Simulation Details

WhatWapp is a leading company in the mobile gaming industry, known for its expertise in developing mobile card games and evergreen games. The company’s flagship game, Scopa, has achieved widespread popularity, becoming a household name among mobile gamers due to its engaging gameplay and consistent updates.

Scopa boasts impressive metrics, including 1.5 million monthly active users (MAU) and 500,000 daily active users (DAU). The game generates an average revenue per user (ARPU) of $0.15 and maintains a user retention rate of 40% over 30 days. These metrics demonstrate Scopa’s strong user base and its ability to generate substantial revenue through in-app purchases and advertisements. Specifically, in-app purchases account for 60% of the revenue, while advertisements contribute the remaining 40%.

WhatWapp operates with dedicated teams for each game, including product managers, developers, and marketing specialists. The company employs a data-driven approach to optimize game performance and user engagement. They analyze user data using tools like Google Analytics and Firebase, focusing on metrics such as user session length, in-app purchase behavior, and user feedback. For marketing campaigns, WhatWapp leverages platforms such as Facebook Ads Manager and Google Ads to reach and retain users effectively.

Recently, WhatWapp faced a significant challenge with a 20% reduction in monthly revenue for Scopa, coinciding with a major game update. This update introduced a new game mode, enhanced graphics, and additional in-app purchase options. While some users appreciated these changes, others reported dissatisfaction, leading to reduced session lengths and a 10% drop in the frequency of in-app purchases. Additionally, user engagement metrics showed fluctuations, including a 10% increase in user churn rates and an 8% decrease in daily active users (DAU). Reports of technical issues and bugs further compounded the problem, potentially affecting the overall user experience and contributing to the revenue decline.

The main challenge in this simulation is to investigate and address the significant 20% drop in monthly revenues for WhatWapp’s popular game, Scopa, which occurred after a major game update in September 2023. This update introduced a new competitive game mode called “Scopa Royale,” enhanced 3D graphics, and additional in-app purchase options such as exclusive card decks and power-ups.

Initial feedback from users indicated mixed reactions, with some appreciating the new features while others reported dissatisfaction. Specifically, 35% of users praised the enhanced graphics, while 25% expressed frustration with the increased complexity of the “Scopa Royale” game mode and the higher prices of the new in-app purchase options.

Early data showed a decline in user engagement, with session lengths reducing by 15% from an average of 25 minutes to 21 minutes per session, and the frequency of in-app purchases dropping by 10%, particularly among users aged 25-34.

In parallel, there was a significant shift in the marketing strategy for Scopa. The target audience was expanded to include a younger demographic aged 18-24, new ad creatives featuring popular influencers were developed, and budget allocation was adjusted to focus more on social media channels like Instagram and TikTok, with 60% of the budget now dedicated to these platforms.

Initial performance metrics revealed an increase in user acquisition costs by 15%, rising from $1.20 to $1.38 per user, and a lower-than-expected return on ad spend, with a 10% decrease in revenue generated per dollar spent on ads, raising concerns about the effectiveness of these changes.

Additionally, user engagement metrics showed fluctuations, including an increase in user churn rates by 10%, particularly among long-term users, and a decrease in daily active users (DAU) by 8%, dropping from 500,000 to 460,000.

Reports of technical issues and bugs, such as game crashes affecting 5% of users and slow load times increasing by 20%, further compounded the problem. These issues were particularly prevalent on older Android devices, potentially affecting the overall user experience and contributing to the revenue decline.

As a Product Analyst at WhatWapp, you will be at the forefront of investigating the revenue drop for Scopa. You will engage in real-time chat interactions with key team members, including the game’s Senior Game Producer, Alessio Bianchi, and the Lead Paid Advertising Specialist, Giulia Rossi. These interactions will involve gathering information about recent changes to the game, marketing strategies, and user engagement metrics. You must navigate the dynamics of these conversations, understanding the perspectives and potential conflicts among stakeholders. By synthesizing this information, you will identify the root causes of the revenue decline and propose actionable solutions to address the issue. You will report to Martina Russo, the Head of Product Analysis.

– Communicate with the game’s Producer and the paid advertising specialist to gather detailed information about recent changes and potential issues.
– Synthesize the insights obtained from these conversations to identify three potential reasons for the revenue decline.
– Develop and propose improvements to processes to prevent similar issues in the future, including strategies for better testing and campaign management.

Once you completed all the tasks, save the required final document in a PDF or DOCX and send it to Martina Russo.

Team

Who you will work with in this Simulation
Your team is 100% generated by AI – you will not interact with real people and no human will read your conversation.

Alessio Bianchi
Senior Game Producer

Giulia Rossi
Lead Paid Advertising Specialist

Alex Morgan
Product Analyst

Martina Russo
Head of Product Analysis

Organization

A leading company in the mobile gaming industry, known for its expertise in developing mobile card games and evergreen games.