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Data analytics is an essential part of creating and running a global mobile game. While there's a lot of flair and flair in game creation, not everything can be done by gut instinct and lead to a 100% successful outcome. That's why it's important to look at data, whether it's marketing metrics or problems in specific areas of the in-game, to objectively identify problems and draw insights on how to improve.
Many developers recognize the importance of using data to improve their games, but collecting data and analyzing it in detail to identify improvement points requires a different set of skills. In some cases, a phenomenon is easily understood from a single piece of data, but in most cases, insights are gained by segmenting the data and analyzing it comprehensively with various variables. Due to these barriers to entry, many developers build and launch games based on hunches, or fail to achieve meaningful results even after trying.
To solve these problems and help developers successfully launch their games in the global game market, Aloha Factory provides data analysis reports to developers who are testing with our partners. The report includes data such as marketing marketability test results, retention, session data, and bounce rate by stage as standard, according to the test stage of the current game, and provides detailed reports on what needs to be improved in the current game through the data of the comparison group.
With the Game Data Report, we provide customized analytics for your game. We segment and synthesize a variety of data to provide you with deeper insights, which you can then draw from. Most importantly, we give you a clear direction for improvement. Based on the data, we clearly present what needs to be improved at each stage and what goals need to be achieved. Woody, Data Analyst, Aloha Factory
Sample Aloha Factory data report
How to improve your game's performance with data analytics reports: Aloha Factory Analytics Report
Optimizing game production process with Flamingo's Preset Report
Easy access to game data analysis and management: Introduction of Aloha Factory's FLAMINGO service
The entire value chain of game service consists of game production, marketing, monetization, and operation stages, and especially game production can be divided into more detailed processes. In order to successfully produce a game, it is essential to have not only a sense of "fun" for the game but also objective criteria that can analyze the game quantitatively. In other words, the appropriate harmony between the sensory aspect of fun (pre-feedback) that predicts user interest and the quantitative and objective indicators based on data for problem identification and improvement (post-feedback) is the most ideal form in the game production process.
However, most small and medium-sized developers who do not have infrastructure face difficulties in confirming such qualitative/quantitative feedback. Defining metrics to check what data to confirm, writing an event design document for how to collect data, and then requesting the development team to collect the event and testing it require many resources depending on know-how even in this process, even if the infrastructure is in place.
Even if the infrastructure is in place, selecting business intelligence tools and deriving insights for improving our game require additional know-how and capabilities. To derive insights, it is necessary to have a detailed understanding of where users are dropping out and how to increase revenue efficiency through detailed data analysis of game-specific data such as user indicators, retention, ARPU, stage drop-out rates, etc., which are the basics of game analysis.
The business capabilities required in the marketing, monetization, and operation stages after the production stage become even more challenging for small game developers. In particular, global game launching requires UA strategies that vary depending on country, media, and subject performance, and even more deeply, they act as considerations for user-specific quality.
Therefore, Aloha Factory has developed and operates the "FLAMINGO" service that can support the entire game service stage from game production to marketing, monetization, and operation, and is currently focusing on high-level development of data analysis and insight solutions in the game production stage.
Easy event collection with Aloha SDK installation Aloha Factory has developed the Aloha SDK to minimize the resources required for event design and logging and to quickly confirm data from internal/external production teams. By installing and configuring the SDK according to the guide and adding some events, you can collect data necessary for game analysis and improve the data generated in the game.
Features provided by Aloha SDK Module for terms and conditions agreement and personal information processing policy required when starting the game Preset event logs for essential events such as game start, end, and in-app purchases are already implemented. You can define and log custom events in consultation with Alohafactory as needed by the developer.
Essential indicators for game analysis
In Flamingo, you can see all the indicators that show the performance of the game, from user indicators necessary for mobile game business and operations to session, retention, sales, and in-game reports.
At Aloha Factory, we judge the internal game production and publishing process based on data by systematizing the necessary indicators for each production stage. We include and improve data that can actually help in the production of mobile games by developing the necessary data based on the games actually produced.
Easy access to game data analysis and management: Introduction of Aloha Factory's FLAMINGO service
In the previous post, we introduced a case study on how Aloha Factory achieves successful results in the global market through a systematic manufacturing process.
Aloha Factory goes through marketability test - fun QA process, which not only draws data-based insights in the initial game test process, but also plays the game from the user's point of view and discovers improvements in the game by expert group.
Aloha Factory recognizes the difficulties small studios face in the game development process, and expands and operates production support programs to not only internal studios but also external studios. As a publisher, in addition to monetization and marketing, we also provide Fun QA as a support program along with production guides through data analysis in terms of production.
What is Game Quality Test?
The game quality test refers to the process of checking and giving feedback in detail to the fun elements and emotional parts that actual users feel while playing the game. This process includes a review of game balance such as the speed of content consumption and difficulty, BM elements, and UI/UX of the game.
Above all, in order to create a foundation for a game that users can enjoy for a long time, it is important to solidify the user experience at the initial user entry point and expand the content. It can be seen as a task to create a favorable impression, positive image, and interest in the game in the early stages so that the content produced with great effort can reach as many users as possible.
In the name of Fun QA, Aloha Factory regularly conducts game quality tests for games scheduled for internal release and games to be published. We are trying to form meaningful feedback to improve game quality by classifying and checking items that game planning and development experts can intensively check and items for non-production occupations who enjoy games lightly.
Fun QA by Aloha Factory production process
In the game quality test, the items to focus on vary depending on the level of development the game is currently in. In the initial step of testing the game's marketability, we focus on the initial experience of users entering the game for the first time and being aware of and interested in the game. In this step, the impression of the game right after entering, the intuitiveness of the tutorial and game, the level of immersion in the game, and the level of understanding of the mechanics are intensively checked. There are various factors that determine the user's impression at the beginning after installing the game. Numerous exits may occur in the middle, from the intro screen that users experience immediately after entering, learning the game through tutorials, and playing the game in earnest. By figuring out the detailed cause with Fun QA along with quantified numerical data for these parts, we minimize the churn of imported users and improve them so that they can settle into the game. In particular, it is important to ensure that users understand and play the game's goals and core loops. The core loop may be different for each genre of game, but a structure that allows users to play repeatedly for a long time should be formed by giving the user the experience of failure and success through appropriate hurdles in the process of presenting goals and playing, and growing through this. do.
TIP: Essential Checklist for Reliable Onboarding of Your Game!
Game Quality test that increases mobile game Retention: Aloha Factory's Fun QA process
By Aileen, Matthew
In the last post, we looked at retention indicators that are essential for improving game sales.
According to the Revenue Funnel, an increase in game sales is based on the basic premise of increasing the number of paying users or increasing the amount of payment. In this post, we introduce the concept of ARPU and ARPPU indicators, which are essential for game sales analysis, and how Aloha Factory uses these indicators.

