Game analytics 100: The retention curve

[LaraCroft]

Retaining customers is paramount for game studios, as acquiring new customers involves significant costs. In “Game Analytics 100: The Retention Curve,” Russell Ovans from East Side Games delves into the critical aspect of customer retention in the gaming industry.

What will you learn?​

• Importance of retention: Customer retention is crucial for game studios, as acquiring new customers is expensive compared to retaining existing ones.
• Day-n retention: Measures the proportion of players returning to play a game n days after installation, providing insights into player engagement.
• Retention curve: Generalizes day-n retention by predicting player retention for any day after installation, derived from historical data.
• Key metrics: Includes day-n retention, average player duration, and lifetime value (LTV) to assess and optimize game performance.
• Tools: Utilizes statistical regression and data analysis tools like Excel and Tableau to analyze retention data and predict player behavior.

Portions of this paper previously appeared in the book Game Analytics: Retention and Monetization in Free-to-Play Games. Available on Amazon in various regions.