5 ways mobile games can avoid a sophomore slump

It is hard enough for a game to become a hit in the App Store or Google Play these days; it’s harder still to maintain that success. With today’s steep competition, it’s more challenging than ever for players to find your new game – and those developers lucky enough to survive learn that success doesn’t get any easier after the game’s first year.

The good news is that the blueprint for success in a game’s sophomore year already exists. It comes from companies like Supercell, Zynga, Miniclip, Kiloo, and others (even if their playbook doesn’t work 100 percent of the time). This playbook involves a different set of strategies than what worked for a game in year one, and sometimes, you need an entirely different approach. The developer’s focus must shift from growth to retention and engagement — one that changes the way a company allocates budget, invests in technology, and even structures its org chart.