A Statistics-Based Approach to Picking a Game Setting That Best Matches Your Chosen Genre 2021

The primary objective of this analysis is to provide game developers with a data-driven framework for selecting game settings that align with specific genres to optimize target audience reach and cost per install. By examining the relationship between genre and setting, the research demonstrates that certain pairings significantly outperform others in terms of revenue, download volume, and market penetration. The thesis posits that the choice of setting is a critical strategic decision that directly dictates the scalability and monetization potential of a title.

The study utilizes a sample of 4,000 top-performing games from December 2021, focusing on the Tier-1 West region, which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, and Australia. The methodology employs both revenue-based and download-based approaches to categorize performance, noting that high-revenue genres often feature narrow, high-value audiences, while high-download genres—typically casual or hypercasual—rely on broader, more accessible themes.

Key findings highlight that "Real Life" settings are the most inclusive and popular for casual titles due to their intuitive nature, which requires minimal user onboarding. Conversely, core genres like 4X Strategy and Action RPGs frequently leverage "Fantasy" settings to facilitate complex monetization and immersive world-building. The analysis warns that niche settings such as Sci-fi, Cyberpunk, and Steampunk often face significant traffic acquisition challenges, as their appeal is limited to smaller, specialized segments. Ultimately, the research concludes that developers must validate their genre-setting combinations against market data to ensure their concepts are commercially viable, as mismatched pairings can severely constrain a game's growth potential.