Google Stadia has a lot of competition as a cloud gaming platform, but that doesn’t mean the platform can’t be on the cutting-edge. Earlier this week, Stadia started using the Click To Play system already in place to run an experiment involving game trial types. By using the simple A/B testing model, which compares user experiences by creating two variants and observing the difference between the two. The A and B of Stadia’s experiment is traditional time trials versus achievement-based trials.
In particular, Stadia is running the test with Remedy Entertainment’s Control and Rebellion Developer’s Sniper Elite 4. For both of these games, 50% of people who choose to demo the game will be doing a traditional timed trial. They will have complete access to the game for whatever amount of time the developer chooses. The other 50% will be playing an achievement-based trial system. This means that they can keep playing until they hit a key achievement set up by the developers.
In Rebellion Developer’s Sniper Elite 4 achievement-based demo, players can play with complete freedom until they complete the “Beginning of the End” achievement. The head of studio of Rebellion North, Arden Aspinall, is excited about this new type of trial. He says that typically, players could finish the achievement in an hour, but that he is happy that with this new style of trial, players can take their time. He wants them to be able to connect to the essence of the game. On the topic, Arden said, “We want new players to experience the ‘observe…plan… execute…’ mantra that sits behind the game.”
Arden may be on to something. While experienced gamers may be able to breeze through an hour-long trial and get the most for their money, new players might need way more time. As a relatively novice player, that trial hour could be over by the time they’ve figured out the controls and started to explore. That doesn’t leave a potential buyer with any personal connection to the game. They probably missed what the gameplay would really be like once they are immersed. That feels like a missed opportunity by developers who want to get their games into as many hands as possible. Especially because last year, Google Stadia’s test on Click To Play found that 35% of people are more likely to click on a trial offer than an offer to buy.
Some developers are concerned that players will continue to play the demo over and over again. However, Stadia is linked to the player’s Google account, so there is a way to limit the number of playthroughs that can happen. The key achievement is another limiting factor. It’s not like players have an unlimited run of the entire game. They just aren’t timed in their effort to complete the key achievement. Having players spending time on the game is the goal because they could just find another game to play.
