"A game is only as good as what the players say about it. Everything else doesn't matter" — Electronic Arts on development
EA's Chief Operating Officer, Arjun Balaram, shared key principles that help the company maintain user interest in its service games.
Plants vs Zombies 2
There are four principles.
1. Be ready to change the game, regardless of the effort already invested
While working on Bejeweled Blitz, the team spent significant time and effort on additional features. However, it turned out that players were only interested in scoring points. Ultimately, they had to abandon the new additions and begin a project redesign.
2. Give players what they want
For Plants vs Zombies 2, developers initially planned large paid updates with new worlds, levels, and 20-30 new plants. Players, however, were only interested in the new plants, not the extensive content. So, the team shifted to releasing one premium plant per month for the same five dollars with less effort—and it worked.
3. Make updates regular
Regular updates and even simple notifications about them help users form a habit of returning to the game. For example, in Plants vs Zombies 2, a timer was added counting down to the next daily quest. This became the key to the game's stable DAU (Daily Active Users).
4. Remember, results matter more than the process
Players care about:
- how frequently updates are released;
- how much new content is added.
How these were implemented interests them the least.
In conclusion, Balaram emphasized that no game will thrive without considering audience feedback and adapting accordingly. “Remember, a game is only as good as its players say it is. Everything else is irrelevant,” summarized Balaram.
