Who plays mobile games? What do we know about mobile players?

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Who Plays Mobile Games?
A human-centered look at Mobile Players for Play UXers

Who is playing mobile games?
(In general)

Anyone who plays (mobile) games
“Gamers”
Players
Who Plays Mobile Games? UX brownbag, 2017

CasualHardcore

CasualHardcore
Players
Young, Male
Competitive, Social
Obsessive, plays all the time
“I’m a gamer! FTW! I pwn n00bz!”
Old, Female
Quiet, Isolated
Not really into gaming, only plays a bit
“Eh, I just play games when I’m bored”
Games
Realistic graphics, dark palettes
Violent bloody gritty gory
Deep, difficult gameplay systems
Twitchy, fine motor skills
Cartoony graphics, bright colours
Rainbows jelly beans and unicorns
Shallow, easy gameplay systems
Slow pace

More
“Hardcore”
More
“Casual”
Players
(population distribution)
Games
(distribution of “successful” titles)

Who is playing mobile games?
(Across the world)

% of smartphone owners who
play mobile games
smartphone
players
smartphone
owners
North America 79%* 155.3MM 196.1MM
Japan 69%** 45.8MM 66.2MM
South Korea 63%** 19.3MM 30.9MM
Taiwan 56%*** 11.28MM 20MM
* DECONSTRUCTING MOBILE & TABLET GAMING 2016, EEDAR
** DECONSTRUCTING MOBILE & TABLET GAMING 2015, EEDAR
*** Internal APAC research & Whirlybird (go/whirlybird)

Two key factors that
distinguished segments across
all countries:
Social behaviour and
Gaming Passion
Most key gaming behaviour
and attitude statements
from the segmentation
surveys can be framed as
an aspect of
Social or Passion
Passion
“How important is
gaming to me?”
High Passion
More than a hobby.
Deeper engagement.
I will spend money because my friends
are playing.
I often make purchases to beat someone
else's collection of game items.
Low Passion
It’s fun, but I like
other stuff more.
I'd rather spend on non-gaming activities
than spend a lot on mobile games.
I’m likely to purchase a mobile game if it’s
based on a movie, or TV show I like.

Source: SKIM
Confidential + Proprietary
Source: SKIM
10
Source: SKIM
10
Connected
Spenders
Passive Players
Influenced
Players
Tentative
Followers
Playful Explorers
High Social /
Low Passion
High Social /
High Passion
Low Social /
Low Passion
Low Social /
High Passion
The scales are standardized (middle is the mean, and scale is relative to the mean)
Social
Passion

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
S1. What is your gender? S2. Please indicate your age. S4. How frequently do you participate in each of the following activities? S9a/b. Which of the following smartphone brands do you use? Which model are you
using? S11a/b. Which operating system does your smartphone use? Which operating system does your tablet use?
11
Segment Comparison: Gender, Age, Device, Gaming Frequency
Passion
Social

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
* Data is from US / UK / DE / FR / RU only
E1. How do you learn about new mobile games? Please select all that apply. E2. Below are various reasons someone might download a specific mobile game. Please select the two reasons that are MOST
important in your decision to download a new mobile game. C1. Below are several reasons why people may play mobile games. Which of the following are reasons why you play mobile games? Please select all
that apply.
Connected
Spenders
Playful
Explorers
Influenced
Players
Tentative
Followers
Passive
Players
Population 16% 25% 12% 21% 27%
Method of Discovery*
Online forum Official website of the
game / developer
Friends playing the game Friends playing the game Other
Reasons to Download*
Friends playing the game File size Seeing someone else play
the game
Recommended by friends /
family
Description in the app store
Motivations to Play*
Connect with friends /
family
Get an adrenaline rush Test knowledge None of the provided
reasons
None of the provided
reasons
???
Segment Comparison: Motivations
Passion
Social

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
* Data is from US / UK / DE / FR / RU only
D2. What’s the most you’ve ever spent in a month on game downloads? D4. What’s the most you’ve ever spent in a month on in-app purchases?
Segment Comparison: Spend
Passion
Social

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
United
States
(n=3036)
United
Kingdom
(n=2791)
France
(n=2897)
Germany
(n=3256)
Russia
(n=3230)
South
Korea
(n=1596)
Taiwan
(n=1600)
Japan
(n=4174)
Connected
Spenders
11% 10% 10% 10% 11% 12% 12% 40%
Playful
Explorers
25% 28% 29% 30% 29% 32% 23% 12%
Influenced
Players
14% 12% 12% 13% 13% 9% 22% 7%
Tentative
Followers
24% 22% 23% 22% 21% 19% 17% 13%
Passive
Players
26% 28% 26% 25% 26% 27% 27% 28%
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Segment Distribution Within Each Country
Passion
Social

