Player Engagement
Ongoing coverage on Player Engagement.
Latest coverage
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Appears to Be Much More Popular Than Black Ops 7 and Warzone on PS5
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is reportedly more popular on PlayStation 5 than Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Call of Duty: Warzone in the United States. This suggests a strong continued interest in older titles within the franchise.
PS5 Blackout Made No Difference To Player Numbers, Apparently
Despite a protest from PlayStation fans regarding Sony's disc drive decisions, analytics expert Mat Piscatella stated that player numbers on the PlayStation 5 remained unaffected. The article questions the impact of the protest and what actions gamers might take next.
Sega's President Says There's Been an Increase in Fans Who Don't Play Its Games, but That Doesn't Mean They Aren't Gamers
Sega president and COO Shuji Utsumi noted an increase in fans who do not actively play the company's games. He clarified that this does not mean these individuals are not considered gamers.
Massively on the Go: Scopely sold out players for Go Fest 2026’s Go Fest Finale
The Pokemon Go 10th Anniversary Go Fest Finale, dubbed the Mega Finale, was a significant disappointment, marked by player dissatisfaction with the over-reliance on Mewtwo and the convoluted Mega Evolution system. Scopely's monetization strategies and perceived lack of value in event tickets led to low player turnout and morale, with many criticizing the company's approach as 'milking' the player base rather than celebrating the game's anniversary.
The Daily Grind: Are there features in your MMORPG that nobody uses?
This article discusses the phenomenon of underused features in MMORPGs, using Star Wars Galaxies' auction system and City of Heroes' LFG tool as examples. It questions why these features persist and prompts players to share their own experiences with unused game mechanics.
Roblox’s No. 1 Game Steal an Egg Was Pulled Hours After Reaching the Top
The popular Roblox game 'Steal an Egg' was removed from the platform shortly after reaching the number one spot and accumulating millions of negative impressions. The game featured a treadmill mechanic for players to earn in-game currency, which was criticized for its dystopian similarities to the Black Mirror episode 'Fifteen Million Merits.' The exact reason for its removal remains unknown, though speculation points to potential violations of platform terms of service regarding external video links.
GTA 6 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are "the north stars of gaming," says Gamescom chief, but they won't last forever because "most gamers aren't only interested in a single game"
Gamescom director Stefan Heikhaus stated that games like Grand Theft Auto 6 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are crucial "North Stars" for the industry but acknowledged that their dominance is temporary. He believes that while major releases capture attention, most gamers are interested in a wide variety of titles, ensuring events like Gamescom, which showcase hundreds of games, remain relevant.
Bain & Co: Research shows only one in five players seek out new titles
A report by Bain & Company indicates that two-thirds of players prefer familiar games or sequels, with only one in five actively seeking new titles. The research highlights that focused games targeting specific audiences are more commercially successful than generic ones, citing Baldur's Gate 3 as an example of success versus Concord's struggles. The report also touches on the growing adoption of generative AI in game production and its potential for understanding player behavior and personalization.
Why Arcade Shooter Mechanics Enhance Digital Casino Libraries
Arcade shooter mechanics are being integrated into digital casino libraries to offer a more engaging and skill-based experience compared to traditional chance-driven games. Titles like Dino Shooter on Sportzino blend fast-paced action with elements of randomness, providing short, rewarding rounds that appeal to a broader audience. This approach enhances player retention through bite-sized progression and social features, while also allowing for efficient content development and strategic library integration.
Xsolla rolls out publishing tools to keep players 'engaged' after the first purchase
Commerce company Xsolla has launched new tools for its publishing suite designed to help PC game studios enhance player engagement after initial purchases. These tools include a community hub for direct player interaction, a no-code template for live ops events, dedicated merchandising experiences, and a centralized notification system within the Xsolla Launcher. Xsolla president Chris Hewish stated the goal is to give studios their own channel to maintain player relationships and control their monetization schedules.