A metric that measures the revenue efficiency of games: ARPU

ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) is an indicator of average revenue per user, and is the revenue per unit divided by the total number of users. In mobile games, it is mainly used as a case of ARPDAU to check the revenue per active user. ARPU is used as an important metric in all mobile games because it can determine how much revenue an average user earns over a given period of time. ARPU is usually affected by hardcore games such as RPG games showing higher numbers than light casual games. Casual is a game enjoyed by many users, but is less loyal and pays less than core games, while core games have a high proportion of users who are loyal and pay a lot.
ARPU during a user's life time means LTV (Life Time Value), which plays a key role in designing marketing costs as expected revenue per new user. It is important because it tells you how much revenue the channel that introduced users through UA activities generates and evaluates which channels are providing customers with the highest sales quality.
ARPU varies widely across game genres and across countries. Ad-oriented games, mainly in the US, are around $0.5, but IAP (In App Purchase)-oriented games generate profits from $1 to several tens of dollars.
Life Time Value (LTV) in mobile casual games Each genre of game has a different LTV, but it is common for games to have similar LTVs within a genre. This is because it is influenced by the purchasing power of the target user group and the level of content. Therefore, identifying the profitability of games and genres that can serve as references is important in estimating the profitability of games in production.
Analyzing ARPU cohorts
Aloha Factory analyzes and checks ARPU on a cohort basis as well as a period unit to measure marketing performance. This represents the revenue indicator generated by new users over a certain period of time, and is a useful indicator for segmenting and measuring the performance of new users in UA activities.
Guide to increasing game revenue through data analysis Part 3: ARPU, ARPPU
By Aileen, Matthew
In the previous post, we looked at the user metrics that should be examined to improve game revenue. As explained in the previous post, increasing paying users is the foundation of the Revenue Funnel to improve game revenue, and this requires an increase in traffic as a basic premise. And to improve traffic, a structure that leads to an increase in new user acquisition or retention rate of existing users should be formed. Retention is an essential metric that must be considered not only for games but for all services to be maintained. In this post, we introduce the basic concept of retention and how Aloha Factory utilizes this metric.

