The future of gaming: Social ecosystems that transcend platforms

05.12.2023 - 14:17 / venturebeat.com

Presented by Scopely

Developers have a popularly-held belief: We’re not just competing for players’ time and affinity in an increasingly crowded games market, we’re also vying for their attention against all digital activities, from social media to messaging apps, original content, and more.

But what if instead of viewing our audience’s varied media consumption as a competitive threat, we see it as an opportunity to fundamentally expand our game ecosystems and engage with our players through even more touchpoints?

To succeed, game companies need differentiated ecosystems that are part of a constantly evolving flywheel of community, engagement and evergreen worlds. Developers are defining the breakneck evolution and future of digital experiences. That responsibility — both to players and to the industry — needs to be taken seriously, because it will impact everything from engagement and retention to your reputation and your bottom line. 

How do you make that happen? I asked this question to key leaders across Scopely’s portfolio of games, including Massimo Maietti, VP of product at Scopely and general manager of “MONOPOLY GO!”; Naz Amarchi, SVP at Scopely and general manager of “Stumble Guys”; and David Eckelberry, SVP at Scopely and general manager of “Star Trek Fleet Command.” Read on for their crucial insights.

Game ecosystems offer multiple online touchpoints for social interaction, such as Facebook Groups, Discord servers and regular company-hosted live events — all in order to cultivate communities of players who feel empowered to engage whenever, wherever and however they desire. Ensuring community interaction is easy to find and join helps make it central to the gaming experience, and keeps players regularly coming back for more.

In fact, this ethos keeps over 100 million players actively engaged with Scopely games every month, and lays a foundation that extends beyond in-game interactions to real community-based connections.

We believe that community-driven experiences matter now more than ever. Gamemakers are learning how to integrate game experiences into players’ lives, offering avenues for joy, expression and authentic connections across social, platform-agnostic features and new content. Together, this all nurtures player loyalty and fosters a sense of belonging.    

Most game makers understand the power of social media as a key community-building tool for a game once it’s released — it’s where the most engaged player communities convene outside of games. That’s why social platform integration should be considered in the earliest days of the development process.

Our team built “MONOPOLY GO!” with social interaction as the driver behind major features, meticulously creating loops between in- and