Author: reichjan

“Klima Buddy – hilft CO₂ sparen”: The new CO₂app of the state of Baden-Württemberg implemented by kr3m

The new CO₂ app “Klima Buddy – hilft CO₂ sparen” (Climate Buddy – helps save CO₂) from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior has recently been made available in the Apple App Store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices. The innovative app is the first app worldwide to combine the Tamagotchi principle with climate protection, creating a serious game with high user retention.

The virtual pet appears in the form of the long-eared owl native to Baden-Württemberg, whose habitat is threatened by climate change. The CO₂ app allows users to measure their own CO₂ footprint and is provided with suggestions and tips on how to reduce and compensate for CO₂ emissions. Through everyday CO₂ missions that the user completes via the app, points are collected with which rewards in the form of features can be unlocked. In this way, the little long-eared owl can be fed, showered and dressed with cute accessories. In addition, the forest around the owl can be reforested, thus virtually improving its habitat. These reward functions promote user loyalty and thus continuous engagement with the app and its informative and playful content.

The state of Baden-Württemberg has set itself the goal of being climate neutral by 2040. In the project tender of the Ministry of the Interior, for Digitalization and Communities Baden-Württemberg for a new CO₂ app, kr3m was able to prevail in the pitch against 30 competitors and convinced with the “Klima Buddy”. Our research on previous CO₂ calculator apps revealed that no app could show convincing download numbers. We are talking about a few thousand downloads here, which is really little in comparison to successful games like “Candy Crush”, which generate billions of downloads. But what is the reason that previous CO₂ apps have not been well received? They are all designed in a very high-quality and appealing way, but that is not enough for this serious topic that goes hand in hand with renunciation – they lack the game aspect, they are no fun! When we were designing the app “Klima Buddy – hilft CO₂ sparen” (Climate Buddy – Helps Save CO₂), it was clear that it could only work for us in combination with a proven game principle. And that’s what we found with the Pet, also known as Tamagotchi. The owl gives a high five and you can even tickle its feet.

Die CO₂-App „Klima Buddy – hilft CO₂ sparen“ wurde HTML5 programmiert und ist somit eine hybride App. Das bedeutet, dass wenn das Ministerium die neue CO₂-App später sowohl auf ihrer Website als auch innerhalb einer anderen App nutzen möchte, dies dank HTML5-Programmierung problemlos funktioniert. Und zwar für Nutzer am PC, am Smartphone oder am Tablet. Zusätzlich haben wir die CO₂-App mit einem Content Management System versehen, über das das Ministerium Inhalte selbständig einpflegen kann.

kr3m has been impressing customers for over 20 years with its combination of user-centered design and state-of-the-art web technology on both the client and server side.

kr3m is the market leader for HTML5 games and technology in DACH among publishers and media houses. Our customers include many well-known companies such as Deutsche Bahn, REWE, Rabobank, SWR, Daimler, DER SPIEGEL, ZEIT ONLINE, FOCUS Online, Handelsblatt, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Stern, BILD, BLICK, kurier.at and many more.

Which Pointee surfs the longest? New Endless Runner with competition.

Endless fun from kr3m: Since yesterday, August 1, 2022, the new game Pointee Run is playable on the PAYBACK app.

In cooperation with PAYBACK, Germany’s leading bonus program, kr3m has developed an endless runner game that combines fast-paced gameplay and versatile partner integration. Did we base this on a specific game? Of course we did! With the clear objective of appealing to a younger target group even more intensively, only the app-based game “Subway Surfers” by SYBO Games came into question as a model. For those who don’t know the game, it’s worth noting that since its release in 2012, the game has seen download numbers in the trillions, is very hyped among a young target group, and has already spawned many variants.

