If you are a game development company looking for ways to increase the marketability of your latest game, then running a marketability test is an effective way to do so. A marketability test is an analysis that provides valuable information about how well your game will perform in the marketplace.
This guide explains the steps necessary to run a successful marketability test and how you can use this data to improve the quality of your game and make it more attractive to potential buyers. With the right strategy, you can ensure that your game stands out from the competition and reaches its full potential.
What is a Marketability Test?
In game development, a marketability test is a method used to assess how well consumers will receive a game and how popular it will be in the market. This test aims to identify areas where the game needs improvement or features that could be added to make it more attractive to potential buyers. It also helps developers understand what aspects of their game need refining to maximize its chances of success.
This data can then be used to adjust game elements, such as gameplay mechanics, audio design, graphics, and storyline, to appeal to potential customers better. Additionally, a marketability test can help developers better understand their audiences and the trends that are impacting their sales.
How Does Marketability Testing Work?
1. Defining Your Target Audience
To understand who your game needs to appeal to, you should first define your target audience. Identifying the types of gamers likely to be interested in your game will help you determine what features and elements need to be incorporated into it for maximum marketability. You can research similar games and gather information about their players’ demographics, preferences, and interests. This will give you an idea of which features should be prioritized when crafting your game design.
2. Gathering Feedback
Once you have identified the type of people who could buy your game, the next step is gathering feedback from them. This can involve conducting surveys, focus groups, interviews, or other forms of user testing. By gathering feedback from your targeted audience, you can identify areas where the game may need improvement or features that should be included for maximum marketability.
3. Analyzing Results
After gathering enough data through user testing and feedback sessions, it’s time to analyze these results and make sense of them. This involves looking at the data and understanding what aspects of your game appeal most to potential buyers and which are not so well received. From this analysis, you can determine what adjustments need to be made to maximize the game’s chances of success in the marketplace.
4. Adjusting Your Game
Based on the analysis of your marketability test results, you can adjust various elements of your game to make it more appealing to potential buyers. This can involve modifying graphics, audio design, gameplay mechanics, storyline, and other aspects of the game’s design. By making these adjustments based on feedback from your target audience, you will ensure that your game stands out from the competition and is as attractive as possible to potential buyers.
5. Testing and Re-Testing
Once you have incorporated the necessary adjustments into your game design, it’s important to test again to ensure that these changes have succeeded in increasing its marketability. You can do this by repeating the user testing process and gathering feedback from potential buyers on how they feel about the new version of the game. By regularly testing and retesting your game, you will ensure that it meets the needs of your target audience and is as attractive as possible on the market.
6. Invest in the right tools and resources
Once you have identified the type of people who could buy your game, investing in the right marketability testing tools and resources is important. This can involve investing in user feedback software, analytics platforms, survey platforms, or access to a focus group panel. Investing in these types of tools will ensure that you can gather reliable data and feedback from potential buyers so that you can make informed decisions about your game’s marketability.
Marketability testing is a crucial step for any game development studio. By knowing how to run a marketability test for your game, you can ensure that it stands out from the competition and is as attractive as possible to potential buyers. This will give your game the best chance of success in the marketplace. Moreover, by regularly testing and retesting your game, you can ensure that it meets the needs of your target audience. By following these basic steps, you will be able to maximize your game’s marketability and increase its chances for success.
Conclusion
By understanding the basics of running a marketability test for your game, you can be better prepared to make informed decisions when designing and releasing your game. Gathering user feedback from potential buyers, analyzing results, and making adjustments based on your gathered data are all important steps in ensuring that your game stands out from the competition and is as successful as possible.
Investing in the right tools and resources is also an important step that will help you maximize your game’s marketability. By following these steps, you can ensure that your game has the greatest chance for success in the marketplace.
