If you like sports, there are big chances to be a soccer fan and if that is true then you love Score! Hero, a game which continues to be successful even after a few years since its launch. Today we will check this amazing app but our purpose isn’t to impress a talent search. Instead, we will analyze the game from a marketer’s point of view.
Table of Contents
Brilliant Idea
Score! Hero is the creation of First Touch Games, an independent games development studio based in Oxford, UK. They focus on sports games and Score! Hero showed that it will be a real phenomenon since it was in soft launch. The game was released for iOS users in August 2015 and rapidly gained Editor’s Choice. After a few months Score! Hero was launched on Google Play and now players continue to appreciate it. And because it is available in both major markets, if you didn’t try the game before, now it is a good opportunity to join those hundreds of thousands of players who downloaded the game.
How Score! Hero Did It
In case you want to check our tutorial on how to promote sports apps in general, go ahead and adapt those techniques in order to fit your app style, but for now, we will going to share with you the methods used by Score! Hero creators for making sure users enjoy their product.
Easy To Play
At the beginning of our article we addressed soccer fans but honestly, this game can be played by anyone. The rules are simple and the mechanics allow you to understand the gameplay and to become a better player. Moreover, there are various hints for teaching you what to do. Sometimes it’s enough to draw a line and to show the path of the ball. It is true that you have to know what you are doing if you want to create great strategies. Not all players join top clubs but you also have the chance to practice your skills. And you will be able to rewind if you want to try again. It is a good approach for encouraging players to continue with the game. Be careful not to give users the sensation that they are lost because they will uninstall your app immediately!
Free To Play
Let’s talk about the model chosen for monetizing Score! Hero. The game is free if you want to download it and to start playing it. But after a while, you will see a message telling you that you have to wait or to buy more energy. You can use virtual currency or real money. If you choose to wait, you will receive a notification when the time elapsed. We discussed this system many times before because this solution is very common when we talk about some of the most successful games on app stores. While some players don’t mind having a little break during the game, others say that asking them to wait until they can play again ruins their enthusiasm. Overall, the number of installs represents the proof that free – to – play games are appreciated by users.
Rewarded Videos
Now, let’s mention another strategy for monetizing your app and for allowing users to obtain what they want: rewarded video ads. We won’t discuss again the advantages provided by this method because we already told you everything you need to know and you can apply the same technique for your app. In Score! Hero, players have the chance to watch a video and to receive energy instead. It goes without saying that some of them prefer to do that instead of spending their money. And they probably prefer to do that more often. Take that into account when you want to show ads and to attract users at the same time. Whether we talk about rewarded or non – rewarded video ads, this format is one of the most efficient at the moment.
Customer Support
Score! Hero owners focus on maintaining the app and for this reason, they pay a lot of attention whenever users need their help. As you can read in an article published on PocketGamer, Andy Dunn, Product Manager at First Touch Games highlighted the importance of customer support for the success of the app. Despite the fact that there is a small team behind the game, a few persons are always there in case somebody asks something about the game. And there is no surprise that half of the questions received are about updates. Players are eager to see new elements inside the game. We need to mention here that building long-term customer relationship is the key especially when you want to convince users to appreciate your app in the app store. That is a tricky move because you don’t know how many stars your app will receive but if you ask users to review the app at the right moment you will reach the wanted results.
Bonus Tip: Be Where Your Users Are!
In fact, First Touch Games tried all kinds of solutions for bringing their game in front of their audience. Additionally, to TV ads, potential users were able to spot the game on live football LED ads. It seems logical because soccer fans are there to support their favorite team and because they love anything that has to do with this sport. Playing Score! Hero offers them the feeling that they can be one of the players. These are great occasions for convincing users to try the game. Moreover, holidays are celebrated with special updates and various offers which increase user retention. As a conclusion, take advantage of these opportunities for the growth of your app!
Final Thoughts
With more than 580 levels and amazing graphics, Score! Hero is, without a doubt, one of the most appreciated mobile games for sports fans. On top of that, implementing some efficient methods for marketing the game, First Touch Games managed to keep users engaged and to continue with this amazing experience even after months or years. And, remember! This isn’t an easy process, knowing that thousands of apps are released every day!