Do you want to know if your game is actually performing well?
As a game developer, you want to make a game that players love and that keeps them coming back for more. But there’s a problem…
Most developers are flying blind.
They release their games and cross their fingers and wonder why they’re not building an audience. But if you can’t measure your game’s performance, you’re throwing darts in the dark and hoping for the best.
The truth is that measuring game performance is easy when you know which metrics are important and how to make your game better using this information.
In this guide, we’re going to show you exactly how to do this.
Let’s go!
What you’ll discover:
- Why Most Games Fail Without Proper Metrics
- The Core Gaming Metrics Every Developer Should Track
- Advanced Performance Measurement Techniques
- How to Turn Data Into Actionable Improvements
Why Most Games Fail Without Proper Metrics
Consider this fact…
The truth is that the failure rate for new mobile games is around 95% according to some research. Why? Because most developers just don’t understand their players.
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. It really is that simple.
If you don’t know how long your players are staying in your game, what’s causing them to leave, or what features they like most, how can you possibly make it better?
But there’s a problem…
Most developers measure the wrong metrics. They obsess over downloads and completely ignore retention. They celebrate their total revenue without considering the per-user value.
So, it’s time to stop this.
In this guide, we’re going to cover the metrics that matter most and how you can use them to make your game a raging success.
The Core Gaming Metrics Every Developer Should Track
You ready to learn which metrics are actually worth tracking? Great. Let’s dive right in.
Player Engagement Metrics
DAU/MAU tells you how many unique players engage with your game daily (DAU) and monthly (MAU).
But here’s the thing that most developers miss out on – the DAU/MAU ratio is where the magic really happens.
This metric reveals the stickiness of your game, aka how likely players are to return.
A good DAU/MAU ratio should be in the region of 20-25%. If it’s lower, you know there’s a problem with your retention.
Average Session Length is another useful metric. It shows you how long players are actually spending in your game each session on average.
You might find that puzzle games see 5-10 minute sessions on average, while RPGs could have sessions of 30+ minutes.
Revenue Performance Metrics
ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) is a performance metric that shows you how much revenue each player is generating for your game over a specific period.
But ARPU is only the start. Another useful revenue metric is ARPPU (Average Revenue Per Paying User). ARPPU is even better as it only measures the revenue generated by paying players, giving you an even clearer insight into their behavior.
Knowing your gaming metrics can help you spot trends to optimize your revenue strategy.
Another important metric is LTV or Lifetime Value. LTV is a prediction of how much revenue a player will generate for your game over their entire relationship with the product.
Knowing this is vital as it helps you understand how much you can afford to spend on user acquisition.
Retention and Churn Metrics
Retention rate is the most important metric you will track. It’s the percentage of players who return to your game after their first session.
Industry benchmarks indicate good mobile game retention should be around 25-30% Day 1, 15-20% Day 7, and 8-12% after Day 30.
Churn Rate is the opposite – it measures how many players are permanently lost to your game. A high churn rate is a big red flag that something is going wrong in your game experience.
Advanced Performance Measurement Techniques
Ready to take your game’s performance measurement to the next level? Here’s how.
Cohort Analysis
Cohort analysis groups players by shared characteristics (date of first session) and tracks their behavior over time.
You might find that players who started playing on weekends have 40% better retention than those starting on weekdays. That’s actionable intelligence for marketing right there.
Conversion Funnel Analysis
Conversion funnel analysis tracks players through key conversion points. For example, a typical mobile game funnel might look like this:
- Install 100%
- Complete tutorial 80%
- Play a second session 60%
- Play for a week 40%
- Purchase 5%
A/B Testing Your Metrics
Don’t just track metrics – experiment and measure the impact on your core KPIs. Test different mechanics, UI changes, and monetization approaches while monitoring how they affect your key metrics.
The gaming industry generated $184.3 billion in revenue in 2024. The only games that get their share are the ones that optimize continuously using data.
How to Turn Data Into Actionable Improvements
Data only helps if you act on it. Use baseline performance for key metrics to set realistic improvement targets.
Focus on the metrics that directly relate to your business objectives first. Struggling to monetize? Prioritize ARPU and conversion rate above all else. Players aren’t sticking around? Attack retention ruthlessly.
Set up automated weekly reports, track them, and investigate changes. What went wrong? What went right? When something improves, work out why and double down on it.
Advanced analytics can also identify players most likely to churn or convert. Use this for automated interventions – special offers for at-risk players, or exclusive content for high-value users.
The Tools That Make It All Possible
Of course, you need the right tools to measure all these metrics effectively.
GameAnalytics, Unity Analytics, and Firebase are popular for mobile games. But the tools are less important than how you use them. Start with free ones and master the basics before scaling.
Common Metrics Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t obsess over vanity metrics like downloads or active users – they tell you nothing about engagement or revenue. Avoid measuring too many metrics and getting stuck in analysis paralysis. Start with 5-10 key KPIs and add more gradually.
Don’t compare your metrics against the industry as a whole. Different genres have wildly different averages, e.g. 50% retention is good for hyper-casual but atrocious for RPGs.
Getting Started With Your Metrics Strategy
Ready to put this all into practice? Here’s how to get started.
First, identify your top 3 business goals. Retain more players? Increase revenue per user? Reduce churn?
Select the 2-3 metrics that most directly measure progress toward those goals. Focus on getting those working first – don’t try to measure everything.
Review your key metrics at least once a week, looking for trends and anomalies. Dig in when you see something interesting to find out the “why” behind the numbers.
Taking Things to the Next Level
Once you have the basics nailed down, start looking into advanced techniques like machine learning for player segmentation and real-time personalization.
Games that use data intelligently have a significant edge over those that don’t. You don’t need to be the most advanced, but you shouldn’t fall behind either.
Summing Things Up
Measuring game performance is not just about collecting data – it’s about knowing your players and making your game irresistible.
Focus on the metrics that matter: engagement, retention, and revenue. Use cohort analysis and A/B testing to dig deeper and uncover insights.
Turn those insights into concrete actions. Keep iterating and improving based on data, and your game will become a runaway success.
The metrics don’t lie, so measure them and use them to your advantage. Start today, and stop guessing what works and what doesn’t.
