How would you measure the success of ThatGameCompany's Journey multiplayer experience?

Introduction

Measuring the success of ThatGameCompany's Journey multiplayer experience requires a nuanced approach that captures both quantitative metrics and qualitative aspects of player engagement. To address this product success metrics challenge, I'll follow a structured framework covering core metrics, supporting indicators, and risk factors while considering all key stakeholders.

Step 1

Product Context

Journey is a unique multiplayer game that emphasizes emotional connection and shared experiences over traditional competitive gameplay. Players embark on a wordless adventure through a mysterious desert landscape, occasionally encountering other players with whom they can choose to cooperate.

Key stakeholders include:

• Players seeking a meaningful, artistic gaming experience
• ThatGameCompany's development team
• Sony (as the original publisher)
• Art and gaming critics

User flow:

1. Players begin their journey alone, learning basic mechanics
2. They may encounter other players, choosing to interact or continue solo
3. Players progress through increasingly challenging environments, potentially forming bonds with companions

Journey fits into ThatGameCompany's broader strategy of creating emotionally impactful, accessible games that challenge traditional gaming paradigms. Unlike most multiplayer games focused on competition or explicit cooperation, Journey aims to create a sense of companionship and shared discovery.

As a groundbreaking indie title, Journey helped pave the way for more experimental, artistic games in the industry. It's now in a mature stage of its product lifecycle, having been ported to multiple platforms since its 2012 release.

Software considerations:

• Cross-platform compatibility (PlayStation, PC, iOS)
• Seamless multiplayer integration
• Minimalist UI design