Impact of textual feedback on player retention in endless runner mobile games

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20335188

Player retention is key to free-to-play mobile games as their success relies heavily on players actively engaged in the game at any instant. Free-to-play games are widely played on mobile devices and endless runner mobile games, a type of game genre has been in the game industry since 2009. Endless runner games allow players to play endlessly while the game mechanic progressively becomes difficult. While such free-to-play business models aim to incentivize player retention, to date retaining players in a game for a long time remains challenging. This study investigates the use of textual feedback as a possible enhancer of player retention. I study textual feedback in free-to-play games under three different conditions, namely high-positive, low-positive, and no-textual-feedback. A study with 20 participants revealed that high-positive textual feedback impact player retention in free-to-play endless runner games, while low-positive has no impact. I conclude by discussing what the results mean to player retention and provide design recommendations for designers of free-to-play mobile games.--Author's abstract