What is A/B Testing in Gaming and Game Applications?
A/B testing is a process of comparing two versions of a game or game application to see which one performs better.
This can be done by comparing the two versions side-by-side or by running a controlled experiment in which users are randomly assigned to use one version or the other.
So they’ve identified a flaw in your game. But you aren’t sure about how to fix it. What do you do? Well, you can make an educated guess. But the best developers don’t guess.
They know they use A/B testing, which simultaneously tests different game versions and see which version gets the best response from players.
A/B Testing in Gaming
It’s called AB because it’s the most straightforward test compared to the two versions. An A and B version. The A version is given to one-half of the game’s users. And the B is given to the other half, and we see how each user group responds. These tests can help you repair any game content you’re unsure about.
Let’s walk through an example of creating effective A/B testing scenarios. Let’s say we’ve made a platform a game where we jump around and shoot enemies to advance levels. Our analytics show that only 20% of players make it past Level 3.
We think the level might be too hard, so let’s change it. Let’s test out different levels of difficulty and see how users respond. To see how players react to different scenarios, we can use A/B testing, a method that compares the performance of two or more game versions A and B.
The most effective A/B testing scenarios are designed to test out one main variable, X, Y, count, colour, etc. And they monitor one or two results, like level completion or profitability, things like that. Our game versions are distributed amongst our players and so there are usually only 2-4 versions tested simultaneously.
So for our game, we want to change level 3. Let’s create three test cases where we change the number of enemies and see how many more players will complete the level. You also want to test your original version and comparison to the new one. So we have an A, the original version. A version B with 10% fewer enemies.
And a version C with 20% fewer enemies. The next step is to distribute these versions to our players so that about a third of our players play each version.
A percentage usually does this. So, we have 33%, 33%, and 34%, which adds up to 100%, distributed to versions A, B, and C. We get our results and see how many players complete the level. Only 20% of our group A players completed the class. 80% of group B completed level 3, and 70% completed level 3 for group C. Both B and C seem like much better options than A. And maybe the reason that C isn’t as high as B is that it’s too easy, so people get bored playing. Either way, A/B testing lets us know for sure that version B is our best option.
How A/B testing can help you optimize your mobile game
If you’re looking to optimize your mobile game, A/B testing is a great way to do it. By testing different game versions with different audiences, you can see what works and what doesn’t and make changes accordingly.
A/B testing can be used to test a variety of things in your game, from the game itself to the way you market it. For example, you could test different game mechanics to see which ones are more popular with your players, or you could test different ad campaigns to see which ones generate more downloads.
So, if you have different versions of your game, you can ask half of your players to use one version of the game and then the other half can try a different version. You may have to set the time that you will make the changes or have them make it as they play. For example, some users may have the most success while playing with certain background noise, while another user may have the most success with sound off.
No matter what you’re looking to test, A/B testing can be a valuable tool in helping you optimize your mobile game. So if you’re looking to get the most out of your game, don’t forget to give A/B testing a try.
Does A/B testing really matter?
Yes, it really does matter. While your game may be ready to launch, mobile apps always have bugs. So, even if you’ve tested the game for a week before your launch, you could haven’t tested with a major feature currently being implemented.
And this is why A/B testing is so important because you’ll be able to test which version of your game is performing better. And, if you have found that the new version performs better than the current version, you’ll want to consider this information as you make other changes to the game. This way, you’ll know what to test for.
This may also be when you should adjust some of your settings. If the data shows that users are having difficulty completing your game with certain settings, then you’ll want to adjust those settings before the game goes live. This way, your game will be easier to play with various settings.
Another benefit to A/B testing is that it will let you know what’s working. This will let you make your game more interactive. For example, if you’ve only tested one of your levels, you can think about what may be causing the difficulty. You can adjust these settings to make the other levels easier to complete.