Dinolords Alpha Test Reveals Tutorial Hurdle Ahead of Early Access Launch
The alpha test data shows a clear tutorial bottleneck that the developer must fix to retain players, while the high retention after that point validates the core 'Hack 'n' Strat' design.
Reporting from 1 source: 4Gamer.net.
Ghost Ship Games and Northplay released a making-of video for Dinolords, a Viking-dinosaur action strategy game. A closed alpha test with 5,000 participants saw high engagement but a 50% early dropout rate due to tutorial issues. The team is improving the tutorial before early access on Steam begins soon.
Ghost Ship Games and Northplay released a making-of video for Dinolords, an action strategy game set in a Viking era where dinosaurs replace Norse gods. The game uses a hybrid design the team calls 'Hack 'n' Strat,' blending action RPG combat with real-time strategy. A closed alpha test drew 20,000 applicants, with 5,000 participants. Engagement was high, with many players logging over 10 hours. However, roughly half of the testers dropped out early due to tutorial bugs and unclear instructions. Players who pushed past that point showed strong retention. Game director Michael Flarup said in the video that the studio's future may depend on the game's success. The team now plans to rework the tutorial based on alpha feedback before launching early access on Steam.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.