FAQ – Branded Games

Branded games FAQ

We’ve organised the questions below by broad categories, so you can either scroll through or use the jump links to find what you’re looking for.

If you still don’t have an answer to your question, feel free to email us at [email protected] or give us a call on +44 (0) 114 399 1011 and we’ll be happy to help.

Jump to section:

Branded games (general) ❓
New clients 🤝
Payment info 💰
GDPR 🔒
Number of players 🎮
Content and customisation 🎨
Usage 📈
Trade shows and events 🕺
Post-launch questions 🚀
Miscellaneous 👀

Branded games

What is a branded game?

Branded games are games that include branding elements such as logos, messaging, characters, products, or even entire environments. Since games are a highly engaging entertainment format, they allow brands to connect with their audience in a way that’s fun, playful, and meaningful.

Who are branded games for?

Branded games are ideal for any organisation – small, medium, or large – that’s looking to engage with their audience in a fun and positive way.

We typically work with in-house marketing teams, external agencies, small business owners, or anyone else responsible for delivering a project or marketing campaign.

How much does a branded game cost?

It totally depends! If you’re wanting to build your very own custom game from scratch, you’ll be looking at tens and possibly hundreds of thousands of pounds.

That’s why we’ve developed white-label games for clients to customise and licence out, meaning they can reap the benefits of gamification without spending a fortune on their own game.

We have a wide range of pricing and customisation options available – head over to our pricing page for more details.

Do Peek & Poke build all their own games?

We sure do! Based in Sheffield, UK, we have an awesome team of in-house developers and designers who create everything you see in our games.

We regularly build new games and seasonal/industry themes, so keep your eyes peeled for those releases (or sign up to our newsletter to hear about them when they go live).

Which devices do the games work on?

Our games are browser-based and responsive, which means they’re designed to work on any popular device that supports an internet browser. This includes mobile, desktop, and tablet devices.

New clients / First-timers

How do I know if the games will work with my audience?

All of our games have been tried and tested with players in mind, so we know they’re crowd-pleasers. You don’t have to take our word for it – check out our blog post on engagement stats for an idea of what to expect.

You can also check out the success stories in our library of case studies, or head over to the use cases section to learn about all the different ways in which a game could work for you and your organisation.

Do you have a long list of reasons why I should be using branded games?

We sure do. How about 27 reasons to use games in your marketing? Further reading can be found over on our blog.

Do branded games work for B2B campaigns?

They sure do! Our clients include insurance brokers, financial institutions, construction firms, and energy brokers, to name a few.

If you’re interested in learning more about how a branded game could work for your B2B company, download our free B2B ebook full of tips and tricks to help get you started today (we also have a version specifically for B2B tech companies!).

Payment info

What currency can I pay in?

We price our games in GBP (£), EUR (€), and USD ($), but our online store will allow you to pay using your currency of choice. Just go to the checkout and it will handle the rest.

I don’t have a company credit card. Can you invoice me instead?

Yes, we can. Select the ‘Send me an invoice’ option at the checkout and we’ll do just that.

Important: While you’ll be able to start setting up your game right away, you won’t be able to actually launch the game until we have received payment.

Do you offer a subscription model to use multiple games?

Ready-to-go: A 12-month multi-game licence is available on request for the Essential or Standard package.

Tailored: For tailored games, there’s always the option to extend the licence period or re-licence your game again at a later date.

Are these games GDPR-compliant?

Yes indeed. All players submitting a score to the leaderboard have the option to opt-in to your marketing messaging. This preference is retained in the game database along with the time and date of their opt-in and can be exported at the end of your campaign for inclusion in your own records.

If a player requests to be forgotten (anonymised), this can be done using the game admin system or by contacting us at [email protected].

All leaderboard data is encrypted and stored on secure servers based in the United Kingdom.

All games feature privacy and cookie policies as well as competition terms and conditions. We provide example templates for you to amend as appropriate or you can provide (or link to) your own.

It’s important to remember that it’s your responsibility to ensure you comply with GDPR and honour the marketing preferences of your audience.

In line with our own privacy policy, by default we will anonymise/delete all submitted player data within four weeks of the campaign end date.

Will you process the player data?

Yes and no. According to the GDPR definition, we are a data processor. But while we do collect and store your player data during the game campaign period, we don’t do anything else with it.

It’s up to you to process this data legitimately and in line with GDPR and we accept no liability for any mishandled data once exported from our systems. We’ll also anonymise/delete all player data within four weeks of the campaign end date, so make sure you have it all exported before it’s gone!

Number of players

What’s the difference between ‘number of players’ and ‘number of plays’?

‘Number of players’ is the sum of all unique users who play the game. ‘Number of plays’ is the sum of all attempts by players to play the game.

How do I estimate the number of players my game will get?

That’s a tough question! If you have never run a game competition before, a good way to estimate player numbers is 10% of your email subscribers or 5% of your social media following.

So, if you have 10,000 people subscribed to your newsletter, it’s likely that around 1,000 will play the game when you notify them about it via email. It may be a bit more for consumer audiences (B2C), or a bit less for business audiences (B2B).

