How to Build a Sequel: Best Practices for Mobile Games | Mike Inglehart
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Mike Inglehart discusses strategies for building a successful sequel game for mobile. He explains that their first game, Kill Shot, was initially very successful but performance declined after the first year. A sequel allows them to leverage the existing brand to regain players and fill gaps in the original game. Some key risks include cannibalizing the first game's player base and potential marketplace confusion between the two titles. The presentation provides advice on retaining the core of what worked previously while designing around missed opportunities to build a sequel that remains fun for years.
How to Build a Sequel: Best Practices for Mobile Games | Mike Inglehart
- 1. HOW TO BUILD A SEQUEL FOR MOBILE MIKE INGLEHART CREATIVE DIRECTOR HOTHEAD GAMES
- 2. A LITTLE ABOUT ME… • 17 years in game development (Mobile and Console)
- 3. A LITTLE ABOUT THE HOTHEADS…
- 4. AGENDA • Why Sequel? • Sequel Strategies • Sequel Safety
- 5. WHY SEQUEL
- 6. WHY SEQUEL? • Created a well received game in Kill Shot • Top 50 Grossing US games right after launch
- 7. WHY SEQUEL? • Not experts in updates and live operations
- 8. WHY SEQUEL? • After one year in operation performance trended down
- 9. WHY SEQUEL? • Fill the missing gaps and provide a better experience
- 11. SEQUEL STRATEGIES • Leverage the Brand to win back players
- 14. SEQUEL STRATEGIES • Design around the missed opportunities • Retain the core of what worked
- 15. SEQUEL STRATEGIES • Build a game that is fun at launch • And remains fun for years
- 16. SEQUEL SAFETY
- 17. SEQUEL SAFETY • You will cannibalize the first product so be ready
- 18. SEQUEL SAFETY • Try to move players to the sequel • Not all players will move to the new game
- 21. SEQUEL SAFETY • Be aware of market place confusion
- 22. SEQUEL SAFETY • Be ready to support two products • Automated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game
- 23. CLOSING THOUGHTS • Build a game that can last for years • Understand what it takes to maintain that product in live ops • The best sequel is the one you never need to build
- 24. QUESTIONS?
Editor's Notes
- #2: From an art perspective we probably go with another
- #5: Three images here that will outline the three main acts of the listed agenda.
- #6: From an art perspective we probably go with another
- #7: Created a well received game in Kill Shot Great start to game performance * “Thumbs up guy standing in between the kill shot logo and some fictitious charts showing good line graphs” Not experts in updates and live operations * Same guy looking confused with ??? over his head, surrounded by a calendar and KPI numbers As the game reached the one year mark performance trended down, not enough content to keep users * Time line showing a player going from excited, to somewhat excited to bored (Launch, 6 Months, 12 Months) Fill the missing gaps and provide a better experience * The game designer thinking about a way to fill in the missing gaps
- #8: Created a well received game in Kill Shot Great start to game performance * “Thumbs up guy standing in between the kill shot logo and some fictitious charts showing good line graphs” Not experts in updates and live operations * Same guy looking confused with ??? over his head, surrounded by a calendar and KPI numbers As the game reached the one year mark performance trended down, not enough content to keep users * Time line showing a player going from excited, to somewhat excited to bored (Launch, 6 Months, 12 Months) Fill the missing gaps and provide a better experience * The game designer thinking about a way to fill in the missing gaps
- #9: Created a well received game in Kill Shot Great start to game performance * “Thumbs up guy standing in between the kill shot logo and some fictitious charts showing good line graphs” Not experts in updates and live operations * Same guy looking confused with ??? over his head, surrounded by a calendar and KPI numbers As the game reached the one year mark performance trended down, not enough content to keep users * Time line showing a player going from excited, to somewhat excited to bored (Launch, 6 Months, 12 Months) Fill the missing gaps and provide a better experience * The game designer thinking about a way to fill in the missing gaps
- #10: Created a well received game in Kill Shot Great start to game performance * “Thumbs up guy standing in between the kill shot logo and some fictitious charts showing good line graphs” Not experts in updates and live operations * Same guy looking confused with ??? over his head, surrounded by a calendar and KPI numbers As the game reached the one year mark performance trended down, not enough content to keep users * Time line showing a player going from excited, to somewhat excited to bored (Launch, 6 Months, 12 Months) Fill the missing gaps and provide a better experience * The game designer thinking about a way to fill in the missing gaps
- #11: From an art perspective we probably go with another
- #12: Design around the missed opportunities (Social, Gacha/Economy) Retain the core of what worked (Killshot Moment, Brand, Gameplay) This image can be the designer character standing in the middle with old things on the left and the new things on the right with the Kill Shot Bravo icon in the middle Build a game for a long period of time from launch Target day 1000 not day 1 The designer character with the “5 year plan” as the focus for the slide Day 1000 not Day 1 could be the target visuals as well (Showing a younger designer near Day 1 and a more aged designer near Day 1000) Leverage The Brand to win back players * Use the bored players from the previous section and bring them back to an even more excited expression with the new version
- #13: You will cannibalize the first product so be ready Try to move players to the sequel Show a group of users underneath the Kill Shot Bravo icon and just a few underneath the Kill Shot icon Have the designer guy with a megaphone above the Bravo icon advertising the group to come over Not all players will come with you to the sequel Show some players cross armed standing near the Kill Shot Logo as being stubborn Be ready to support two products Auto-mated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game Show the designer character writing stuff down with a pencil and clipboard as he stands beneath both of the respective icons Be aware of market place confusion Shows customers standing beneath both logos and being confused as to which game they should download
