Alexandra Radchenko, Playtestix

PUBG: Life Before and After the Release

(White Nights Conference St.Petersburg 2018)
The official conference website — http://wnconf.com

Transcript

1. Playerunknown's Battlegrounds: life before and after the release 2017-2018
2. WHO WE ARE? PLAYTESTIX is a global gaming market research company with focus on player experience analysis and user testing Our team consists of experts: Gaming analysts, researchers, recruiters, interviewers, moderators, tech support, supervisors and PMs Over last 5 years we have studied more than 500 games for more than 150 partners from USA, EUROPE, ASIA, CIS
3. PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) video trailer
4. PUBG. Appearance and development • Records of the PUBG • The appearance of the phenomenon. History of the genre. • PUBG in numbers, positions 2017-2018 Analysis of the success components • The Key to Marketing Success • Uniqueness, comparison with references • Competitive analysis What causes addiction of the players • Players segmentation and UX • Causes of players statistics explosion • Gamers about beta and release version Is it possible to create a new phenomenon? • The main secret of the PUBG • Expected updates of the game in 2018-2019 LET`S SPEAK ABOUT:
5. Phenomenon. Appearance and development Pic - https://playbattlegrounds.com/
6. PUGB beat 7 records in less than a year Record revenue at the beginning 3 days – $11 M Record start Top Steam, 67 000 for 3 days Record set of 1 million copies 2 weeks – 1 M units Top 10 profitable games $34 M per month $700 M in 2017 year Record sales quarter 4 M units, $100 M Record number of matches (4m) 57,2 M hours = Over 25 000 years The absolute record CCU 3 257 248 online Record number of copies for about 1 year 33 M http://store.steampowered.com
8. www.ign.com
9. How the genre and PUGB were created 1999 BOOK Battle royale by Koushun Takami 2015 Brendan Greene H1Z1: King of the Kill A battle royale game is a genre that blends the survival, exploration and scavenging elements of a survival game with last man standing gameplay. 2013-2014 Brendan Greene ArmA II: DayZ ArmA III:battle royale 2017- 2018 Bluehole- Brendan Greene PUGB 2008 BOOK The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins 2000 Japan film Battle Royal 2012 FILM The Hunger Games
10. Release Jul +64% Sept +69% May +53% Nov +22% Jan +10% Apr -14% Mar -6.8% May -20% Mobile
11. 972 876 742 356 692 966 2 915 723 861 173 601 881 1 572 158 641 826 360 914 PUGB compared with CS:GO and Dota 2
12. 1 200 000 1 750 000 2 850 000 4 300 000 5 800 000 8 100 000 12 300 000 16 800 000 19 850 000 22 758 850 26 585 616 29 362 979 32 284 815 33 414 077 37 845 412 50 000 000 Owners data, units (p2p 2017-2018 year) 17,99- 29,99 http://store.steampowered.com/stats/ In the Top 3 by the number of owners Sold – 30%
13. 22 000 000 000 PUBG performance on Steam, minutes 2017 2015 2016 2017
14. PUBG performance on Steam, minutes 2018
15. Success components. Uniqueness of the game. Pic - https://playbattlegrounds.com/
16. UNIQUE MECHANICS Smartly designed, well-made combination of shooter and survival simulator NO DIRECT ADVERTISING Non-traditional marketing and community tools. UI&UX COMBINATION Free market niche Regular tests and updates Disclosure UX The explosion of emotions
17. NO direct advertising – STREAM! Major variety and FPS streamer is playing it Beat LOL om Twitch PUBG is as fun to watch as is it to play. Lirik Without a traditional PR blitz Partner Program for streamers Shroud Summit1g Anthony_Kongphan JackFrags DrDisRespect TSM Viss MrGrimmmz Ninja Technosh BreaK Giantwaffle CohhCarnage Shamanenok ShimoroShow
18. 2017-2018: top almost unchanged http://store.steampowered.com/stats/ 1 750 216 641 826 360 914 106 125 70 125 66 615 63 842 54 574 52 289 51 423 0 400 000 800 000 1 200 000 1 600 000 2 000 000 PUBG Dota 2 CS:GO Grand Theft Auto V Warframe Tom Clancy's ARK: Survival Evolved Rocket League Team Fortress 2 Football Manager 2018 Top games by number of players (25.06.18)
19. Dayz *Zombies Arma BR *Mode Survival H1Z1 *Combat Zone Intershelter *Get to the bunker The Culling *Shooter 20 minutes Last man standing *War setting, F2f Fortnite *Fantasy abilities Ark: Survival *events, bosses, fantasy climate What are the main references and clones?
