Gaming
The future of the gaming industry: brand loyalty and retention, Exclusive Q&A w/ Achille Traore, CEO of White Label Loyalty
The gaming industry is highly competitive. Game developers only have one chance at making a user’s experience memorable. If a gaming company fails to capture user attention, customers will likely move on to another game or platform. Achille Traore, CEO of White Label Loyalty, discusses the opportunities awaiting gaming brands to create more loyal customers.
What are the main goals and objectives of brands in the gaming industry?
Most brands in the gaming industry are striving for the same thing: customer retention. The industry is well known for high engagement rates, but it’s also well known for low retention rates.
Player retention is important for gaming brands because existing customers are very valuable in the long run. It’s much easier to upsell and cross-sell to loyal users. Plus, the cost of acquiring new customers is becoming more and more expensive.
The gaming industry faces a number of challenges. What are they?
The first challenge is about engaging casual players and persuading them to play more frequently. And while there are many factors that contribute to this, including the quality of a game and the ability to market it effectively, gaming brands ultimately need to have a deep understanding of their customers.
The second challenge is knowing how to add value to a customer’s gaming experience. Not all users will find value in the same things. For one user, the value of a game may lie in the ability to customize characters with exclusive skins. For others, the value may lie in joining a community to meet other gamers.
Finally, gaming brands need to know how to break the barriers for people who haven’t gamed in a long time, or have never tried gaming before.
When it comes to gaming, how would you define loyalty and engagement?
A user that is truly engaged will spend a significant amount on in-game purchases.
Another way gamers show their loyalty is by engaging with communities via social media or forums like Reddit.
Loyal players can also become ambassadors for gaming brands. These players are more likely to engage with a brand outside of the game – they’ll spend money on equipment (such as a new console or PC), merchandise, and event tickets.
How does a gamer become loyal?
Loyalty often forms as a result of rewards. Players want to be rewarded. Whether it’s for completing a time-bound challenge, or unlocking different levels in a game, rewards add to a feeling of competition and accomplishment.
Gaming companies that reward customers for engagement can build real, long-term loyalty.
In order for gaming companies to better understand and engage their customers, what can they do?
Gaming companies must collect detailed data about their users to understand what drives them. Brands can use this data to build specific audience segments, which allows them to personalise and tailor marketing strategies to each customer profile.
Loyalty programs are an effective way to gather detailed information about user behaviour, needs, and preferences. When a gaming brand understands its customers, they can create customised rewards for each player segment, resulting in higher engagement and retention rates.
What are the best ways to reward players in the gaming industry?
With the right software, gaming brands can reward any kind of activity. For example, rewards could be given to streamers who refer games to others. Rewards could incentivise new customers to pick up their controllers again. Or, rewards can simply be used to show appreciation for those who dedicate their time and attention to a game.
Playstation Stars, a new loyalty program in the industry, rewards players for engaging with specific campaigns. Campaigns range from simply playing a game, to earning specific trophies or getting first place in a league table in your local area. Sony announced that the program uses a new type of reward – digital collectibles: “digital representations of things that Playstation fans enjoy, including figurines of beloved and iconic characters from games”.
What other opportunities await gaming brands?
With rewards, gaming companies can drive whatever specific behaviours they would like to see more of. For example, if a gaming brand wants to focus on new customer acquisition, they can build referrals into a rewards program. A fully-rounded loyalty program boosts acquisition as well as retention. While customers can do this on their own via social media or word of mouth, loyalty technology makes it as easy as possible for them to refer a game to family and friends.
There are so many different ways rewards can be used. From early access to a game, to free in-game currency, rewards help make a user’s experience more memorable and keep them engaged long-term. But rewards won’t be effective if gaming companies don’t understand what their customers actually want. That’s why it’s vital to start with data. Then, build a loyalty program that is based on what gamers find truly valuable.
Galaxsys continues to light-up the game’s vertical with the release of its electrifying game, Dr. Shocker, a thrilling action-packed game.
Main Release
Galaxsys, a games studio that creates high-energy games preferred by players who enjoy quick wins and something unique, is gearing up for its next major game release, Dr. Shocker, which will be available on the web and mobile.
”Dr. Shocker’ offers a thrilling, fast-paced experience where players connect electric cables to win. The ”doctor” in question is the game’s central character, who busily tries to connect electrical cables without being ”shocked”. The aim of the game is to win with the highest possible odds, and the electricity running towards the cables is electrifying!
Vigen Safaryan, Chief Product Officer of Galaxsys, commented, “We are always looking to make our games fun, engaging, relevant, and authentic around a central relatable character such as Dr. Shocker. It won’t come as a shock that this game includes all our key player engagement features, such as the Bonus Game, Auto Bet, Buy Bonus and 3 Bonus modes enjoyed by casino players.
This new turbo game not only expands our reach but also enriches the gaming experience for players. It has the potential to become a star in our portfolio, much like Ninja Crash, which recently won the ‘Most Played Game’ award in Latin America. Galaxsys is focused on our commitment to expanding our games, ensuring players always have access to the most exciting gaming experiences.”
The post Dr. Shocker set to prove an ‘electrifying game’ from Galaxsy appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Baltics
The best European gamers will meet in Vilnius: global tournaments and the latest technology presentations
As Lithuania increasingly finds itself in the spotlight of the global gaming community, country’s gamers can once again rejoice at significant news. Lithuania will host “Trackmania World Tour” stage. With this news, it is planned that 24th to 26th of May, in Vilnius the “Baltics Gaming Expo” will bring together the best gamers from across Europe and the world.