- #14: You will cannibalize the first product so be ready Try to move players to the sequel Show a group of users underneath the Kill Shot Bravo icon and just a few underneath the Kill Shot icon Have the designer guy with a megaphone above the Bravo icon advertising the group to come over Not all players will come with you to the sequel Show some players cross armed standing near the Kill Shot Logo as being stubborn Be ready to support two products Auto-mated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game Show the designer character writing stuff down with a pencil and clipboard as he stands beneath both of the respective icons Be aware of market place confusion Shows customers standing beneath both logos and being confused as to which game they should download
- #15: Design around the missed opportunities (Social, Gacha/Economy) Retain the core of what worked (Killshot Moment, Brand, Gameplay) This image can be the designer character standing in the middle with old things on the left and the new things on the right with the Kill Shot Bravo icon in the middle Build a game for a long period of time from launch Target day 1000 not day 1 The designer character with the “5 year plan” as the focus for the slide Day 1000 not Day 1 could be the target visuals as well (Showing a younger designer near Day 1 and a more aged designer near Day 1000) Leverage The Brand to win back players * Use the bored players from the previous section and bring them back to an even more excited expression with the new version
- #16: Design around the missed opportunities (Social, Gacha/Economy) Retain the core of what worked (Killshot Moment, Brand, Gameplay) This image can be the designer character standing in the middle with old things on the left and the new things on the right with the Kill Shot Bravo icon in the middle Build a game for a long period of time from launch Target day 1000 not day 1 The designer character with the “5 year plan” as the focus for the slide Day 1000 not Day 1 could be the target visuals as well (Showing a younger designer near Day 1 and a more aged designer near Day 1000) Leverage The Brand to win back players * Use the bored players from the previous section and bring them back to an even more excited expression with the new version
- #17: From an art perspective we probably go with another
- #18: You will cannibalize the first product so be ready Try to move players to the sequel Show a group of users underneath the Kill Shot Bravo icon and just a few underneath the Kill Shot icon Have the designer guy with a megaphone above the Bravo icon advertising the group to come over Not all players will come with you to the sequel Show some players cross armed standing near the Kill Shot Logo as being stubborn Be ready to support two products Auto-mated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game Show the designer character writing stuff down with a pencil and clipboard as he stands beneath both of the respective icons Be aware of market place confusion Shows customers standing beneath both logos and being confused as to which game they should download
- #19: You will cannibalize the first product so be ready Try to move players to the sequel Show a group of users underneath the Kill Shot Bravo icon and just a few underneath the Kill Shot icon Have the designer guy with a megaphone above the Bravo icon advertising the group to come over Not all players will come with you to the sequel Show some players cross armed standing near the Kill Shot Logo as being stubborn Be ready to support two products Auto-mated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game Show the designer character writing stuff down with a pencil and clipboard as he stands beneath both of the respective icons Be aware of market place confusion Shows customers standing beneath both logos and being confused as to which game they should download
- #20: From an art perspective we probably go with another
- #21: From an art perspective we probably go with another
- #22: You will cannibalize the first product so be ready Try to move players to the sequel Show a group of users underneath the Kill Shot Bravo icon and just a few underneath the Kill Shot icon Have the designer guy with a megaphone above the Bravo icon advertising the group to come over Not all players will come with you to the sequel Show some players cross armed standing near the Kill Shot Logo as being stubborn Be ready to support two products Auto-mated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game Show the designer character writing stuff down with a pencil and clipboard as he stands beneath both of the respective icons Be aware of market place confusion Shows customers standing beneath both logos and being confused as to which game they should download
- #23: You will cannibalize the first product so be ready Try to move players to the sequel Show a group of users underneath the Kill Shot Bravo icon and just a few underneath the Kill Shot icon Have the designer guy with a megaphone above the Bravo icon advertising the group to come over Not all players will come with you to the sequel Show some players cross armed standing near the Kill Shot Logo as being stubborn Be ready to support two products Auto-mated live ops/reduced schedule on initial game Show the designer character writing stuff down with a pencil and clipboard as he stands beneath both of the respective icons Be aware of market place confusion Shows customers standing beneath both logos and being confused as to which game they should download
- #24: Build a game that can last for years Show the same happy gamer below a 2017 sign and then again below a 2022 sign Understand what it takes to maintain that product in live ops Show the same guy again with the clipboard and calendar The best sequel is the one you never need to build
- #25: From an art perspective we probably go with another