The Guild of Guardians Friends & Family Demo
Greetings, Guardians!
The response to our Friends and Family demo (“F&F demo”) for Guild of Guardians has been nothing short of phenomenal. We can’t thank you all enough for your dedication to Guild of Guardians and your commitment to providing us with the feedback and support we need to make it the best game possible.
The Friends and Family demo has been a key milestone on our journey to launch Guild of Guardians and bring the world of Elderym to life. From the Beautiful Corner demo (“BC demo”) to F&F demo we’ve made significant strides in our quest to build a game that fits neatly into our players’ daily lives, and is a ton of fun as well. We excitedly overshot on engagement for F&F with our 555 brave testors committing 1.12 years of playtime into the week-long test.
We’ve completed our first pass on analysis of your invaluable feedback, and it has been instrumental in sharpening the edges of GOG, and for that, we are eternally grateful. We’re excited to share with you what we’re planning for Guild of Guardians in this next phase.
Chris Clay, VP of Game Design
TL;DR
- The Friends and Family Demo: We’ve made significant strides with the Friends and Family demo, reaffirmed by the enthusiastic engagement of 555 total invited participants and their positive feedback.
- Inspiring Engagement Results: Our retention results from the F&F demo were outstanding, with Day 1 retention at 65.85% and Day 7 at 43.38% — both exceeding our internal targets and industry benchmarks (Average Day 1 retention for gaming apps is 29%). Total playtime during the demo exceeded 1.12 years, demonstrating the incredible engagement of our players.
- Overwhelmingly Positive Feedback: Players celebrated our progress since the BC demo and praised the game’s mechanics, design, and strategic elements. Over 86% of players see themselves playing GOG at launch.
- Roadmap Update: In response to feedback and our commitment to delivering the best experience, we’ve adjusted our roadmap to give GOG the best chance of a massive global launch. We will be test-launching the game (web2 only) in selected region(s) in Q1 2024, focusing on getting data at scale to optimize the game. Our global launch, incorporating web3 features, is targeted for Q2 2024, based on the results and feedback from the test launch.
Friends and Family Demo Recap
With the release of the F&F demo, we hoped to offer a clear visibility on where we are at now and how much Guild of Guardians have developed since the last demo. This demo had one primary objective — making sure GOG is fun!
The demo looped in a total of 555 invited participants composed of our GOG community members, as well as all internal Immutables and their friends and family, along with esteemed partners.
With additions ranging from the fresh tutorials, immersive Guardian stories, to the thrilling Ringstone Dungeons and the enigmatic Endless Dungeon, we’re building more than just a game. Every feature, every tweak, and every addition is an outcome from our community, shows our commitment to creating an experience that is truly by the community, for the community.
Phenomenal Engagement Results
Reflecting our confidence in our progress since the Beautiful Corner demo, we extended invitations to a larger pool of players for the Friends & Family demo. And the retention results are jaw dropping. Guild of Guardians has not only met but spectacularly exceeded our retention targets for F&F.
Our Day 1 (D1) retention stands impressively at 65.85%, followed by a robust 58.73% on Day 3 (D3). Compared to industry benchmarks, our D1 retention is 36.85% higher than the average D1 retention of 29%. And another impressive jump of 14.96% in Day 3 retention rates from previous BC demo’s 44.35%. By Day 7 (D7), we still commanded a remarkable 43.38% retention, 23.38% above the industry average of 20% D7 for successful mobile game projects.
Impressively, the collective playtime during F&F demo totaled a whopping 1.12 years! Almost 10% of our participants committed more than 50 hours of gameplay throughout the short, 10-day demo. Leading the pack was Error, who clocked in a staggering 162.55 hours in the demo! Hats off to you, Guardian.
While the exceptional engagement we witnessed is a testament to our game’s appeal, we aim to fine-tune GOG’s daily engagement to ensure it’s both enjoyable and sustainable for our players.
These figures are a testament to the magnetic pull of our game, far surpassing our initial targets and industry standards.
Exceptionally Positive Feedback
The Guild of Guardians demo elicited a wealth of feedback from our dedicated players. First and foremost, it was truly heartening to learn that players recognized and appreciated the monumental progress we’ve achieved in the brief span between the BC demo and the F&F demo. The strides we made within those two short months were evident, and the community’s acknowledgment means the world to us.
