User surveys, financial analysis, and behavioural data show profitable pathway for ePlay's newest apps
In May, ePlay Digital announced monetization strategies, customer acquisition costs, and initial revenue per user and transaction data from initial releases and marketing campaigns for Fan Freak and Klocked sports apps. Revenue sources including in-app purchase, 3D advertising, registration fees, and mass participation events were summarized in the May release. This data shows a profitable product to market fit. At the same time user feedback and partner technical updates indicated additional considerations and requirements to fully commercialize and accelerate success with Fan Freak and Klocked.
Software Update Required
ePlay's engineering team also received feedback from partners Google and Unity 3D that a major upgrade to their platforms would require a major upgrade to the technical environment behind Klocked. A major Unity upgrade would bring compatibility for publishing to Google Play was required. ePlay updated the Klocked Metaverse platform in August and published the new Klocked platform to Apple App Store last month. Android, smart watch, and other platforms also continue development with the new versions of Android and Unity.
User Feedback
With the required compatibility update completed and the expanded device development well underway, the company is also able to focus on additional feedback received from users. For Fan Freak that means sports games with guaranteed prizes and Android release - both in development. For Klocked, users wanted additional Strava integration and more focus on real world. Strava is a fitness app used by over 100 million people that has become a de facto social network for athletes.
The company surveyed and interviewed users to obtain qualitative feedback. The feedback indicated some clear direction the company anticipated, such as new platform development for smart watches, augmented reality (AR) glasses, and Android.
The most significant feedback users had for Klocked was that the app ignored real world activities and visualization while focusing on metaverse.
"Not enough real world activities and visualization and maybe too much metaverse" Klocked user.
Given the required technology updates, the timing is perfect to address user feedback:
increased device compatibility
increased Strava integration
more real world activities and visualization.
If you use Strava you need Klocked
The company released a beta version of Strava import in August and will be updating Real World visualization for both imported Strava activities and Klocked activities in coming weeks. ePlay has been testing new visualizations with satellite map imagery and terrain that allow a user to view and share videos of their avatar becoming a metaverse legend and setting a real world personal best with the same activity. By simply tapping a switch spectators watching live and anybody watching on-demand can toggle between 3D Real World and Metaverse versions of the same activity.
This means that all 100 million Strava users will soon be able to use Klocked to view and share replays of their activities from hundreds of cameras and angles. No other app allows this.
Options to change worlds from Real Wrld and Metaverse, to add pets, augmented reality, change lenses, include terrain, and add photo-realistic versions with satellite cameras are in development to address the qualitative and quantitative feedback from over 20,000 users.
“They’re telling us exactly what we need to do to make it more real for them, to help them improve their performance and to help improve the product,” says Trevor Doerksen, ePlay CEO in an interview last month with Tracey Weslosky of Investor Intel.
With the ‘hot runner market’ projected to be worth over $4 billion by 2026, Trevor talks about Klocked’s appeal to “couch to 5K” beginner or returning runners, as well as providing useful real-time peer data to runner mass participation events such as half and full marathons. Investor Intel
My coach is in my ear
The Strava integration will increase device compatibility and for Klocked users bring a coach directly into the ear of athletes - something that Strava does not do. For more information on how Klocked uses sports science, 3D visualization, and coaches to help athletes improve performance and enhance their fitness activities and motivate them to a new personal best see Investor Intel interview.