Have you ever wondered what it takes to make it to our Deep Dive Customization Program (DDCP)? Let’s take a look at how a title we discovered a while ago and invited to our program is now doing.
Cell to Singularity is an educational science-based game that takes players through an extraordinary tale of evolution, technology and humanity. Deep in the primordial soup of Earth lay the organic compounds that would give rise to life’s humble origins. Click your way through evolution and gain entropy to unlock the next chapters of life. You’ll witness the extinction of dinosaurs, the discovery of fire, Industrial Revolution and even see chapters that have yet to be written - a future evolution beyond the modern day.
Published in:
TapTap、好游 (Haoyou)、Vivo、Oppo、233、4399、九游 (9 Game)、360、小米 (Xiaomi)、魅族 (Meizu)、联想 (Lenovo)、TUTTi Club
Stats for the first 10 days of launch in 3 stores (TapTap, 好游 (Haoyou) and 4399)
Our DDCP team at APPTUTTi is on the constant lookout for promising games and always pursuing the next big hit in China. Let’s chat with Tom, the team member who discovered Cell to Singularity and seized the opportunity to bring it to China with a DDCP invitation.
APPTUTTi: How did you discover this title?
Tom: I was browsing the top-rated games in Google Play. At that time the game had approximately 10 million downloads in Google Play, let alone Steam and the App Store. It had also been featured in various stores multiple times so was definitely on my radar.
AT: Why was this particular title worthy of a DDCP invite from us?
Tom: Cell to Singularity was chosen for its playability. It was already a well-executed and complete package at the time so it was basically set for launch in China. It has a unique, universal and educational concept which means that applications for an IP certificate and an ISBN are more likely to be approved by the Chinese authorities.
AT: Let’s talk more about the educational aspect…
Tom: It’s important for us to bring fresh experiences to Chinese audiences and educational games are examples of these. Also, the cool thing about educational games is that they don’t require much adapting for the Chinese market. After all, education itself is a universal activity. It was really just the translation that we had to deal with.
AT: What was different about this translation?
Tom: The translation for this project definitely tops all of the translations that we have ever done. The educational nature of the game meant that there were over 120K words we had to translate, so from invite to publication, most of the time was spent on localizing the language and processing language packs to ensure the game was ready for China.
AT: So how has the game performed since its release?
Tom: Not only did its success in international markets translate into success in the local Chinese market as expected, its day 1 retention rate hit 50% which far exceeds the industry benchmark of around 35-40% for clicker games. Its day 7 and day 30 retention rates have also been solid with metrics performing in line with market standards.
AT: What’s next for Cell to Singularity?
Tom: The developer, Computer Lunch, has a clear roadmap for updates and is creating new worlds that we’ll definitely aim to translate and release in China. The timeline for ISBN applications is lengthy but we are working towards securing one for Cell to Singularity by the end of 2021 which will allow us to publish the app under an IAP revenue model and reach more stores. Excitingly, the game has caught the attention of ByteDance so we’re now in talks to see how we can further boost this title in the market.
Timeline:
Ultimately, there are no hard and fast rules for what makes a game worthy of a DDCP invite but we do know that Chinese gamers are hungry for international experiences. As long as your idea is fresh and one that hasn't been seen yet in China, you’re well on your way to unlocking that golden ticket.
Have you got what it takes?
Submit your creations to us! You never know if your game is the next big hit in China!
