Should Mojang prioritize cross-platform play or platform-specific optimizations?

Introduction

The trade-off between prioritizing cross-platform play or platform-specific optimizations for Mojang presents a critical decision point for the company's product strategy. This scenario involves balancing the potential for a broader, unified player base against the benefits of tailored experiences on individual platforms. To address this complex issue, I'll analyze the key factors, propose experiments, and provide a data-driven recommendation.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking about Minecraft's current market position. Could you provide an overview of our market share across different platforms and how it's been trending over the past year?

Why it matters: Helps understand where growth opportunities lie Expected answer: Varied market share across platforms with mobile growing fastest Impact on approach: Would influence which platforms to prioritize for optimization

• Business Context: Based on our revenue model, I assume microtransactions play a significant role. How does the revenue per user compare between cross-platform and platform-specific players?

Why it matters: Directly impacts potential revenue outcomes of the decision Expected answer: Cross-platform players have higher lifetime value Impact on approach: Would strengthen the case for cross-platform prioritization

• User Impact: Considering our user segments, I'm curious about the engagement levels of cross-platform players versus single-platform users. Do we have data on average playtime and retention rates for these groups?

Why it matters: Indicates potential impact on overall user engagement Expected answer: Cross-platform players show higher engagement and retention Impact on approach: Would support focusing on cross-platform features

• Technical: Regarding platform-specific optimizations, what are the most significant performance gaps we're currently facing on different platforms?

Why it matters: Helps assess the urgency and potential impact of optimizations Expected answer: Varied performance issues across platforms, with mobile facing the most challenges Impact on approach: Would influence the prioritization of specific optimizations

• Resource: Can you give me an idea of our current team structure and capacity? Are we set up more for cross-platform development or platform-specific work?

Why it matters: Determines feasibility and timeline for different approaches Expected answer: Team is primarily structured for cross-platform development Impact on approach: Would affect the ease and speed of implementing different strategies