Players were effusive in their praise for the game’s smooth, bug-free mechanics, with many singling out the engaging progression loop, daily rewards, and the competitive leaderboard for commendation. The game’s visual appeal was another high point, with dungeon designs and character animations standing out for their quality and intuitive nature. Strategic elements like hero combinations and dungeon challenges lent depth and added layers of intrigue, while the crafting and collection systems kept players hooked with continual milestones.
It’s clear there’s room for refinement. Some found the initial tutorial levels cumbersome, which impacted their initial experience. Even though the game was designed as a ‘second screen’ experience, it frequently demanded substantial attention. There were known technical issues and optimization problems on various devices. Balance concerns with guardians, UI/UX challenges, and battery consumption concerns were among the other points raised. A common thread among the feedback was a desire for greater depth and meaningful choices, emphasizing the importance of continued iteration and development.
Overall, even as we expanded our player base beyond Guild of Guardians’ “golden cohort,” the enthusiasm remains undiminished. Impressively, over 86% of our players, regardless of their prior affiliation or experience with GOG, have expressed a strong intention to play consistently upon the game’s official launch. This not only speaks to the universal appeal of our game but also underscores the depth and engaging nature of the GOG experience. It’s heartening to see such widespread anticipation and commitment from both our long-time supporters and those newly introduced to the world of Elderym.
Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our community for their proactive participation and invaluable feedback during the demo. It’s your influential input that will guide Guild of Guardians to become a game that resonates with, and is celebrated by, all.
Salute to our Leaderboard Elites
Huge congratulations to our Top 10 Leaderboard Guardian! We are in awe at their legendary commitment and passion to the game.
In fact, we were amazed by the sheer dedication our players displayed, especially those vying for the top spots on the leaderboard. We even made the decision to nerf the energy regen rates by half midway through the demo so we can give our competitive players better balance in their daily lives.
While the leaderboard may provide a numerical rank, the unspoken hours and silent grind behind each achievement tell a more profound story. Observing the friendly yet fierce competition between these elite players on platforms like Discord and Twitter has been a delight. Their exchanges and camaraderie beautifully capture the spirit of the GOG community.
The Road Ahead
We take immense pride in the strides Guild of Guardians has taken over the past 9 months, and our momentum is unwavering as we navigate towards a successful launch. The Friends and Family demo has cast a spotlight on specific areas that demand further refinement.
These include but are not limited to:
- Engagement Iteration: Ensuring every player’s choice is meaningful and impactful. This pertains to decisions concerning rooms, runes, equipment, and guardians.
- Balance Iteration and Tuning: It’s crucial that we fine-tune guardian skills, define guardian roles (like Tank, Assassin, Support) with clarity, and diversify our monsters.
- System Re-evaluation: We’re reviewing systems that were originally planned for post-launch implementation, such as guilds and pets, evaluating if they can be pulled into launch.
One resonating piece of feedback from our players has been the preference for a robust, balanced experience over meeting a precommitted launch date. We wholeheartedly agree. It’s paramount for us to take the necessary time for comprehensive playtesting before globally unveiling Guild of Guardians.
Launching prematurely, especially rushing into a Q4 open beta, would be detrimental and could potentially hinder the game’s long-term success. Given these considerations, we’ve made the decision to adjust our roadmap to ensure we can deliver the best possible game for you.
Our strategy is to test-launch Guild of Guardians in selected region(s) during Q1 2024 on web2 only. This web2 in-app purchases only regional test launch will focus on analyzing app performance across key KPIs as well as getting data for balance at scale. By obtaining feedback, especially from newcomers to the Guild of Guardians universe, we will garner more insights crucial for ensuring a successful GOG launch.
Our global launch goal for GOG, inclusive of web3 features, is slated for Q2 of 2024.
Wrapping Up…
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each one of our players. Your dedication, enthusiasm and commitment for Guild of Guardians have driven us to push the boundaries for what we can achieve with Guild of Guardians. Your feedback, both the praises and constructive criticism, have been pivotal in shaping the game into what it is today and its evolution the future holds. As we venture onward, your continued support remains our beacon.
Thank you for being an integral part of this odyssey, our guild, for shaping the Guild of Guardians adventure, and for your faith in our vision. Together, let’s light up the future in the world of Elderym!
Till our paths cross again, Guardians.
#LFGOG
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