Find success with games in Brazil
7 tips to help you keep players engagement and drive revenue
Brazil is one of Latin America’s strongest economies and, with over 200 million citizens, one of its most populated too.
In this post we are going to introduce some tips for entering Brazil’s buoyant games market. How buoyant? According to Newzoo, there are nearly 80 million game players in Brazil, who spent US$1.5 billion in 2018 with mobile growing the fastest. This makes Brazil the 13th largest games market in the world.
A Google consumer survey found that in 2018 83% of Brazilians reported that they play a game on their mobile phone a few times a week. The survey also found that Brazilian players have a very positive attitude towards games: they do not perceive them as a distraction but something adding value to players’ lives. This combination of market growth and player attitudes means there is great potential for game developers in Brazil. However, mobile games monetization is still immature.
In 2018, the Google Play team commissioned research involving over 200 connected Brazilian consumers. Google also conducted a consumer survey with 3000 respondents. Using the findings from this research, the Google Play team has identified 7 actions you could take to adapt your games and messaging to increase the likelihood of success in Brazil.
Data from Google Play shows that the most popular game genres in Brazil by revenue are action, strategy, role playing, and casual genres. In these genres, real-time multiplayer games are increasing in popularity, as are more casual games with meta features such as guilds, leagues, and narrative elements.
Tip 1: Together apart, apart together
In Brazil, social connections are extremely important and games can provide people with that connection: by playing massively multiplayer online (MMO) games or by talking about games. Interestingly, 38% of people surveyed have spent money on mobile games that they can play with friends and family, or talk about with others. Unlike many mature markets, 28% of Brazilians get together in the same physical space to play the same game on their devices.
Consider how you can modify your game and grow its community to enhance these social experiences.
Tip 2: Connect to disconnect
Although Brazil has a collectivist tradition, it is becoming more focused on individual needs and desires. Therefore, decisions about leisure time are increasingly seen as a personal choice, and moments of disconnection for the individual are essential. The Google consumer survey suggested that 87% of players see mobile games as a way of disconnecting from work or personal stresses.
To tap into this sentiment, particularly for casual games, emphasize the theme of emotional wellness as part of your promotion: focus on mood, disconnection, stress release, and recharging.
Tip 3: Me, myself, and I
Interest in personalization is gaining traction in Brazil, unlike other markets — such as Japan — where it’s been popular for a while. Players are seeking new ways to feel unique, personalizing play to express who they are. The recent Google consumer survey found that 38% of people have used IAPs to personalize their experience. The ability for players to give their game characters and scenery a distinctive look and feel is seen as a treat and a lasting investment people are willing to make.
Consider enhancing your personalization options with features that reflect Brazilian tastes. Also, emphasize personalization in your game’s marketing and communications and make people feel valued with special content.
Tip 4: Time to game
Many Brazilians have a clear mobile game playing timetable. In particular, planning games for the next day just before they go to bed, and lining up achievements to wake up to as an early morning pick-me-up.
The use of well timed notifications, that reinforces users’ game playing timetable, have been shown to drive engagement and spend.
Tip 5: Gaming the system
Less disposable income and a recovering economy means that for many Brazilians money is limited, leading to price sensitivity. According to the Google consumer survey, 62% considered spending money on premium games or in-game purchases but felt the cost was too high and decided not to.
Brazilians love the thrill of a great deal and a smart and savvy purchase: 30% of Brazilians in the consumer survey highlighted the importance of getting a promotion / offer on a mobile game.
Localize your prices to match the Brazilian reality and anchor them with tangible goods, such as a can of soda or cup of coffee, to enable users to better evaluate the cost-benefit they are getting. Consider checking pricing with every app update, to make sure you’re giving potential customers the best information. Also look to use innovative deals and offers to draw players in such as time-bound, the ‘first 100 players,’ and similar offers.
Tip 6: Teach me
Newzoo claims that 59% of Brazil’s online population watches games video content. Google has also discovered that Brazilian mobile gamers engage with YouTube, forums, and other channels, to improve their gameplay, and they invest significant time into this. Brazil has always been among the countries that spend the most time watching YouTube videos, and much of what they watch is local content.
Take advantage of this behavior by linking to YouTube content about your game, creating tutorials, and partnering with local creators to drive engagement. A video tutorial showing players how to make the most of their spending could be beneficial. Such a tutorial could help tackle the fear of buyer-remorse, or making a wrong decision, the top barrier to spending mentioned by all consumers in our research.
Tip 7: Keep it small
According to Google internal data, more than 40% of devices in Latin America have less than 1 GB of free storage. This lack of space means that players can’t always download a game on impulse but need to consider its size and how much memory it will take up on their phones. From the Google survey, 36% considered buying a premium game, didn’t have a lot of free storage on their phone and were less likely to pay.
Keep your APK small to create less friction for users. Google Play has tools, such as App Bundles and Dynamic Delivery, that can help you reduce your APK size.
Conclusion
Despite mobile games monetization being in its early stages, Brazilians are willing to pay for digital content such as Netflix and Spotify. In 2016 a research study by RBC Capital Markets reported that 57% of Braziliian users surveyed were subscribed to Netflix. This suggests there is a significant opportunity for game developers in Brazil as long as they adapt to the market.
Hopefully, these 7 tips have given you a better overview of the market and some pointers for how to achieve success with your games in Brazil. And finally, remember to keep testing, as the needs and aspirations of your players will always be changing.
For more information about the opportunities in the Brazilian market, see the Think with Google Market Finder.
Source: Google Consumer Survey, December 2018
What do you think?
Do you have thoughts on launching games in Brazil? Let us know in the comments below or tweet using #AskPlayDev and we’ll reply from @GooglePlayDev, where we regularly share news and tips on how to be successful on Google Play.
