When you’re developing a product or service, it’s essential to balance quality with quantity. Produce too many games and you could end compromising on the former, not to mention burn through (and burn out) your resources as well. You could also saturate the market so heavily and give customers so much choice that they either find it too much hassle to choose or just get plain fed up of your product(s). Neither outcome is good news, of course.
Put too much time into the quality and not enough into quantity, and you might not be able to generate enough to produce a profit. In addition to that, there are the financial consequences of having a flop on your hands to address.
It’s a difficult call to make, and especially so for online gaming sites. There’s some seriously stiff competition out there on the market, which makes it even more important for the operators to strike up the balance. They need to meet the demands of players and, at the same time, operate a successful business. Not an easy task.
Getting the right quantity
Let’s start with the quantity. A large portfolio might have been the way to go in the past, but it’s not so much these days. That’s because it takes a lot more resources now to sustain success and really get the most out of it. When something is a success, an operator will have to shift more resources towards it and maybe away from other projects.
There are only so many projects a team (or teams) can handle at once. The thing is, the days of creating a project, executing it, and then moving to the next one and forgetting about it are long behind us. Today, projects are a lot more continuous.
Then there’s the sheer cost, not just of marketing but also of operating a gaming site as a service, which can put a real strain on resources. Again, there are only so many projects it’s possible to bankroll all at the same time. If a project isn’t working out, it’s better to save money and human resources, and end it.
There’s nothing wrong with expanding your portfolio, but it’s best not to do it in one big swoop. For example, continually adding new online slots to an already impressive selection provides gaming fans with just the right amount of extra variety, without overwhelming them. Featuring a ‘New’ section on the online slots page can help to keep the interest in gaming fresh. Instead of playing the same games all the time, they have the option (which they should take) to try something new.
Of course, it also worth remembering that, just like investors diversifying their assets to manage risk better, having a wider portfolio can act as a cushion. If a project doesn’t work out, the operator hasn’t pushed all their money into a sole project.
How can operators improve their game quality?
A good approach would be to analyse the game and identify the fundamental features that could make a game a major hit. Operators can capitalize on the vast array of games that are out there just by having a look at them because the competitors have already done some of the hard work. It’s up to the operator to identify the features — but not necessarily copy them — and build on them by adding their own twist.
The important thing to remember is the target audience, the people who play the games, and think back to the research before the operators set out creating and launching the game. How do they spend their leisure time? What kind of game players are they? Some audiences would much rather play one of their favorite games for just a few hours, rather than play several games for a lot longer, all because of the game’s quality in the first place.
Just as important is the fact that it’s all about performance in the gaming world, especially as a result of the shift towards mobile. It’s no secret that consumers have more than choice than ever before now. If a player can’t play a game easily on a mobile device, it’s a user experience they won’t want to repeat, and they’ll go off to find a game that’s better developed.
To maintain the quality of a game, operators should look to any user experience experts and web developers on the team, review the game regularly to identify any faults that players may experience and, most importantly, fix them. Players will likely appreciate regular updates to the game, and these reviews can lead to more polished gameplay, which is crucial.
One thing that the operators don’t have to get too hung up on is the age of the concept itself. There are people out there who like games with a nostalgic feel about them. If the design quality is good, people will play the game. A high-quality game must look as good as it functions.
Finally, when considering quality, it’s important to understand that there’s a concept of value inherent in this. For instance, if the operator doesn’t establish the right variance — i.e. the level of risk — and the right return to player (RTP), which is the amount it’s possible to win back of your wager, a player can perceive the game as being poor value for money. As well as establishing the right level of risk, the operators could inject some extra value into the game by adding bonus games — which offer the chance for the player to win even more money — and/or opportunities for extra spins.
A delicate balance
It takes a delicate balance between quantity and quality to operate a successful gaming site. Smooth gameplay, elegant design and extra chances to win money and keep on playing are all potential ways operators could increase the quality of their games so that players come back for more. The one thing operators do strive to do is make sure their sites are secure so that visitors to the site will feel safe while playing online. Granite-like online security will always be something players will appreciate and associate with a gaming site operator.
