Bar Game
  • Client
    Ab InBev Efes
  • Deliverables
    Gamedev, Product Design, Development
Goal
Create an effective entertainment marketing instrument which would give a long and tight contact with as many InBev brands as possible.
Idea
Match 3 Bar builder game
Strategy
Why Match 3 genre? Having the as-long-as-possible contact with the brand goal we undestood that the key game metric should be Retention. We analyzed average retention benchmarks for the most popular game genres and then overlapped them with interest in beer. It turned out that puzzle games and match 3 specifically is one of the most addictive and it is also pretty popular among beer lovers (which by the way came as a surprise for us)
Setting and metagame
We decided to use a somewhat biker looking bar as a setting. The bar and the characters resemble the oldschool Full Throttle computer game since russian beer consumers love this aesthetics. You start with a bar that was left in ruins for you by your uncle and gradually improve it to a shiny and appealing degree. This mechanic plays a great role in user retention
Characters
We created an engaging game scenario and unique characters who guide the user through the game levels
 

 
 
Uncle Joe

He left on his bike and left you a letter. That’s how you find out that he had left his half-ruined bar for you to manage

 

  


 
Inbev sales agent

He supplies your bar with beer and gives you you some sidequests which bring you additional lives needed for completing the match 3 levels

 

 
  

Barwoman Lisa

Lisa loves the bar wholeheartedly and so she helps you with everything she can. It’s Lisa who gives you tasks and quests throughout the game

Design
Match 3 gameplay
Brands integration
A special line of quests was designed to bring as much InBev brands into the game as possible. You enrich your menu with beer and food that suits these specific kinds of beer, which gives the game an important educational element
Results
Hours spent in the game
35 k k
Unique users
536 k k
Come back to play again
28%%
Make it Real
Add brief