One Year in the Life of a Top-Grossing Game:Operating and Growing Bejeweled Blitz

Giordano Bruno Contestabile Executive Producer – Bejeweled, PopCap Games

November 17th, 2012Twitter: @giordanobc

Some quick facts• Launched in late 2000• History: Bejeweled, Bejeweled 2,

Bejeweled Twist, Bejeweled Blitz, Bejeweled 3

• Key platforms: Facebook, iOS, PC/Mac

• Units sold: > 55 million• Installs: > 200 million• MAUs: > 25 million• Total users: 500 million+

One Very Long MinuteHistory of Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook & iOS

December 2008: Bejeweled Blitz launches on Facebook November 2009: Blitz mode and FB Connect added to Bejeweled 2 iOS client December 2011: Bejeweled Blitz iOS launches as a freemium title

3+ years from launch, still consistently popular:• Facebook: top 10 games by DAU (3M+)• iPhone: top 10 highest-grossing games

One of the first games to be fully integrated across FB and iOS

Traditional PopCap model

1. Make game

2. Wait (years) for game to be made

3. Profit!!!

3 YEARS

Live service model1. Prototype

2. It’s fun!

3. Production!

4. Telemetry first

5. MVP

6. Closed Beta

7. Open beta

8. Launch

9. Keep going!

MONTH 1-3 MONTH 4-9 MONTH 9-12 YEARS 2-10

Why We Changed• Every game we make is a service• Needs to be updated and improved over time

• Every game we make is free to play• Reach 10x the audience, need regular events to keep engaged

• The distinction between product and business has disappeared• One interdisciplinary team• Product innovation drives business innovation, and vice versa

How Does Our Business Model

Work?

Boosts

• Low-priced in-game effects meant to be used regularly• Balanced not to grant excessive advantages• The better player will still score higher on average

Rare Gems

• Higher-impact bonuses• Can be activated every few games, appearing randomly• Require skill to be fully taken advantage of• Entertainment value as important as effect

Daily Spins

• Slot machine mechanic granting in-game currency• 1 free “daily spin” every day• Additional “daily spin” can be purchased

Key tenets

• “Play forever”: no pay walls or limitations for non-paying users

• Game is fun and balanced also without paying

• Pay to have fun, not because the games forces or punishes you

• Server-side code to tweak economy in real time

• Events really important: busy marketing calendar

Marketing Efforts

Marketing Mix Ads on Bejeweled

Blitz Facebook

“Free App Of The Day” programsMobile Ads “Apple Love”

Result analysis• Vast majority of downloads from:• “Apple love”• Chart position• Organic searches• Existing Blitz players

• Free app programs didn’t drive significant installs• Encouraging conversion from paid advertising• Very high CPI on iOS ($1 to $4)• Organic growth more valuable than paid growth

• Sustained efforts more effective than “burst” actions

What Did We Learn?

“Casual” gamers?

• 86% of active players play every day

Frequency of play

Once a monthEvery 2 weeksOnce a weekFew times / weekEvery dayMulti times / day

iOS: A Very Efficient Platform Key Metrics iOS (FB = 100)

Daily Active Users Weekly Average 48%

ARPU DARPU 229%

Engagement Games / day 100%

Retention 7-day retention 193%

Monetization % of paying users 205%

But iOS players have multiple, shorter, sessions

iOS performs 2x Facebook in several key metrics

Not all mobile players want to be socialApproximately 18% of Blitz iOS

downloads have activated Facebook Connect…

• FB Connect was required to unlock full features• Launched “Universal Mode” in June 2012• FB-connected users tend to spend more

…but over 40% of DAU

use FB Connect

UI matters. A lotFrom this: To this:

Snazzier presentation!

Satisfying lever pulling!

Clearer payouts!

Average revenue from Daily Spin increased 131%

UI matters. A lot

2X

Key Lessons

Be metrics-informed, don’t be metrics-driven

Specialize, but share knowledge

Huge features are dangerous: go for small sprints when you can

Cross-platform is hard, but can be worth it

Don’t underestimate players’ willingness to spend(but give them fun in exchange)

Thanks!

Questions?@giordanobc