The Android Alternative: Road to 100 Million Players Vladimir Funtikov Co-founder, Creative Mobile Creative Mobile Independent developer and publisher Founded in 2010 by 3 guys with >100 million organic Android game downloads Team grown from 3 to >80 Best known for racing games: Drag Racing, DR: Bike Edition, DR: 4x4, Why Android In 2010: New market, weak competition Familiar technology Tide will lift all boats In 2013: Scale! 1bn devices, 1.5m daily activations [1] Competition [1] Larry Page, https://plus.google.com/+LarryPage/posts/QVbFayWxfrmhttps://plus.google.com/+LarryPage/posts/QVbFayWxfrm Problem: launching a product No money (connections, traffic, brand, ) Problem: launching a product No money (connections, traffic, brand, ) Solution A: Prepare PowerPoint slide deck Search for publishers/investors/editors PROFIT Problem: launching a product No money (connections, traffic, brand, ) Solution A: Prepare PowerPoint slide deck Search for publishers/investors/editors PROFIT Solution B: Smart self-publishing and marketing! Free marketing tools You only have a few days, so make them count Title that sells: Easy to understand and remember Keywords help A/B test Icon that sells: Make multiple Compare to competition A/B test CTR of winners Stunning first screenshot and description SEO Ranking high (and long) Google Play ranking algorithm: Downloads over the last X days Number (and/or ratio) of active installs Over 9000 other things (dont bother) Retention Push notifications (to the right user) Relevant updates Dont annoy the player Social and competitive (+GP Game Services) Endless gameplay Ranking high (and long) Understand the platform Optimize (2 year in Top 50 games Successful update: Next steps Players are valuable, games are media properties Players can Bring revenue via IAP Watch ads and interact with brands (up to 2x revenue!) Form communities (social networks, forums) Play your other games Cross-promotion FTW! Case study: Drag Racing: Bike Edition $0 marketing spend -> Top 5 grossing (US) & 20M downloads The end! Bonus track: Real Racing 3 vs. Hill Climb Racing Real Racing 3 (EA + Firemonkeys) Established franchise (2 critically acclaimed titles) High-end visuals and physics. High expectations (players & management) Budget: $ * * This is in fact the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, in kilometres. Ive no idea what the budget was for RR3 :) Hill Climb Racing (Fingersoft) Who? What? Where? Budget: Google Play Racing (US) now a few months ago Google Play rank history RR3 Google Play rank history - HCR HCR success factors Simple gameplay, smooth learning curve Short sessions, sense of achievement Works on (almost) every device Continuous development..sounds familiar? Drag Racing success factors Simple gameplay, short sessions Android 1.5+ 50+ updates 2 years in top 50 games >80M downloads