Our design philosophy, called 'social first', prioritizes community features and social interactions before integrating game mechanics.

Unlike traditional game design, which often adds social features as an afterthought, we start with community elements like guilds and profiles, then incorporate gameplay.

When we launched, we discovered that players were forming friendships based on shared interests, which was a unique aspect of our game.

Building a community around a game is crucial; minimizing the friction for players to join and enjoy the game fosters growth and engagement.

To maintain user engagement, Highrise must feel like a social app, similar to Snapchat or Instagram, to prevent users from leaving after gameplay.

We learned from early experiences that players would leave Highrise for other platforms once they exhausted the game's content, highlighting the need for a strong social component.

Pocket Worlds is looking to enhance this architecture by developing more social-first experiences and games.

Supercell believes that the most important metrics to focus on early in game development are retention and engagement, as they indicate whether players truly care about the game.

Despite the challenges of delivering high-quality games, the gaming industry has the potential to foster positive human connections. Engaging in multiplayer experiences can promote empathy and joy among players, contrasting with the negativity often found in social media interactions.