game design

Elevate your
Mobile Game’s Design

Partner with industry-leading experts to design the core systems of your mobile game, including progression systems, economy models, core loops, and monetization strategies. We develop comprehensive feature specifications—such as core loop flows, progression systems, and economy models—to ensure your game design aligns with both your business objectives and player expectations.

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What is Mobile Game Design?

Mobile Product Management and Game Design involve the strategic planning, development, and management of mobile games to ensure they meet both business goals and player expectations. A successful product management and game design ensure a successful, engaging and profitable game.

concept to monetization

Game Design Consulting
Service Offerings

Get expert guidance on mobile game design, from napkin concept to soft launch to live ops. We help you refine your ideas and create captivating games that stand out in the mobile market. Let’s create something great together.

Game Design
Analysis

In-depth analysis of your mobile game’s design elements, mechanics, and user experience to identify areas of improvement and ensure a cohesive, engaging player journey.

Future Features
& Enhancements

Detailed evaluation and strategic planning for future features and enhancements, ensuring continuous improvement, player engagement, and longevity of your game.

Game Economy
Design

Expert advice on crafting balanced and sustainable in-game economies, from virtual currency systems to resource management, to maintain player interest and maximize long-term revenue.

Player
Engagement

Innovative strategies to boost player retention and user engagement through refined game mechanics, compelling content, and personalized player experiences.

Game Monetization Strategies

Guidance on optimizing in-game purchases, ad placements, and monetization methods to boost revenue while preserving player satisfaction. Additionally, we offer monetization modeling to enhance revenue streams.

Progression
Modeling

Comprehensive progression modeling to ensure a balanced and rewarding player journey, maintaining engagement and satisfaction as players advance through the game.

Gaming User
Experience Design

Enhancing the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) to create a seamless, intuitive, and enjoyable gameplay environment, ensuring players remain engaged and satisfied.

Go, No-Go
Analysis

Comprehensive assessments to help clients determine whether to continue investing in a product, based on detailed evaluations of market potential, design viability, and projected success.

Let’s Get Started

Each of these service offerings is backed by our extensive experience and tailored to meet the unique needs of your mobile game, leveraging both our industry knowledge and data-driven insights.

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Gaming Platforms We Work With

While much of our work centers around mobile and freemium models, we are also well-versed in developing premium products, boxed/AAA games, and working on alternative and emerging platforms. Our extensive expertise enables us to address a diverse array of gaming needs and project requirements effectively.

MOBILE PLATFORMS

PC PLATFORMS

CONSOLE PLATFORMS

VR/AR Platforms

WEB PLATFORMS

Gaming Engines:

UNITY

UNREAL ENGINE

case studies

Relevant Success Stories

Since 2008, Adrian Crook & Associates has helped over 300 developers of all sizes maximize the ROI of their freemium games. As veteran product managers, economists, and designers, we guide each of our clients through an explicitly personalized, data-driven process. At every stage of a product’s lifecycle we provide actionable, innovative insights that deliver results.

LBC

Hempire

First time game maker LBC Studios partnered with AC&A in 2015 to create what became Hempire, the world’s greatest weed growing game!

RTB HOUSE

Used Car Dealer 2

AC&A teamed up with RTB House to conduct an extensive design audit of their mobile game, Used Car Dealer 2. The focus was to identify design and monetization issues and propose actionable solutions.

MANCHESTER CITY

City Football Group

City Football Group (CFG) is the principal organization owning globally celebrated soccer clubs Manchester City and New York City FC.

Orpheus Interactive Inc.

Sons of Anarchy

Creators, Orpheus Interactive Inc., needed extensive high-level documentation of their game in order to secure a broadcast license from Fox Television.

Amaze Entertainment

Prince & the Frog

The Princess and the Frog is a Wii and PC game based on the Disney movie released Fall 2009. Adrian was contracted by Amaze Entertainment to author the high level design…

SEE ALL CASE STUDIES

Why Choose AC&A for Game Design?

Extensive Industry Experience and Proven Track Record:

With over 16 years in the gaming business and a portfolio of more than 300 clients, we bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every project. Our longevity ensures we will be around to follow up with you if you need to make changes or if problems arise. Our history of increasing ARPU, LTV, and player retention rates across diverse game genres demonstrates our ability to deliver impactful results.

Specialized Expertise:

We assign the right Associates to each project based on their specific genre experience and expertise, ensuring the highest quality of work. Our team includes professionals with extremely varied skillsets, from Harvard economists to monetization spreadsheet wizards, crypto gaming experts, data engineers, and data architects.

Data-Driven Decision Making:

Our approach leverages decades of industry experience and the intuition developed over those years, combined with the ability to perform in-depth analysis of player data. This ensures our recommendations and adjustments are grounded in both robust data and seasoned expertise.

Collaborative and Flexible Approach:

We work closely with your team, providing support and mentorship, and integrating seamlessly as if we were a part of your in-house staff. We adapt quickly to your needs and work with clients through whatever communication medium makes sense for them, whether it’s Google Docs, Discord, Slack, Zoom, Basecamp, Teams, or any other platform.

