Anyone that’s been thinking of getting into video games designed for the web and/or social media sites should definitely read through one of the latest reports from Investment Banking Firm GP Bullhound. Why should you care what an investment firm has to say about video games? Well because these guys are kings of research, and put together a pretty impressive 20-page report explaining why the games that excel online and on social networking sites, do REALLY well. 

Of course we know you’re busy though, and you’re just looking for the bullet points for now. We hear you, and we’re happy to oblige. I’ve condensed down the article into the “last word.” Essentially for game devs the big take away is their list of four factors that contribute to the success of social/web-based gaming.

Success Factors

While the success of social games remains difficult to predict, we believe that the following underlying factors are key to creating successful social games.

 

First, a simple game concept is a key factor for social game player acquisition. Social games are appealing to many, particularly non-gamers, because of low levels of complexity. Keeping games simple allows for easier viral distribution within social networks because potential players are not alienated on the basis of gaming skill level.

 

Second, games must leverage the “social” nature of social networking. Key to the game’s viral marketing, the game should allow players to share their experiences and interactively play with their friends.

 

Third, games should successfully build a dialogue with the player. That is, games should provide live updates and drive users to incrementally check into the game. Doing so will help keep the game front of mind for the player, helping to increase stickiness.

 

Finally, we believe that social game developers must take advantage of the online deployment model to continuously adjust and upgrade games so that they continue to capture and maintain user interest. The ability for iterative development remains a key distinguishing feature for social games, and developers must leverage this advantage to keep titles fresh and relevant.

 

Hopefully those notes get the ol’ brain juices a-pumpin’ but if you’re the kind of person that needs the full story, and I do recommend that you check it out, you can take a look at the full report here, and find out more about BP Bullhound and their services at their homesite.