We’re here at GDC 2016 checking out some awesome new games, gadgets, and trends in game design and player monetization. Gaming is not exactly related to customer support directly but 2016 is more about understanding users and designing for unique experiences than ever before. One recurring theme is that creating new content is becoming increasingly difficult. Games that stand out from the crowd understand how to immerse players in not only in-game content but also in experiences that augment how to experience that content. That requires an immense degree of understanding, visualizing, tuning, and interacting with a myriad of tools and systems.
Gaming companies are essentially asking one core question: how do we leverage all this new tech (such as augmented reality/virtual reality/AI) and demand for buzzword experiences (such as rewarded video advertising/psycho-social game design) while maintaining the integrity of traditional gameplay mechanics and disciplines of the player experience. Everyone really really wants to know how to keep players happy, coming back, and spending money (in that order, which wasn’t the case just a few years ago).
For many years now, the gaming industry has been focused on getting massive budgets for AAA titles in both console and mobile, using players as guinea pigs for how to best monetize and optimize IAP revenue, and how to create that one-shot wonder by replicating features and business models that have only worked for a few. They’ve been less focused on their users and their experiences. When was the last time you felt your mobile game experience was being custom-tailored for you? When was the last time it felt easy to find help when you needed it? When was the last time you felt truly engaged while playing a mobile game? You get the point.
We’re seeing a lot of interesting topics now in 2016. Companies are now seeking new ways to visualize their users. They want everyone’s experience on a mobile device to be unique. And they are looking for new ways to reach each user not just to monetize them but to engage them. Stop thinking about your users as a cost center or a revenue source. See them as individuals you need to connect with, engage with, and a reason for you to create better experiences. Here’s a good example of how companies are thinking about things differently:
- Imagine a game where video ads are being utilized to help you advance in the game. You can watch a video ad in exchange for a power-up of some sort. Ads are often frowned upon so the old model used to be removing these ads as soon as you spend money in the app. Right? Not really…
- Companies soon realized that spending money in a game and watching a video for a reward are not mutually exclusive. They’re two entirely different experiences that players want to have the option of utilizing at their own discretion.
- Fast forward to today and companies have come to an even newer realization that players should be further incentivized to make their own gaming experiences unique. For example, you can now spend money in a game to solely boost the amount of rewards you can receive from engaging with ads. How fresh is this?
The example above is overly simplified but it indicates an important step in understanding the user and what they need. Just like in customer support, try not to become a victim of that cost center mentality. Think about your users and what they need rather than how you can shape them into a better user. In any case, fun stuff and we hope the industry continues to involve! We’re all huge gamers at heart anyways 
Happy GDC.