Casual Games Association ppt Template

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Using In Game Upsell Techniques ToIncrease
Sales Conversion Rates Brian Fisher, President
ArcadeTown.com Mike Boeh, President
Retro64 Malcolm Michaels, Grab.com/Intermix 3pm
June 29th 2006
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In Game Upsell What Is It?

• Most games rely only on DRM wrapper.- Enforces
  only time limit, typically 60 minutes.-
  Typically only upsells before and after game.
• Upsell full version inside the free game trial.
• Add screens to sell that full version.
• Add limits so more value in full version.

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In Game Upsell Why?

• Why is so much of the industry content to throw
  sales out the door?
• Adding Great In Game Upsell Techniques can
  increase sales up to 20 or more.

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Prime Suspects BigFishGames, Youve Heard of
MCF Right?!Online Version, Main Menu, Upsells
Download and Full Versions
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BLOX Forver ArcadeTownMain Menu, Simple Get
Full Version Button
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Jewel of Atlantis Enkord, Top 10 SellerLive
Action Exit Nag Screen, Shows Exactly What Get!!
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Types of Free Trial Limits

• Time, play for only 60 minutes.
• Levels, let user play only 10 of 100 levels.
• Features, cripple certain features, upgrades, etc.

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Time Limit

• DRM Wrapper typically enforces time limit.
• Most use 60 minutes.
• Some games sell better with 30 minutes, recommend
  on shorter games where blow to much full version
  in 60 minutes.

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Level Limit

• Let user only play a limited number of levels of
  the full version.
• Dont give more than 10 25 for free.
• Provides more value to full version.Why buy if
  played 60 of the full version for
  free?Customer 20 to get 40 more, forget it!
• BLOX Forever 10 of 100 levels in demo.

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Feature Limits

• Disable certain features in free trial.
• Recommend on feature based games.
• World Domination only basic weapons in demo.
• Mad Cars limited cars, race tracks, and upgrades
  in demo.

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Tips Dos

• Test combinations of Time, Level, and Feature
  limits.
• Balance carefully, avoid over limiting.
• Give just enough that free trial is fun
  addicting and user keeps playing up to limits.
• Keep users hitting that wall where theyre
  compelled to get the full version.
• Upsell everywhereButtons on main menu, pause
  menu, between levels, upon un-available level or
  feature, exit nag screen, etc.

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Tips Donts

• Dont over annoy and make free demo
  un-enjoyable.Unhappy users will not buy.
• Dont use words likeBuy Now Connotes
  spending money which is negative to users.Order
  Now or Get Full Version Think from users
  point of view instead.

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Tips - Test Various Methods (Mike)

• Run tests where provide different combinations of
  limits and measure the changes in conversion
  rate.
• Time Limit Sometimes only a time limit works
  best.
• Level Limit Try giving 5, 10, 20, all levels,
  etc.
• Feature Limit (if applies) test disabling
  various items in the game.
• Test, Test, Test!

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Test Of Various Features (Mike) Level Limit Plus
Other Options, Different Results
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Samples

• Lets look at some samples of various options.

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Cosmic Bugs Retro64, Top 10 SellerBuy Button
On Main Menu (should have said Get Full Version)
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Cosmic Bugs Retro64Normal Exit Nag Screen, Good
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Clash N Slash EnkordLive Action Exit Nag
Screen, Exellent!!
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Clash N Slash Enkord, Top 10 Seller
EverywhereLive Action Exit Nag Screen, Love It!!
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BLOX Forever ArcadeTown, Good Seller Here w/
Nagging FeaturesLevel Limit, User Can View
Samples Of Full Version Levels
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World Domination ISioux, Good SellerHeavy
Feature Limits Only Annoying But Very Effective
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Upsell Full Version Using Web Version (Malcolm)

• Why have a web version?
• Increases stickiness and shelf life.Users keep
  coming back to play online and keeps your game in
  front of users for a longer period of time given
  increasingly crowded downloadable games space.
• Conversion rates increase. Users downloading the
  demo are more qualified thus more apt to buy.

