To build a successful onchain game, you need to track more than just traditional metrics. This guide explains how to combine standard gaming KPIs with blockchain-specific data to get a full picture of your game's economy and player behavior.
- Part 1: Introduction to Web3 Gaming Infrastructure
- Part 2: Tools for Web3 Game Development
- Part 3: Best Practices and Case Studies (You are here)
What are the Best Metrics for Onchain Games?
Onchain games require a dual measurement strategy:
- Traditional Metrics: DAU/MAU, retention curves, and LTV to measure engagement and fun.
- Onchain Metrics: Transaction volume, token holder counts, and secondary market activity to measure economic health. By balancing these, developers can ensure their game isn't just a financial instrument, but a sustainable entertainment product.
Comprehensive Success Metrics for Onchain Games
Evaluating the success of onchain games requires a nuanced approach that includes both traditional gaming metrics and specific indicators unique to the onchain ecosystem. This dual measurement strategy allows developers to gain insights into both the general appeal of the game and its performance within the blockchain-based gaming market.
Traditional Gaming Metrics:
- Daily/Weekly/Monthly Active Users (D/W/MAU): Track the number of unique players engaging with the game each day. This metric is crucial for understanding the game's daily engagement level. - Player Retention (Retention Curves): Measure the percentage of players who return to the game over time, indicating the game's ability to maintain player interest. - Lifetime Value (LTV): Calculate the total revenue expected from a player throughout their interaction with the game, which helps in understanding long-term profitability. - Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and Average Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU): Assess the revenue generated on average by each player and by each paying player, respectively. - Player Ratings and Reviews: Monitor user feedback across various platforms. This qualitative metric provides insights into player satisfaction and areas for improvement. - Conversion Rate: The percentage of players who make in-game purchases or subscribe to premium features, indicating the effectiveness of monetization strategies. - Advertising and User Acquisition Costs (CAC): Analyze the costs related to marketing efforts and compare them to the LTV of acquired players to evaluate the efficiency of these tactics.
Onchain-Specific Metrics:
- Transaction Volume: Look at the total number and value of blockchain transactions within the game. This metric can indicate the game's popularity and the level of player engagement with the blockchain elements. - Token or Item Holders: Track the number of players holding in-game tokens or blockchain-based items. A high number can signal a strong player investment in the game's economy. - Secondary Market Statistics: Analyze data from secondary sales, such as pricing and volume, and observe player behaviors in trading and utilizing their assets. This helps in understanding the external economic impact of the game. - Onchain Interactions: Evaluate how players interact with blockchain features, such as smart contracts or decentralized finance (DeFi) elements. This can provide insights into how well these features are being received and used. - Cross-Game Interoperability: For games allowing item usage across multiple platforms, assess the frequency and manner of these cross-game interactions. This can indicate the game’s reach and the value of its items beyond the primary gaming environment.
These metrics help you choose the right building blocks for your infrastructure. To see how this works in practice, let's look at two different game genres and how they prioritize data.
Hypothetical Case Studies
AAA PC RPG Game
For a AAA PC RPG game, traditional gaming metrics such as D/W/MAU, player retention, and LTV are particularly crucial due to the game's complex nature and high production value. These metrics will help you understand player engagement and long-term profitability.
Traditional Metrics Emphasis:
- Daily/Weekly/Monthly Active Users (D/W/MAU): Vital for understanding the daily and ongoing engagement levels in a game with rich, immersive content.
- Player Retention: Important for ensuring that players continue to find value and enjoyment over extended periods.
- Lifetime Value (LTV): Crucial for gauging long-term financial sustainability, given the significant investment in development.
Onchain Metrics Integration:
- Transaction Volume and Token Holders: These metrics can reflect the extent of player engagement with the game's economy and blockchain elements.
- Onchain Interactions: Reflects how effectively players are using blockchain features, crafting, updating metadata, playing in financialization of the game, etc.
Mobile Card Collecting Game (Onchain-Hybrid)
For a mobile card collecting game, simpler gameplay and likely shorter session times shift the focus toward metrics that reflect transaction volume and user accessibility.
Traditional Metrics Emphasis:
- Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and Conversion Rate: These metrics are crucial due to the game's monetization strategy relying heavily on microtransactions.
- Player Ratings and Reviews: Useful for understanding player satisfaction and areas for improvement, especially important in a competitive market.
Onchain Metrics Integration:
- Transaction Volume: Key for understanding the frequency and value of card trades within the game.
- Secondary Market Statistics: Provides insights into the trading behavior and economic impact outside the primary game environment.
Why Traditional Data Still Matters
Many early onchain models relied too heavily on new player influx (ponzinomics), which often led to a spike in transaction volume followed by a crash in player retention. By keeping a close eye on LTV and traditional retention, studios can build economies that survive long-term without needing a constant stream of new capital.