Success in figures

Three weeks post-launch, Fall Guys has sold over 7 million units on Steam, where it is the best selling title on the daily charts; the Collectors Edition has also been a top 10 daily best seller. Peak numbers of concurrent users on Steam have exceeded 170,000, with daily totals often above popular titles such as Grand Theft Auto V and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. Similar success has been witnessed on Twitch, where it has continued to rank in the top 3 most watched games. According to Twitch Tracker, over 113 million hours of Fall Guys has been streamed; peak viewership has exceeded 700,000, and averages at around 130,000. Such streaming success has led Twitch Rivals to create an eSport tournament featuring popular streamers - Fall Guys Friday will be a recurring event in which Twitch awards a total of $50,000 to winners. 

The launch strategy 

As part of Fall Guys' launch strategy, PlayStation Plus members received the game for free in August 2020, a move typically reserved for catalogue games. While the commercial arrangement with Sony has not been made public, it is unlikely that Mediatonic predicted the popularity of the game, so the deal is probably not optimised for this explosion in popularity. Even so, by doing this deal Mediatonic was more focused on minimising financial risk and prioritising getting players into the game at launch. This immediate high adoption had the benefit of getting more players into the game via 'word of mouth' on social media, where it has a strong presence. Significantly, many players hearing about the game for the first time on social media would be PC gamers that would go on to buy the premium version of the game on Steam. Likewise, once Fall Guys leaves PS Plus it will continue to sell, as there is an established userbase that will spread awareness organically.  

Finally, regardless of the platform the player is gaming from, once they engage with the title, they are more likely to partcipate in recurrent customer spending via DLC costume packs and in game currency ‘Kudos’, which can be traded in for character customisation items. A larger audience means greater in-game monetisation.

Why is Fall Guys so successful? 

Fall Guys’ success can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, it is a unique take on a popular genre. Inspired by television game shows such as Wipeout and It’s a Knockout, Fall Guys integrates traditional elements from the medium with ‘the last man standing’, which can be likened to a battle royale title. BR games are often synonymous with player versus player shooters; however, Fall Guys removes overt violence and replaces it with friendly competition. This choice makes the game accessible to a broad audience, including young children, families and inexperienced gamers. The simple controls make it playable for a wide range of people; such ease of access makes it attractive, considering established battle royales such as Fortnite or PUBG can have high barriers to entry regarding skill. Accessibility is bolstered by its relatively low system requirements, allowing high quality gameplay on PC’s with lower specs. Additionaly, the game is priced at £15.99/$19.99, making it an affordable entertainment option.

Secondly, the game has been developed for spectating. It follows a TV show format with simple mini games and there is no significant narrative. A viewer can tune into a Twitch stream or walk in the room and instantly enjoy the experience. This is paired with a cooperative element, either between of streamers or other gamers which adds an additional dynamic to the viewing experience. 

Finally, the launch took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to limit face-to-face social interaction and community engagement. Fall Guys has created a vibrant community where people actively engage with others in game and can partake in a social video experience on Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Gaming.

Expanding the audience

Fall Guys aims for continuous growth by maintaining an active presence and relevance on social media. Its Twitter page has over 1 million followers and has been used to publicise their fundraising campaign, in which companies bid for the opportunity to get an in-game branded cosmetic, with all proceeds going to charity. Mediatonic chose to decline said sponsorship's privately due to the benefits of publicising the campaign. It caused popular creators such as Mr. Beast and Ninja to endorse the game at no cost, whilst simultaneously improving consumer awareness and their brand image. This tactic will attract more players into the game, where there is a baseline cost and the opportunity for recurrent customer spending; in the long term this is a more reliable source of income for Fall Guys.   

Mediatonic are preparing to optimise Fall Guys for new platforms. Bilibili, a Chinese online video platform and games publisher, has secured an exclusive deal to publish the game on mobile platforms in mainland China. The title is already available to PC users in China via Steam which operates in an unlicensed grey area but is hugely popular in the country. By publishing the game on mobile, it will make the title accessible to the many mobile-first gamers in China. Fall Guys is a strong fit for mobile platforms with its simple control scheme and low minimum spec requirements, so it is only a matter of time before the game comes to smartphones and tablets in markets outside of China.  

Finally, Season 2 of the game has been confirmed, with a preview of the content shown at Gamescom. New, more complex mini games and costumes were debuted, inspired by the Medieval era. The game design with individual courses and gameplay mechanic allows for consistent and relatively simple updates, whilst introducing a variety of new gameplay opportunities and expanding the preexisting roster. New content will keep old players engaged with the title, attract new gamers, and generate interest on social media platforms.