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
15
Source: SKIM
15
Meet our…
Connected Spenders
High passion
Low social High social
Low passion
Low spend High spend
Segment
Distribution
Within
Country
United
States
United
Kingdom France Germany Russia
South
Korea Taiwan Japan
11% 10% 10% 10% 11% 12% 12% 40%

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
16
Source: SKIM
16
Bottom 3 Ways of Discovering Bottom 3 Reasons to Download Bottom 3 Reasons to Play
Playing Mobile Games
Connected Spenders
1 Other 18 8%
2 Top charts in app stores 125 32%
3 Ratings of game in app stores 138 25%
1 Description in the app store 39 13%
2 Theme / art style 46 9%
3 Price 55 13%
1 None of the provided reasons 19 7%
2 Relieve boredom 104 71%
3 Relax 106 74%
1 Online forum 243 10%
2
Official website of the game /
developer
221 10%
3 Reputation of developer 220 8%
1 My friends are playing the game 270 17%
2 Recommended by friends / family 198 20%
3 Videos in the app store description 136 3%
1 Connect with my friends / family 260 18%
2 Challenge my friends / family 255 21%
3 Get an adrenaline rush 232 12%
AverageIndex AverageIndex AverageIndex
AverageIndex AverageIndex AverageIndex
Top 3 Ways of Discovering Top 3 Reasons to Download Top 3 Reasons to Play
Percentages shown are top overindexed / bottom underindexed for each segment, along with the average across all segments; data shown is within the US / UK / DE / FR / RU.
E1. How do you learn about new mobile games? Please select all that apply. E2. Below are various reasons someone might download a specific mobile game. Please select the two reasons that are MOST important in
your decision to download a new mobile game. C1. Below are several reasons why people may play mobile games. Which of the following are reasons why you play mobile games? Please select all that apply.

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
17
Source: SKIM
17
Meet our…
Playful Explorers
High passion
Low passion
Segment
Distribution
Within
Country
United
States
United
South
Korea Taiwan Japan
25% 28% 29% 30% 29% 32% 23% 12%

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
18
Source: SKIM
18
Playful Explorers
2 Other 67 8%
3
Seeing someone else play the
game
77 33%
3
same game
77 8%
3 Relax 96 74%
1
developer
165 10%
3 Demo video in app stores 152 11%
1 File size 162 4%
2 Game icon 161 2%
3 Graphical quality 156 11%
2 Get a sense of control 146 17%
3 Satisfy my urge to play 134 32%
Index Index Index
Index Index Index
Average Average Average
Percentages shown are top overindexed / bottom under indexed for each segment’s element, along with the average across all segments; data shown is within the US / UK / DE / FR / RU.

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
19
Source: SKIM
19
Meet our…
Influenced Players
High passion
Low passion
Segment
Distribution
Within
Country
United
States
United
South
Korea Taiwan Japan
14% 12% 12% 13% 13% 9% 22% 7%

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
20
Source: SKIM
20
Top 3 Ways of Discovering
Influenced Players
1 Other 67 8%
3
developer
100 10%
3 Game name 81 5%
3
It's the only way I can find time to
play games
91 13%
2
game
124 33%
3 YouTube 115 23%
1
same game
138 8%
2 User reviews 123 13%
3 Theme / art style 119 9%
1 Test my knowledge 114 37%
2 Make progress in the game 113 57%
3 Reward myself with something fun 112 41%
Top 3 Reasons to Download Top 3 Reasons to Play
Index Index Index
Index Index Index

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
21
Source: SKIM
21
Meet our…
Tentative Followers
High passion
Low passion
Segment
Distribution
Within Each
Country
United
States
United
South
Korea Taiwan Japan
24% 22% 23% 22% 21% 19% 17% 13%

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
22
Source: SKIM
22
Tentative Followers
1
developer
37 10%
3 Demo video in app stores 47 11%
1 Videos in the app store description 30 3%
2 Game name 35 5%
3 Graphical quality 38 11%
2 Get a sense of control 61 17%
3 Satisfy my urge to play 70 32%
2
game
149 33%
3 My child(ren)’s recommendation 129 13%
3
same game
136 8%
Index Index Index
Index Index Index

