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"Machine Zone: Operating Free-To-Play with RAPID Release Cycles" Presentation at GDC 2019



Some people are wondering why this writer is writing this article / blog about “Machine Zone: Operating Free-To-Play with RAPID Release Cycles”. This writer is writing this article / blog (my speculation of what had occurred) for several reasons:

  1. To shed light to the fact that MZ is teaching other game developers to follow suit (They want to be the “Industrial Leader”)
  2. Recent releases of new features at an astonishing rates (To show the attendees of their conference why some players of the MZ games are dumb enough to spend daily)
  3. What is about to happen = More new feature releases to show the attendees that what they say works
  4. Due to their Quarter End (March 31st, 2019)
  5. Setting themselves up for possible IPO in the near future (Hired an IPO specialist as CFO with possible IPO in October, 2019 (Speculation))
  6. Why the Boycott / Strike / Revolt is a NECESSARY EVIL to combat against a PREDATORY game developer.
  7. To EXPOSE Indirect Employees who are disguised as players to retain players and encourage players to spend while limiting negative sentiment, and to reduce support cost.
  8. To keep myself occupy so that I do not look at the In-App packs that MZ is selling and to plant myself firmly on the Boycott / Strike / Revolt wagon! 


Reading References:

Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire – Another Boycott / Strike / Revolt is here! (3/21/19)
Final Fantasy: A New Empire – New Features and Updates (3/13/19)
Bait and Swith plus illegal removal of Paid contents by Machine Zone (Final Fantasy XB: A New Empire) (3/9/19)
Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire – New Features Releases and why ANOTHER Boycott / Strike / Revolt is needed!!! (2/28/19)
MZ vs Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire - Players Boycott / Strike / Revolt against MZ (1st Official Boycott / Strike / Revolt) (2/1/19)
What will happen when gamers united against a game developer? (2/9/19)

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Game Developer Conference (GDC) was held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California from March 18-22, 2019. GDC started out with an informal gathering of 25 developers in the living room of a notable game designer, and celebrated 30th edition of the conference in 2016. It was originally focuses on computer games; however, it diversified along with the gaming community to include various platforms (mobile devices, consoles, computers, online live plays, etc…).

On March 21, 2019, Nathan Spencer, Thomas Wells, and Ryan Jacobson from the game developer Machine Zone aka MZ hosted a conference titling “Machine Zone: Operating Free-To-Play with RAPID Release Cycles”.

*Disclaimer: This writer is neither a Game Developer nor work for any Game Developing companies. However, he have been a player of several “Free-To-Play” games (Future Combat: Patriots at War, Game o/f War: Fire Age, and Final Fantasy XV: A new Empire by MZ) and have invested / wasted real money to “Enjoy” the game. The writer did not attend the GDC and this article is based on pure speculation of what happened, and it is not meant to slender any parties involved.

If this writer were the presenter / host, this is what he would have presented.

Pleasantry and Introduction:
Nathan Spencer, Thomas Wells, and Ryan Jacobson along with their experiences and their job title.

Topics:

  1. Differences between Free-To-Play, Freemium, Pay-To-Play:
§         Free-To-Play = More downloads. People like things that are free. If you want the game to be successful, advertise as Free-To-Play so that you will have more downloads.
§         Freemium = New Features and Releases that require players conducting In App Purchases via  Google Play / Amazon Apps, or iTunes
§         Pay-To-Play = Players must pay to play the game. Less download since many people will not pay prior to playing.

  1. Players’ Psychology
§         Players (Mobile, Console, Computer, and online mediums) in general are very competitive.
§         They thrive to win or will keep trying.
§         They are willing to spend money to be the best (or think they are the best).
§         They love interacting with other players – in live setting via in game chats. The more they interact, the harder for them to quit.
§         They love challenges. Challenges are the key! The more challenges you can provide, the more they will participate. Challenges must be unreachable but it’s attainable via in app purchases. (Like a carrot at the end of a long stick. Just dangle it and they will keep reaching for it).

  1. Type of Players
§         Whales (Top 5% of the players) - willing to spend to attain the maximum no matter what you released
§         Porpoises (Top 15% of players after the Whales) - willing to spend but not as much as the Whales. Willing to forgo certain features but must have the latest
§         Seals (Top 60% of players after Porpoise) – Occasional Spenders. Will spend occasionally but being max or having the latest features is not their priority. Human interaction is their main focus and priority
§         Otters (Bottom 20% - Free-To-Play players) – Does not spend / or spend very little compare to Seals.


  1. Frequency of Releases
§         Vary depending on each company
§         Profit and Earning (Quarter End, Mid Year, End of year, etc…)
§         Progression of the game (To keep players on their toes)
§         To keep players from attaining the maximum (Back to a carrot on a long stick)

  1. Target Audience
§         70% of the Whales (Top 5% of the players)
§         80% of the Porpoises (Top 15% of the players after the Whales)

  1. Possible Repercussions:
§         Many current players will leave the game; however, as long as you keep advertising as Free-To-Play, many new players will fill the ranks
§         Possible Bad Publicity – On Reddit, Boycott / Strike / Revolt, Twitter

  1. Tracking and Player Engagement:
§         You can use many sources (For Example: www.sensortower.com to track your sales and download. It gives Daily / Weekly / Monthly analysis of how things are working)
§         Hire companies like www.gamerspeak.io (https://linktr.ee/gamer.speak, https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqbb59DAcbL/, https://www.facebook.com/gamerspeakio/). They are the parent company of www.ffxvanehub.com and www.gameofwarrealtips.com. They are the in-direct employees and their job is to report back to you, retain players and encourage players to spend, avoid negative sentiment, and reduce support cost. Cost is minimal compare to the sales.