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Online Version Dos (Malcolm Brian)

• Use Flash. Most common and versatile format that
  the most user systems support and most web sites
  accept.
• Push the free trial downloadable version from web
  version.
• Push sale directly from web version. Many skip
  this crucial feature, BFG took my hint. (Brian)

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Online Version Donts (Malcolm)

• Dont give away too much, limit it in key ways
  just like would do with downloadable.
• Maybe show a different scenario or level in web
  version not in the downloadable version.
• Dont make a weak web version, must convince
  users that game is good.

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Samples (Malcolm)

• Lets look at some samples of various web version
  options.

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Gold Miner Vegas Grab.com/Intermix, Top 10
SellerOnline Version, Main Menu, Download Full
Game Button, Simple
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Gold Miner Vegas Grab.com/IntermixOnline
Version, Upsell As Item In Upgrade Store, Genius!!
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Gold Miner Vegas Grab.com/IntermixOnline
Version, Upsell On End Of Game Highscore Submit
Screen
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Gold Miner Vegas Grab.com/IntermixOnline
Version, Various Upsell Screens
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Gold Miner Vegas Grab.com/IntermixOnline
Version, Upsell Screen Changes, Users Wont Tune
Out
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Jewel Of Atlantis - Enkord, Top 10 SellerOnline
Version, Between Levels, Dont Forget Full
Version Upsell!
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Technical, How To Code Upsell

• DRM wrapper typically used to wrap unprotected
  full version.
• Tap into the power of the DRM wrapper API and
  include your own in-game upsell.

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Basic DRM Wrapper API

• Let DRM wrapper take care of enforcing free trial
  time limit.
• Very basic needsDetermine if is demo or full
  version, display nag screens if is demo.Launch
  payment screens if clicks Order Now.

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Common DRM Wrappers

• Common DRM wrappers with apis include Trymedia,
  Armadillo, and Reflexive.
• Works for BigFishGames, AOL, iWin,
  TryMedia/Trygames and affiliates, ArcadeTown,
  Grab, Reflexive and Reflexive affiliates, and
  more.
• Some other portals use custom wrappers that have
  APIs available but not commonly made available,
  Oberon, Real, GameHouse, etc.

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Armadillo API Integration

• Check if demo or full versionchar str256if
  (!GetEnvironmentVariable("ALTUSERNAME", str,
  sizeof(str))) // Armadillo environment variable
  missing so not wrappedelseif (stricmp(str,
  "default")) // is not default username so is
  registered, do nothingelse // is default
  username so is demo, nag em
• Open purchase screen// open a browser window
  to the sites payment urlShellExecute(NULL,
  "open", "somesite.com/payurl.html", NULL, NULL,
  SW_SHOWNORMAL)

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Reflexive Arcade Wrapper API Integration

• Example of two most common functions
• if(!RW_HasTheProductBeenPurchased()) // Show
  nag screen or disable content
• // when the games buy now button is
  pressedRW_EnterMenuSession(RW_MENU_TYPE_PURCHASE)
  

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Reflexive Arcade Wrapper API IntegrationAdditiona
l Functions

• Any of the following functions can also be used
  in any order
• bool RW_HasTheProductBeenPurchased()
• bool RW_IsWrappedWithReflexiveArcade()
• long RW_GetDemoSecondsRemaining()
• long RW_GetOriginalDemoSeconds()
• float RW_GetPurchasePrice()
• void RW_SetDemoClockPaused(bool Paused)
• void RW_SetWrapperTimeoutDisabled(bool Disabled)
• void RW_EnterMenuSession(RAMenuType MenuType)
• enum RW_MENU_TYPE_NONE, RW_MENU_TYPE_PURCHASE,
  RW_MENU_TYPE_OTHERGAMES, RW_MENU_TYPE_ALREADYPAID
  
• Contact submitgame_at_reflexive.com to get SDK

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Questions and Answers

• Ask your questions.