outcome, launching a game worldwide is a significant achievement. Celebrate with your team, acknowledging everyone's hard work.
Stay Connected: Keep open communication lines with your team. Sharing experiences, concerns, and feedback can provide emotional support and fresh perspectives.
Work-Life Balance: Dedicate specific times for breaks, relaxation, hobbies, and non-work-related activities. This ensures you remain rejuvenated and avoids burnout.
Avoid Negativity Traps: Negative feedback or criticism can be challenging to deal with. However, focus on constructive critiques and avoid dwelling on outright negative or non-constructive comments.
Seek Support: If you feel overwhelmed, don't hesitate to seek professional help or counseling. It's essential to prioritize mental well-being, and there's no shame in seeking assistance.
Conclusion: This roadmap combines strategic goals with hands-on tasks, providing a clear trajectory for a game's journey from conception to global introduction. By keeping these elements in check, product managers can optimize the game's chances of achieving market success.
