The New Player Funnel for Splinterlands

My submission this week for the @thepeoplesguild's TPG Challenge is to take a look at what a possible new player retention funnel could look like.

I asked Chat GPT to help me out with this and I have to say that I was impressed.

*And note that I alos asked Chat GPT to create an image of a representation of itself if it was in a trading card game (see below for a profile photo of your future overlord).

Can you create a strategic new player funnel for the game Splinterlands that would focus on the retention of new players?

A strategic new player funnel for Splinterlands focused on retention should create a smooth and engaging onboarding experience, with incentives for continuous engagement, community building, and progression.

Here's a step-by-step funnel approach:

1. Awareness (Initial Hook)

Free-to-Play Entry with Rewarding Early Experience: New players are attracted by ads or promotions offering free entry or low-cost initial investment (Starter Decks, free trials, or welcome bonuses).

Objective: Showcase the game’s unique gameplay (card battles, strategy) within the first few sessions.

Early Rewards for Registration: Offer instant in-game rewards (bonus cards, resources) upon sign-up to encourage players to dive into the game. Highlight these rewards in social ads or influencer marketing.

Marketing Channels: Social media, YouTube influencers, and ads targeting competitive and strategic gaming audiences.

2. Onboarding (First Sessions)

Tutorial and Gamified Learning: Develop an engaging, story-based tutorial that gradually introduces the mechanics, focusing on basic gameplay and strategies for deck-building. Make it short but detailed enough to help players get a grasp of key aspects.

Interactive Challenges: Include missions that players must complete (e.g., winning basic matches, learning card combinations) to unlock more powerful cards.

Daily Login Streaks: Offer players daily bonuses for consecutive logins (e.g., new cards, limited-time boosts), which encourage coming back every day, thus increasing their retention during the critical first week.

3. Engagement (Early Progression)

Guided Path to First Win: Ensure that new players are guided to their first win through balanced matches or bot-controlled games.

Immediate Rewards: Grant exclusive, non-tradable rewards such as XP boosts, rare cards, or unlockable characters as a reward for early victories.

Newbie Leagues & Tournaments: Create new-player-specific leagues or tournaments with minimal entry fees, incentivizing them to play competitively and get the feel of high-stakes gameplay.

Weekly/Monthly Challenges: Ensure new players have frequent opportunities to join low-barrier events to win special rewards.

4. Social and Community Building (Weeks 1-3)

Guild Introduction: Encourage new players to join a guild or create a simplified guild onboarding process. Early interactions within a community help players stay connected and feel a sense of belonging.

Community Benefits: Offer in-game guild bonuses (shared cards, bonuses to earnings) for new players joining guilds.

Mentorship Program: Pair experienced players with new players in exchange for rewards. The experienced players guide them through strategies, helping new users progress faster.

Active Support & Social Proof: Provide in-game tips, direct access to community help channels (Discord, forums), and showcase successful player stories. Positive reinforcement builds player confidence in progression.

5. Progression Incentives (First 30 Days)

Milestone Rewards: Create progression milestones for specific tasks (e.g., reaching a certain level, winning 5 matches, acquiring 20 cards), with each milestone offering increasingly valuable rewards.

Card Evolution and Customization: Players love to see progression. Allow new players to upgrade and evolve cards easily early on, providing a sense of growth and mastery.
Exclusive New Player Events: Host limited-time events targeted specifically at newer players that are easy to win and give out significant rewards to build excitement and keep players hooked.

Seasonal and Time-Limited Content: Ensure there’s always something to look forward to. Whether it’s new card packs, seasonal tournaments, or leaderboards, new players should feel a part of the larger game cycle.

6. Retention Triggers (Ongoing Engagement)

Push Notifications & Email Reminders: Send personalized notifications (in-app, email, or SMS) reminding new players of daily rewards, missed opportunities, or upcoming events they can join. Highlight how they are progressing and what they can achieve next.

Re-engagement Offers: Provide discounts, limited-time offers for in-game purchases, or exclusive packs to lapsed players.

Regular Surveys/Feedback Loops: In the first 30 days, periodically ask for feedback on their experience with quick surveys or polls. Offer in-game rewards for participation, and tailor future content based on responses.

7. Monetization Strategy (First 60 Days)

Gradual Monetization Exposure: After building trust through meaningful progression, introduce affordable microtransactions, such as card packs or skins, paired with discounts for new players or bundles with exclusive rewards.

Subscription or Pass System: After a month or so of play, introduce a battle pass or a subscription model that provides exclusive cards, resources, or bonuses only available to subscribers, ensuring there is continuous incentive to stay subscribed.

8. Long-Term Retention (Post 60 Days)

Advanced Leagues: Allow advanced players to enter competitive leagues with larger prizes, encouraging new players to aim for these.

Ranked Rewards: Offer regular rewards based on leaderboard rankings or successful competitive play.

Personalized Progression Path: Introduce tailored challenges or missions that adapt to a player’s playstyle, offering a unique experience and encouraging them to invest more time into personal growth within the game.

Key Metrics for Success

Daily Active Users (DAU) & Retention Rate: Track how many new players log in daily and stay beyond the first 7 days, 30 days, and 60 days.

Conversion Rate (Free to Paying Player): Measure how many new players eventually make in-game purchases after being exposed to offers.

Player Progression & Engagement: Monitor how fast new players progress through levels and how often they participate in key game activities such as tournaments or events.

This funnel creates a positive feedback loop, making sure new players feel rewarded, connected, and always progressing while being gradually exposed to monetization in a meaningful way.

So now I want to ask the community, which parts of this new player funnel do you believe is vital for the success of Splinterlands?

A few of my must have favorites:

1. Free to play to hook new players in - they don't need to earn SPS, maybe just glint at the start to get some soulbound cards.
2. Splinterlands is a complex game, so having a tutorial/gamified learning academy would very helpful - and I believe the team is actively working on this.
3. I think daily login streaks go a long way in games - nobody wants to miss out on a chance to get something just for showing up each day.
4. Getting them into a positive and active guild will help new players feel more connected to the game and community.
5. I haven't ever really thought about a mentorship program, but I absolutely love the idea. I don't fully know how it would all work, but we should definitely look into this.
6. Regular surveys/feedback loop - this information is key to knowing what the pain points are for new players. If we don't know this then we will continue to just lose new players.

Again, don't be shy! Give me your thoughts on what you think works and doesn't work. Also, if you have your own creative idea I want to hear that too!