Metrics representing user engagement

Retention Retention is a metric that measures how many users visit the game again after installation. A high retention rate means that users regularly visit and play the game. It is an important metric for measuring not only the retention rate of naturally acquired users, but also the cost-effectiveness of marketing efforts. Without supporting the user's retention level, there may be no revenue metric that exceeds the ratio of the cost of marketing expenses.
Example of calculating retention
Suppose five users use the service for the first time simultaneously on January 1, 2023, and visit as shown below.
Two out of five users who visited on January 3 represent 40% retention rate.
Day 1 Retention
Day 1 retention represents the user's data on the D+1 day after the user's first game execution. It means the proportion of users who are re-acquired after the user's inflow and represents the user's initial experience. It can be used as a measure of onboarding to see if players are interested in the game in the early stages.
Guide to Increasing Game Revenue through Data Analysis Part 2: Retention
Do you want to create a global hit game played by millions of users around the world?
We have a great idea, and we want to make this game and present it to users all over the world. A-Z of a game that must be accompanied in order to implement a game: implementing the basic flow of a game, adjusting balance, collecting events, fixing bugs, localization, etc., require considerable resources.
What actions can we take if the reaction of users is not what we expected when we introduce a game made with so many resources into the market? You can take the process of finding the cause of failure, drawing improvements, and analyzing it, but improving a game that's already advanced a lot is more resource-intensive and may require an entire change of direction.
For mobile casual games, it's important to go through lots of prototyping and iterative test cycles to find opportunities to discover the best potential and create games that can be enjoyed for a longer period of time.
In the case of our studio, where a small number of people develop in a fast cycle, we focus on improving the efficiency of game development by advancing the rapid development-testing-improvement cycle.
Quickly read market users and trends, focus more on developing highly marketable games, and seize the fun of areas that need improvement from the early stages to maximize performance and potential.

Predicting the game's potential

Even if our idea is good and attractive enough, it is very important to predict whether the game has the potential to be successful in the long run. For a successful game launch, we initially develop a prototype with minimal concepts to test user reactions, and conduct a CPI Test to verify it.
What is CPI? CPI is a number that represents Cost Per Install, or cost incurred per installation, and is an indicator of how cost-effectively an advertisement exposed through UA activities will be converted well and can predict marketability.
When the market size of how many users can be converted into installs is verified through various user acquisition (UA) activities, and the possibility of traffic expansion is verified through detailed retention measurement, the criteria set by the company are met. Develop games.
A low CPI means that a large number of users can be brought in at a cost-effective cost, which means the sustainability of generating enough revenue through casual games. If the initial CPI TEST figures come out positive, you can develop the game in more detail and think about a design that can increase play time and survival.

Creating a game that can be soft-launched

How Aloha Factory's production team makes a global hit game: Game production process Case study <Dragon island>
By Aileen, Matthew
To achieve success in a game, having exceptional ideas and creating fun gameplay are the most fundamental elements. However, it is difficult to predict whether implementing what we have thought of alone can lead the game to success.
To operate a game that is loved for a long time, it is important to provide elements of fun that allow users to come back during their journey of reaching and playing the game, and to measure and improve the game's ability to generate sustainable revenue efficiently.
In this post, we will provide a series of guides on the concept of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for improving game revenue and the basic analysis of these data!
To improve a game's revenue, an increase in paying users is necessary, and to increase paying users, it is necessary to increase traffic or increase the proportion of Purchasing Users (PU). In addition, to increase traffic, a structure that leads to an increase in user inflow or re-visitation (retention rate) should be formed. In this series, we will explain the basic analysis of user metrics to increase traffic.

