Speed Fantasy cricket fantasy game

In this case study, you’ll see how we went about crafting a new fantasy cricket game to rush users, to provide the experience of cricket in India of Rush Platform.

Everything started with INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 23. IPL is a cricketing carnival that grips India annually, the Rush Platform faced a unique challenge. This period, pivotal for digital engagement, saw a dip in user retention for Rush, as competing real money gaming (RMG) platforms drew the crowd with their cricket-themed games and IPL-inspired atmospheres.

Recognizing the need to adapt to this cricket frenzy, the Rush Platform embarked on a journey to develop “Cricket Pulse Game” — a venture aimed at capturing the essence of IPL and rekindling the platform’s connection with its users.

This case study narrates the story of this endeavor, highlighting the challenges faced and the innovative strategies employed to create a game that resonates with the nation’s cricket passion.

This was the main reason to create a game that can create a live game experience in the IPL/Cricket WC23 season.

Introduction

Project Objective

The goal was to design an engaging game for the Rush Platform that captured the essence of cricket, aiming to boost user retention during cricket matches.

Our initial idea was a cricket-based game, but its complexity led us to explore other options. We discovered the concept of Opinion Trading, popularized by a competitor’s game, Opinio. Focusing on this idea, we researched market leaders Probo and TradeX, intending to collaborate for swift and effective game development that combined the thrill of cricket with the innovative mechanics of Opinion Trading.

Concurrently with our initial research, we designed a quick UX exploration to refine the game’s design and ensure user appeal. Alongside, we continued to research additional features to enhance the game’s functionality and engagement potential.

Problems with Opinion Trading Game — Research findings

🤔 Complexity for Rush Users: The Opinion Trading game concept was relatively new and complex, posing a significant learning curve for our existing Rush user base.

😕 Confusing Terminology: Users found the terms related to buying and selling within the game confusing, which hindered their understanding and engagement.

🧠 Cognitive Load: The trading aspect of the game introduced an inherent cognitive load, particularly for new users, making it less accessible and intuitive.

Acknowledging the complexity of the Opinion Trading game for Rush users, we shifted focus to brainstorm simpler, more user-friendly game concepts alongside.

To address these challenges, we proposed the “Quiz Prediction Game,” leveraging its familiarity and existing tournament format to our advantage. This concept resonated with our user base’s understanding, ensuring a smoother user experience. We rapidly executed UX iterations on this idea, swiftly moving towards a polished presentation of the concept.

What is working?

• The leadership team was highly confident in this new flow.
• Users were already familiar with both the game and the tournament format.
• Users are familiar with the tournament format.
• • The game presented a very low learning curve for users.

What is not working?

• Quiz Format Perception: The term ‘quiz’ implied a skill-heavy game, which wasn’t always enjoyable for users.
• Event Linking: There was a need to better structure consecutive contests to appear as linked events.
• Information Overload: The game had too much repetitive information, necessitating a reduction.

What is the differentiator?

To solve this quiz format we said the user will predict and match events. and based on that when the outcome comes he’ll get points and winnings.

Where is the recall value?

The straightforward format of predicting outcomes over 1–10 contests in the Quiz Prediction Game posed a retention challenge for users who experienced losses. This situation highlighted a lack of recall value, a critical factor we had initially overlooked. To ensure sustained user interest throughout the entire match, even after losses, we recognized the necessity to innovate a solution that enhances user retention and engagement.

💡 To solve this issue we designed a tournament format

Structure of the Tournament Format

🌴 Mega Tournament: This is the primary tournament, structured around an entire cricket match. In this format, users have the opportunity to win significant prize money, capturing the essence and excitement of a full match experience.

🎋 Mini Tournament/Contests: In addition to the Mega Tournament, the game features Mini Tournaments, each based on a 10-over slot. There are 10 such Mini Tournaments within one Mega Tournament, aligning with the various phases of a cricket match. This structure offers users multiple engagement points and opportunities to win within the larger framework of the Mega Tournament.

The prize pool for the Mega Tournament is distributed based on the outcomes of the 10 Mini Tournaments. This structure ensures that the overall winnings are tied to the performance in these smaller contests.

