Above: Ninja Metrics Katana service
Sleepy Giant and Ninja Metrics are forming an alliance that will make it easier for game developers to run their mobile games and make money from them.
The combination is another example of the force for consolidation in mobile-game services as customers say they want more cohesion among the fragmented service providers.
Sleepy Giant operates Fofofum, a provider of backend game technology and services, while Ninja Metrics has created its Katana Social Analytics engine. Together, they are integrating their services so that developers can identify the key influencers among players in their games and then focus attention on those players to optimize engagement and retention. That, in turn, leads to better monetization.
Ninja Metrics, based in Los Angeles, specializes in analytics that identify the players who are most active in a game rather than the players (dubbed “whales”) who spend the most money. The active players draw others into the game and keep them engaged. In that respect, they’re dubbed “social whales,” and they are key to making a game successful in the long run.
"By integrating Ninja Metrics' Katana Social Analytics technology within our Fofofum ops engine, we provide developers with a one-stop solution for game management and advanced analytics. Developers can further drill down into their player base for insights through Katana technology and take action through Fofofum," said Diego Abba, the CEO of Sleepy Giant, in a statement.
Ninja Metrics says Katana enables developers to identify the true lifetime value of their players and the monetary value of the social players who may not spend much themselves but cause others to spend money. Fofofum helps developers and publishers to publish their games on digital platforms and run them in a flexible, scalable, and secure way.
"Players respond to the cues of influencers in the gaming community,” said Dmitri Williams, the CEO of Ninja Metrics, in a statement. “By identifying the social value of these players and their friends who follow them, developers will know where to focus their efforts for maximum return. By leveraging the Fofofum ops engine integrated with Katana technology, developers can now access a full solution for identifying and engaging these key influencers and optimizing conversion impact.”
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