Starfinder Pilot Update

Optimizing the First-Time User Experience

After launching the Starfinder Pilot on Alexa, we analyzed player behavior to identify key areas for improving player retention and episode completion.

Objective

Reduce churn among first-time players and increase the completion rate of the pilot episode.

Approach

Based on initial player data, I redesigned the first 15 minutes of the game flow. I used paper prototypes to rapidly test these changes before implementing the updated content and recording new voiceovers. I also integrated progress tracking throughout the pilot episode.

Key Improvements & Rationale

• Immediate Action & Engagement: The original launch began with a personality quiz for character selection. While enjoyable for some, it delayed access to the core gameplay loop and lacked the immersive audio experience (VO and sound design) present in the main game. We replaced this with a dynamic, narrative-driven introduction: an ambush scenario. Players immediately make choices that determine their character, mirroring a "teaser" scene in a TV show. This change created a more engaging opening and reduced time-to-first-mission by over two minutes.

• Streamlined Onboarding & Decision-Making: The initial version included a shopping sequence early in the game, allowing players to choose a weapon. However, many players found this decision overwhelming without sufficient game context. To address this, we provided players with a default weapon appropriate for their chosen character and moved the shopping experience to the end of the pilot episode. This further streamlined the onboarding process, reducing time-to-first-mission by an additional four minutes or more.

• Progress Visibility & Goal Clarity: Player feedback indicated a lack of awareness regarding the pilot episode's length and their progress within it. Some players were abandoning the game very close to completion, likely due to this uncertainty. To remedy this, we introduced clear progress indicators: an estimated playtime at the episode's start and percentage-based progress updates at save points.

Results

• First-time player churn (defined as exiting before character creation) was reduced by more than half.

• Pilot episode completion rates increased by over 200%.