Google Play Announces New Free Player Analytics Service

Today at GDC Ben Frenkel from Google Play Games announced that the platform is launching Player Analytics, a new metrics tool that lets smaller indie devs compete with larger studios. Frenkel spoke about using metrics to help track your mobile game's success. Launching in the next few weeks, Player Analytics is free to anyone who integrates with Play Game services. According to Frenkel, there are two types of mobile game devs: "Those with the resources and tools to manage their game into service and everyone else." Larger developers that manage their game into service really well do the same three things:

1. They set and manage their business-to-daily revenue targets,
2. They can identify "hot spots" in their business metrics, so they can continuously focus on the updates to their game that will have the most impact.
3. They use analytics to understand how their players are progressing, spending, and returning.

Larger developers have the resources to hire people for each department focused on these tasks. However, smaller indie devs must spread the responsibilities among only a few people or ignore them altogether. Frenkel said that this gap placed indies at a disadvantage and that this was the motivating factor behind launching Player Analytics.