Player Retention
Ongoing coverage on Player Retention.
Latest coverage
Star Wars Battlefront 2 Just Wont Stay Dead and New Players Keep Proving It
Star Wars Battlefront 2 continues to attract players on PC and appears on PlayStation charts, indicating sustained engagement. Community-driven efforts like KYBER are contributing to the longevity of the game.
How can your game win the 'attention war?' Turn to storytelling
Games can win the 'attention war' by focusing on narrative complexity and storytelling systems rather than dark patterns. Effective narrative design and the written word are presented as key drivers for player retention.
5 dead games I still can’t stop thinking about
This article discusses five 'dead games' that, despite player abandonment or functional abandonment, remain memorable due to their strong core concepts or communities. Games like Anthem, Deceive Inc., Gigantic, Titanfall 2, and Paladins: Champions of the Realm are examined for their initial appeal and the reasons for their decline, often citing issues with live-service models, market timing, or lack of sustained support.
The First Descendant Gets Overhaul Roadmap Following Nexon’s “No Staying Power” Assessment
Nexon has acknowledged that The First Descendant failed to maintain player retention, citing deeper design issues rather than superficial problems. The development team has outlined a three-phase "Completing the Game" roadmap to address core gameplay systems, improve the main story and early progression, and add new content. This overhaul follows mixed player reception since the game's launch in June 2024 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.
Reddit posts can be more important than data, and other lessons from maintaining Candy Crush as a forever game
Eva Ryott, King's head of live operations, discusses maintaining Candy Crush Saga as a 'forever game' by focusing on player needs and leveraging AI for content creation and workflow support. She highlights the importance of combining data-driven insights with innovation and listening to player feedback, even from platforms like Reddit, to keep the long-running mobile title engaging.
Nexon CEO admits The First Descendant had 'no staying power,' and that can't be addressed with a quick fix: 'These are design issues that are not fixed with a patch'
Nexon CEO Junghun Lee admitted that The First Descendant suffers from fundamental design issues that cannot be fixed with simple patches, leading to a lack of player retention. The game, which saw a high of 10 million players in its first week, has since dropped to around 5,000 concurrent players on Steam, receiving a 'mixed' user rating.
'Did Not Work': The First Descendant Considered a Failure by Its Developer
Nexon has acknowledged that its live-service title, The First Descendant, has failed to retain players, less than two years after its release on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. Company president Junghun Lee stated that the game suffered from "retention challenges" and "design issues that are not fixed with a patch." Despite a strong launch on PC with over 264,000 concurrent players, interest quickly waned, with player counts dropping significantly post-release.
Evening Interviews
The Division 2 has seen a resurgence in player numbers seven years after its release, demonstrating continued growth for the live service title. This success highlights effective player retention strategies for long-term game engagement.
"We aren't just still going, we are growing." How The Division 2 has attracted more players than ever seven years on from release
Seven years after its release, The Division 2 is experiencing a resurgence in player count, attributed to strong live service support and community engagement. Developers at Ubisoft Massive emphasize the importance of listening to players and investing in technology to maintain the game's longevity and ambitious content roadmap, which now includes The Division 3.
March Double XP Weekends Show Gaming’s New Player Appreciation Era
The article discusses a trend of game studios implementing Double XP weekends throughout March as a form of player appreciation and retention. While some view these events positively as a way to engage communities and reward players, others are skeptical, seeing them as superficial tactics or data collection disguised as goodwill. The piece suggests that such gestures are becoming a standard practice in the industry due to the increasing demand for constant communication and community engagement.
Marathon needs some changes to last longer than a sprint | TRG
The game Marathon features strong moment-to-moment action and impressive visuals. However, it currently lacks compelling long-term engagement mechanics, suggesting a need for design adjustments to improve player retention.
Why UX/UI Is the Real Reason Players Come Back
Player retention in modern gaming is primarily driven by effective User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design, rather than just content volume. Intuitive interfaces, clear feedback, and smooth gameplay flow are crucial for keeping players engaged and reducing costly user acquisition efforts. Games that prioritize effortless interaction and emotional connection are more likely to foster long-term player loyalty.
Overwatch Defies Gaming Physics With 100K+ Player Retention After Surge
Overwatch is demonstrating remarkable player retention, maintaining over 100,000 players a month after a significant surge, a feat unusual for a decade-old game. This sustained engagement is attributed to consistent updates, new content, strong community bonds, and the game's polished, stable experience compared to newer, less complete titles.
People are finally getting past Crimson Desert’s worst problem and seeing the real deal: ‘I get it now’
Players are beginning to appreciate Crimson Desert after overcoming its initially slow and disjointed start. Many players initially quit or left negative reviews due to the game's lengthy tutorial phase, but those who persevere are finding significant rewards in its gameplay and story progression. The article suggests that the game's massive 200-hour scope requires patience, and initial impressions may not reflect its true potential.
Destiny 2’s Player Count Crashes 91% Since Edge of Fate Launch
Destiny 2 has experienced a significant decline in its player count, with a 91% drop since the launch of the Edge of Fate expansion and a 97% decrease since The Final Shape. This analysis explores potential reasons for the exodus, including content droughts, the delay of the Shadow and Order update, and Bungie's focus on developing Marathon alongside maintaining Destiny 2. The article questions the sustainability of the current live-service model for Destiny 2 and suggests a fundamental rethink may be necessary.
Marathon’s punishing PvP gameplay loop is taking its toll on less-skilled players, but that’s likely by design
Marathon's punishing player-versus-player (PvP) gameplay loop is reportedly taking a toll on less-skilled players, leading to frustration and difficulty progressing. While Bungie markets the game as a tough extraction shooter where death is a learning experience, some players feel overwhelmed by highly skilled opponents, even after many hours. This difficulty may be by design, potentially impacting the game's long-term player retention if the population becomes dominated by expert players.
Battlefield 6 follows shock dev layoff round with a free trial week to claw back player interest
Following significant layoffs at Battlefield Studios, Electronic Arts is offering a free-to-play week for Battlefield 6 from March 17-24 to regain players. Despite its initial success in 2025, the game has seen a steep decline in player count, with fans citing issues like small maps and a lack of dedicated servers. EA's move is seen by many as a desperate attempt to fix the game's problems, which players believe require larger maps and better server infrastructure.
Highguard Will Officially End Service This Month
Wildlight Entertainment announced that its free-to-play shooter Highguard will cease operations on March 12, just 45 days after its January 26 launch. The developer cited an inability to build a sustainable player base, with reports indicating Tencent withdrew funding due to poor commercial performance and low player retention. The game remains available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.
The Daily Grind: What would your MMORPG have to do to double its playerbase?
This article discusses what an MMORPG would need to do to double its player base, using Overwatch 2's recent comeback as a point of comparison. It highlights the impact of new heroes, story content, and even cute cosmetic additions like a cat with a jetpack on player numbers.
Dune Awakening acknowledges density and performance concerns about incoming server merges
Funcom has acknowledged player concerns regarding upcoming server merges for Dune Awakening, specifically addressing issues with server performance and player preference for lower population servers. The studio aims to improve performance before proceeding with merges, emphasizing that the goal is to ensure enough servers for organic player migration rather than forcing consolidation.