Hi everyone,
I’m working on a few games that are pretty dependent on having multiple players be in the game. I’m making a hangout game, similar to those social club games like Habitat 84 or The Evergreen Bar.
My only question is how to I attract people to join and stay in a social game when there is nobody in it? Is there something I could add to my game to incentivize people to stay in it when there are little to no players in it?
Well first the game actually has to be good. If that’s checked then…
You should build a fan base before releasing the game, so on launch you’ll have players
Now of course there’s also the option of spending robux to advertise which could also help if you do it right
I’m in the same boat with my latest game (under 50 visits still) but I plan to add promotional teleporters in some of my other exploration games to hopefully get a handful of Players in it once I’m ready.
Key things (IMO): When a single player enters your game, make sure they can look around the ‘lobby’ and explore a little. Don’t plant a “THIS GAME NEEDS 2 PLAYERS”/“WAITING FOR 2 PLAYERS” Gui on their screen because they’ll instantly leave (for the most part). Self discovery and teasers to the gameplay are important to keep a Player past the first 30 seconds (environment lighting + sounds, different focal areas in the lobby, leaderboards, item shop, etc.).
Allow them to discover a dedicated space that shows they’ll need 2 or more Players to begin, and a nearby button to Invite Friends (or if they try to enter the Game Start as 1 Player, initiate the Invite Friends prompt).