It covers multiple aspects of retention, conversion and attempts to increase daily/monthly active users. What’s a social checkpoint you ask? The social checkpoint is another mechanic that has a multi-tiered function. The game offers 35 levels before gating the player with a social checkpoint. A player can both send and request more lives from friends or can simply refill the life meter for a mere 99 cents. The life model also feeds into the other monetization and social systems of the game. While the game only offers 5 lives initially, it is usually more than enough to pass by time on that short subway or bus ride. This system helps increase engagement, reduces burn-out and gameplay fatigue. It is a system that works and keeps the game fresh by restricting/limiting gameplay sessions. That’s right, the game contains the dreaded Zynga life model… But that’s okay. Conversion Mechanics: Monetization System in Detail

It works well… So well that it currently (at the time of me writing this) makes well upwards of $62 million per month. Candy Crush is a well rounded, coherent design that takes in a “sum is greater than the individual parts” approach. So many freemium games today are designed in a backwards way of either:Ī) Creating a game and then trying to push in a Freemium strategy as an after thoughtī) Having a monetization strategy and trying to build a game around it.ī is more effective than A but both of these approaches tends to lead to a hollow sort of design/experience and the market reflects that. Candy Crush is a game built with its monetization and social system integrated into its core experience not the other way around. Game Design meets Social and Monetization Systems DesignĪlright, so I said I wouldn’t mention game design so I’ll keep this short. If makes the game extremely approachable for anyone. Everyone loves candy!Ĭandy Crush Saga is extremely approachable visually, with cute characters, bright colours and satisfying fanfare. We are here to talk monetization and this game is a shining example of systems design and why the Freemium model works. I could go into depth on what makes this game so entertaining and its game design, but that is not what this article is about. But the game does not cost a cent it is free – or more accurately put, it is Freemium. (And if you were to look at market saturation, I think the public would agree) I could easily see myself spending 99 cents or more as a “retail” game. In my opinion it currently stands at the pinnacle of the match 3 genre. It has fun, well designed mechanics and contains engaging gameplay pacing. By itself, Candy Crush Saga is a solid Chain reaction/Match 3 game.

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