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
23
Source: SKIM
23
Meet our…
Passive Players
Segment
Distribution
Within Each
Country
United
States
United
South
Korea Taiwan Japan
26% 28% 26% 25% 26% 27% 27% 28%
High passion
Low passion

Source: SKIM
Source: SKIM
24
Source: SKIM
24
Passive Players
3 YouTube 35 23%
3
same game
77 8%
1 Connect with my friends / family 18 18%
1 Other 227 8%
2 Top charts in app stores 87 32%
3
Advertising in other games or apps
I use
86 32%
1 Description in the app store 163 13%
2
Screenshots in the app store
description
140 6%
3 Game name 135 5%
3 Relax 97 74%
Index Index Index
Index Index Index

What kinds of mobile games do people play?

Play the most games at
once and in the most
genres
Play more frequently
than other segments
Like games that require
skill and concentration
More likely than other
segments to learn
about games by user
reviews and comments
on social media
Love playing mobile
games with others
100% make in-app
purchases (low pay to
download)
Motivated by desire to
make progress in game
More likely to feel guilty
about spending money
on mobile games
More likely to feel that
paying is cheating, and
want to play for free to
prove skills
More likely to prefer
games by the same
brand or franchise, or
based on game name
Focused on reviews:
learn about and
download based on
reviews
Have less spare money
and prefer to enjoy the
free part of the game
Find games through
other people: seeing
someone else playing,
having friends playing
Prefer to play games to
fill time; would rather
spend money on
non-gaming activities
Play to relieve boredom
and relax more so than
other personas
More likely to play on
tablets
Committed
Hobbyists
Clan
Connectors
Paying
Progressors
Old
Schoolers
Deliberate
Downloaders
Friend
Followers
Comfort
Seekers
More “Hardcore” More “Casual”

Committed
Hobbyists
Clan
Connectors
Paying
Progressors
Old
Schoolers
Deliberate
Downloaders
Friend
Followers
Comfort
Seekers
Action 75% 64% 43% 40% 38% 21% 22%
Adventure 65% 56% 38% 35% 28% 14% 20%
Arcade 53% 47% 37% 31% 33% 23% 22%
Board 35% 33% 21% 15% 19% 15% 13%
Card 46% 46% 35% 34% 32% 36% 31%
Casual 47% 36% 31% 19% 29% 22% 26%
Casino 37% 34% 22% 22% 24% 18% 12%
Educational 27% 26% 9% 13% 14% 7% 8%
Music 30% 26% 17% 15% 18% 12% 10%
Puzzle 63% 71% 55% 59% 66% 64% 61%
Racing 46% 37% 22% 19% 19% 12% 9%
Role Playing 52% 39% 29% 19% 21% 8% 16%
Simulation 49% 38% 28% 18% 27% 10% 19%
Sports 41% 35% 19% 20% 15% 12% 7%
Strategy 62% 64% 49% 31% 35% 31% 29%
Trivia 40% 46% 29% 27% 37% 34% 24%
Word 38% 45% 28% 26% 28% 32% 27%
Genres Played (% of segment that play each)
Self-report estimates from SKIM market segmentation survey (US, n=3036), September 2016 summary

Key principles for player-centered design

Never forget that for Players, it’s always
about the games first.
● A great platform with “meh” games won’t have engaged players
● Add-on features should enhance and expand the core values that
games provide, not draw attention and engagement away from the
games themselves
● Engaged Players will want to understand and celebrate their
experiences in the games themselves, not just their experience on a
gaming platform.
The Cornerstone:
It’s all about the
games first

● Think about Players, not “Gamers”
● Think about the range of: Investment, Passion / Affinity,
and Familiarity at play in our Players
● Think about what you know about Players locally vs
globally
○ Your own experience with mobile games is a good
place to start, but it may not generalize to all the
different kinds of Players you’re designing for
Thinking

● Be specific: Is this feature for a certain group of Players, or
for all Players in general?
● Be informed: Get design feedback from the right groups of
Players
○ Low Invested or Heavy Invested?
○ Committed Hobbyists or Comfort Seekers?
○ Players who are already engaging with related
features?
or
Players who are new to this kind of feature
altogether?
Designing

● Be as specific as possible about the Player’s you’re
measuring
● Be as specific as possible about the behaviours you’re
trying to influence
● Nudge other stakeholders to be specific, even when it’s not
easy
Measuring

Questions? Comments?
Thank you!
norberts@google.com

Who plays mobile games? What do we know about mobile players?

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Who plays mobile games? What do we know about mobile players?