Very much in the vein of a classic endless runner or jump n’ run game, as it can also be called, Pointee Run is all about covering as much game distance as possible, overcoming all the obstacles and collecting lots of rewards along the levels. But it wouldn’t be a game by kr3m for the PAYBACK app if it didn’t add highlights like the 7 partner game worlds of well-known big brands, fun features and an extensive competition with scaled prize pot categories. Packed into a varied and fun gameplay, our game designers and developers have really done a great job.

Form follows function: Insights into kr3m game design

To fulfill our demand for fun and challenging gameplay combined with cool graphics style and full-featured performance at high traffic, we faced exciting challenges during the five-month course of the project. Which graphic style would best suit our intentions and how could we achieve a balanced gameplay experience for such a broad target audience?

In the conception for the Pointee Run, the kr3m game design team first analyzed the optimal graphic style for the game. Because while “Subway Surfers” and other versions are 3D app games, Pointee Run is an HTML5 game that, like all kr3m games, was developed browser-based. If you look at other browser implementations of 3D games, they are often not graphically pretty and also not always satisfactory in terms of performance. With the chosen flat art style and corresponding low-poly modeling, kr3m has succeeded in developing a 3D game in HTML5 that has constant functionality while offering a varied gameplay experience with increasing speed and also looks good.

Everything included:
Marketing-strong and target-group-oriented gameplay

If there is too much focus on individual target group segments, it can sometimes be difficult to successfully communicate broad campaign content. Particularly in the case of games that are preferred by a young target group, a lot of experience and therefore increased demands on the game must be expected. In contrast, an older target group may have less experience and need a gentler introduction to the game experience.

We met this challenge in Pointee Run with a tutorial and a varied level design. In the introductory tutorial, inexperienced players who want to play Pointee Run in the PAYBACK app are explained the game controls – dodging, jumping and ducking – on their smartphone. After successfully completing the trial, eventful level sections follow and the difficulty level increases. As the pace increases, the Pointee must dodge obstacles, jump over road barriers and collect as many trophies as possible. The route leads through elaborately designed game worlds with strong partner integration. For example, the race goes through village streets with branded billboards, through cities and through partner stores with entertaining brand placement. In targeted consultation with the participating partners, the partner stages were individually designed and equipped with fun features. For the implementation of the elaborate level sections, we developed an interactive LevelBuilder, without which we would not have succeeded in creating this marketing-strong and target group-oriented game experience in such a rounded and resource-saving way.

Recognizing successful game principles and implementing them for our customers – that is one of our strengths at kr3m and we are already very excited about the feedback from PAYBACK app users.

This game is supported by

“Simply putting games over something doesn’t work. At most, it’ll be a little nicer.”

Jan Reichert, CEO at kr3m. To be read on sueddeutsche.de “Spielend Kunden gewinnen – Gamifizierung ist Alltag”, 23.2.22, https://www.sueddeutsche.de

Gamification is no longer new and we experience it in many different forms in our everyday lives. The wide range of offers also influences the quality standards and we think that good gamification is an intensive process.

Gamification is the transfer of game-typical elements and processes to non-game contexts. In simple terms, games and fun are used to convey content more quickly and pleasantly. The term ‘gamification’ was created in the early 2000s, primarily by the gaming industry, and is now mainly used in connection with digital applications such as apps or online games. In terms of its basic principle, gamification is of course much older and there are many examples for analog applications.

Gamification as a marketing campaign: What about Moorhuhn?

No question: Gamification can successfully support marketing strategies! Customers could be more actively addressed and retained by the playful elements. If the challenge of the game is not unreachable high, entertainment is offered and a reward is given at the end, customers can be kept busy over a longer period of time and also be encouraged to return. This creates many opportunities to get the desired advertising content across. However, the fact that this requires more than just a good game can be illustrated by the example of “Moorhuhn”. Although countless people were reached through successful gamification, it did not work as a marketing campaign. Or did you know that the shooter game was originally an advertising campaign for a Scottish whisky brand?

How can gamification be successful?