Trusted Partnerships and Network:

Our deep industry connections enable us to quickly assemble skilled and reliable teams to meet any project requirements. We have extensive experience in staffing entire development teams from our personal networks and sourcing work-for-hire teams. Additionally, for specialized areas like user acquisition and marketing, we collaborate with reputable partners who have a proven track record of success, ensuring a comprehensive solution for your needs.

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phase 01

Foundation & Discovery

Requirements Discovery

Gather and analyze project requirements to ensure a clear understanding of objectives and goals.

Competitive Analysis

Assess the competitive landscape to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Review Historical KPIs and Documentation

Evaluate any existing KPIs and consume current documentation to understand past performance and insights.

Deep Product Understanding

Play and thoroughly understand the product (if possible) to gain firsthand experience and identify areas for improvement.

phase 02

Planning & Design

Set KPI Goals

Establish clear and ambitious key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure project success.

Concept Overview & Refinement

Develop initial game concepts and refine them based on feedback and feasibility.

PRD Drafting

Create detailed Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) to guide the development process.

Team Review

Conduct thorough reviews of PRDs and concepts with the team to ensure alignment and clarity.

phase 03

Implementation & Optimization

Implementation With Team

Collaborate closely with the development team to implement the game design according to the PRD.

A/B Testing (If Required)

Conduct A/B testing to compare different design elements and optimize performance.

Full Deployment & KPI Monitoring

Launch the game and continuously monitor KPIs to track its performance and impact.

Iterative Tweaks Based on Learnings

Make data-driven adjustments and improvements based on KPI analysis and user feedback to enhance the game’s success.

Ready to Improve your Mobile Game’s Design?

Contact us today to discuss how we can help take your game to the next level. Fill out the form below or schedule a meeting for expert mobile gaming advice.

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FAQs

At what stage of designing our game should we involve AC&A?

We can be involved at any stage, whether it’s during the documentation phase or after the product is already in the market. Ideally, we prefer to start before the soft launch, allowing enough time for meaningful changes. However, we can provide value at any point in your project’s lifecycle.

How much do your game design services cost?

While we may not be the cheapest option, our pricing is competitive compared to the cost of a fully loaded headcount over the same period. The advantage of working with us is that you can engage our expertise just long enough to ensure you avoid wasting time, money, or resources on ineffective game design or monetization strategies, keeping your team focused and efficient.

What kind of games have you worked on in the past?

We have worked on a wide variety of games across different genres, including action, adventure, puzzle, strategy, and more. Our portfolio also includes more esoteric genres such as 4X games, simulation, idle games, and educational games. We select the Associate best suited to each engagement based on how their prior genre experience aligns with the client’s needs, as well as their specific expertise. For instance, the Associate who creates your monetization model spreadsheet will differ from the one working on your go-to-market strategy. This ensures you receive specialized and strategic support tailored to your project.

How do you measure the success of a game design project?

While most clients want us to focus on ensuring their players’ LTV exceeds their CPA, we’ve also worked on products where revenue wasn’t the primary KPI. In such cases, retention is the primary KPI, especially for products that are extensions of a property already established in another medium, such as a TV game show. We tailor our success metrics to align with your specific goals, whether that’s revenue, retention, or overall player satisfaction. We use data-driven analysis to continuously monitor and optimize these metrics.

Can you handle non-game products, such as those looking to incorporate gamification?

Yes, we’ve worked on numerous non-game products over the years. We don’t approach gamification with a one-size-fits-all attitude. A gamification strategy for an EdTech product is quite different from one for a lifestyle product for adults. Our goal is to ensure that the gamification elements enhance retention and monetization without overpowering the core purpose of the product. We design these elements to complement and improve the user experience, not to become the focus of the product itself.

Do you offer long-term support after the initial consultation?

Yes, we offer long-term support and can work with your team on an ongoing basis. Whether it’s through continuous KPI analysis, live ops support, or regular updates, we ensure your game remains successful over time. We are happy to provide hourly or Slack support post-consultation, or continue in a more comprehensive capacity. We have clients we’ve worked with for years in varying capacities, tailoring our involvement to meet their evolving needs.

What kind of deliverables can we expect from your game design consultation?

Our deliverables are customized to every client’s needs; we don’t use templates or generate superfluous documentation just for documentation’s sake. We work alongside your team, similar to a remote employee, ensuring our work includes not just deliverables but also support and mentorship for your team. Deliverables vary by engagement but can include strategy documentation, forecasts, economy models (spreadsheets), progression models (spreadsheets), PRD (Product Requirement Documents), and much more.

How quickly can you start working on our gaming project?

The start date for your project depends on our Associates’ schedules. Historically, we’ve been able to accommodate project kickoffs within a few days to a week of having a signed contract. We carefully manage our Associates’ time to ensure they are always responsive and accountable to our clients. Contact us to discuss your needs and timeline, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your schedule.

What industries do you specialize in apart from gaming?

While our primary focus is on gaming, we also have expertise in related industries such as EdTech, lifestyle products like activity trackers, gambling, automotive, and more. Our broad experience allows us to apply best practices from various fields to enhance your game’s success.

Can you handle user acquisition or marketing for our product?

While our primary focus is on game design and development, we collaborate with trusted partners who specialize in user acquisition and marketing. These partners have a long track record of success and are carefully selected based on their expertise and proven results.

Elevate yourMobile Game’s Design