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How to drive mobile game monetization through holiday events
October 18, 2024•7 min
Why release new content for holidays?
As the holiday season approaches, mobile game developers are gearing up to create exciting in-game events and promotional offers. These seasonal activities not only attract new players but also help retain current ones, boost session times, and most importantly, drive in-game purchases. Mobile games introduce new content during the holidays for one big reason: revenue. Mobile game developers prioritize holiday events due to their high ROI for engagement, revenue, and retention. Players are more active and willing to spend during festive periods, while events foster excitement, loyalty, and a sense of urgency around exclusive content. This translates to significant revenue boosts. The trend extends across the gaming industry, with total consumer spending on video game content seeing a sharp rise during the holiday season, according to Statista. In this article, we’ll explore why holiday-themed content is a critical component of mobile game monetization strategies and how Xsolla Web Shop LiveOps features can amplify the impact of these events to maximize your revenue this holiday season.Holiday event mechanics for mobile games: which approach is best for you?
When planning holiday events, you can consider several different mechanics to enhance engagement and grow monetization. Here are some popular event mechanics that are often used to create memorable and profitable holiday experiences. 1. Game decor and skins This involves decorating game locations or changing the appearance of characters, emoticons, dances, and more to fit a holiday theme.- Pros: This approach is relatively simple to develop since it focuses on visual elements.
- Cons: It may have a lower value for players since it doesn't significantly alter gameplay.
Photo: Fortnite
2. Content as part of the resource cycle
Introduces additional characters or buildings that operate within the game's existing mechanics and economy.
- Pros: Players receive content naturally by playing the game, and it's easier for the development team to add characters if the pipeline is well-optimized.
- Cons: It may lead to lower player engagement since the content doesn’t differ significantly from the core game elements.
Photo: Empires & Puzzles: Dragon Dawn
3. Content as part of the LiveOps system
Additional characters or buildings become goals within a live operation system, often supported by season passes or trophy road mechanics.
- Pros: This approach significantly boosts player engagement by turning content acquisition into a meaningful achievement.
- Cons: It requires a more complex implementation compared to simpler holiday event setups.
Photo: Fortnite
4. Content as an additional resource cycle
Creates new resource cycles that operate independently or in conjunction with the main game mechanics.
- Pros: Players are already accustomed to consuming new content, making it easier to introduce and sustain engagement.
- Cons: It’s complex and costly to implement.
Photo: Homescapes
5. Discounts
One of the simplest ways to create an event in the game is by launching discounts on specific items in the in-game store. This requires a discount mechanism and offer windows to draw the player's attention to the available discounts.
- Pros: Easy to implement.
- Cons: Can negatively impact the game's economy if overused.
Photo: Monster Legends
6. Offers
Offers are special, limited-time bundles that are often dedicated to specific events and can be used regardless of whether they are tied to a holiday. To implement it, you need the offer and pack mechanism itself, along with a sufficient variety of in-game resources to make the bundle appealing.
- Pros: Relatively simple to implement and effective at drawing the player's attention to specific items or bundles.
- Cons: May not be effective enough without the support of additional event mechanics or in-game incentives.
- Include a primary resource with a noticeable, but not overwhelming, bonus compared to regular pricing.
- Bundle it with secondary resources that have a significant bonus, enhancing the overall appeal.
Photo: Raid: Shadow Legends
7. Seasons
A season is a complex framework of various monetization and retention mechanics designed to enhance player engagement and demonstrate the value of investing time and money in gaming events.
To create this, you need a mechanism for a seasonal trophy road, which provides players with tasks to complete in exchange for rewards. Offers for season passes and resource bundles that help players complete these tasks should also be included.
- Pros: Players are already accustomed to consuming new content, making it easier to introduce and sustain engagement.
- Cons: It’s complex and costly to implement.
Photo: Fortnite
Advantages of Xsolla Web Shop in the holiday season
No matter the avenue you choose to pursue this holiday season, Xsolla Web Shop can be your go-to solution if you want to amplify the impact of your in-game events.- Offering a platform that supports and enhances holiday-exclusive offers, Web Shop integrates web-specific LiveOps into your existing game mechanics to empower you to expand your holiday event beyond the confines of the game itself.
- This makes it easier than ever to create a positive experience where gamers can access special promotions, redeem exclusive items, and participate in live holiday events.
- The flexibility means any in-game mechanic you choose can be fully supported on the web, giving your players more ways to engage and spend.
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