Here, the “right mix of information and game” is required, according to our CEO Jan Reichert in an interview with dpa. (To be read on sueddeutsche.de “Spielend Kunden gewinnen – Gamifizierung ist Alltag”, 23.2.22, https://www.sueddeutsche.de) It can also be noticed that the reward – an essential component of gamification – has to come faster and faster nowadays. In the mobile game “Candy Crush,” for example, it happens every second. “To keep up in the market, companies would have to adapt,” our CEO further advises. With didactic applications, there is often the problem that the game aspect comes up short. We were able to clarify this most recently during our research into the new CO₂ app “Klima Buddy – hilft CO₂ sparen” (Climate Buddy – Helps Save CO₂), which we are developing on behalf of the state of Baden-Württemberg. Existing CO₂ calculators are all made cool, convincing in design and quality, but generate only a few downloads. We are talking here about 10,000 to 50,000 downloads. In comparison, “Candy Crush” has billions! The reason why previous CO₂ calculators have not been successful is obvious: The topic, which is already difficult and involves making sacrifices, is not combined with the right game principle.

Gamification von kr3m

At kr3m, we have been integrating playful elements into digital applications and developing successful HTML5 applications based on open source for all digital platforms and app stores for over 20 years.

We are proud and grateful to successfully serve customers like Daimler, PAYBACK, Abbott and large publishing houses like Der Spiegel, BILD, Focus and many more with games and apps. After PAYBACK started with the kr3m game eXchange in its customer app, the game was relaunched several times in 2021 as “Diamantenrausch” due to the enormous response from users. In addition, the seasonal games Snowball and Surfracer were used for PAYBACK.

The diabetes game we implemented for the pharmaceutical company Abbott is less about collecting bonus points and more about making diabetes patients aware of their insulin levels through play. This custom-developed game is also designed to increase retention time on the site, promote brand identification, and present Abbott’s offerings to users.

All these projects have shown that gamification can only be successful if it is based on proven game principles. We also approached the development of the new and soon to be available CO₂ app with the same principle in mind and provided the CO₂ calculator with a Tamagotchi. The virtual pet in the form of a cute owl has to be fed and bathed, and it can be dressed up with fun accessories. By interacting with the owl, the user is literally fed information on CO₂ reduction and compensation, and by passing missions, further features can be unlocked for the pet. Seeing how the forest around the owl can be reforested and how its endangered habitat can be improved, at least virtually, is very rewarding!

With this concept, we were able to win the pitch for the project tender from the Ministry of the Interior, for Digitization and Communities Baden-Württemberg against 30 competitors and are looking forward to the upcoming release.

The new Playground for Blick.ch: kr3m develops French/German online games site

Online games are in high demand and not only in Germany. With the release of the new HTML5 games site for the Swiss news portal Blick, kr3m’s next international Playground (https://spiele.blick.ch/) goes live today.

Now also Blick: International media houses rely on multilingual casual games platform

Online games such as Sudoku, Solitaire or Mahjong are highly popular and also in Switzerland thousands search for the game Sudoku via Google every month. The kr3m white-label Playground already tried and tested in DACH for 15 years by many partners, including DER SPIEGEL, FOCUS Online, BILDspielt, 20Minuten, kurier and news.at – is now entering Switzerland again. We have now also developed a Playground in German and French for Blick. This allows Blick to reach users in German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking cantons and neighboring France. For clients with a bilingual target group, this is logical and highly recommended, because games are a relevant traffic channel and bilingual addressing allows even more search requests to be served and allows even more users to be picked up.

The advantages of HTML5 games: Longer retention time and more advertising revenue

Why do so many news portals rely on HTML5 games and which games are most popular? We hear these questions frequently and they are quickly answered: HTML5 games, like kr3m’s casual games, promise free gaming fun with no barriers to entry or delays. The user calls up the page and can start playing immediately. HTML5 games therefore offer the perfect user experience and have an attractive effect on Internet users – traffic increases. This is great for news portals, and it gets even better: casual games are ideal for extending the time users spend on the site. While reading journalistic articles only takes a few minutes, users spend an average of 15 minutes playing our games. This is valuable time that Blick can now use for profitable ad plays. Added to this is the positive, psychological link between the user and the provider. By playing games, the user receives information of an emotionally positive nature, which the brain stores better than others. This can lead to the provider of such games being positively associated by the user. The desire to stay increases and other offers – further games, newsletters or other sub-pages – become interesting for the user.

