In the competitive and nuanced landscape of game development, turning a hobby web game into a business can seem like a mix between a fever dream and mission impossible. Patrik Beck addressed this very topic at WebExpo 2024, sharing insights from his personal journey and offering practical advice on navigating the complexities of commercialising a side project.
Defining the journey from hobby to business
Patrik began by sharing his background, acknowledging that his career initially had no connection to games or game development. Instead, he started in hardware design and high-frequency trading before moving into web applications.
Many hobbyist developers often find themselves at a crossroads. Patrik highlighted the importance of taking an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach to business and emphasised data-driven decision-making, skills he acquired from his previous experiences. These skills became crucial when transitioning his own project from a hobby into a full-fledged business.
Navigating the complexities of monetisation
Monetisation was a prominent theme in Patrik’s talk. He shared candidly about the initial challenge of acquiring users through paid marketing, revealing, “I learned the CPA (cost per acquisition) was just too high. It was $10, and I thought there was no way I could get $10 back. I thought maybe this wasn’t such a great idea, and I considered it a failure.”
Patrik discussed choosing between premium, freemium, or subscription models. “All the small mobile apps basically, users are expecting it to be for free” he explained. Ultimately, he implemented in-game payments for items like speed-ups, unlocks, and cosmetics, reflecting a deep understanding of player expectations and market dynamics.
Embracing community engagement
Community engagement emerged as a vital element of Patrik’s success. He found that directly listening to player feedback was extremely valuable. “I added chat rooms, and people started socialising in the game, talking about game strategies and random things altogether,” Patrik shared. Addressing even small UI and UX improvements, which he described as “paper cuts,” significantly boosted player satisfaction.
One notably successful initiative was the community newspaper, Sim Companies Times, combining auto-generated content with articles contributed by players. Patrik stated enthusiastically, “They loved it. It kind of brought the community together.”
Overcoming obstacles and setbacks
Patrik was open about the struggles developers might face. Reflecting on previous unsuccessful projects, he stressed persistence: “Some of them I worked solo, some of them I worked in teams, but you just got to keep trying.”
He recalled how SEO unexpectedly drove traffic to his project months after he had stopped actively working on it, reigniting his motivation. “Google started sending traffic my way. It was 10 registrations a week, but it started to grow quickly,” Patrik explained. This moment underscored the importance of patience and resilience.
The role of continuous learning
Continuous learning featured prominently in Patrik’s advice. He highlighted the value of mastermind groups, where participants share their project progress regularly. Patrik pointed out that these groups provided feedback and accountability, noting, “You don’t want to come there in two weeks’ time and tell them the exact same stuff. So this kind of forces you to make some progress.”
Balancing passion with business acumen
Ultimately, Patrik’s journey showed the delicate balance required between nurturing passion and developing business acumen. His experience illustrated the importance of adaptability, community involvement, and strategic thinking.
By openly sharing his challenges and triumphs, Patrik encouraged aspiring developers to persist through setbacks, continuously learn, and remain adaptable on their path from hobby to thriving business.
For those interested in further exploring the intricacies of turning a hobby project into a thriving business, the full recording of Patrik Beck’s talk is available below, along with detailed slides.