In game research, analytics refers to collecting and analyzing player data to understand behavior, improve game design, and enhance user experience. Here are some commonly used types of analytics in game user research (GUR):
Descriptive Analytics
These tell you what is happening in the game.
- Session length – How long players play in one sitting.
- Retention rates (Day 1, Day 7, etc.) – Percentage of players who return after their first play.
- Churn rate – When and why players stop playing.
- Level completion rates – How many players finish each level or area.
- Funnel analysis – Where players drop off in a sequence (e.g., tutorial → first quest → first boss).
Behavioral/Event Analytics
These track specific player actions.
- Clickstreams or heatmaps – Show where players click or move most often (especially in UI-heavy games).
- Event tracking – Logs events like item pickups, enemy kills, deaths, quest completions.
- Pathing data – Traces movement or decision paths through levels or menus.
Performance Analytics
Used to assess how well players are doing.