Banana Special: Exploring the Potential, Mechanics & Popularity of the Banana Game with/ Joseph Kim
two & a half gamers
Exploring the Economics and Mechanics of a Popular Game with Unique Pricing
Exploring the pricing dynamics and revenue generation of a game with fluctuating item prices, a notable drop in a rare item's value, and the strategic adoption of advertisements by the mobile game developer leading to substantial earnings.
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Special guest: Joseph Kim
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2ftcc85es-CesThaafn9k0BIFSVAV8FQ
Agenda
00:00 Epic intro
01:12 Introduction and Setting the Stage
03:02 Exploring the Mechanics and Popularity of Banana Game
06:00 The Presence of Bots in Banana Game
09:03 The Marketplace and Monetization Potential of Banana Game
14:59 The Play-to-Earn Model and Speculation in Games
21:07 The success of the Banana Game and the role of bots
22:04 The appeal of UGC and meme-driven games
23:14 Exploring gameplay enhancements
24:26 The challenges of implementing community marketplaces on mobile
25:48 The potential of crypto solutions in games
26:42 The importance of assigning value to in-game items
27:34 The friction in implementing crypto solutions
28:01 The power of memes and viral marketing
29:29 The possibilities and limitations of Steam's community marketplace
30:04 Building a game with natural gameplay and engaging loops
32:24 The potential of mushroom-themed games
35:06 The future of similar games and the sustainability of trends
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
Joseph Kim
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/
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Takeaways
Banana Game on Steam has gained significant popularity, with a large number of players and high concurrent user counts.
The game's mechanics involve clicking on a banana to increase a number and collect banana skins.
The presence of bots in the game is evident, with a majority of the player base being bots.
The game's marketplace allows players to buy and sell banana skins, with some skins selling for significant amounts.
The success of Banana Game highlights the potential for the play-to-earn model and the underserved market for speculation and collection in games.
Game developers can learn from the success of Banana Game and explore ways to incorporate similar concepts into their own games. The success of the Banana Game highlights the potential of the Steam community marketplace and the appeal of UGC and meme-driven games.
Enhancing gameplay with progression, collections, and gacha mechanics can increase player engagement and retention.
Monetization strategies like referral codes and bonuses for sharing can drive user acquisition and community growth.
The conversation raises questions about the sustainability of games like the Banana Game and the role of bots in the gaming ecosystem.
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