Sunday 9 June 2013


Features that make a top grossing app - Hay Day

I had finally decided to try out Hay Day after months of seeing the app top Apple's top grossing charts. By simply looking at the top grossing games, strategy apps make the most money while action/sports games gain the most traction usually topping the free charts. Therefore, I wanted to discover what it was about strategy games that make players want to spend.

Create 2 forms of currencies
The cheaper currency may be earned by playing the game religiously while the expensive currency can be bought and provides short cuts such as reducing waiting time for items to be built.

Put in mini achievements while making the game practically endless
While achievements/mini challenges make the player feel they have accomplished something, creating endless levels sustains the players constant strive to complete the game

Building in the social element
This can be done by giving bonus credits for players who sign in with FB but it is better to make the players want to share the game on FB. In Hay Day, players announce to their friends that their apple trees are withering, their friends have to water the trees or players must cut them down. This increases user engagement.

How to improve Hay Day

Prices offered on the board do not change regardless of how long an order takes to be fulfilled. The game should reward players who can fulfill orders immediately or within a certain time frame. This will encourage users to spend more time on the game in hopes of gaining additional credit.

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