Farm Tycoon
Designing Engagement & Retention for Voice Games
My Role & Expertise
"I developed Farm Tycoon's gamification and engagement strategy, creating a competitive progression system that kept players returning. I structured monetisation through a premium version while ensuring scalability across Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung Bixby. Beyond UX, I designed the game's UI and all game screens, ensuring a visually cohesive multimodal experience across platforms."
1. THE CHALENGE
How do we keep players returning for more in a game with minimal mechanics?
Farm Tycoon was designed as a straightforward voice game, but simplicity alone doesn't drive engagement. The challenge was to make a minimalist voice experience feel dynamic, rewarding, and worth replaying.
At the same time, we had to:
Encourage repeat play in a format where user retention is difficult.
Develop a progression system that motivates players without overwhelming them.
Achieve smooth performance across Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung Bixby in various languages.
2. THE SOLUTION
A Fast-Paced and Witty Farm Strategy Game
Unlike most voice games that rely on passive storytelling, Farm Tycoon is a decision-driven experience that puts players in the role of an aspiring farm mogul. Success depends on quick thinking, risk-taking, and strategic choices to climb the ranks of the farming elite.
To increase engagement and retention, we implemented:
Gamification & Narrative-Driven Engagement
Designed for quick, repeatable sessions, the game combines engaging gameplay loops with a sarcastic script that keeps players invested. Dynamic storytelling elements make decisions feel meaningful, while Wealth & Goodwill points drive achievement and progression, encouraging players to return.
Fast-Paced Decision Making
Quick choices create a sense of urgency, making each session unique.
Ranked Progression
A competitive system that pushes players to rise through the farmer society ranks. Players compete for rankings, providing a sense of accomplishment and long-term engagement.
Premium Expansion for Engaged Players
A paid version unlocked new levels with hundreds of challenges, offered only to highly engaged players who had reached a certain level. This strategic upsell ensured players were deeply engaged before being invited to continue their journey with exclusive content and advanced challenges.
Multi-Platform Accessibility
Launched on Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung Bixby, ensuring broad accessibility.
Multi-Language & Global Availability
Released in English (AU, UK, Canada, India, USA) and Portuguese (Brazil) to expand its reach.
3. THE RESULTS
Turning Simplicity into Success
Winner of the Bixby DevJam International Prize
High User Ratings & Positive Reviews
Players praised the engagement, simplicity, and decision-making elements.
Improved Retention
Gamification increased repeat gameplay sessions and time spent per session.
Farm Tycoon demonstrates that even simple voice games can drive deep engagement with the right design choices. By leveraging gamification, progression, smart UX and engaging storytelling, we extended gameplay time, increased retention, and built a more replayable experience.
TAKEWAYS:
Gamification transforms passive interactions into engaging challenges.
Multi-platform accessibility expands reach and user adoption.
Strategic voice interaction and sound design keep players invested.