  1. Sustainability:
§         You rely on the top 10% (roughly) of the players to make your month, quarter, year.
§         Tough to sustain unless you are able to attract more new players to fill the void that is left by players leaving. Advertise as Free-To-Play across all mediums
§         Create more games (different names, same mechanics) = One time cost, with many avenues of making revenues (From Game of War to Mobile Strike to Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire to World War Rising to soon to be release Crystalborne: Heroes of Fate - under Arena of Stars, LLC; www.ArenaofStars-online.com OR www.crystalborne.com - Seems that most of the sites already removed the associations between MZ and the CrystalBorne: Heroes of Fates from their sites but cache information are still available - April 26th, 2019.)

Closing:

  1. Rely on your top 10% (Roughly spenders)
  2. Pay attention to your month, quarter, year end
  3. Use www.sensortower.com or similar to track your sales and downloads. It gives Daily / Weekly / Monthly analysis of how things are working
  4. Advertise as Free-To-Play to attract more new players. Not as Freemium or Pay-To-Play
  5. Make sure that you have a nice carrot at the end of the long stick. You do not want players to “Max” everything in a very short amount of time.
  6. Turn over rates will be high; however, as long as you keep advertising as Free-To-Play, new players will fill the void left by veteran players
  7. Create similar games using similar stats (one time creation, long term revenue)
  8. Employ companies like www.gamerspeak.io . They are your best employees / allies since they will retain players and encourage players to spend, avoid negative sentiment, and reduce support cost. Cost is minimal compare to the sales.




Games Developed by Machine Zone (Some are being operated under subsidiary LLCs)

Game of War: Fire Age (Operates under MZ as Developer, www.gameofwarapp.com)
Mobile Strike (Operates under Epic War LLC, www.epicwar-online.com or www.mobilestrikeapp.com)
World War Rising (Operates under Mobile War, LLC, www.mobilewar-online.com or www.worldwarrising.com)
Final Fantasy XV: A New Empire (Operates under Epic Action, LLC, www.epicaction-online.com or www.finalfantasyxvapp.com)
Crystalborne: Heroes of Fate (WILL Operates under Arena of Stars, LLC, www.arenaofstars-online.com or www.crystalborne.com)
And Another new game for 2019 as stated by Kristen Dumot, CEO of MZ (@2:54 Mark)





Companies or Corporations or LLCs being operated by MZ:

Machine Zone (www.mz.com) (State of California - https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=03215229-24109829, State of Nevada https://www.nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/CorpDetails.aspx?lx8nvq=UrxfFEGLWap15Rkev5IjGw%253d%253d&nt7=0 or https://www.nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/corpActions.aspx?lx8nvq=UrxfFEGLWap15Rkev5IjGw%253d%253d&CorpName=MACHINE+ZONE%2c+INC.)
Machine Zone (Las Vegas) Inc. (www.mz.com) (State of California - https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=03215229-24109829, State of Nevada https://www.nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/CorpDetails.aspx?lx8nvq=UrxfFEGLWap15Rkev5IjGw%253d%253d&nt7=0)
MZ IP Holdings LLC (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201801710273-26013372)
Satori Worldwide LLC  (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201802510422-26018260)
Epic War LLC (www.epicwar-online.com or or www.mobilestrikeapp.com) (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201222010328-25514522)
Mobile War, LLC (www.mobilewar-online.com or www.worldwarrising.com) (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201816510058-26013437)
Epic Action, LLC (www.epicaction-online.com or www.finalfantasyxvapp.com) (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201909310121-25982866)
Arena of Stars, LLC (www.arenaofstars-online.com or www.crystalborne.com) (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201818310231-24471561)
Cognant, LLC (For their image trademarks, advertising, MZ logo items, etc... - https://trademarks.justia.com/owners/cognant-llc-3720345/) (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201615910057-24135256)
Mob Boss, LLC (Original name of Game of War: Fire Age http://www.mobboss-online.com/) (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201222010301-25931033)
Space X Games, LLC (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201303710200-15946039)
RTPlatform, LLC (Filed on 9/28/19 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201627310136-21304026 and Dissolved on 5/14/2019 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201627310136-26226976)
Top RPG Games, LLC (Filed on 1/9/2013 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201301010044-15827661 and Dissolved on 3/26/2019 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201301010044-25983581)
Team Race, LLC (Filed on 8/7/2012 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201222010299-15302760 and Dissolved on 3/26/2019 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201222010299-25983575)
Gang War, LLC (Filed on 8/7/2012 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201222010338-15302799 and Dissolved on 3/26/2019 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201222010338-25983576)
Jet Fighters, LLC (Filed on 7/26/2012 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201220810270-15262055 and Dissolved on 3/26/2019 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201220810270-25983574)
Machine Zone (Las Vegas) Inc. (State of Nevada - Filed on 4/8/2015 https://www.nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/corpActions.aspx?lx8nvq=JdXbklzwJJvd7JyFSFfhkQ%253d%253d&CorpName=MACHINE+ZONE+(LAS+VEGAS)%2c+INC. and Dissolved on 1/31/2018 https://www.nvsos.gov/sosentitysearch/corpActions.aspx?lx8nvq=JdXbklzwJJvd7JyFSFfhkQ%253d%253d&CorpName=MACHINE+ZONE+(LAS+VEGAS)%2c+INC.)
Fractional Media, Inc (Filed on 2/24/16 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=03879040-20426388 and ADDED Kristen Garcia Dumont as an additional Director on 1/14/2019 https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=03879040-25635579)
Mobile Space Game, LLC (https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=201306810050-25904493)



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