How to launching mobile games

Mobile game launch strategy How to soft launch your first mobile game? How to do a hard launch? What are the key steps to success? How to get people to actually play your game? Marketing cho ứng dụng và game mobile trước ngày ra mắt Không riêng gì ngành game mà hầu hết các lĩnh vực khác đều chia kế hoạch Marketing thành nhiều giai đoạn để có chiến lược phù hợp nhằm thu hút tối đa sự quan tâm của người dùng. Trong đó khoảng thời gian trước ngày ra mắt rất quan trọng, nhiều đơn vị thường tập trung tối đa nguồn lực vào giai đoạn này. Chúng ta sẽ cùng tìm hiểu một số kênh hiệu quả để thực hiện tiếp thị.

HOW TO

Pre-Launch Phase

Table of

contents

▸ Requesting game package from dev

▸ Legal document preparation

▸ Setup launching schedule

▸ Work in process

▸ Setup Test server

▸ Setup Live server

Prelaunch Phase

Game Setting

Phase

Launching Phase

▸ Requesting game package

▸ Legal document preparation

▸ Setup launching schedule

▸ Work in process

▸ Setup Test server

▸ Setup Live server

5wk 3wk

2mth 1month 6wk 2mth

2wk

1mth

1wk

>> 2wk

Month1 Month2 Month3 Month4

Mobile Game Launching Timeline

Pre-Launch Phase

Start working with game preparation!

Pre-Launch

Phase

Requesting game package from dev

1 Localization files

2 Graphic and video materials

4 Price setting documents

5 Test & Live server specification

to local languages

Most of developers will provide them as a table of Excel file for translation However in some dev will provide as a program in rare case

Localization will need to translate into (TH, EN, VN,

CN, ID)

Pre-Launch

Phase

Graphic resource and video materials

Graphic resource and video material are require for creating MKT promotion such as banner, trailer, pre-register website, launching page, standee, poster, brochure, etc

To prepare promotion, MKT team will need to create these media in advance because process will take time, especially for website and video trailer

So we will need to request it from dev from beginning

Pre-Launch

Phase

Graphic better request in psd file

Need to setup FTP for dev to send resource for us

9

Pre-Launch

Phase

Game setting documents

To understand about game system, we will need to request for game setting information from dev

It should contain description about game play cycle, features, classes, items, basic stat

calculation, item shop, VIP bonus, and more

This will help us to do progress with QA test and also to prepare a game guide for players

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example game setting documents

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example game setting documents

Normally it will be in Excel file or Presentation

Pre-Launch

Phase

Price setting document

Similar to game setting document, we also need to prepare a price setting of IAP(In App

Purchase) in order to setup into mobile dev console

The price also need to discuss together with account team to set it according to the standard

exchange rate for each country by base from USD

So we will need to request for this price setting document to prepare the IAP list and bundle/pakage name to setup in store

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example of price setting document

Normally will include IAP details, product price, and information about product selling in store

Pre-Launch

Phase

Calculating standard exchange rate for IAP

To prepare price setting will need to calculate with standard exchange rate from account team This also use for our Playmall (Webstore) as well

IAP USD 1 36.0992 1.4178 4.3352 14,467.2167 THB SGD MYR IDR 22,480.5500 46.7228 VND PHP Product 1 1.99 72 3 9 28,790 44,736 93 Product 2 4.99 180 7 22 72,191 112,178 233 Product 3 9.99 361 14 43 144,527 224,581 467 Product 4 29.99 1,083 43 130 433,872 674,192 1,401 Product 5 49.99 1,805 71 217 723,216 1,123,803 2,336 Product 6 99.99 3,610 142 433 1,446,577 2,247,830 4,672

Pre-Launch

Phase

Test server and Live server preparation

To prepare a server hardware for the game, we will need to request the Test server and Live server

requirement from dev to prepare in advance

For test server, it is our internal server for testing and QA game before apply to Live server for service

Nornally test server will setup with minimum spec and can prepare fast While Live server will have a high

specification depend on game requirement

If we don’t have hardware in hand , we will need to order from supplier which will take around 1-2 months So

it is very important to request the specification from dev fast after start working for the game

Pre-Launch

Phase

Test server and Live server preparation

Server structure is a compose of Auth server, game server,

DB as main requirement

Pre-Launch

Phase

Test server and Live server preparation

Specification should have hardware spec, CPU, memory, HDD, and OS for game server and DB