International tournaments and showcase battles
“We love to play, and we’re really good at it at the highest level. This is the second year that the “Baltics Gaming Expo” will gather video game enthusiasts and professionals from all around Europe. If last year, 29,000 participants and visitors came to participate or watch tournaments, explore the latest technologies, and try out newly released games, this year, we expect even bigger growth. After all, we have some special news – the “Trackmania” game tournament at the event is included in the global rankings. In other words, all the best players are coming to Vilnius”, says Šarūnas Tamulis, one of the organizers of the “Baltics Gaming Expo”.
Players from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, Latvia, and other countries will participate in the global ranking tournament. Among the participants will be representatives from Lithuania.
The largest gaming and technology event in the Baltic States will also feature “Counter Strike”, “Valorant”, “Rocket League”, “League of Legends”, and other international tournaments.
“There will also be special showcase battles. The best players and streamers in the country will meet on the main stage and compete playing “Counter Strike” and “Valorant”, the organizer says.
From famous streamers’ to retro games
In the gaming community, it’s popular to watch other players remotely broadcast their matches via social networks (game-streaming). Streamers are like opinion leaders, whose popularity and influence grow every day.
“To the delight of our community, the very popular streamer AnnieFuchsia will also attend the event. She has gathered half a million followers on her Twitch channel alone. For those interested, we will create an opportunity to participate in a discussion with the gamer, get answers to significant questions, or even get a photo together”, says Š. Tamulis.
Attendees of the event will also be able to enjoy a space dedicated to exceptional retro games. It will feature dozens of classic arcade games from the 80s and 90s.
“The technology giant “Samsung”, has prepared special activations for the visitors. At the largest “Galaxy AI” stand, you’ll be able to familiarize yourself with the latest artificial intelligence news and try them out on smart devices. There will also be a special “Brawlstars” tournament at the stand, where well-known content creators and enthusiasts of this game from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will meet. The winner will receive the latest “Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra” phone”, the organizer presents.
A weekend for popular culture
The “Baltic Gaming Expo” will take place during “Comic Con Baltics 2024 powered by Samsung,” the largest popular culture event in the Baltic States. From May 24th to 26th, “LITEXPO” will turn into a universe of popular culture.
Fans will have the chance to meet stars from iconic Hollywood projects. Among them are actors from the “Harry Potter” films Natalia Tena and Devon Murray, “Marvel” film actor Sean Gunn, “Highlander” actor Adrian Paul, actress Natasha Halevi, internet comic stars Rob DenBleyker of “Cyanide&Happiness,” “Natural Habitat Shorts,” “Nobody Sausage,” and Nathan W. Pyle, creator of “Strange Planet” comics.
The event will also feature the largest cosplay competition in the Baltic States, premieres of the latest films, presentations, and discussions, an interactive family space, the “Artists’ Alley,” which annually unites around a hundred popular culture artists, a space for vendors offering many curiosities, impressive decorations from the most famous films and series worldwide, and many other attractions.
The post The best European gamers will meet in Vilnius: global tournaments and the latest technology presentations appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming
NVIDIA and GIGABYTE bring NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack across 20 gaming cafes, rewarding INR 2,00,000 through esports tournament
NVIDIA, the world leader in accelerated computing, has tied up with GIGABYTE, a global leader in computer hardware, to bring the NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack. The esports tournament took place across 20 gaming cafes in India including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Shillong, and Bangalore, with teams registering to compete in Counter-Strike 2 for a share of the INR 2,00,000 prize pool.
Commenting on the successful association and the completion of the NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack, Sunil Grewal, Director, GIGABYTE India, said, “We are thrilled to wrap up the first-ever NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack, bringing Counter-Strike 2 esports action to cafes in every nook and corner of the country. As leaders in the manufacturing of graphic cards loved by gamers worldwide, we are glad to have organized a grassroots-level esports tournament bringing together esports enthusiasts in an epic showdown, enabling us to connect directly with the Indian PC gaming community.”
The NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack esports tournament, in collaboration with GIGABYTE, highlighted the importance of top-tier hardware like the GIGABYTE GEFORCE RTX 4070 SUPER GAMING OC 12GB GDDR6 in competitive gaming. With advanced features such as ray tracing and AI-enhanced graphics, this GPU ensures smooth performance and low-latency responsiveness crucial for esports titles like Counter-Strike 2. Its robust cooling system and overclocking capabilities maintain peak performance during intense gaming sessions, empowering players to excel. By integrating cutting-edge hardware, GIGABYTE enhances the esports experience, fostering competitiveness and immersion in the digital arena.
The NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack 2024 was a resounding success, with more than 70 teams registering to compete in the open-for-all tournament.
These 70 teams competed in their local cafes, where the best 32 advanced to the National Playoffs. The NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack 2024 National Playoffs happened every Saturday and Sunday, across April 2024, where the 32 teams locked horns in intense Counter-Strike 2 esports action for the lion’s share of the INR 2,00,000 prize pool.
Ultimately, Mumbai’s Global Gaming Cafe dominated Bangalore’s Colosseum Cafe 3-0 in a one-sided grand final to be crowned the champions. The team will walk away with INR 1,00,000 of the total prize pool.
● Global Gaming Cafe (Mumbai): INR 1,00,000
● Colosseum Cafe (Bangalore): INR, 60,000
● Immortal Cafe (Delhi): INR 40,000
The post NVIDIA and GIGABYTE bring NVIDIA Reflex iCafe Attack across 20 gaming cafes, rewarding INR 2,00,000 through esports tournament appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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