The most popular online games include Sudoku, Solitaire, mahjong and bubble shooter. Therefore, these game principles also form the basis of kr3m’s successful Playground. We follow the motto: quality before quantity. An overcrowded range of games is of no help to anyone. This is because it is not possible to guarantee constant quality, a consistent user experience and, ultimately, optimized ad playout.

Additional target group extension through exciting browser games

By connecting cool browser games, more users can be attracted and that pays off!
In addition to the great classics of MMO games (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) that kr3m Playground already has in its selection, exciting browser game novelties are added to the new online game oage from Blick.

In the building strategy games Elvenar and Arkheim: Realms of War magical fantasy worlds open up to the player, in which many adventures await. The Rail Nation gamewill make the hearts of all railroad enthusiasts beat faster. Here, the user becomes a railroad tycoon and experiences railroad nostalgia from all eras. The highlight of the look, however, is Game of Thrones. The thrilling browser game of the popular TV series has been long awaited by fans and together with well-known characters of the GoT universe, the player is supported in the battles of the kingdoms of Westeros. If the technical requirements for integration are met and the usability fits – as is the case here – then a further target group can be attracted with the help of browser games. The positive side effect is that browser games usually also earn money through optional in-game sales, thus providing a new source of revenue with higher sales per user.

We are pleased to have developed an optimally positioned and bilingual games site for Blick, which offers users the best possible gaming experience with their favorite games. Programmed in HTML5 and with different layouts for different devices, the games can be browsed from all popular devices – mobile, tablet and desktop.

Swiss gamers looking for the perfect gaming experience can now find their favorite game at https://spiele.blick.ch/. To turn every search into a result, the focus of the new game page is on one game per game principle and we serve the most relevant SEO keyword with high-quality editorial content – because here too, SEO content is king!

Colorful Easter fun in the PAYBACK app

With the new game “Oster-Bubble-Shooter“, a casual game by kr3m for the PAYBACK app has now gone live once again. We are pleased that the cooperation with PAYBACK continues to grow and that we are building on the successful campaigns of 2021. In keeping with the Easter season, PAYBACK app users have been able to play the fun Bubble Shooter game since Monday, March 28, 2022, firing colorful Easter eggs with the Easter egg cannon. The casual game is based on the tried-and-tested bubble shooter game principle, in which balls of the same color have to be brought together and thus cleared away. For the Easter look, the game has been given a seasonal touch and has been provided with colorful Easter eggs. The challenge of the game is to collect points by clearing the eggs, reach the level goal and thus qualify for the exclusive PAYBACK app competition and get hold of great prizes. By playing as many levels as possible, new competition categories with high-quality prizes can be unlocked.

Why are games the optimal complement for a successful loyalty program?

More interaction for even better customer retention – loyalty programs benefit from an active user base. However, this user base must be repeatedly addressed and encouraged to interact. PAYBACK, Germany’s leading bonus points program, achieves this with HTML5 games from kr3m. The simple idea behind this is no secret: by integrating games, app users can be encouraged to participate in promotions and receive rewards for doing so. This creates a positive user experience that strengthens the relationship between brand and customer.

A look at past campaigns in the PAYBACK app shows that the integration of proven game principles from the kr3m Playground prompted a large number of users to interact with the PAYBACK app. For example, the gemstone game “Exchange” recorded up to 540,000 unique users per day in December 2020, the wintry game “Snowball” from January 2021 generated 190,000 unique users per day, and in midsummer 2021 a total of around 490,000 unique users played the game “Surfracer“, which is inspired by the sea and vacations. The success proves the campaigns right: while the entertaining games increase interaction and thus also the time spent on the app, the seasonal game theme additionally appeals to app users. This shows: Good games, integrated into good campaigns, can be used as an effective measure to expand customer loyalty and also for the broad-based placement of advertising content.