*We should check for extension requirement as well

Pre-Launch

Phase

Backup procedure and information

Normally game will need to perform a regular MA schedule after launched We will need to discuss with dev about MA procedure and requirement for backup process

This will relate to backup server preparation and planning MA schedule of MIS team For best practice we will plan schedule to avoid peak time of game such as in early morning

We also need to think about time different +2 hours in case KR dev will support to do MA by themselves

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example of MA procedure

DGN - Maintenance Procedure

Regular MA Schedule : Wednesday 7.00 - 9.00am SGT

1 Server service off – Funigloo

2 Do test for update or patch of Dragonica – Funigloo / Asiasoft

A Before step 2,

B Collect LINE e-mail account to allow for internal test

C Apply collected LINE e-mail account into server – Funigloo

D Only this accounts will be possible to login while maintenance is progressing

3 After test is done, server service on – Funigloo

Event End/ Update Procedure

1.End event before MA (ex 11.59am TH time) 2.Start MA

3.Caculate players who receive event reward by server work(If it's huge amount)

4.Send rewards to them by server work(If it's huge amount)

5.Switch on next Event

6.End MA

7.Players login and receive reward of previous event and enjoy next event

If possible when we have our test server ready, we should have GM tool for testing as well It will help to

progress faster and able to understand game balance and items we have in game

Pre-Launch

Phase

Legal document preparation

1 Send legal documents to dev for signing

2 Send to ministry of culture

Pre-Launch

Phase

Send legal documents to developer

In Thailand, to publish any online games will need

to get approve from ministry of culture to set rating So to prepare this we need to send the relate documents to

developer to sign and send back for us

Normally process to sign will take around 1 month so we need to plan it earlier

These documents use to allow the right to publish game

1 Letter of Permission

2 Power of Attorney

*The documents can request from TH legal team

Pre-Launch

Phase

Send for ministry of culture review

After documents have signed, we need to prepare material for review by ministry of culture

Package will include with…

1 Game client in Thai It can be a test server that already have TH language in game

2 Screenshot in game (character, monster, pet, costume, etc.)

3 Video clip how to play the game

Then we will need to go to present the game to get rating

Pre-Launch

Phase

Set launching schedule

1 Test server build

2 Live server build

3 Android & iOS submission

4 Pass Android & iOS review

5 Soft launch (iOS & Android)

6 Hard launch (iOS & Android)

7 Prepare Soft launch/ Hard launch event

Pre-Launch

Phase

Test Server Build & Live Server Build

This process is to set target date that we will need

to have test build for QA and final live server build for store submission Normally working process will depend on

different key factors

1 Test server build We will able to receive it after setup test server hardware Then dev can prepare the original version for us first and update with our local language after localization is done

2 Live server build This is the final build version that already link with live server to service players It must have complete SDKs integrated and passed our internal

QA

Pre-Launch

Phase

Android & iOS submission

After we have the final build, we will need to set target date that we will submit the build to Google

Playstore and Apple Appstore This process is important and need to understand timeline we need to reserve for review period

within 1-2 days

for first review If the build reject from any problem, we will need to re-submit again and will need more 10 days for review

Pre-Launch

Phase

Soft Launch / Hard Launch Plan

To launch mobile games, we will have 2 phase during launching process

1 Soft Launch

This phase is similar to CBT of PC game Process is we just launch the game, open for player to play If the game is stable for service, we can start MKT promote But if game service has

problems, bugs, etc We will need to fix them first For this phase

we won’t reset data except there is a critical problem Normally we will open for Soft Launch around 7 days

2 Hard Launch

After game opened and become stable Hard Launch is the phase when we start the MKT promote campaign such as CPI, Facebook Ads, etc

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare Soft Launch / Hard Launch Events

During phase to launch the game, normally we will need

to have events to support our service and help to recruit & retain players

These event will need to plan them in earlier state because some events will need development into game build to check for participants, or to create system to give rewards

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example Launch Events

Pre-Launch

Phase

Work in process

1 Translate localization files

2 Prepare launching page website

3 Prepare store listing materials

Pre-Launch

Phase

Translate localization files

We will need to translate files into (TH, EN, CH, VN, ID)

so process to translate original files will need to consider how much works we need to do If there are to many words we will need to send it for outsource translation to meet our deadline

