Game Type: Roguelike FPS | Platform: Mobile

Playtest Method: Longitudinal Playtesting (5-day study)

Objective: Assess retention, engagement, and publishing potential

Tools Used:

• Longitudinal remote playtests

• Structured session-wise surveys

• AI-Powered sentiment & behaviour Analysis

• Targeted Player Recruitment with Advanced Player Targeting

Result: Identified a steep 84% retention drop-off, critical performance gaps, and core gameplay strengths—leading to a data-driven recommendation on game viability.

Overview

Before committing to publish Zombie State, a rogue like mobile FPS, Mobile Premier League (MPL) needed to understand how Indian players would respond over time — not just in a single session. Would the game hold attention? Was the experience compelling enough to retain players?

Lysto ran a structured longitudinal playtest to track player behavior and sentiment across five days. This helped MPL uncover what was working, what wasn’t, and whether the game had long-term potential — all before making a major publishing decision.

Challenge

MPL was evaluating a high-stakes investment - to publish Zombie State, a Rogue FPS game under their banner for the Indian audience, or not. The studio needed answers to a few critical questions:

• Would players genuinely enjoy the gameplay?

• How would the core audience respond over time?

• What improvements were essential before launch?

Lysto was brought in to run a structured test that could guide this pivotal call, in a fast & accurate manner with a very specific audience set.

Lysto's Playtest Strategy

When testing a progression-heavy game such as the one suggested, early impressions only tell part of the story. We needed to understand how player sentiment evolved over time — where excitement held and where it faltered.

We ran a longitudinal playtest with:

• 100–120 participants matching MPL’s target audience

• 5 days of gameplay with daily check-ins

• Structured surveys post-session to track evolving sentiment

• AI-powered sentiment tracking and retention analysis, session-by-session

• Secure remote playtesting environment with NDAs + controlled access

This format revealed not just what players felt, but when they began to disengage — insights no single-session test could surface.

What is Longitudinal Playtesting?

Longitudinal playtesting tracks how players engage with a game across multiple sessions over time — usually over several days. Unlike single-session tests, it reveals evolving behaviors, retention trends, and long-term frustrations that only surface after repeated play.

Best for: Games with progression mechanics, story arcs, or replayability (like roguelikes, RPGs, or strategy games).
Why it matters: It surfaces drop-offs, burnout, or boredom — before launch — giving studios time to fix what players might quit over.

Lysto’s research team reviewed the gameplay recordings and the survey responses, combining firsthand behavioural observation with player-reported sentiment. This holistic approach helped uncover not just what players experienced but why it mattered.

Key Findings

1. Retention challenges

The most pressing insight was clear: players weren’t sticking around.

A steep 84% drop-off over five days revealed that while the game had initial pull, it lacked staying power.

2. What worked

Some elements consistently clicked with players:

• Core FPS Mechanics: Combat and shooting felt tight and rewarding

• Enemy Design: Character types and AI behavior added excitement

• Weapon Diversity: Players enjoyed RPGs, grenades, and varied firearms

“The diversity in weapons, including RPGs, grenades, and different types of guns, was a significant draw.” — Player feedback

3. What didn’t work : Expectation vs Reality

“Gameplay just felt lifeless — like running and gunning on repeat.”

"I was waiting for new surprises, but nothing felt fresh.”

Impact Delivered

We helped MPL prioritize fixes based on player impact:

• Fixed key friction points: Lag, clunky controls, autofire → smoother, more responsive gameplay addressing ~68% of player frustrations

• Improved engagement: Added challenge, clearer progression, stronger hooks resolving ~52% of engagement concerns

• Future-ready upgrades: Customization, day/night cycles, better content pacing

Results

The playtest run in this fashion gave MPL confidence — not just in the game’s strengths, but in its shortcomings. The insights enabled a data-backed decision on whether to publish and a clear map of what to fix if they moved forward.

Conclusion

In today’s market, it’s not enough to test once and hope for the best. Games with depth and progression need playtests that reflect how players actually engage over time.

Lysto’s longitudinal approach revealed what single-session feedback couldn’t: how excitement fades, where friction grows, and what makes players quit. Early feedback refines mechanics, strengthens gameplay loops, and ensures your vision resonates. With Lysto’s expert playtesting solutions, turning insights into strategy has never been easier — let's chat, we can help you take your game from concept to reality.