What do you do if your game mechanics fail to engage and retain players?

One of the common problems on retaining players is not explaining your mechanic well, invest some time in the first user experience, make a nice tutorial, try to playtest it with random people without saying anything and see how they react. After that ask yourself: Did they understand the goal? Did they understand how to play? Don't forget to add events on each step of your tutorial to track the data. If data shows that there is no drop in the tutorial and players understand the game well and yet are not coming back, maybe the mechanic is not strong enough and is better to try a new concept.

Consider implementing analytics tools within your game to gather data on player behavior and engagement metrics. Analyzing gameplay patterns, retention rates, and player interactions can offer valuable insights into which mechanics are failing to engage and retain players. By leveraging quantitative data in conjunction with qualitative feedback, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the underlying issues and prioritize areas for improvement. This data-driven approach enables you to make informed decisions and iterate on your game mechanics effectively, ultimately enhancing the player experience and increasing retention rates over time.

One thing I like to do is to collect all the feedback from playtesting and I try to see if there is a common problem or frustration. If it is something that could be iterated on, that's great, I make those changes. If it is something fundamentally wrong with the mechanic or it is just not fun, it might be a good idea to dive a little deeper on why this might be, but I do not spend too long on this topic. Sometimes it is for the best to move on to the next concept.

While using surveys and forums is a good starting point, incorporating in-game telemetry data and behavioral analytics provides additional context. Think of it as creating a visual representation of player engagement: you're not just listening to what players say, but also observing their actions. This dual perspective can uncover differences between what players think they want and how they actually behave. Moreover, consider utilizing social media sentiment analysis and community-based ethnographic studies to capture informal feedback.

Kill your darlings: If there is a certain level, part, or mechanism of the game that you love but the data suggests that it failed to yield the same value to your audience, remove it. Remember, you as a designer might find an obstacle easy to clear but the average audience might not. Analyze other parts of the data to find out the skillset and nature of your audience and recreate the said obstacle accordingly.

I like to analyze data from playtesting forms and video recordings / in person playtests. This helps me identify certain patterns players make as the play, any frustrations the player is running into, and gameplay behaviors. Forms can give extra details about what the player is thinking during the process, while a video or in person playtesting session is great to be able to see the player react to how the mechanic is being used. Its possible there is a point in the game where the player gets frustrated with the mechanic or a certain path using the mechanic is much faster but not intended by the designer. This data is valuable and can help improve your game overall.

Begin by conducting an exploratory data analysis to identify noticeable patterns in player drop-offs. Then, cross-reference this information with in-game events, social interactions, or specific player demographics to uncover less obvious factors. In addition to examining levels or stages, it is beneficial to analyze session duration, frequency of play, and the time of day when players are most active. Utilizing heatmaps to visualize user interactions within the game environment can also provide valuable information. It may be worthwhile to explore the broader ecosystem, such as third-party content or social media buzz, to understand external influences on player engagement.

Identify and address confusing or frustrating mechanics to create a more cohesive experience. Implement adaptive difficulty systems to cater to different player skills and ensure challenging yet rewarding progression. Use incentives tied to meaningful accomplishments to retain players. Consider modular mechanics based on player feedback for a dynamic gaming experience. Utilize user-generated content and community-driven ideas to enhance player engagement. Keep the core loop engaging with clear goals, satisfying feedback, and progression that resonates with players' motivations.

Start by dividing your player base for focused beta testing—this enables you to collect feedback from diverse groups with varying levels of experience and skill. For closed beta testing, establish a feedback loop that motivates players to share their opinions on specific mechanics and overall gameplay. You can complement this qualitative feedback with quantitative data gathered through analytics, monitoring metrics such as session length, retention rates, and completion times. While observing player interactions, pay special attention to emergent behaviors—these are patterns or strategies players come up with that weren't explicitly planned but can offer insights into how the mechanics are perceived.

Consider implementing community-driven content initiatives, such as fan art contests or user-generated levels, to deepen engagement and give players a sense of ownership. When announcing changes, provide detailed patch notes and explain the reasoning behind each decision, allowing players to understand the context and feel included in the process. You can take community engagement to the next level by establishing a community advisory panel. This panel, consisting of dedicated players from diverse backgrounds, can serve as a sounding board for new ideas and provide early feedback on upcoming changes.

If there's a pivot where you can take the learnings from the mechanic and find some twist that can work, its sometimes worth doing that. But in most cases, its simply easier to try something new

Double check that your game mechanic is actually being used by your players. Sometimes there's a bug, sometimes the conditions to unlock the mechanic are rarely match (e.g. expecting players to reach a certain level in the game). In these cases, your game mechanic might be brilliant. The focus then should not be "improving" it, but increase is visibility and accessibility. Probably it's worth it running a test, unlocking it early in game, just to get enough data and feedback from players.