Step to work for translation are…

1 Translate original files (KR/CH >> EN/TH)

2 Translate EN >> VN/ID

3 QA and revise transltation

We will need to estimate working period and reserve minimum 1 month for this process

Pre-Launch

Phase

▸ Localization files in Excel table

▸ It is easier to put into Gdoc for translation

works among regional team

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare launching page website

From our last direction to launch mobile games We will need to have a single cooperate launching page for the game This launching page will need to detect ip range and re-direct player to their local language

Process to design will need to work with web team to create the page and test If we have Pre-Register event will also include in this page

www.dge.playpark.com

www.dge.prelaunch\en www.dge.prelaunch\th www.dge.prelaunch\vn www.dge.prelaunch\id www.dge.prelaunch\ch

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example launching page of DGE

Page will include the game information, download channels and events

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare store listing materials

To create new app on Playstore and Appstore We will need to prepare graphic and video materials to upload The store listing will appear to user as an app page on store with app

informations

These materials especially video trailer will need a long time to prepare so we will need to plan it earlier

Here are important materials for store listing

1 Game Icon with Playpark CI

2 Game screenshot with promote wording in different sizes

3 Game Trailer

For screenshot and trailer will need to prepare in local languages (TH, EN, CH, ID, VN) So process to create wording, translate, QA, and edit will need a long time

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example store listing materials(Playstore)

Pre-Launch

Phase

Example store listing materials(Appstore)

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare game guide

Game guide is a Database about game which players can visit to check about game information We should prepare the game guide about basic interface, gameplay, installation, beginner quest, and payment channels

Pre-Launch

Phase

Setup a test server/ live server

1 Prepare server hardware

2 Setup test/ live server

3 Prepare test/ live game build

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare server hardware

Server hardware to service for regional mobile game will setup in Singapore by SG infra team

The main contactors are…

3 Mr Khai Loon khailoon.wong@asiasoft.net

After we received Test/Live server specification, we must send to these person to check and prepare server hardware

Normally test server will setup with minimum spec and may able

to use existing hardware we have While for live server often need

to order for more components Lead time to order new server will take around 1-2 months so better prepare it from beginning

2 Check for expand process and requirement if we need to support more CCU

Example: We open for service at 20K CCU first with 10 game servers So 1 game server can service up to 2000 CCU

After we launched, CCU is going until capacity If we need to expand more to service them upto 30K CCU we need to add more

5 game servers

We should talk about this together with Infra team during preparation

Pre-Launch

Phase

Test / Live server setting

This is installation process to setup game server for internal test/ live server test Process will do by SG infra team and developer

SG infra team : Responsible for setting up hardware, provide access to game server for dev, troubleshoot any problems

Dev team : Responsible for setting up game environment to server and provide game client for Project team to test

Project team : Responsible to do testing, QA, bugs collecting, and

be a middle man to contact and manage progress of setup

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare game client build

To access to server and test the game, we will need to have the correct version of game client

Test server build:

This client will connect to test version of game It can be in original language first for us to do testing and understand game features Then it will keep update for testing any new contents, feature, and promotion

Live server build:

This is the real version build that is going to service players After

we fixed bugs in test build, update will implement to this live version Before we launch we need to QA it the best we can Then will need to send for store review

Normally live build will ready after live server setup was completed

Pre-Launch

Phase

Store setting preparation

1 Prepare store listing (Playstore)

2 Prepare store listing (Appstore)

3 Prepare test device access

4 Setup IAP / Playmall / Price setting

5 Testing IAP

Pre-Launch

Phase

Prepare store listing

To make the app able to see on official store, we will need to setup store listing in Google Play Developer Console and itune connect

The setting will need materials which we already prepared in early stage such as App Icon, Screenshot, video trailer

Pre-Launch

Phase

Working on Google Play Dev Console

Here are steps to start working

1 Create Google Account

2 Create new App

3 Fill up Store Listing

4 Upload APK / Promote

Pre-Launch

Phase

You can create Google Account with gmail or other email

After created please send request to access Asiasoft Google Play Dev Console to Ms.Oranit (Peng)

oranit@asiasoft.co.th who handle the Admin account She will help to send invitation to access dev console

1 Create Google Account