The intricate structure of having multiple Mini Tournaments within a Mega Tournament is designed to keep users engaged throughout the entire cricket match. By aligning the winnings of each Contest with the entry fee (e.g., win ₹10 for a ₹10 entry fee), users are incentivized to stay engaged, with the opportunity to recover their entry costs through consistent play.

Users are allowed to take multiple entries in each Mini Tournament, akin to selecting multiple positions in a fantasy team. This feature introduces a strategic element, as users can diversify their predictions and increase their chances of winning in various segments of the game.

Let’s Deep Dive in to the Game Format now

Onboarding Flow -

• Home Screen Engagement:

Users are welcomed with an invitation to play the new game, featuring a 50 Lakh Rs Prize Pool, capturing their interest right away.

• Game Introduction:

An intro video plays upon game entry, explaining the game format and rules, and smoothly guiding users into the game experience.

• First Contest Interaction:

In the lobby, users immediately see the first contest, encouraging quick engagement and participation in the game.

Contest Entry/ Lobby:

• Central Access Point: The lobby serves as the hub for all match contests, offering users a comprehensive view.
• Information Hierarchy: Cards are designed to prioritize key information — first, the Prize Pool, followed by the user’s leaderboard rank and potential winnings.
• Match Updates: A Live Match ticker doubles as a notification panel, keeping users informed about Match Events.
• Contest Details: Additional information about the contests and mini-tournaments is readily accessible here.

• Live Results Display: Post-contest, users can view their live winnings on the leaderboard as results are announced.
• Transition to Next Contest: Once all results are declared, users see their total winnings for that contest, and are seamlessly guided to the next contest.

Personalise Live Match experience — Motivation

• Integrated Live Score Ticker: To maintain user motivation and sync with ongoing cricket matches, we’ve added a live match score ticker in both the lobby and on the leaderboards.
• Preventing FOMO: This integration ensures users stay updated with real-time match progress, eliminating any feeling of missing out while engaged in the game.

Core flow -

👉🏻 First Time User Engagement: Users land on the Home screen, spotting a new tile highlighting the most played game with a 50 lakh prize pool. Intrigued, the user decides to give it a try.

👉🏻 Introductory Phase: An intro video plays, introducing the game’s format. Post-video, users see an option to play Contest 1 for ₹10.

👉🏻 Contest Participation: Upon entering with ₹10, a loading screen provides contest information and potential winnings.

👉🏻 Gameplay Mechanics: Users participate in a five-question game, where they predict various events in the cricket match.

👉🏻 Scoring System: Based on accurate predictions, users earn fantasy points, contributing to their performance in the game.

👉🏻 Users engage in a five-question game, predicting match events to earn fantasy points.

👉🏻 Leaderboard Dynamics: Fantasy points determine the user’s rank on the Leaderboard. Multiple contest entries offer chances to maximize winnings and leaderboard ranking.

Results and metrics

• Revenue Performance: The game generated daily revenues between $50,000 and $60,000 USD.
• User Engagement: Daily Active Contest Users (DACU) was approximately 40,000 USD.
• Game Ranking: It ranked among the top 5 games.
• Future Prospects: With its success, the game will see a next version launch in the IPL 24 season.

Summary and Conclusion

The Rush Platform’s Quiz Prediction Game, introduced during Mens Cricket World Cup 23, successfully engaged users by allowing them to predict cricket match events in a tournament-style format. Balancing familiarity and innovation, this approach led to substantial revenue and user engagement. Looking forward, the game is set for enhancements in the IPL 24 season, promising more interactive and personalized features to boost its appeal and user retention further.

Lastly, If I had to design this game today what would i do?

1. Simplified Interface: Design a user-friendly and intuitive interface.
2. Personalization: Utilize AI to tailor experiences based on user behavior.
3. Varied Game Modes: Introduce different play modes to cater to diverse preferences.
4. Social Integration: Add features for social interaction and competition.
5. Regular Content Updates: Keep the game fresh with ongoing updates linked to current cricket events.
6. Enhanced Reward System: Develop a more engaging and motivating reward structure.