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Four secrets for ZPLAY and developers to make hit games

In the hyper-casual field, developers and publishers are closest partners, through cooperation and collision to give birth to hit games. So, how does ZPLAY work with developers to make hit games?

Cooperation

Q: If I want to cooperate with ZPLAY, what would it be like?

A: Nowadays, ZPLAY has been cooperating with developers all over the world. We have relatively diversified patterns when it comes to cooperation. Generally speaking, there are the following types:

The first pattern is more conventional, that is, after the demo is developed, the developers will send it to us to test. Then we provide them with suggestions for revision through data feedback.

The second pattern is creative customization. We come up with ideas and the gameplay. Then we work with developers to make it happen and release the game.

The third type is similar to the second one. The difference is that we only point out the general direction of the market, that is, a certain genre or a theme will have a greater chance at the moment. Then we let developers free to play based on this theme.

For now, we have successful cases under all these three patterns. Last year alone, we had more than ten successful products, so we have some insights into this area.

Support

Q: If I am not sure whether my gameplay works well, how can ZPLAY be a help?

A: In the previous article, we mentioned the concerns of developers. As a publisher, we will use our experience and understanding of this industry to help them. This contains two parts, the pre-phase, and post-phase help.

The pre-phase part is that before the initiation of a project, we will take the initiative to communicate with our developers. We will tell them that at the current stage, according to our analysis, there would be opportunities in a certain field, or there would be a potential payoff for a certain type of game. Then the CP would work on the game to their wishes.

The post-phase part is to make decisions based on market feedback. For example, after we point out the general direction, many CP would make demos. Certainly, some of these are acceptable while some are not. We need to test to make sure we make the right decision. We judge the product through multi-dimensional data such as CPI, CTR, and retention, etc. Then we provide suggestions for revision to the CP.

Coordination

Q: If I have a high-quality demo, how long will it take for the game to be released?

A: It depends on how capable the developers are and how close we work together.

For example, some developers are quite capable. They’ve got a lot of ideas themselves, so all we can do is to give them advice. If they act quickly enough and also agree with our thoughts, we’d hit it off soon. They’ll come up with a product in a short time and we’ll have it tested soon after. And we’ll return the data back to them the next day after the test is completed. The whole process takes no more than a week. For example, “Sharpen Blade” took about a month from getting the demo to the final tuning, which is quite impressive. (Case study of Sharpen Blade)

However, there are also some developers who do not recognize our ideas. Therefore, they will develop the game in their own ways. We respect them in this case. However, it’s likely that in the end, after they test two or three times and the data is not ideal, they’ll come back to us for a suitable plan. But obviously, it takes more time. Besides, there are times that some developers aren’t capable enough so that the whole cycle will be extended.

Collision

Q: How do we avoid the last situation?

A: Why should we avoid it? Hyper-casual game is all about the competition of creativity. So, when it comes to developing games, the one with the better idea is always right. If the developer sticks to their ideas, we’ll respect that. After all, a creative product can only be made if the developer and publisher both enjoy it.

If we don’t reach an agreement, it’s hard to make a good product. Therefore, in our opinion, it must be the result of pre-discussion, and we have to discuss it clearly before the initiation. What’s our goal? Which kind of game do we want to make?

On the other hand, developers will also have concerns about time and capital costs. Therefore, if they have to make adjustments without understanding the intention of the publisher, it would be a painful process. A team of three to five staff may not be able to release the product in a quarter, and what’s worse, they might lose their confidence.

Let’s think about it. Scenario A: the communication between the developer and us is extremely smooth and efficient. They approve of our ideas and promise to make adjustments according to our suggestions. Then it takes less than a month to finish tuning. After the test data is satisfying, we release the game.

Scenario B: We couldn’t reach an agreement on the product for several months. And days go on like that, we’re trapped in a dilemma. What would you feel like? Actually, the developers themselves will be anxious as well.

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Cooperation, support, coordination, collision, and finally a win-win situation, this is our answer. If you are also looking for such an ideal partnership with mutual respect, don’t hesitate to join us now!

If you’re wondering if we still need new talent? Yes, we’re hiring! Your next opportunity, right here at ZPLAY.