Play Store rewards for previous registrations: how they work and how to take advantage of them

In search of incentivizing applications in development, the latest novelty of the Play Store It consists of offering user rewards if the applications achieve a certain number of previous records before launch. This system turns the pre-launch into a strategic phase: studios can measure real interest, adjust their product, and at the same time, reward those who support the app from the beginning.

What's new on the Play Store: multiple reward levels based on the number of registered users

La Play Store It is one of the most popular meeting points important parts of the Android ecosystemFor many people, it's the main, and probably only, place to get hold of it. applications and games that they use in their daily lives. For development teams, the Play Store is also the space where the downloads, reviews, feedback and a good part of the project's key metrics.

In recent times we have seen a surge in beta versions of applications and available forms to make a previous registrationIf it's important for developers to... feedback that comes through the Play StoreThe more people who register, the better, because a more realistic estimate is obtained. market interest before releasing the production version.

To enhance these phases, Google allows developers to create pre-registration campaigns with rewardsInstead of simply displaying the pre-registration button, the tab can offer free in-app purchase products (such as coins, gems, characters, resources, or special packs) to those who sign up before launch. Additionally, with the feature of Rewards for registration milestonesThe content that players will receive may scale according to the achievement of certain pre-registered user milestones.

Reward levels are not fixed: each study defines its own. registration thresholds and what kind of incentive each one offers. This brings them closer to models similar to those of platforms like Kickstarterwhere extras are unlocked based on community support, but adapted to the mobile app environment and fully integrated into the user experience. Play Store.

In addition to rewards, Google recommends preparing the pre-registration campaign well: creating a Full Play Store listing (with good texts, screenshots, videos, and translations), configure the automatic installation so that the game downloads on launch on compatible devices, and plan actions marketing (social networks, media, newsletters) to drive traffic to the pre-registration form.

The Westworld example

To show how it works, we have the example of the new game based on the television series Westworld, which opened its pre-registration on the Play Store. If you access the application's page through the Play Store from your mobile, this is what you will see:

As you can see, the first goal has already been achieved. 250.000 previous registrationsThis has unlocked a early access to a specific characterLawrence, for those who have already registered. If it comes to 500.000 records, will be granted Gem and Coin Packs. With 750.000, a code package that is also used within the game. Finally, 1.000.000 records grants a Craft Pack Special.

If you click on See Full TermsA screen appears explaining how the rewards system works for users who register beforehand. The rewards depend entirely on the development team and the type of game or app. Typically, a video game like Westworld offer playable items, premium coins, or unique characterswhile a social network in beta phase could opt for exclusive features or credits for use within the platform.

This milestone model has an effect of viralization Very clear: the more registrations you get, the better rewards you unlock for all pre-registered usersnot just for the first ones. This encourages the community to share the pre-registration with friends and social networks, increasing the campaign's reach without directly increasing the advertising budget.

In addition, campaigns can be supported by advertisements from Google Ads specific to pre-registration, which direct the user to the game's page on Google Play. In that context, a target pre-registration cost And the platform optimizes to get the largest possible number of pre-registered users, which is especially useful for titles that aspire to a global launch.

Rewards for pre-registration: requirements and basic setup

Since last year Google Play allows developers to incentivize previous registration of his upcoming games with rewardswith exclusive, additional content or coins that users who do not register for the game before its launch will not get.

Well, Google Play Store It goes a step further and now allows developers Offer different rewards depending on the number of registrations.There will no longer be a single reward for signing up; now developers can increase the reward based on the number of previous registrations. They can create a rewards list which the user will achieve if the number of registrations exceeds each milestone.

This will encourage users to share the pre-registration of a game with their friends and social networks to try to get more registrations, and therefore, obtain the most rewards when the game is released. In this way the developer gets greater dissemination and publicity of their game in exchange for digital content, without necessarily increasing the direct acquisition cost per user.

For now, the first game to launch these new rewards has been the pre-registration of WestworldAlthough at the time they were only active in a few specific markets and in what appeared to be a testing phase, over time this type of campaign has expanded to more titles, especially in the segment of free-to-play games, where the internal economy naturally lends itself to offering digital rewards.

Via | AP
On Xataka Android | Google Play Instant: how to quickly try games without downloading them

Practical lessons on using pre-registration and rewards

¡Hello everyone!

I recently opened pre-registration for my Android app, thinking it would be an easy way to generate some revenue. hype before launchIt turns out I underestimated some things because pre-registration on Android has some important peculiarities which you should know before activating anything, especially if you want to combine it with tests and rewards.

The pre-registration It skips all the testing phases

My plan was simple: set up a pre-registration page and then launch open trials to gather feedback. Once you enable the preregistration, This has priority over open or closed trialsIn other words, the trial installation button is no longer visible on the Play Store listing, only the pre-registration button. If you want people to test your app in parallel, they must manually register as testers from a specific link on the web, which adds friction and reduces participation in the tests.

This is a problem because the open tests They are key to detecting errors and collecting real feedback Before the official launch, they help avoid negative initial reviews caused by performance issues or unexpected crashes. But with pre-registration active, that option becomes much less useful unless you're willing to guide users through the sign-up process as testers via their browser.

The pre-registration tab appears at the bottom of the Play Console testing section, which might suggest it has lower priority, but in practice, it's quite the opposite. It would be ideal to be able to choose what to show the user first, but that option isn't currently available, so careful planning is essential. order of the testing and pre-registration phases.

Subscription settings and in-app purchases

No more rewards: if you don't set up the subscriptions and in-app purchases Before enabling pre-registration, you will not be able to offer rewards afterward. To use the official system of pre-registration rewardsIt is mandatory to have at least one active managed product specifically prepared for that campaign.