If You Were Going to Start GMing
This article gathers advice from experienced individuals for those new to Game Mastering (GMing). It addresses common concerns such as balancing player freedom with story direction, increasing player engagement, choosing the right game system, and managing preparation time. The author plans to answer these questions in future posts.
Roblox's string of bad luck persists as player numbers continue to plummet and the company's stock price with it
Roblox reported a significant decline in its second financial quarter, with player engagement and stock price plummeting by nearly 27 percent. The company attributes the drop to a lack of viral games and a shift towards experiences with less monetization. This marks the third consecutive quarter of declining daily active users, impacting the company's valuation and leading to cautious financial estimates for the remainder of the year.
Roblox Blames Falling Player Numbers and In-Game Spending on Its Push to Recommend Less Slop to Kids — And There Being No Replacement for Last Year's Viral Hit Grow a Garden
Roblox has experienced a significant drop in player numbers and in-game spending compared to the previous summer. The company attributes this decline partly to its efforts to recommend less content to younger players and the absence of a viral hit like 'Grow a Garden' to replace last year's popular games.
Baldur's Gate 3's "billion" mods can make it the next Skyrim – just as Larian intended
Baldur's Gate 3 has surpassed one billion mod downloads across its internal client and Nexus Mods, demonstrating significant player engagement three years after its launch. Larian Studios, the developer, released statistics highlighting the success of its modding support, which has helped maintain the game's relevance and player base, drawing comparisons to the long-term success of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
The Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Marvel's Spider-Man resurgence proves that games don't always need new…
Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Marvel's Spider-Man games are experiencing significant player count surges, driven by the success of recent blockbuster films. Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" has boosted interest in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, while "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has propelled Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered back into Steam's top sellers. This trend highlights the growing synergy between film and gaming, where movies can effectively revitalize older titles and extend player experiences.
Halo: Campaign Evolved was the 4th most popular game on Xbox at launch in the US but only 29th on PS5, analyst says
Halo: Campaign Evolved saw a strong launch in the US, ranking fourth in daily active users on Xbox, with 8% of players engaging with the game. However, its performance was lower on PC (14th place, 2% of users) and PlayStation 5 (29th place, 1% of users). Analyst Mat Piscatella noted that while the game is a best-seller on PlayStation 5, the data highlights the challenge new titles face against established live service games.
The Odyssey release saw Assassin's Creed: Odyssey player engagement jump 90%, analyst says Ubisoft can thank Christopher Nolan for its best week in years
Player engagement for Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Odyssey surged by 90% following the release of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of The Odyssey. Analyst Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics reported that active players nearly doubled from 122,000 to 233,000 across platforms, with PlayStation and Xbox seeing significant increases. This boost in engagement, attributed to cultural spillover from the film, also led to modest sales increases for the 2018 title.
Analyst data: Assassin's Creed Odyssey experiences surge in daily active users following Christopher Nolan film
Following the release of the Christopher Nolan film 'Odyssey', Assassin's Creed Odyssey saw a 90% increase in daily active users across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. Engagement surged from 122,000 to 233,000 users within ten days, with Xbox showing the largest increase. Analysts attribute this spike to the game's availability on subscription services like Game Pass and PlayStation Plus.
Bethesda provides Starfield proof of life – the space RPG "remains an important part of our future," has been played by over 17 million players, and there's plenty to come in Year 3
Bethesda has reassured fans that Starfield remains a key focus, with plans for its third year of content, including new stories and gameplay improvements. The space RPG has surpassed 17 million players, with nearly a billion hours logged. This announcement comes amidst broader discussions about Xbox's studio restructuring and Bethesda's other upcoming projects like The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout remasters.
Grieving Destiny 2 players on Steam boosted the game from 32nd place all the way up to 5th for US active users last…
Destiny 2 experienced a significant surge in player engagement on Steam, climbing from 32nd to 5th place in monthly active US users according to data from Mat Piscatella. This boost occurred following Bungie's final update for the game, despite recent layoffs impacting the Destiny 2 team as Bungie shifts focus to Marathon.
