Gaming·Experience and churn
Why users churn
Data shows where users drop off, but not why. Surveys mostly come back with vague answers like "not fun" or "too expensive."
How one study led to change
The challenge
After a mobile action game launched, week-one retention fell short of target. Many players dropped off around level three, and the team didn't know why.
How the study ran
We invited players who left in their first week. The AI started from their last session and followed up on the moment they got stuck.
What we found
The game never teaches dodge timing, which is the main reason players get stuck and quit
What changed
The team rebuilt the dodge tutorial and added a clearly visible skip button to the opening cutscene.
Why new players leave Ember Peaks
New players quit in week one mainly because of the combat tutorial, not because they dislike the game. Fix the dodge tutorial first, then shorten the opening.
Key findings
- 58%The game never teaches dodge timing, which is the main reason players get stuck and quit
- 33%The opening cutscene is too long; players quit before their first fight
- 25%The party option is hard to find, so players who want to team up can't
Recommended actions
- 1Rebuild the dodge tutorial: pause and prompt the first time a dodgeable attack appears
- 2Add a clearly visible skip button to the opening cutscene
- 3Show the party option on the lobby's first screen
About this study: method · sample · limitations
Method
AI text and voice interviews, 11 minutes on average. The interview guide covered four topics: onboarding, combat, party play, and visuals. A researcher reviewed every finding.
Sample
40 players who left in their first week: 24 new players, 10 experienced action-game players, 6 returning players.
Limitations
Only players who left were interviewed, with no comparison group of players who stayed. The counts show how reasons break down among churned players, not across all players.
The game never teaches dodge timing, which is the main reason players get stuck and quit
"I figured out dodging on my own. The hard part was the boss after that."
Participant 221 · Action game veteran · 03:10The opening cutscene is too long; players quit before their first fight
"I actually liked the opening story. It set things up really clearly."
Participant 189 · Story-driven player · 02:40The party option is hard to find, so players who want to team up can't
"I play solo, so party play doesn't affect me."
Participant 203 · New player · 01:50Players rated the art and world highly; they didn't leave because they disliked the game
"The graphics are nice, but my phone gets hot and I can't play for long."
Participant 240 · New player · 02:30Each recommendation maps to a finding. After it ships, check the metric on the right to see whether the finding holds.
| Recommendation | Based on | Expected impact | Validation metric | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rebuild the dodge tutorial: pause and prompt the first time a dodgeable attack appears | Biggest impact: 23 got stuck | New-player week-one retention, level-three clear rate | ConfirmedLevel-three clear rate 41% → 63% | |
| 2Add a clearly visible skip button to the opening cutscene | Lowest effort | Drop-off during the opening | In progressDrop-off during the opening 18% → 11% | |
| 3Show the party option on the lobby's first screen | Helps social players | Week-one party rate | Not live yet |
How many of the 40 participants mentioned each theme (one person can mention several). Darker cells mean a higher share within that group.
| Theme | Total | New players24 people | Action game veterans10 people | Returning players6 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weak combat tutorial | 23 | 15 | 6 | 2 |
| Slow opening pace | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Party and social features | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| Overheating and lag | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Not enough time | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Art and world (positive) | 28 | 17 | 7 | 4 |
The game never teaches dodge timing, which is the main reason players get stuck and quit
I'd hit dodge and nothing happened. Only later did I figure out you have to press it before the monster attacks. Nobody told me that.
The tutorial walks you through attacking, and then dodging gets like one line.
I died a bunch of times before I saw on a forum that you have to read the attack early.
I figured out dodging on my own. The hard part was the boss after that.
The opening cutscene is too long; players quit before their first fight
The opening cutscene is almost ten minutes. I quit before I even got to fight anything.
The skip button is tiny. It took me forever to find it.
I actually liked the opening story. It set things up really clearly.
The party option is hard to find, so players who want to team up can't
I thought this game didn't have co-op at all.
A friend invited me, and I looked all over the lobby but couldn't find where to join.
I play solo, so party play doesn't affect me.
Players rated the art and world highly; they didn't leave because they disliked the game
I really like the visuals and the story. It's just too hard to get into.
If the start were a bit smoother, I'd totally keep playing.
The graphics are nice, but my phone gets hot and I can't play for long.
I'd hit dodge and nothing happened. Only later did I figure out you have to press it before the monster attacks. Nobody told me that.
The tutorial walks you through attacking, and then dodging gets like one line.
I died a bunch of times before I saw on a forum that you have to read the attack early.
The opening cutscene is almost ten minutes. I quit before I even got to fight anything.
The skip button is tiny. It took me forever to find it.
I thought this game didn't have co-op at all.
A friend invited me, and I looked all over the lobby but couldn't find where to join.
I really like the visuals and the story. It's just too hard to get into.
If the start were a bit smoother, I'd totally keep playing.
I figured out dodging on my own. The hard part was the boss after that.
I actually liked the opening story. It set things up really clearly.
I play solo, so party play doesn't affect me.
The graphics are nice, but my phone gets hot and I can't play for long.
Interview guide
First impressions
Core questionDo you remember what it felt like the first time you opened the game?
Follow-upWhich screen or moment, exactly
Where they got stuck
Core questionWhich level were you on when you stopped wanting to play?
Follow-upWhat they tried at the time
Deciding to leave
Core questionThe last time you opened the game, what kept you from coming back?
Follow-upWhether they're playing something else
What would bring them back
Core questionWhat would make you give it another try?
Follow-upThe one thing that most needs to change
Participants
40 players who left in their first week: 24 new players, 10 experienced action-game players, 6 returning players.
This section needs behavior data (for example, from ThinkingAI Agentic Engine). Without it, the rest of the report works as usual.
What they said
"Level three isn't actually that hard. I just didn't have time to play anymore."071
What the behavior data shows
Failed 6 times at the level-three boss, quit 2 minutes after the last attempt, and never logged in again.
What they said
"I didn't really watch the opening. I just skipped it."266
What the behavior data shows
Players watched the opening for 7 min 40 sec on average; under 5% tapped skip.
For 9 of 40 players, what they said didn't match what they did. Most left after getting stuck but blamed it on "not having time."
heari capabilities used in this study
Select participants by behavior
Connected to ThinkingAI Agentic Engine to pull week-one churned players and a comparison group of returning players.
Down to the moment they got stuck
The AI starts from the last session and asks which level they got stuck on and what they tried.
Segment comparison
New, experienced, and returning players are tracked separately. Getting stuck happens mostly among new players.
Check retention data
After the new dodge tutorial ships, compare week-one retention and level-three clear rates for new players to validate the finding.
Research examples from other industries
What people actually took away from your ad
What's behind low NPS scores
Why users don't pay
Who your users really are
Uncover why your users churn
Bring your churn data, and use heari to interview churned users and uncover exactly why they left.