Therefore, if you plan to offer a premium level or some kind of special pack For first-time users, you need to have everything ready. before enabling pre-registration: in-app products created, integration of the Google Play Billing Library, reward consumption logic and in-app messages to notify the user when they receive the reward.

What I wanted

Ideally, my workflow would have been something like this:

• Create a pre-registration page to generate interest and collect emails or pre-registered users.

• Launch open tests to obtain real feedback before the general launch.

• Finally launch with full/premium features and reward all pre-registered users with engaging content.

This approach would have been perfect because premium features didn't unlock critical features, they only offered more resources within the appEverything could have been ready for testing, but the lack of planning in the order of steps and in the pre-configuration of in-app products meant that the opportunity to take full advantage of the pre-registration rewards.

Conclusion

Pre-registration on Android is a very powerful tool, but it's essential to be fully prepared beforehand. Have your subscriptions, in-app purchases, rewards, and messaging Configure them before opening the pre-registration campaign and decide in advance how you will conduct the tests. Carefully read the official Play Console documentation about the pre-registration, rewards, and tests It can save you a lot of headaches.

What are some best practices for submitting a game with a complete Play Store listing?

Los Play Store tab preview resources Images showcasing your game's features and functions can help attract new users on Google Play. A feature graphic, screenshots, a short description, and game videos are used to... highlight it and promote it on Google Play and other Google promotional channels.

Best practices for submitting your game with a complete Play Store listing

Recommendations for the preview video

The preview video is very useful for showing the capabilities, appearance, and experience from apps to potential users and improve the installation decision. It is especially recommended in the case of games.

• It includes short and concise videos, since only the following are played automatically: first 30 seconds.
• Create a video in horizontal orientation, since it will be displayed in a player designed for that format.
• Consider using text within the video to provide context when played silently.
• Check out Google's official recommendations for examples of how to present your app or game with a preview video.

Recommendations for screenshots

Use screenshots to convey at a glance the capabilities and appearance of the app or game.

• It uses images captured directly from the real experience of the app or game. Avoid hands, device frames, or other superfluous elements unless they are a key part of the experience.
• Provides at least three captures in 16:9 or 9:16 format with minimum recommended resolution to be able to appear in featured sections.
• Add brief descriptions only when absolutely necessary to highlight key featuresavoiding direct calls to action such as "Download it now".
• Apply Google's design guidelines to tell the story of your app or game through screenshots.

Recommendations for graphing functions

The function graph is an effective tool for communicate the value proposition of the game or app.

• Use graphics that reflect the main experience and, if necessary, highlight elements of history, context, or setting.
• I bet you bright and contrasting colors that they are not confused with the Play Store background.
• Maintain a consistent visual style between the function chart, icon, and app, reinforcing the brand identity.

Recommendations for icons

The app icon appears on the listing, in search results, and in featured listings, so it has a direct impact on the click rate.

• Design an icon that respects the brand identity and combine with the rest of the graphic elements of the card.
• Avoid text or elements that directly promote offers or display age ratings, in order to comply with Google Play policies.
• Choose a background that doesn't rely on transparency and that works well with the Google Play interface.

In recent months, we've seen several developers release their games on Google Play and the App Store without allowing immediate downloads. An example would be a title like 'Mario Kart Tour,' which remained unavailable for download in the stores for quite some time. Instead, developers are opting for a pre-registration system, which works as a kind of free booking.

Google Play and the App Store offer this feature to users, albeit with different approaches. The idea, in both cases, is to notify users as soon as possible when a game is available so they can download it quickly, but the notification and download management methods vary depending on the platform.

Pre-registration on Google Play

On Android, Google Play has a Specific section for games requiring prior registration which will arrive soon. Within each game there is a green button with the text "Pre-registration". If we click on it, what we are actually doing is activate a reminderWhen the game launches on Google Play, our mobile phone will send us a notification indicating that it is now available for download.

If we tap on the notification or go to Google Play > Notifications and select the alert, the application's information will open, which will now show the green button with the text "Install"It's a very convenient way to keep track of releases we're eagerly anticipating, without having to check the store every few days.

Furthermore, if the developer configures it, the app can be ready for the automatic installation on compatible devices on launch day. This feature is subject to several technical requirements (minimum Android version, Play Store version, available battery, app size, etc.), but it improves the user experience, as the game is already installed when the user wakes up or unlocks their phone.

Pre-registration on the App Store

The App Store doesn't have a unified section for pre-registered games, but that doesn't mean you can't reserve content. Apple calls this feature... "Reserve"and applies to both free and paid apps.

The card shows the expected release date of the game or application, something that isn't always indicated in the Play Store. If the user has automatic downloads enabled, the app will will download automatically as soon as it becomes available. In addition, Apple sends a confirmation email when the game is ready, including a direct link to the page for those who prefer manual installation.

Both systems pursue the same goal: to help games and apps to reach a broad audience from day oneIn the case of Google, the reward system for pre-registration and registration milestones adds an extra layer of motivation, turning users into app ambassadors even before it is released.

Since a time ago, Google Play allows us to pre-register until an application or game is released. This way, once its official launch is announced, we'll receive a notification from which we can download it directly, without having to check every few days whether it's available or not.

The search engine company wants to further enhance that registration system And to that end, they've set to work collaborating with various developers. The idea is to gather as many registrations as possible, so that the game or app has greater diffusionAnd for that, users need to join. How? Through a attractive reward system.

As we've seen on Android Police, from now on Some developers may offer rewards to future users as more records are added. An example will surely make it clearer.

These types of campaigns, combined with a well-optimized Play Store listing, a clear testing strategy, and proper configuration of the pre-registration rewardsIt allows developers to maximize the impact of the launch and users to enjoy exclusive benefits simply by showing their interest ahead of time.