There is no cheat code to a successful game launch. Whether you’re an indie studio or AAA, you have to exceed the expectations of your players to stand a chance of winning.
That means delivering a knockout experience on several fronts. Developers need to proactively act on feedback and fix bugs to make a game that runs seamlessly and that customers can’t wait to pick up their controllers for. The company, meanwhile, needs to provide top-level support at every stage of the game – from complex challenges and user errors right through to even simple questions about the controls.
It’s not easy. But it is possible. And those who get it right not only go down in the history books as the most popular games and successful launches, they also drive engagement and grow revenue that delivers measurable business results. Think Tetris, which is the best-selling video game franchise worldwide with nearly 500 million copies sold. Or The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which was released in May 2023 and sold ten million copies within three days of release.
How can you beat the game, though? The trick is knowing you don’t have to do it all yourself. Find a partner with the expertise to manage all incoming support traffic, so that you can focus on what matters: the game itself.
The Value of Holistic Support and Engagement
The role customer support plays can’t be under-estimated. When gamers need to contact support, it’s a crucial moment for that company’s reputation. How do they treat their customers? Are they able to resolve any issues rapidly and easily?
To differentiate themselves, gaming companies need their support services to:
Proactively Meet the Needs of All Types of Players
The ability to respond to different players’ requirements and provide impactful experiences, engagements, and interactions requires support partners who are equipped to manage end-to-end incoming support traffic with no interruption to the players.
This also means having the capability to successfully represent partner brands to their player base as a single source of customer support. Typically, this involves hiring gamers with a deep understanding of gaming culture and training teams to provide next-level service.
Keep Pace With Gamers’ Rapidly Changing Needs Through Actionable Insights
Today’s gamers have high expectations. They will permaban any title or company that has failed to meet their expectations. For support services, that means gathering data from multiple sources and categorizing and quantifying the feedback to enable continuous improvement.
Studios can then turn that intelligence into actionable insights for their developers to make tangible changes for a more streamlined, improved gaming experience.
Provide a Layer of Security That Players Can Trust
There are a burgeoning number of threats in the online gaming environment. Effective support services need to serve as the first line of defense and actively seek out fraudulent purchases or refunds, review brigading, and manage content moderation services covering issues such as harassment and grooming detection for live games and websites.
Holistic support is a must so that gamers can focus on the fun of the game, and not on dealing with technical, purchasing, or security issues.
Gain a Competitive Edge With Customized Support
Gaming is fast-paced and there’s too much at stake to risk taking a critical hit. Sutherland understands the need for a partner that takes a consultative approach and offers a suite of services in addition to Game Launch Support, including:
-
Content Moderation, and Trust and Safety: Merge the efficiency of smart AI capabilities with a human-in-the-loop to monitor livestreams and stream chat or manage in-game moderation for a safe gaming experience.
-
Playtesting and Games User Research: Leverage deep expertise and powerful research to expedite game development, improve player retention, reduce risk, and create revenue opportunities.
-
Cloud Testing with Sutherland CloudTestr™: Enable end-to-end software testing, modernize applications, and achieve AI-driven digital assurance.
The End-Game in Cutting-Edge Support
When it comes to launching a new release, we know that defeat is not an option.
Our goal is to walk the journey and play the game together, crafting engaging customer journeys and providing the exceptional support capabilities that will take your business outcomes to the next level.
With over 30 years experience running customer service centers for global brands and deep domain expertise, Sutherland understands how hands-on support can transform the overall experience and act as a differentiator to give a business a competitive advantage. And we have the expertise and capabilities to provide you with the perfect environment for success.
Share this: