Finding the User:

Mobile Social Gaming

Mobile Gaming Conference @ ICE
London, 25 Jan 2011

Volker Hirsch (@vhirsch)

http://www.wolfol.de/2009/labyrinth/Labyrinth2.jpg
 $ 6,200,000,000
Valuation of Zynga*
$ 750,000,000
What Disney paid for Playdom
$ 400,000,000
What DeNA paid for ngMoco

* As per SharesPost as of 15 Jan 2011

Why MOBILE?
Internet Mobile

27% 20%

73% 80%

Internet Mobile
No Internet No Mobile

1.9 bn users 5.0 bn users

V~ N2

Metcalfe’s Law
 More PROOF?
Each of GREE and DeNA are 1/20 of
the size of Facebook but have similar
revenues.

= ARPU is 20x that of Facebook.

98% MOBILE!!!
Why SOCIAL?
http://gapingvoidgallery.com
 What is SOCIAL?

Social refers to the interaction of

organisms with other organisms and
to their collective co-existence [...]

Source: Wikipedia
 You need CONTEXT!

http://flickr.com/photos/nolifebeforecoffee/124659356/
 Good News (1):

Games are Social Objects

http://www.sngpokerstrategie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/poker-chips-stapel_1600x1200.jpg
 RISKS?
Scale alone kills conversations,
because conversations require dense
two-way conversations.

Clay Shirky, “A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy”, Keynote, ETech, Santa Clara 2003
 You need to ENGAGE!

http://www.windsorfinejewelers.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image//t/a/tacori-platinum-round-diamond-semi-mount-engagement-ring.jpg
 Good News (2):
Mobile is PERSONAL
• 91% of people have their mobile within arm’s
reach 24/7. Morgan Stanley 2007

• 60% of married people will not share their

mobile with their spouse!
Wired Magazine 2006

• It takes an average of 26 h for a user to

report a lost wallet but only 68 minutes to
report a lost mobile phone. Unisys Survey

• 10% of under-25 year-olds find it OK to text

whilst having sex. Retrevo Gadgetology Report, 2010
 How is it Done?

http://gapingvoid.com
Discover Engage
 How to ENGAGE
• Build in interactivity where it matters, in the
game and around the game.
• Provide enticing incentives in a social context.
• Encourage exchange with people the user cares
for, his/her friends.
 How to CONVERT
• Integrate billing events where they are:
- relevant (adds value from a user point of
view),
- transparent (don’t con the user), and
- in context (seamless integration into game
dnamic).
• Provide the perception of real value.
http://www.abercrombieandfeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/img_0696.jpg
One last thing:

123,296,966,069,453

The Law of Big Numbers

 We have the
SOLUTION
to do just all this!
(incl. virtual currencies, etc)
Thank you!

+44 7843 599 678

@vhirsch / @scoreloop

volker@scoreloop.com

http://vhirsch.com/blog

http://scoreloop.com