20. Date Game Owners Players online Playtime Stream (Apr 2018) Price 2013 ArmA - DayZ 3,627,541 3 240 146:22 (average) T 1,905 viewers Y 270,215 views 16.30- 34.99 2014 ArmA III — Battle Royale 3,819,760 26 614 236:12 (average) T 8,683 viewers Y 750,911 views 22.29- 39.99 2014 H1Z1: King of the Kill 12,618,262 8 539 64:17 (average) T 1,479 viewers Y 289,262 views - 2017 Beta PUBG 22,789,564 2 846 042 152:02 (average) T 135,996 viewers Y 3,985,406 views 17,99- 29,99 Release PUBG 33,414,077- 50 000 000 3 257 248 231:49 (average) T 125,335 viewers Y 2,275,627 views 17,99- 29,99 2017 Last Man Standing 4,971,317 271 05:49 (average) T 18 viewers Y 32,016 views - 2017 Ark: Survival of the Fittest 7,842,832 100 01:45 (average) T 39 viewers Y 21,568 views - 2017 Fortnite — Battle Royale 45 000 000 – 125 000 000 3 400 000 - T 177 594 viewers - http://steamspy.com, www.epicgames.com. April 2018 T – twitch, Y - YouTube Only 2 games of the battle royal genre rise positions
22. Similarities and differences Free Multiplatform A realistic military setting Not a realistic setting Available at low performance High performance requirements Not optimized A small selection of content Cartoon art Detailed art and weapons Monthly Updates, bug fixing Limited customization Fortnite allows more freedom and capabilities Isn’t able to drive vehicles Fornite offers the ability to pick up traps • One hundred players in each game. • Both games consist of three types of game modes (singles, duos and squads) • The main objective in both games is to try and survive until the end. Bigger map Strong emotions
23. Erangel (64km2) and Fortnite (9km2)
24. Most played battle royale games 2017-2018: Fortnite leads https://newzoo.com
25. The Most Watched Games on Twitch, March 2018
26. Audience. Players preferences Pic - https://playbattlegrounds.com/
27. CH 47% USA 10,8 KR 5,5 GER 3,9 CAN 3,13 RUS 3,00 7. UK – 2,61% 8. Australia – 2,0% 9. Brazil – 1,8% 10. Japan – 1,72% 11. France – 1,31% 12. Sweden – 1,19% 13. Turkey – 1,01% 14. Spain – 0,99% 15. Norway – 0,87% …. 30. Ukraine - 0,30% PUGB GEOGRAPHY BY OWNERS QUANTITY http://steamspy.com
28. https://newzoo.com
29. Age 17 – 65 Level 17% - hardcore 77% - midcore 6% - casual players How often play every day - 28% every 2 days - 22% every 3 days - 22% on weekend - 17% once a week - 6% every 2 weeks - 6% Sex Male – 90% Female-10% Respondent’s Portrait Know from Friends – 44% Steamers - 22% Game news - 22% Social networks – 11%
31. 56,97% 15,59% 13,73% 8,03% 5,17% 0,51% ASSAULT RIFLES SHOTGUNS SMGS SNIPER RIFLES PISTOLS OTHERS Weapon Preferences Kills by gun type www.ign.com
32. Setting and unique concept are the key to the breakthrough 19% 16% 14% 12% 12% 12% 10% 5% The reason for the game's coolness realism setting uniqueness and concept gameplay uniqness of every game session PR, advertising art, graphics controls 31% 23% 21% 11% 8% 4% 2% The main motivation in the game To get in top-3 The uniqueness of each session Tactics and strategies Collect weapons, loot Plenty of kills Explore the area, discover new locations
33. Most players prefer playing with a partner 39% 30% 26% 4% 45% 26% 29% 0 DUO SOLO SQUAD 1-MAN SQUAD Favorite game mode Released Unreleased 78% 17% 6% 65% 10% 25% COMBINED STYLES ACTIVE PASSIVE Favorite game style Released Unreleased
34. 33% 24% 22% 21% Game frequency before and after release less to play the same more often to play did not try 45% 32% 12,00% 6% 5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% MANY HOURS, TIRED, NOTHING NEW NOT DECREASED WON (LEFT THE FIRST) UNSUCCESSFUL UPDATE NO WOW EFFECT Why did interest decrease along the time? 33% of players became to play less
35. Did the player`s interest decrease after the release? 32% - stable interest, 45% - decreased (many hours), 12% - decreased when get the top1, 6% - bad update 4,5 4,1 3,9 3,8 3,7 3,4 3,1 3,1 3,1 2,8 2,2 4,4 3,4 3,9 3,9 3,6 3,4 3,0 3,9 3,5 2,7 2,1 Average ratings by category Released Unreleased The audience appreciates the pros and cons (PUBG):
36. Uniqueness of success. The path to improvement Pic - https://playbattlegrounds.com/
37. 60% 65% 55% 5% 15% 15% 25% 30% Anger Pride PUBG secret is an explosion of emotions
38. Self- realization and pumping skills Spirit of victory and recognition Competition, society and communication Self-defense and safety Realistic. The Instinct of Survival Self Fulfilment Esteem Social Security Physiological PUBG is close to satisfy human nature and human needs Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs PUBG's Hierarchy of Needs
39. What will be next in 2018? …and other new content including weapons, weapon attachments, and game modes. Sanhok small – 22/06/2018 Updates for existing maps PUBG Adriatic map https://www.pcgamesn.com
40. SANHOK: • Mini royale • More loot • Faster games • New content – weapons & vehicles • Events
42. Emotions New achievements!
43. Is it possible to make a new phenomenon? «Create a unique idea and be a good developer are not enough, you need to fulfill desires of your audience»
44. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! ANY QUESTIONS? www.playtestix.com Alexandra Radchenko, Head of Research AR@playtestix.com