Mobile Game Retention Analysis
Day-1 to day-30 retention, tracked cohort by cohort and tied to the changes you ship.
Retention Analysis for Mobile Games
Retention is the share of players who return after installing, measured on day 1, day 7, day 30 and beyond. For a free-to-play game it decides whether growth is worth paying for, because almost every later metric depends on players coming back. Our retention and cohort analysis shows how each group of players behaves and why.
Retention and Cohort Analysis Scope
- Day-1, day-7 and day-30 retention reports by install cohort
- Cohorts split by install date, source and game version
- Drop-off analysis by session, level and feature
- A comparison of cohorts before and after each release
Cohort Analysis Method
We look at retention cohort by cohort, so each build and each update gets its own curve. When a curve drops, we pair it with what players were doing at that point: the level they reached, the feature they met, the offer they saw. It is also how we make calls on our own games: we run closed tests, read the cohorts and only scale what players hold on to. Reports update on their own, so each new cohort is ready to read as soon as it matures.
Cohort Retention and Launch Decisions
An average retention figure hides the story. Cohorts show whether a new build is better or worse than the last one, whether players from one source stay longer than another, and whether a fix actually changed behavior. That makes retention a clear input for launch and scaling decisions, not a number checked once and forgotten.
Cohort Retention Tracking Benefits
Retention Curve per Release
Every build gets its own cohort, so you can see what a change really did.
Clear Drop-Off Points
We point to the session, level or moment where players leave.
Player-Friendly Fixes
Recommendations improve the experience itself, not tricks that bring players back once.
Retention Analysis for Live Games
- Games in closed testing — teams deciding whether a game is ready for a wider launch.
- Live games losing players — titles where installs grow but players do not stay.
- Teams that update often — studios that want to see the effect of each release.
Share what you know about your retention today and we will help you read the curve.
Mobile Game Retention FAQ
What is day-1 retention in mobile games?
Day-1 retention is the share of players who open the game again on the day after they installed it. Together with day-7 and day-30 retention, it shows how well the first session and the following days hold players.
What is a cohort in game analytics?
A cohort is a group of players who share a starting point, usually the day they installed or the version they started on. Comparing cohorts shows how changes to the game affect the players who arrive after them.
How can a mobile game improve its retention?
By finding where players leave and fixing the reason, for example a confusing tutorial step, a difficulty spike or a missing goal after the first sessions. We check each fix against the next cohorts rather than assuming it worked.
Can you analyze retention during a closed test?
Yes, and it is one of the most useful times to do it. Closed test cohorts show whether a game holds players before money goes into a wider launch.
Retention & Cohorts Deliverables and Process
Deliverables
- Retention dashboard by install cohort
- Day-1, day-7 and day-30 reports
- Drop-off point analysis
- Cohort comparison per release
- Closed test retention readout
- Retention action list
- 01
Cohort Definition
We group players by install date, source and version so each cohort tells a clear story.
- 02
Retention Curve Tracking
We set up day-1, day-7 and day-30 retention reports that update on their own.
- 03
Drop-Off Analysis
We look at the sessions and levels where players stop coming back and pair them with what they were doing.
- 04
Recommendations and Follow-Up
We suggest specific fixes and check the next cohorts to see whether they worked.
Related Measure Services
All 4 in Measure →Game Analytics
Event tracking and dashboards that show how players really play, from the first session on.
Ad Revenue Tuning
Ad placement, frequency and formats tuned for revenue without wearing players out.
A/B Testing
Every big change ships as a test first, so decisions rest on player data, not opinions.