The Challenge
Kooapps, the studio behind global hits like Stacky Bird and Pictoword, acquired Snake.io in 2019 with the goal of scaling fast. While the game had clear potential, the team needed to:
As CEO Chun-Kai (CK) explained:
“With so much potential we wanted to make the game experience smoother and increase player longevity through great design.”
The challenge lay in translating player data into features that would drive real engagement.
The Solution
Kooapps partnered with PlaytestCloud to run iterative single-session and longitudinal playtests, gathering both quick impressions and long-term insights. These playtests guided their design choices and allowed for rapid iteration.
Key actions included:
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Art style refresh to modernize visuals and measure impact clearly.
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Customization features (skins) to increase player return rates.
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Improved score visibility & leaderboards so players could compare progress.
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Reward progression systems to encourage repeat sessions.
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Live event & boss modes to keep veteran players engaged and improve monetization through rewarded videos.
The Results
Kooapps saw measurable gains across multiple areas:
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+10% Day 1 and Day 3 retention
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+40% tutorial completions
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+10% rewarded video ad conversions
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Record engagement and revenue growth for Snake.io
“We are very lucky to have Snake and have it do so well. The revenue for the game is at an all-time high.”