KPI Metrics in the User Acquisition Stage: NRU

When a user installs and runs our game for the first time, the newly registered user is called NRU (New Registered User). NRU is a metric that is particularly checked at the very beginning when measuring how effectively many users have been acquired relative to the cost of User Acquisition (UA), especially during UA activities.
UA: User Acquisition refers to the activities of acquiring new users in a game or service through marketing campaigns.
Pathways for NRU Acquisition (1) Organic Users
Organic users refer to users who reach us naturally. As users who have entered through channels other than advertising or marketing campaigns, they tend to have higher retention rates than paid users since they came in due to their needs. The main channels for Organic Users are through exploration/search via stores, entering through the publisher's account on the store, or entering through Cross Promotion in the game portfolio. By identifying the channels through which Organic Users came in, various strategies can be executed to increase Organic Users, such as optimizing ASO (App Store Optimization).
TIP) ASO (App Store Optimization) work is important to increase Organic Users. The process of optimizing the metadata elements of the store to increase the discoverability of games in the store search process for the most relevant keywords for the service we provide. We will discuss the specific strategies for ASO in the next post.
TIP) Organic Users can also be viewed as a viral metric and can be used as an element to measure the game's potential. The general Organic User metric for games is around 15% for games that actively pursue Paid UA. However, this metric can vary greatly depending on the game's viral level. If the game has strong social elements or fun or witty elements that spread by word of mouth, it can attract Organic Users without any Paid UA and generate significant revenue.
Guide to Increasing Game Revenue with Data Analysis Part 1: User Metrics
After 3 years since the establishment of Aloha Factory, CEO Lee Ho-jin shares the story of Aloha Factory, which has gone through numerous journeys with many colleagues to release over 20 game types and more than 150 prototypes, starting with hyper-casual games.
"The reason for Aloha Factory's existence, which could be considered its mission, is to 'create a world of happiness through contents.' We define happiness as something that can be remembered and cherished even after a long time has passed. We hope that the contents we create, service, and support at Aloha Factory can play that role."
Q. Nice to meet you, Ho-jin! Could you introduce yourself?
Hello, I am Matthew (Lee Ho-jin), the CEO of Aloha Factory. Nice to meet you.
Q. I'm curious about what motivated you to start Aloha Factory.
I started my first career in a startup. Even though I didn't know anything at the time, the experience of doing something myself hit me hard. Since then, I have had a strong desire to do something I can create with like-minded people.
Q. What do you focus on most these days?
"I think a lot about how to make good games. From planning, development, art, business, marketing, and more, there are so many elements that make a game successful, so we are refining and thinking more about the aspects we need to focus on in each stage.
Q. I heard that you have one-on-one meetings with your colleagues once a quarter. Is there a reason why you meet and talk to many colleagues frequently?
It seems to be connected to the reason for starting the company. I think growing and creating together with like-minded colleagues is meaningful and fun. So I hope that the members of Aloha Factory have the same mindset. I want the time spent in the company to be meaningful in life, and ultimately, I want us to feel a sense of achievement that we have grown together and accomplished something.
Q. What do you think is Aloha Factory's competitiveness/attraction?
I believe that the biggest attraction of Aloha Factory is empathy. I think that there is a sense of empathy among colleagues and stakeholders when it comes to the direction of the company. This is due to the efforts to carry out the decision-making process, production process, and overall operation of the company in a systematic and rational manner.
What the CEO Says About Aloha Factory
On the 16th, Aloha Factory announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Kyungil Game Academy to foster global game development talent.
The Kyungil Game Academy provides practical job training with a focus on job competency. Through this collaboration, they plan to prepare the entire process from project production to marketing testing and monetization.
Aloha Factory's hyper-casual game "Kiss in Public," which was released in August, recorded 5 million downloads worldwide and achieved the top spot on the U.S. Google Play Arcade game chart and third place in the overall game chart.
Choi Young-jin, Aloha Factory's business PM, said, "Through this collaboration, we hope to discover the potential to develop competitive games in the global market in Korea and significantly lower the entry barriers to game development experience through the hyper-casual genre." He added, "We also want to expand the Aloha membership to provide more opportunities for individual developers and early-stage development companies to launch globally."
Aloha Factory-Gyeongil Game Academy, Talent Development Agreement
Alloha Factory's new mobile game 'Dragon Island' achieves 3 million downloads
Alloha Factory has announced that its new mobile game 'Dragon Island' has achieved a total of 3 million global downloads.
Dragon Island is a hyper-casual game that combines the characteristics of arcade and idle genres, where players collect various resources, expand their island, and raise dragons.
Hyper-casual games are a genre that serves many users through simple gameplay and is based on an advertising revenue model, mainly in the global market.
Recently, games that combine the profitability of paid items with simple gameplay have been gaining attention within the hyper-casual genre. Alloha Factory's Dragon Island game, which also considers paid item sales, is one such game.
PD Lee Soo-min, in charge of Dragon Island, said, "We focused on capturing both the emotional aspect that users feel when raising dragons and the gameplay during the process." He also stated that they plan to continue making games that maintain their existing casual feel and are loved by users for a long time.
Alloha Factory CEO Lee Ho-jin said, "We hope to see many game development companies leading the trend of the global casual market in Korea as well." He also said, "Alloha Factory will become a mobile game company that can lead the hyper-casual game market, as evidenced by achieving 3 million downloads of Dragon Island in a short period of time."
Alloha Factory's new mobile game 'Dragon Island' achieves 3 million downloads
Game development and publishing company Aloha Factory (CEO Lee Ho-jin), a resident company of the CKL Enterprise Support Center of the Korea Creative Content Agency, has been accelerating its efforts to enter the global market through collaboration with small external development teams, along with the expansion of its internal production studio, after attracting investment earlier this year.
Aloha Factory is a developer and publisher of hyper-casual genre games that anyone can easily access and enjoy in a short amount of time. The company has accumulated experience through game services such as "Block Puzzle 1010!" and "Draw Hammer."
"Block Puzzle 1010!" is a hyper-casual puzzle game genre that requires simple rules but strategic gameplay. It has been recognized for its gameplay, being selected for Google's new game feature and signing overseas publishing contracts.
"Draw Hammer" is a hyper-casual arcade game that utilizes a hammer concept that can express drawing mechanics well. It has gained popularity to the point where various review videos have been uploaded to domestic and overseas YouTube channels due to its addictive and unique concept. "Draw Hammer" has also been selected for Google's new game feature and achieved the number one popularity in the Google Arcade game category in overseas countries.
Based on its game production process and publishing experience so far, Aloha Factory recently started Aloha Factory Partners and is supporting the entire process, from idea planning to monetization, for small domestic development companies.
CEO Lee Ho-jin said, "The growth of the hyper-casual market has lowered the barriers to entry for game production and global expansion," and added, "We will not only expand our internal studio but also strengthen our role in supporting the growth of small domestic development companies."
Aloha Factory has recently signed agreements for joint development with small production teams and studios and is conducting intense testing to create global mega-hit games.
Alloha Factory challenges the global market with hyper-casual games.
'Dragon Island' climbs to the top of the Vietnam free game chart with UA monetization campaign in collaboration with Mintegral

