the rise and rise of idle games

The Rise and Rise of Idle GamesAnthony Pecorella

Kongregate

Introduction

Slides Are Up Already!

• You can view and download this presentation by vising dev.kongregate.com/blog

INTRODUCTION

What is Kongregate?

INTRODUCTION

What is Kongregate?

INTRODUCTION

What is Kongregate?

INTRODUCTION

Who Am I?

• At Kongregate for 8 years, directing our browser-based F2P virtual goods business

• Producer for AdVentureCapitalist mobile

• Also an indie designer, cofounder of Level Up Labs

INTRODUCTION

Previous Idle Game Work

• GDC 2015: The Mechanics and Monetization of Self-Playing Games (free on GDC Vault)

• GDC 2016: Idle Chatter• Blog posts: The Math of Idle Games (3-part) • All slides available at dev.kongregate.com/blog

INTRODUCTION

What’s an “Idle Game”?

Core Elements for Idle Games

Idling!• Progress without

interaction• Modern form doesn’t

require game to be open• Always progressing

forwardWHAT’S AN “IDLE GAME”?

Core Elements for Idle Games

Exaggerated scale• Big numbers are fun• Exponential costs +

diminishing returns = prestige loop

WHAT’S AN “IDLE GAME”?

Core Elements for Idle Games

Prestige (Reset) Loops

WHAT’S AN “IDLE GAME”?

Graphing Progression

WHAT’S AN “IDLE GAME”?

Graphing Progression

WHAT’S AN “IDLE GAME”?

Graphing Progression

WHAT’S AN “IDLE GAME”?

Designing for the 4th Dimension:The Impact of Time

It’s About Time

Time is part of the game mechanics• Instead of grinding, players just

take a break• How do you model

and design around this?

THE IMPACT OF TIME

It’s About Time

Time is a release valve, a (somewhat) self-balancing system• Gives players ability to decide what is

“too slow”• Provides the developer with some pacing

wiggle room

THE IMPACT OF TIME

Offline Limits

Why we should limit offline gains.• Monetization point: pay for

more offline earnings• Activity pressure:

wasting income if you don’t check in

THE IMPACT OF TIME

Eggs, Inc.

Offline Limits

Why we shouldn’t limit offline gains.• Less excitement around returning

after long hiatus• Reduces release valve

effectiveness, increases pain points of slow growth periods

THE IMPACT OF TIME

Realm Grinder

Offline Limits

Why we shouldn’t limit offline gains.• Unnecessary?!

THE IMPACT OF TIME

Let’s Graph It!

Comparison of playing actively vs. leaving and checking back in for the first time at time t (x-axis), starting at 10 lemonade stands.

THE IMPACT OF TIME

Big Numbers Beget Big Numbers

Web Browsers

• 4 of the top 10 most-popular games on Kongregate are idlers

• We have 7 idle games that have grossed over $100k USD

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Steam and Downloads

• Clicker Heroes peaked at over 60k concurrent users

• Clicker Heroes still in top 30, AdCap in top 50, two more in top 150 most-popular games

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Mobile

• Group of 10 of the most-popular idle games can claim a total of 75M downloads and tens of millions in revenue.

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Mobile

• Apple continues to prominently feature idle games, even as Editor’s Choice

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Metrics

Top-grossing Kongregate.com single-player games by ARPU

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Metrics

Top-grossing Kongregate.com single-player games by ARPU

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Metrics

Fabulous retention!

BIG NUMBERS BEGET BIG NUMBERS

Multiplayer 0-Player Games

Social Network Mechanics

• Ask friends daily for some currency

Taps to Riches

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Social Network Mechanics

• Can see friends in front (and behind!) you

• Game would challenge you to beat friend with time limit

• Leaderboards per area Best Fiends Forever

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Best Fiends Forever

Social Network Mechanics

Other ideas• Get persistent income generation

from friends based on their progress• Set up trade routes to for different

resources with friends

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Cooperative Systems

• Mad CEO: Every prestige you can paste a code into chat

• Everyone gets a bonus!

Mad CEO

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Cooperative Systems

• Turned out to be extremely compelling!

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Guilds. Always Add Guilds.

Guilds are extremely powerful• Collaborative and cooperative• Positive social interactions• Supportive environment• Desire to perform well for the group

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Clicker Heroes Clans

• Raids together for shared benefits

• Damage based on a different calculation, slightly reigned-in

Clicker Heroes

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

What would a Cookie Clicker guild look like?

• Guild baking quotas • Players generate cookies at a rate based on heavenly

chips (prestige currency), must check in to ”deliver” • Meeting quota gives bonus to all players and sets

higher one for next time period.

• Same-size trade bonuses• Similar-sized cookie shops generate bonuses for each

other. Incentivizes coordinated prestige and growth.

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

PvP and Competition

Balancing huge numbers is difficult• Use something like

prestige currency to keep things more controlled

Endless Frontier

MULTIPLAYER IDLE GAMES

Keeping the Lights On:The Business of Idle Games

Idle Game Monetization

“As an experiment you could certainly try this, but I want to keep expectations realistic that you're not going to be able to make a lot of revenue from this model.”

- Anthony Pecorella to Hyper Hippo

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

Time Warp• Jump ahead by

hours/days• Immediate gratification

Best Fiends Forever

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

Time Warp• Scales perfectly with progress• Predictable impact• Can be priced with large discounting

for long warps (thanks to exponential growth!)

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

No-reset Prestige• Claim prestige

benefits without starting over

AdVenture Capitalist Taps to Riches

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

Taps to Riches cleverly surfaces this feature afterresetting!

