Why it's important to make a good meta-game play for your project

What the talk is about

Yuri Sysoev explains what meta-gameplay is and why it should be planned from the very start. Core mechanics deliver the main player experience, while meta mechanics (login rewards, chests, energy, progression, social features, customization) serve the developer's goals: retaining players, extending the game, and boosting retention and monetization. He illustrates this with Clash Royale, football, chess and Dota 2, and notes that in many free-to-play games meta makes up most of the feature set. A simple test: a mechanic that creates the experience is core; one that serves the developer's goals is meta. He advises borrowing proven solutions from competitors while keeping meta consistent with the game's style. Useful for game designers, producers and teams building free-to-play games.