Dragon Island

Dragon Island, one of Korea's arcade/hyper-casual games, has become a global popular game, gaining popularity in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Asia-Pacific, thanks to the UA (user acquisition)/monetization campaign in collaboration with Mintegral.
Dragon Island, a mobile game developed by Aloha Factory, a Korean mobile game company that has achieved over 3 million game downloads worldwide, explores Dragon Island and collects various resources necessary to raise dragons, hatch them with harvested resources, and evolve them into Alpha Dragons.

How did 'Dragon Island' successfully enter the global market?

Dragon Island had to find experts with local experience in each country while preparing for global launching with its own publishing. However, it is difficult to successfully launch a game without understanding the language and cultural differences in each market. Therefore, Mintegral, which has expertise in UA campaigns and advertising monetization in various countries, collaborated with Aloha Factory.
The collaboration between Mintegral and Aloha Factory was centered around two main objectives:
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Secure high-quality users beyond Asia.
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Stable capital operation through monetization.

'Dragon Island' successful UA campaign strategy, accurate targeting, and flexible bidding

'Dragon Island' climbs to the top of the Vietnam free game chart with UA monetization campaign in collaboration with Mintegral
Game developer 'Aloha Factory' completes 1.4 billion won investment
Participation from Hantoo Partners-Creat Ventures, POSCO Tech Investment, and others... "Next stage of investment planned for next year"
Game developer 'Aloha Factory' completes 1.4 billion won investment
Casual game developer Aloha Factory attracts 6 billion won in Series A investment
Aloha Factory, a casual game developer, announced on the 11th that it has attracted 6 billion won in Series A investment.
In this investment round, LB Investment led the way, with existing investors Korea Investment Partners, KReator Ventures, and POSCO Technology Investment also participating.
Aloha Factory is a startup that develops hyper-casual games. Its games are characterized by gameplay that is easy and intuitive, making them playable by anyone regardless of age or gender.
Last August, Aloha Factory released the game 'Kiss in Public' and recorded a cumulative 10 million downloads. In March of this year, it also achieved 4 million downloads with the release of 'Dragon Island,' an arcade game for children. Recently, it has been expanding its genre by releasing 'Monster House,' a defense genre game.
Park Ji-hyeong, senior inspector at LB Investment, said, "Aloha Factory is a company that fits recent global hybrid casual market trends," and added, "With its innovative game planning and fast execution, we expect it to grow significantly in the future."
Aloha Factory CEO Lee Ho-jin said, "Our vision is to create games that are loved by many people for a long time," and added, "We have advanced the game production process and accumulated know-how by creating over 150 prototypes and releasing more than 20 mobile casual games."
He also said, "Through this investment, we will contribute to the development of the domestic mobile casual game ecosystem by expanding the genre into 'mid-core casual' games and entering the global market with small-scale developers who want to do the same."
[Money Today Startup Accelerating Media Platform 'Unicorn Factory']
Casual game developer Aloha Factory attracts 6 billion won in Series A investment
Alloha Factory aims to be a global hyper-casual game company.
Mobile games require a lot of development time and resources for manpower such as development, design, and sound, making them content that costs a lot to develop. However, most games are free to download, so how do developers recoup their development costs and generate profits? Of course, many games generate significant revenue by monetizing in-game content purchases, but many games also heavily rely on advertising revenue.
Alloha Factory CEO Lee Ho-jin explained that the hyper-casual genre's interstitial ads (mid-game ads) market has grown significantly worldwide since 2018, moving away from the traditional reward-based ad model. Alloha Factory has been specializing in developing and publishing hyper-casual games while paying attention to these changing advertising markets.
By releasing hyper-casual games such as Block Puzzle 1010! and Draw Hammer, which were selected for Google Featured and received a lot of attention from overseas gamers, Alloha Factory has accumulated global know-how. Based on this experience, they released Kiss in Public in August 2021, which took advantage of the hyper-casual genre's characteristics. Kiss in Public achieved 4 million downloads in just two months after its release and became the number one arcade game and the third overall game in the US Google Play Store, receiving great popularity overseas.
CEO Lee Ho-jin focused on developing games that anyone can easily play and targeting the global market, moving away from the competition-centered domestic game market. He believed that if they had expertise in popular games for global users, they could differentiate themselves from numerous domestic game companies. As a differentiated studio, they aimed to secure excellent domestic talent and ultimately develop games that are loved by the most people worldwide.
This mission of Alloha Factory is also actively inspiring and involving employees within the company. Alloha Factory's Blockbuster Studio Kang Gun-woo PM stated that he wants to create games that provide deep and diverse enjoyment, so people can play them for a long time and remember them.
"Hype-casual games take a part of the various pleasures that the medium of 'games' can deliver and create an independent game. We explored various fun aspects by developing about 150 prototypes and aimed to develop more three-dimensional games by combining fun from various games that have been in several games."
CEO Lee Ho-jin said, "There is a tendency to think that game development is too difficult and only thinks big. Still, the birth of the hyper-casual genre has greatly lowered the entry barriers for game development." He added, "Merely creating a lot of content does not necessarily deliver fun to gamers. Therefore, we focus on the most fundamental aspects to concentrate on the most primitive fun and help the team find its own color through it." He expressed his ambition.
Alloha Factory aims to be a global hyper-casual game company.