Developer Team Notes #10

Hey there, Smashers! DEV PK here.

Before we dive into the details, I want to share that SMASH LEGENDS has surpassed the 10 million total downloads milestone. We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to every Smasher for all the passionate support you’ve shown to SMASH LEGENDS! Last November, SMASH LEGENDS achieved the feat of reaching number 2 on the Google Play Store action chart. What’s even more astonishing about this is that it was achieved without any special events or new Legends being released at the time.

As SMASH LEGENDS enters its third year of service, we have experienced many changes. We paid particular focus on improving user retention, to ensure that you could enjoy the game in both the short and long term. Throughout this process, we have been quite successful. However, there are still many tasks at hand we have to address, such as new features and maps that many of you have been requesting, which we haven’t been able to fully prioritize. Moreover, as SMASH LEGENDS is not currently performing outstandingly well, we are still limited in our ability to attract new users through marketing campaigns and such. We still need to put in the work to prove ourselves.

In this message, we want to openly share with you any clarifications about the recent changes introduced in SMASH LEGENDS, shed light on the current areas the team is focusing on, and outline our future plans.

The first thing I would like to address is regarding the recent changes in matchmaking. The goal of the matchmaking improvements was to make it easier for new Smashers to learn the game without being overwhelmed, while allowing existing Smashers to find fair and high-level matches within a reasonable time frame. Juggling all these elements proved to be harder than expected, and fixing an issue in one place often led to a problem arising somewhere else. In particular, instances of high-ranking players being matched with bots or new Smashers were unintended bugs. We are actively addressing this issue to ensure it does not persist.

Next, I would like to talk about the “Like” feature. First and foremost, I apologize for the delayed explanation of the details. The “Like” feature was introduced to promote positive interactions among players after a game. However, we discovered that players felt obligated to give “Likes” regardless of the game’s outcome and feel not so good if they don’t receive them. (This consensus has been especially common among Korean Smashers.) As the feature did not work as we intended it to, we decided to remove it. We are now exploring alternative ways to increase positive interaction among Smashers.

Lastly, I want to talk about additional downloads. With the recent addition of “Madam Lettuce” as the 37th Legend, the application size exceeded the limit set by the Google Play Store. As a result, we had to implement additional downloads to handle the excess data. We understand that this may be inconvenient for Smashers on Android devices, and we are actively working to find a technical solution to address this issue.

The area we are focusing on most right now is the new user experience, so that SMASH LEGENDS can gain more recognition in the market. While SMASH LEGENDS has a strong initial retention rate, the numbers tend to fall off faster compared to other games during the process where players get accustomed to the game. Therefore, motivating Smashers who have learned the basics of the game to continue playing could be considered our core challenge. For this, we are specifically exploring two main approaches.

The first is to increase the player’s familiarity with the game. The reason for changing the mode first played when starting the game from Dominion to Duel was because, compared to Domination, Duel requires the player to take in less information to understand the game. On the December 5th update, we plan to introduce experimental features, such as a display that indicates the delay between actions and combos or emphasizes good strategic plays. Additionally, for the December 19th update, we are preparing even more features related to this. We hope that these elements will help players understand the game’s mechanics more clearly and enable them to engage with strategy in mind.

The second is to continually provide players with anticipation for new experiences. Many of the upcoming changes in the December 5th update, including the revised Trophy Road, go beyond simply providing gameplay rewards. They are designed to allow players to enjoy new content as they play the game, focusing on delivering fresh experiences ranging from trying out characters, modes, Abilities, and Enchantments. Similarly, the Random Legend rewards provided in the attendance have been officially implemented to ensure the game’s appeal is effectively conveyed as players try out various Legends.

These two approaches will have a significant impact not only on new Smashers but also on existing Smashers. The changes in Touchdown, Super Jump, and Competitive Duels are also part of these efforts to enhance the overall player experience. While these attempts may not always be successful, we are constantly debating, attempting, and trying to make the game more enjoyable for all players.

After the 2nd anniversary event, the SMASH LEGENDS team had to make choices and focus on the changes mentioned above to pursue our future objectives. As a result, during the summer and Halloween seasons, the team focused on feature improvements rather than hosting major events. This might have led to a sense of stagnation due to the absence of new content. With the year coming to an end, we are happy to see the results of our efforts throughout the year bearing fruit. To celebrate this and commemorate the holiday season, we have various events in store for you. In the new events, we are aiming to provide rewards that even existing Smashers will find attractive. Please look forward to the events!

Plans for a new map were one of the most frequently asked questions in the developer QnA. Creating a new map is a task that requires significant costs and time from experts in various fields, and to be frank, it is not a task the SMASH LEGENDS team can undertake right now. However, we understand that new maps play a significant role in providing players with a fresh experience, and we are doing our best to bring you a new map to you soon. We may be able to bring you a new map early next year.

Lastly, we want to talk about quality of life improvements that will help Smashers stay in the game for longer. We believe that interactions among users within the game can significantly contribute to the lifespan of the game. Features like the “Like” feature and clan updates were the results of these considerations. Currently, we are focusing on resolving more immediate issues. However, if we can prove our capabilities and gain more recognition, our next step will be to strengthen user interactions. Achieving our goals may take some time, but for now, we are gradually laying the groundwork for the pick/ban system in Competitive Matches.

In this developer note, we covered the past, present, and future of SMASH LEGENDS. SMASH LEGENDS is making efforts to grow as a game that can attract more users, and we aim to provide Smashers with new and thrilling experiences. We sincerely appreciate your ongoing feedback and support. Once again, a big thank you to the countless Smashers who have enjoyed the game and, in doing so, helped us reach 10 million downloads. We will continue to be SMASH LEGENDS that will grow together with all of you in the future.

Thank you!