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Product Strategy in Online Gaming
The online gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing and most profitable sectors in the digital media market. According to the latest data, there are approximately 1.13 billion online gamers worldwide, and the global online gaming market generated approximately $26.14 billion in revenues in 2023.* However, creating a successful online game is not an easy task.
We spoke to Victor Gonzalez, Associate Product Director at King, one of the leading interactive entertainment companies, to understand what it takes to design a product strategy in an online gaming business. Leading a team of five product managers, Victor’s role is focused on the strategic aspects of product management. He emphasises the importance of understanding user needs and balancing them with the business goals in designing a winning product strategy.
Designing a Product Strategy
Crafting a product strategy in any industry requires a delicate balance between business goals and user requirements. By understanding your audience, setting clear objectives, prioritising user feedback, and staying adaptable, you can develop a strategy that drives success and keeps players engaged and satisfied.
Victor explained King’s emphasis on comprehending user needs while designing a product strategy, with user research teams playing a pivotal role. The collaboration involves product teams, UX/UI designers, and user researchers working in tandem. He said that – The most important thing, I think, is collaboration because you need to collaborate a lot and prioritise a user-centric approach to product development, balancing business goals and user needs.
Victor further elaborated that at King, they employ various methods to gather player insights. Playtests involve live gameplay of new features or product types, interviews and focus groups provide direct insights from players, and they track and analyse store reviews. Player support is a vital channel, for addressing bugs and game issues. Additionally, their player community, such as the Candy Crush Soda forum, serves as a dynamic platform for questions and engagement. Through these multifaceted approaches, they consistently connect with players, fostering a collaborative environment and enhancing their understanding of user preferences and concerns.
Drawing from his rich experience, Victor elaborated on how to craft a product strategy with reference to the online gaming industry.
1. Understanding the Context – Your Current Situation
Crafting a strategy is akin to creating a roadmap, guiding your journey from point A to point B. To build an effective strategy, comprehensively grasp your current position and envision where you aim to be. Understand the rationale behind your destination choice and identify the necessary steps for reaching it.
2. Defining Boundaries
Designing a product strategy involves not just knowing what to do but equally crucially, what not to do. Clarity emerges from intentional exclusions as much as affirmative actions. By strategically defining boundaries, your product strategy gains focus and purpose, navigating inherent uncertainties.
3. Competitive Analysis
Understanding your context is vital, but so is comprehending your competition’s landscape. Research competitors to stay informed about market trends and successful strategies. In the online gaming world, this might involve studying monetisation models, game mechanics, and player engagement strategies of top-performing titles.
4. Understanding Your Audience
Deeply understand your target audience by analysing demographics, preferences, and pain points. For example, developing a mobile game for casual gamers requires a keen understanding of their preferences for quick, easy-to-play games.
5. Aligning with Clear Business Goals and Balancing with User Requirements
Root your product strategy in clear and measurable business objectives, considering revenue targets, user acquisition, and market expansion. Balancing business goals with user needs may be challenging, requiring a conscientious approach to avoid conflicts.
6. Prioritising A User-Centric Approach
Emphasise a user-centric approach, involving collaboration between product teams, UX/UI designers, and user researchers. Consistently gather user feedback to refine and improve your product, ensuring it resonates with the audience.
7. Being Flexible to Iterate
Recognise that even a well-crafted strategy may not guarantee success. Be prepared to iterate and experiment, staying flexible as circumstances evolve in the dynamic online gaming industry.
8. Data-Driven Decision Making
Leverage analytics for data-driven decisions, monitoring user engagement, retention, and revenue metrics. Utilise insights from CRM teams to proactively address issues, ensuring a swift response to challenges and prioritising concerns efficiently.
The Future of User Experience in the Online Gaming Industry
User experience (UX) in the online gaming industry is evolving rapidly, and understanding these shifts is crucial for informed product strategy. Here are key trends shaping the future of UX in online gaming. Understanding these trends is integral to crafting a product strategy that keeps your games relevant, engaging, and appealing to a broad audience.
Cross-Platform Play
Cross-platform gaming is becoming a standard, enabling players on different devices to interact seamlessly. Product strategies should prioritise compatibility and shared experiences across various platforms.
Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
VR and AR are on the horizon, offering immersive gaming experiences. Preparing for VR/AR integration in product strategies can set your games apart.
Personalisation and AI
AI-driven personalisation will adapt gameplay to individual player preferences. Product strategies should incorporate AI for tailored player experiences and retention.
Streaming and Cloud Gaming
Cloud gaming services will gain traction, allowing players to stream games without high-end hardware. Strategies should explore cloud gaming partnerships and offerings.
Storytelling and Immersion
Enhanced storytelling, realistic graphics, and real-time animation are raising the bar. Integrating these features can make your game more engaging and memorable.
About KING
With a mission of Making the World Playful, King is a leading interactive entertainment company with a 20-year history of delivering some of the world’s most iconic games in the mobile gaming industry, including the world-famous Candy Crush franchise, as well as other mobile game hits such as Farm Heroes Saga. Candy Crush has been the top-grossing franchise in U.S. app stores for six years, and King games are played by more than 200 million monthly active users. King, a part of Activision Blizzard which was recently acquired by Microsoft, has game studios in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona and Berlin and offices in Dublin, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Malta.
Victor’s Career Journey
Victor’s career journey is a testament to adaptability, ambition, and a quest for exploration. Initially excelling in recruitment, he transitioned into product management at Allianz, a major player in the insurance industry, overseeing teams and contributing significantly to product development.
However, Victor’s ever-curious spirit and affinity for the startup ecosystem soon prompted him to make a pivotal move. Swapping the corporate behemoth for a Swiss startup, he found himself navigating the uncharted waters of a smaller, more agile environment. Although the journey in the startup world had its challenges, it provided invaluable learning experiences. The startup adventure led him to Playtomic, an engaging sports app startup, where he focused on connecting sports enthusiasts through innovative app development, experiencing rapid growth.
While Victor cherished his experiences at Playtomic, he nurtured a deep-seated interest in the gaming industry which prompted him to move to King in Barcelona. His decision to follow this passion and embark on a new adventure marked the beginning of an exciting chapter, which has seen him grow from leading a small team to his current role as Associate Product Director.
Final Thoughts
Victor’s advice underscores the importance of resilience and persistence in career transitions. He emphasises that dealing with frustration is key because change takes time, energy, and effort. One should be prepared for numerous rejections before achieving success. He acknowledges that luck can play a role but also highlights the significance of putting in effort.
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