It’s been over a month since the global launch of Squad Busters, the first game from Supercell in six years to successfully move beyond the soft launch stage. The internet is buzzing with discussions about the corporate reasons behind this decision. We bring to your attention an article from the analytical platform AppMagic.
Despite the initial excitement, the game’s long-term engagement seemed to wane. Several weeks in, many players seem to be venturing into Squad Busters less frequently.
Why is this happening? And why did the game’s metrics decline so drastically so fast—with daily revenue down by 50% just one month in? Are the constant emotional swings from fun to boredom the reason behind this drop?
Like any new game, Squad Busters has its shortcomings. The Supercell team will likely address many of these issues in upcoming updates. Still, AppMagic believes it’s important to highlight them, as learning from mistakes can be as valuable as learning from success.
Based on internal observations and feedback from various players, there are several stages where the likelihood of players dropping the game is high. The first noticeable slump occurs around level 7 of Squad Journey (approximately 10 to 12 matches in) and continues up to level 15.
By this point, the player has been in the game for about an hour; new features stop appearing; there are no mini LiveOps; and full monetization is not yet available. Players are left with just one map and a few modifiers, facing a lengthy grind until the next milestone where things will eventually change.
Uneven progression is just one of the challenges the game faces. Half-baked social features, an unpolished UI/UX, and a lack of cosmetics are some of the other issues that need addressing. Fortunately, the first month has shown that the developers are aware of the feedback and are already introducing new features to tackle these problems.
Read the full article in the AppMagic blog