Taps to Riches

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

Permanent Bonuses• Generator

multipliers

AdVenture Capitalist (original)

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

Permanent Bonuses• Generator

multipliers

Taps to Riches

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

The Basic Three

Permanent Bonuses 2.0• Lots of options for permanent

boosts• More complex and expensive

Realm Grinder Eggs, Inc.

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

Gacha

• Random draws of permanent bonuses

• Allows for repeat purchases and chase rewards

Clicker Heroes

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

Gacha

• Collect advisors, equip 3 at a time

• All advisors contribute to general bonus

Taps to RichesTaps to Riches

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

VIP Services

• Give special privileges to spenders

• Subscription or cumulative

• Friends with benefits! Taps to Riches Best Fiends Forever

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

Piggy Bank

Incremental monetization!• Value grows as you play,

cost stays same• Player chooses when to

“crack it open”

Egg, Inc.

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

Pay to Play?

• Challenging since free is “expected”

• So far sales are limited, but could work for the right game

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

Cross-Promotion

• Idle games are often high-volume, low ARPDAU (and mid-level LTV)

• Opportunity to cross-promote players into higher-LTV games

• Particularly nice for spin-offs Best Fiends Forever

IDLE GAME MONETIZATION

Adding Ads

Ads Are Really Important!

• This is a genre of low ARPDAU, high DAU, and great retention

• Ads provide light, daily monetization that is substantial when done well AdVenture Capitalist mobile revenue sources

ADDING ADS

The Standard

• Watch ad for 2x bonus for 4 hours

• Add randomness for more fun!

AdVenture Capitalist Politicats

ADDING ADS

Variations on the Standard

• Temporary boosts aimed at active play

Egg, Inc. Realm Grinder Endless Frontier

ADDING ADS

Random Offers

• On-the-spot deals if you watch an ad (or enable ads)

• Often doubled rather than all-or-nothing

Bitcoin Billionaire Best Fiends Forever

ADDING ADS

Double Return Gold

• Watch an ad to double your idly-earned currency

• Predictable and often a great deal

He-Man: Tappers of Greyskull

ADDING ADS

Interstitial

• Simple interstitial ads can be used as well

Taps to Riches

ADDING ADS

Constructive Criticism

Penalties

• Idle games are progress machines

• Moving backwards is very punishing, feels against the spirit of the game

• Churn point for me Money Tree Make it Rain

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

Wait…How Much Is That Again?

• Real name• Million, Billion, Trillion, Quadrillion, …, Vigintillion

• Scientific notation• 1 x 106, 1 x 109, 1 x 1012, ..., 1 x 1063

• Shorthand• 1M, 1B, 1T, 1q, 1Q, 1s, 1S, …

• Abstract• 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, ..., 1aa, 1bb, ...

ADDING ADS

Wait…How Much Is That Again?

Taps to Riches Taps to Riches

ADDING ADS

Leveraging Content

Licensed IP Games

LEVERAGING CONTENT

Spin-off Games

Bush Whacker 2 Crusaders of the Lost Idols

LEVERAGING CONTENT

Spin-off Games

Cloudstone Clicker Heroes

LEVERAGING CONTENT

Spin-off Games

LEVERAGING CONTENT

Spin-off Games

LEVERAGING CONTENT

Topical Games

Pocket Politics Politicats Campaign Clicker

LEVERAGING CONTENT

Innovations, Variations, andNoteworthy Games

Cult Classics

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Shark Game

Sandcastle Builder

Cult Classics

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Crank

Kittens Game

Short, Completable Idle Games

ANTHONY PECORELLA

Galaxia Spaceplan

Loot-based Idle Games

• Slower growth

• Focused on picking best gear

• It’s fun toget rare equipment!

Idle Loot Quest

Battle Without End

Idle Duels

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

MMORPGs

Infinite Hero Endless Frontier

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Click & Conquer: Space Age

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

What’s Next?

Previous Predictions…

• Text-based idlers replaced by more sophisticated visuals

• Spin-offs and licensed IP would become popular

WHAT’S NEXT?

Previous Predictions…

• “Idle” becomes a genre modifier• Action Idle RPG: Nonstop Knight • Idle Tactics: Endless Frontier?

WHAT’S NEXT?

Previous Predictions…

• Idle design philosophies integrate into meta-game of standard genres• Not much, but

Click & Conquer: Space Age is kicking it off

WHAT’S NEXT?

Where Do We Go Now?

• The genre is maturing, becoming big-budget and less indie-driven

• Is there still opportunity for innovation?

WHAT’S NEXT?

Where Do We Go Now?

• Multiplayer• We looked at some options,

but it’s very limited right now• Can we provide deeper social

connections that develop over time?

• Is competitive, realtimemultiplayer possible? World of Warcraft

WHAT’S NEXT?

Where Do We Go Now?

• Pull idle concepts into other genres• Resetting with more power is

fun…where else can we do this?• Can we use rapid growth to

replace energy systems?• Are there ways to delight players

upon returning to a game? Curl Up & Fly

WHAT’S NEXT?

Where Do We Go Now?

• Plot?! Characters?!• We have long-retention games,

let’s introduce story arcs and characters!

• Opportunity for deep emotional connections to grow over time.

• Demon War: Idle Rebellion looks to be experimenting with this

WHAT’S NEXT?

Thank you!

QUESTIONS?

• Check out developers.kongregate.com

• Browser games: apps@kongregate.com

• Mobile games: bd@kongregate.com

• Me: anthony@kongregate.com

• Slides are available at developers.kongregate.com/blog