In theory, understanding how players engage with your mobile game should be easy. Ironically though, it’s also easy to overlook the right insights. Relying on traditional analytics tools certainly won’t help. With modern gaming more complex than ever, these tools are doing more harm than good at this point.

AI’s game development footprint is growing larger by the day. But it’s not the only essential feature your next mobile game analytics platform should offer. To stay ahead of the game dev curve, your solution must include several key features. Let’s dive in.

Mobile Game Analytics Platform: 6 Key Features

We’ve shortlisted six essential features every mobile game analytics platform must provide. From big data to AI-driven customization, we’ve got you covered.

1 – Track Large Data Volumes in Real-Time

When you only run on gut instincts and don’t make data-driven decisions, you only see part of the story. In 2024, 87.9% of Fortune 1000 companies invested in data collection and analytics.

Developers and analysts need a platform to record their game’s data. It should provide insights into in-game events, user activity, and performance metrics. Of this survey’s respondents, 78.5% say data collection and analytics positively impact user loyalty and profit.

But that’s not all. Your chosen mobile game analytics platform needs to be able to collect large volumes of data. The following figures demonstrate just how challenging this can be:

• According to Harvard Business Review, 49% of surveyed companies can’t consistently turn big data into actionable insights.
• 70% of this study’s respondents are overwhelmed by collecting and interpreting big data.

If your platform has a high-speed database to collect big data, you can identify issues and optimize gameplay much faster.

2 – Player Segmentation and Cohort Analysis

Your game probably attracts a wide range of players. Each player has a unique background, in-game behavior, and preferences. 

According to McKinsey & Company, 71% of consumers expect personalized experiences. And 76% get frustrated when they don’t receive it. 

Segmenting players allows developers to do just that. You can tailor your game to each player group with personalized content and offers.

Then there’s cohort analysis, which tracks these segments over time. This sheds further light on user behavior and helps refine game optimization. For example, you might have a large segment of churned “social butterflies.” So you can provide more social features to re-engage them.

3 – AI-Driven Insights on User Behavior

By 2033, AI in the BI and analytics industry is expected to grow from $27B in 2023 to $60B, showing an impressive 10% growth YOY. Traditional analytics can’t keep up with modern gaming. Today, game analytics platforms leverage AI to:

• Generate valuable insights into player behavior
• Predict where players will churn
• Optimize game performance. 

With big data, AI identifies patterns and provides real-time recommendations to personalize gameplay. For example, AI can suggest challenges and in-game rewards for different player segments.

4 – Retention and Churn Prediction

Two sides of the same coin, retention and churn rates are essential metrics for mobile games. The following figures demonstrate this:

• Android games have 72.4% and 97.3% churn rates on Days 1 and 30, respectively. While iOS games reach 64.2% and 95%. 
• According to Bain & Company, increasing user retention by 5% can boost profits by as much as 95%.

These figures hit home the importance of using a mobile game analytics platform that analyzes why players churn. Moreover, it should be able to predict who could churn in the future. AI capabilities can help by identifying behavior patterns that indicate when players are likely to leave.

The global predictive analytics market is projected to reach $28.1 billion by 2026. This makes this feature an absolute must for future mobile game analytics platforms.

5 – In-Depth Monetization Insights

What in-app purchases are your players making? Are they subscribing? What monetization strategies are working? The right game analytics platform can help you answer these questions. By leveraging AI, these new tools can identify high-value players and predict spending habits.

With monetization insights, developers can discover which in-game ads and items perform best. What’s more, these tools can help developers tailor content to player segments and even individuals. They also pinpoint monetization metrics such as conversion rates, LTV, and ARPU.

6 – Customizable Dashboards and Reporting 

Game analytic platforms of old simply weren’t intuitive or malleable enough. Developers and analysts need to be able to choose which metrics they measure. 

These days though, more and more platforms have improved their dashboards. Now, they’re extremely customizable, letting users create optimal dashboards for their specific needs. It’s also possible to edit these dashboards in real time. You can continuously update them and maximize visibility for the most crucial data.

The best platforms allow users to generate automated reports. These provide relevant data, KPIs, and trends to optimize their game’s experience.

FAQs

What is a Mobile Game Analytics Platform?

A mobile game analytics platform is a digital tool used to collect, analyze, and visualize a mobile game’s data. This data sheds light on the game’s performance, monetization success, player behavior, and other important mobile game metrics.

What Other Features can a Mobile Game Analytics Platform Include?

Other typical features of mobile game analytics platforms include funnel analysis and performance monitoring. The former tracks players through various stages of the game to pinpoint where users stay or drop off. The latter is more concerned with the game’s performance, handling areas such as frame rates and loads times.

What Are Today’s Essentials for a Mobile Game Analytics Platform?

All in all, today’s mobile gaming landscape requires developers and analysts to be more data-savvy than ever before. The key is to adopt and use a platform that can collect large data volumes, leverage AI, generate user behavior insights, and be extremely customizable. These are just some essentials that next-gen game analytics solutions should offer. Research thoroughly to select the tool that best aligns with your most-prioritized metrics.