What happens if my game exceeds the included number of players?

Ready-to-go: We have a fair use policy up to 10,000 players (not game plays) for ready-to-go games. In the unlikely scenario that you regularly exceed this limit with your games, we’ll discuss dedicated hosting options for your next campaign.

Tailored: When planning your tailored campaign, we’ll work closely with you to get an idea of your audience size and estimated player numbers. In the unlikely scenario that your game vastly exceeds this estimate, we can simply discuss increasing the hosting capacity as and when required.

Are there any limits for number of plays?

No, each of your players can play your game as many times as they like. We want them to enjoy your game as much as possible!

Content and customisation

Can I change the text (copy) in the game?

Ready-to-go: Yes, you can edit (almost) all of the in-game copy. Once you’ve purchased your game, we’ll send you a password-protected admin link where you’ll be able to edit the text fields. For more info, check out our page on how it works.

Tailored: Yes, we’ll work with you to make all necessary edits.

Can I change the game colours to match my branding?

Ready-to-go: No. Due to the design work involved, this is not an option for our ready-to-go games.

Tailored: Yes, re-coloured options start from £4,995. Head over to our pricing page to learn more or get in touch if you’d like to discuss customisation options.

Can I change the characters / obstacles / environment / music etc. in the game?

Ready-to-go: No. Due to the design work involved, this is not an option for our ready-to-go games.

Tailored: Yes, re-worked options usually start from around £9,995. Head over to our pricing page to learn more or get in touch if you’d like to discuss customisation options.

Can I change the way the game behaves?

Ready-to-go: No. All of our ready-to-go games have been tried, tested, and optimised to find the perfect balance between fun and engaging gameplay for the player while achieving quantifiable results for your brand.

Tailored: For the same reasons as above, we usually try to avoid messing with the magic recipe. That being said, get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss minor adjustments or integrations to support your branding or campaign.

Can I change or add fields to the data capture form?

Ready-to-go: Our ready-to-go games come with three data capture fields as standard (First Name / Last Name / Email).

You can customise these field names within the character limits set in your game’s content editor. Examples of this would be Full Name / Company / Email, or Full Name / Job Title / Email. We always recommend capturing at least the player name and email for ID and follow-up purposes.

With the Standard or Premium package, you have the option to add a fourth field. This can be either a standard field or a drop-down menu with various options defined by you (such as industries, countries, or regions, for example).

Note that adding this fourth field will reduce the available space for other fields on the screen. If you’re interested in an additional data capture field and want it to be a drop-down menu, you’ll just need to let us know what the various options are and we’ll set it up for you.

Tailored: If you’d like to discuss changes to the data capture form or additional functionality, get in touch and we’ll provide you with a quote for the customisations.

Can I edit the minimum score? Or get rid of it completely?

Our games have been tried and tested many times to figure out that ‘sweet spot’ between challenging and addictive gameplay that keeps players coming back. We’ve found that the default minimum scores ensure the games aren’t too easy but are challenging enough that players may need a couple of attempts to hit that minimum threshold.

Whilst it may seem that removing the minimum score would mean more players have the chance to submit their score to the leaderboard, making it too easy removes any of the reward for meeting the challenge.

We’d recommend having a prize-based competition as part of the overall experience to give players that extra incentive to submit their score.

Can I get access to the game artwork assets to support with developing marketing materials?

When purchasing one of our games, your welcome email will include a link to access a media asset pack containing PNG images of the game artwork to support you in creating campaign marketing materials. If you would like high-quality vector images, these will be charged at an additional cost (contact us at [email protected] to find out more).

Usage

Do I own the game once purchased?

No. We licence the games for the specified licence periods (e.g. 1 week / 1 month / 1 year).

Learn more about the different campaign types for ready-to-go games.

When does my licence period begin?

Ready-to-go: Your licence period will only begin once you’ve set up your game and hit ‘Launch’ in the editor tool. It does not begin from the moment of purchase, meaning you can take as long as you need to make sure everything is set up correctly.

Note: If paying by invoice, payment must be made before you can launch your game.

Tailored: We work closely with tailored clients during the design and setup process, with the licence period beginning once the game has launched.

When does the licence end?

Your licence will end once the full period since launch has elapsed (e.g. one week or one year). At this point, the game will no longer be available to play (although you’ll still have access to the reporting features and player data in the game dashboard for up to four weeks).

Can I extend the licence period?

Yes. Please get in touch at [email protected] before your campaign ends.

Can I host game files on my website?

No. This is a self-contained service so it’s all done on your behalf. However, you can point a subdomain of your website to our servers with any tailored game, as well as any Standard or Premium ready-to-go game (not available for Budget or Essential games).

Can I integrate the game in my app?

You can feature the game in your app using WebView, which allows you to display the browser version of the game. If you’d like to learn more or discuss other integration options, simply get in touch and we’ll be happy to chat.

Trade shows and events

Can I take my game to a trade show or event?

