Loon Games

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

Games2win is the publisher of Parking Frenzy, a game with more than 20 million downloads worldwide on iOS, Android, Windows, and Kindle. Parking Frenzy was also ranked No. 1 on the United States iTunes App Store.

Our other hit games include Power Cricket T20 on Android, Super Mom on iOS, and Fab Tattoo Artist on the Amazon Appstore. In total, we have developed and published more than 50 unique mobile games, touching more than 65 million downloads.

We are one of the fastest-growing online gaming companies in the world and feature in the top 20 online gaming properties. Top-tier investors, such as Clearstone Venture Partners, Nirvana Venture Advisors,  Saama Capital India Advisors, have funded G2W.

What is your role at the company?

I'm a product manager.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was the business challenge that you were trying to address with Loon Games?

I was a production and publishing head when I got in touch with Loon Games. We had to refurbish many online games – improving the in-game creative, gameplay bug fixes, and overall improvement in the gameplay. We needed these changes to be done quickly and efficiently. Loon Games was the answer.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their involvement in detail.

The project was getting many games – I do not remember the exact count – refurbished and re-released at frequency of one game a week. These games were made in Adobe Flash. Loon Games also helped us with gameplay improvements on their own with very little help from us.

How did you come to work with Loon Games?

We have known Loon games for quite long time now. Aditya worked with us on a freelance basis as a game designer first and then started his own company, Loon Games. When we had floated our requirements, he contacted us and we agreed to work with him as he also had game designing skills, which was needed in our project. 

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

The work has been around $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The timeline was about eight to 10 days per game, and to make sure we publish one game on our website every week.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

These were casual games we refurbished. All of the gameplay experience was improved by Loon Games.

What distinguishes Loon Games from other providers?

Loon Games had extensive experience with game design and Adobe Flash, so we didn't have to hold their hands, whereas other partners needed step-by-step instructions.

In hindsight, are there areas in which they could improve, or things you might do differently?

No. I'm very happy with our partnership.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company.

My company is focused on developing productivity apps. As a side project, I thought we'd develop a mobile game based on a Dutch variation of chess.

What is your role and responsibilities?

I'm the founder and CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What was your goal for working with Loon Games?

The biggest challenge is that most games are created with Unity or with other game development programs. Since my game had some uncommon features, the controls that I needed had not been programmed before. I needed someone who could do this as well as build the actual game.

SOLUTION

Please describe the scope of their work.

I had the fundamental ideas for the game, but Loon Games developed the entire game. They proposed the interface, the designs, and everything. We collaborate and came to an agreement on the interface examples and colors. 

What was your process for selecting Loon Games?

I found them through a referral. Before I was looking for companies for this project I was doing another much larger project, so by then I knew a lot of Indian companies. I contacted a few, and I ended up selecting this company.

Can you give a sense of the size of the initiative?

The original game cost me $8,000. Right now, I'm spending smaller amounts on updates because I have to fine tune the game because it's not as successful as I hoped. I noticed that it's far too difficult for the average user to complete levels, so we are simplifying the game to get people to learn the game.

When was the project completed?

I think it took Loon Games about 10 weeks to complete. At first, we lost some time because they didn't understand the game concept, and they tried to use Unity code. After that, they had to restart the project because Unity doesn't have the right controls for my game to work. The app was available on the May 11, 2015.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the results of the project?

The game itself is not as much of a success. There were some problems I had with Apple. My reviews were not placed, and the number of downloads plummeted. The only thing I can say is that Loon Games supported me through the process by providing me with email addresses and websites of people who played ball games, and they made a small animation of the game for me to add in the App Store. Loon Games provided me with a lot of support and bug fixes and much more for the project. The result, of course, has to do a little bit with luck, and with the game itself, so that is not something they can help with. But, in general, in terms of their communication, support, reachability, and feedback, it was a delight to work with Loon Games compared to some other companies.

Do you have any stats or metrics on the project?

It's a little bit difficult, because we just completed an update today.

I had about 25 downloads on the average day, and that went down to one download as soon as I didn't have a five star review rating. So, that is something that we have to work on.

We are going to rerelease, but it takes two weeks before it's launched again in the App Store, So at this moment, it's not so successful. It has more to do with the game not with Loon Game's performance, people find it too hard.

What differentiates Loon Games from others?

I feel this was one of the best corporations that I have worked with for simple reasons, like being able to reach somebody, the commitment they have, and the willingness to deliver a good project. I think this was one of my best experiences.

Looking back on the work so far, is there any area that you think they could improve upon or something that you might do differently?

It took them a little bit longer to produce than expected, but was because they started building the app with Unity code. They are phenomenal for simple 2-D games, I think if I wanted a 3-D game, I would have to go somewhere else.