The two co-founders Harvey and Mathis joined us at the last Voodoo Live Event in Paris to reveal exactly how they managed to bag their first hit game in such a short amount of time. Read on to find out more about Flex Run 3D and its three secrets to success.
Humble beginnings
With no prior gaming experience, let alone hyper-causal, the decision to launch Blue Monkey was a significant risk in terms of time and effort. However, when they discovered hyper-casual, the two young co-founders found that they really liked the fast-paced prototyping and data-driven mindset: “We felt we had a similar mindset already, so it was exactly what we wanted “said Harvey.
From December 2020 to August 2021, the two began what they now refer to as a “marathon sprint,” learning as much as they could about hyper-casual and how to make a hit game while developing and trying out over 240 ideas . 33 prototypes.
“Following Voodoo’s advice, we made sure we did a lot more than prototyping so as not to waste time on ideas that wouldn’t break through. They helped us learn how to filter our ideas and only keep those with high potential for testing, ”explains Mathis.
“These 240 ideas were a mixture of concepts, sketches and full-fledged ideas. It is also important to note that of the 33 prototypes we used every experience and mistake as a lesson for the next round. It was all part of our learning process, ”added Harvey.
Results were mixed across the 33 prototypes, with CPIs ranging from under $ 50c to over $ 2.
Comes with a hit
In the first few months, the two-person team showed promising skills and a strong mindset. With some hot prototypes in the mix, our publishing team contacted them to take part in our coaching program. During one of their meetings with Théophile Tabary, one of their publishing directors, the team discussed mechanisms that naturally add depth to a game. Theo pointed them out to shapeshifting, a successful mechanic because of its interactivity for the user. Even without obstacles, each person can play the game differently and build skills over time. Players will also focus on the mechanics themselves rather than the level design, which will reduce the pressure of creating enough variety in the levels, especially at the beginning of the prototype phase. A combination of that brainstorming session and inspiration from a recent shapeshifter hit, Couples Yoga, gave birth to Flex Run 3D.
Game mechanics
Flex Run 3D is an inverted runner – instead of the character moving through the level to reach the end of the level, the obstacles move towards you, which of course increases the speed and intensity of each level. Players circumvent obstacles by adjusting the character’s position during a home yoga workout. The game uses shape-changing mechanics, evasive controls and the very relatable theme of yoga at home.
Prototyping and metrics
With well thought-out mechanics and controls as well as naturally in-depth gameplay, the first version of Flex Run 3D achieved a high potential: a 39c CPI, 30% D1 and an average playing time of 6 minutes. For the second iteration, the teams added a slight contextualization to make it easier for the player to understand what exactly they needed to do and why. Adding a story always helps give context to the game and bring the CPI down, and that’s where they went for the free “Home Yoga” theme which adds home decor and barriers. This helped bring the CPI down to 29c.
All in all, the teams did very few iterations prior to launch and mostly focused on reducing the CPI in order to scale the game as effectively as possible.
The game went to soft launch with a 29c CPI, 42% D1 and an average playing time of 9 minutes.
Firepower after launch to increase retention
After the start, the Voodoo Game OPS team set about optimizing the game. They helped with the game graphics, level design, and adding the features that had the biggest impact on the game’s metrics. For example, they added a new feature that would allow users to unlock new yoga poses which would then unlock new obstacles, which helped bring diversity into the game, increasing both bonding and play time. They also worked with the studio to make the level ending more understandable for the player, so they have to match their shape with the shapes in the jar. All while staying in regular communication with the studio and working together to improve the game.
Thanks to that extra firepower, Flex Run 3D’s D1 retention increased a whopping 13% from 42% to 55% after launch.
Secrets of success
How did Blue Monkey go from a brand new studio with no knowledge or experience in hyper-casual to a successful game in just nine months? During their presentation at the Voodoo Live event in Paris, they pinpointed three key secrets to success.
1. A strong addiction to learning 📚
Harvey: “We didn’t have any game development experience before we started hyper-casual last year, so we just wanted to learn all there was to know. We wanted to include as much information as possible about the industry and how to make successful games. We developed an interest in anything hyper-casual; Articles, livestreams, guides and manuals, feedback from Theo, our Publishing Manager … we recorded everything. “
2. An indestructible destiny 🤝
Mathis: “We had a clear, very big goal from the start: to bring our first game onto the market. We were so determined to achieve this goal, which resulted in a lot of hard work, a lot of focus and a lot of willpower during our marathon sprint. This also helped with our mindset and motivation; Hyper-casual can be a challenging industry when it comes to failure, but whatever results we got with our prototypes, we knew we would get that launch one day. “
3. A strong focus on brainstorming 💡
Harvey: “We knew brainstorming was the most important part of the process, so we set a time for brainstorming each day so that it becomes a regular process. But we also think outside of this fixed time all the time. When doing everyday tasks like shopping, we always try to think of game ideas. This has become very important because it trains your creativity. Whatever you see, you create a kind of filter in your head that tries to find an idea from everything you are currently seeing. “
Theo added, “If there is anything we can learn from her story, it is how important your mindset is to making it big in hyper-casual. With their focus on brainstorming and sheer determination, Harvey and Mathis are a perfect example of the mindset you need to be successful. Even without years of experience and significant learning, the right approach to brainstorming and prototyping can help you get your first hit game on the market in less than a year. What’s more, two months after their first hit was fully released, they’re already thinking about what’s next; they want to go further and do something bigger. I look forward to seeing what’s next. “