Absolutely! Our games are a fantastic way to drive footfall and spark conversations at your next trade show or event.

The games will need to be set up a little differently to work in a trade show environment, so it’s worth familiarising yourself with event mode to understand how it works and what equipment you’ll need.

Ready-to-go: Select one of the ‘Event’ options when purchasing your game and we’ll provide you with a setup guide containing everything you need to know. Learn more about the different campaign types for our ready-to-go games.

Tailored: We’ll work with you throughout the project to make sure everything is set up correctly.

If you have any questions, email us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help.

What devices will the games run on?

The best devices to use when running our games at an event are iPads, large touchscreens, laptops + controllers, or arcade machines.

Learn more about the different trade show setup options.

Can you provide the devices?

We currently offer arcade machines or large touchscreens to use with our games at events. If you’d like to find out more or would like us to provide suggestions about what might work well for you and your game, simply get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

Learn more about the different trade show setup options.

Do I need an internet connection at my show?

Yes. The leaderboard is stored on our webservers, so you won’t be able to load the game or submit scores without a WiFi or 4G/5G internet connection. This connection doesn’t need to be super-fast, as once the game has loaded, only a small amount of data is passed back and forth.

If you have to purchase a data plan, we’d recommend going for 1GB to be on the safe side (our games usually require much less than this).

Got another question about trade shows and events?

Head over to our event mode page, which contains a more detailed FAQ section covering all the questions we get on this subject!

Post-launch questions

Can I modify the game copy after it’s gone live?

Yes. You can continue to edit the game’s content and prize images throughout your campaign period.

Can I share the game on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.)?

Of course! You can post the game URL in the body of a post or create a call-to-action button on your profile pages that will take players directly to the game.

Can my audience easily share the game with others?

Ready-to-go: If you’d like your players to be able to easily share the game, we recommend choosing the Standard or Premium ready-to-go package. These packages include a social sharing panel in your game, prompting players to share their scores directly to email or social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and WhatsApp.

Tailored: All of our Tailored projects feature social sharing functionality.

What can I do to promote my game?

There are lots of ways you can use our games within your marketing activities. We’ve pulled together a handy guide on 9 ways to make the most of your game campaign with points you should consider.

Will I be able to track engagement?

Yes. All of our games feature a campaign dashboard that allows you to monitor and report on engagement metrics such as TAPET (see below).

Alternatively, if you’re comfortable setting up your own Google Analytics property, simply add your analytics ID in the appropriate field in the editor tool. Once set up, you’ll be able to follow the game’s progress in your own account.

Learn more about our game engagement stats.

What is the total average player engagement time (TAPET)?

The total average player engagement time (TAPET) is a simple calculation we use to compare engagement with our games.

It’s not the only thing, as the engagement time doesn’t always tell the whole story with regard to overall campaign results. It’s a good start though, and it gives a nice simple number to report back to your boss with.

How do I calculate total average player engagement time (TAPET)?

We’ll do it for you, but if you’d also like to do it yourself then follow these steps:

After your campaign ends, look at your (Google) analytics results. Multiply the number of sessions by the average session duration to get the total engagement time. Then divide this total engagement time by the total number of users to get your total average player engagement time.

(Tip: It’s easier to calculate if you convert the average session duration to seconds first. For example, “7m 34s” is 454 seconds).

How can I get the data from my leaderboard?

We’ll provide you with access to an admin area where you’ll be able to access the leaderboard submissions and download them as a CSV file.

CSV files are compatible with most spreadsheet software (Excel, Sheets, etc.), so it’s easy to filter out entries by company, score and marketing opt-ins etc.

They can also then be uploaded directly into most CMS systems, ready for follow-up marketing campaigns and sales initiatives (assuming your players have given you permission to do so, of course).

Can I add the emails submitted by players to my marketing lists?

Yes, but only if they’ve given you their permission.

In line with updates to the GDPR in the EU, all players submitting a score to the leaderboard will have the option to opt-in to receive your marketing.

You’ll be able to download the leaderboard as a CSV file once the campaign ends and you’ll be able to see who has and hasn’t given you their permission to be included in your mailing lists.

It’s important to note that you will be responsible for the legitimate processing of the leaderboard data. We accept no liability for mishandled data.

Miscellaneous

What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Assuming you mean a European swallow, about 24 miles an hour (obvs).

Who at Peek & Poke has the best zombie apocalypse plan?

We all have one – why not decide for yourself?

What’s the best pub in Sheffield?

Whichever one is closest! If we’re in the office, that means the Brothers Arms in Heeley.

Can I get a job with you lot?

You can start by checking out our careers page, but feel free to drop us a line at [email protected] if you think you’d be a good fit. We’re always happy to hear from people who love games or marketing (or even better, games and marketing), freelance digital illustrators, 2D animators, or game developers (JavaScript/HAXE).

Still haven’t found what you’re looking for?

If you’ve been through the FAQs and you can hear U2 ringing in your ears, simply email us at [email protected] or give us a call on +44 (0) 114 399 1011 and we’ll be happy to help.

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