My GAMA Online Presentation about Acquiring New Players (And Why I Chose This Topic)
#ttrpg #ttrpgs #hobbygames
Hiya! I wanted to let you know I am presenting at the 2021 Online GAMA Expo. This particular topic is one I’m passionate about, and I wanted to talk a little bit about why that is today.
The term “new player” is one that I feel needs to be defined whenever we’re designing, presenting, or selling games. Before we can acquire new players, we need to define that audience. So, who is a new player?
Well, that’s complicated because there are a lot of nuances that intersect with who that person is. A new player could be:
Someone who has never heard of (or played) your type of game before
Someone who has limited experiences with your game and isn’t confident about the rules/gameplay
An experienced gamer who hasn’t played your game before
Someone who tried to play your game but didn’t understand the rules as written
Someone who watched (streamed or in person) someone else play it
Someone who heard about your game and wants to check it out
Someone who played your game but had a bad/incomplete experience and is willing to try again
Someone who played a similar game and got a recommendation to try yours
Someone who’s a devotee of your game’s theme/genre and has played a lot in that vein
Someone who cares less about your game’s theme/genre and is focused on the rules
Someone who is playing your game because it’s a licensed property they’re familiar with
Someone who sticks to a style of gameplay but is willing to try something different
…and more!
The term “new player” is not exclusive to the phrase: “I don’t know how to play games.” Often, new player translates to: “I don’t know how to play your game.”
The one thing all new-to-you players have in common is that, once they’re interested in a game, they need to learn how to play it. That word—learn—is where I find opportunity for improvement especially when you factor in accessibility and neurodiversity.
Who is a new player? How do we invite new players to be aware of games? And how are they learning to play?
If the answers to these questions interest you, I hope you’ll join me for my slide presentation at the 2021 GAMA Online Expo.