As any mobile game developer knows, getting players hooked from the start is crucial. But what happens when those tutorials that are supposed to bring new players up to speed end up driving them away instead? A recent discussion among Japanese game developers has shed light on the pitfalls of traditional tutorials and how they can be reworked to better engage players.
For Itchie, a programmer and producer who worked at Square and SNK, it was a personal experience that sparked the realization. He noticed high player dropout rates in his mobile games, which he initially attributed to players getting stuck during the tutorial. However, after analyzing logs, he discovered that players were barely reading the instructions in the first place. The issue wasn't comprehension – it was waiting too long without being able to interact with the game.
This epiphany led Itchie to revise his game's instructions and shorten the tutorial section by 30 seconds, resulting in a significant improvement in player retention. His experience serves as a prime example of what happens when developers make assumptions about players' comprehension instead of measuring it.
Shimaguni Yamato, another game developer, agrees that traditional tutorials can be a turn-off. "People tend to say, 'Add more explanations!' but I think it's better to give players that sense of thrill right away," he says. "Game systems are a pain, so players will prefer to learn about them after they're already hooked." Yamato suggests introducing tutorials mid-game, in bite-sized portions, with clear distinctions between core game rules and non-essential ones.
Hiroyuki Matsumoto, CEO of Flight Unit and character designer for Atelier, puts it bluntly: "Players just want to play the game no matter what, so they hate tutorials." As a gamer himself, he notes that even if tutorials explain the basics upfront, he rarely remembers or understands them. Instead, he prefers concise guidance and quick prompts.
The discussion has also highlighted Nintendo's approach to explaining game mechanics without overwhelming players. Indie-us Games lead Alwei praises Nintendo for introducing controls through gameplay in a way that feels organic, rather than like a tutorial. This approach has led to some of the most iconic games of all time, including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Donkey Kong Bananza.
By understanding what players really want from tutorials – namely, the freedom to play and learn as they go – mobile game developers can create more engaging experiences that hook players from the start. With these insights in mind, it's time to rethink the traditional tutorial approach and give players the intuitive experience they crave.