Would you like to learn more about gamification and learn from our experiences? Then we recommend our blog post.

Make your own game! kr3m now provides the entire playground for the BILD

As another exciting year approaches with 2021, we are happy to announce a new project. After many years of successfully implementing HTML5 playgrounds for various clients from the publishing industry, the SEO Playground will start in March 2021 with our cooperation partner BILD. In the past, we have already implemented the BILD Glücksdreh, which was very well received by users.

On the new BILDspielt, interested users can play classics such as Solitaire, Sudoku, Chess and Mahjong. But also game favorites like Ski Racer, Gumblast and Bubbles are represented.

For many years, kr3m has been realizing Playgrounds with different games for desktop browser, tablet and smartphone. The Playgrounds offer users and publishers added value in many respects.

Longer retention time on your site with a playground from kr3m

You want to attract new customers, increase the time spent on your site and thus retain your regular customers in the long term? This is possible with a Playground from us. The HTML5 games impress with a quick start and high usability and are therefore perfect for increasing customer loyalty. Playing the games increases the time users spend on your site. On average, Playground users play for about 15 minutes. As a result, certain games are associated with your brand and users are encouraged to visit your site more often. In the process, users not only discover the HTML5 games, but also become aware of other offers such as subscriptions. This keeps customers excited and satisfied for a long time, which motivates them to return.

Another advantage of Playgrounds is that they are completely developed in-house, allowing for maximum customization options within a short period of time.

All advantages of a Playground summarized

• New customer acquisition & retention
• Higher dwell time on your site
• Fantastic play experience for the customer
• Sustainably inspire regular customers

With the kr3m Playground to the Highscore

Sudoku, Solitaire and mahjong have always inspired a huge target group. This is also noticeable in the games search queries on Google. It is therefore only logical that major journalistic portals such as BILD, DER SPIEGEL, Süddeutsche Zeitung, ZEIT ONLINE, and FOCUS should increase the loyalty of their existing readership and attract new users by integrating games that are in high demand.

With our white-label games portal Playground, we provide publishing and media companies with a flexible solution for integrating high-quality HTML5 games – an entertaining gaming experience for users with many benefits for providers.

Games content on a higher level

For years, the demand for well-known game principles has been at a high level. Sudoku by itself registers 544,000 search queries from Germany on Google every month. Now imagine what a positioning in Google’s top 3 under this keyword means for a journalistic online magazine: an enormous increase in visits! More reach, more page impressions. Day after day. The kr3m Playground takes your online offering to a new level.

With a solid selection of games, traffic increases – both from existing and new users. The principle behind it is quite simple: A strategically built game area is composed of high-quality games on frequently searched game principles. Sudoku, Solitaire, mahjong, crosswords and bubble shooter. Games based on current app trends can usefully expand the Playground portfolio. No entry barriers, perfect usability and attractive graphics provide users with a unique gaming experience. The HTML5 games start directly in the browser – without delay, without plugins. Click and score, without annoying login and not only on the PC, but in consistent quality on the smartphone and tablet.

For the necessary SEO boost, customized content with added value is added in text form: interesting facts about the current game, tips and tricks, and even more that might interest the user – and equally the search engines.

The time users spend on the site is also increasing. On average, a user spends 15 minutes playing games. Valuable time that providers can use for profitable ad playouts. We can connect your marketer’s advertising media – display and video, desktop and mobile. Alternatively, we bring in experienced marketing partners.

Based on close observation of user behavior, load times, usability and ad bundles are continuously optimized and adapted to the user base. A playground from kr3m also leads to higher retention: users associate the online offering with positive experiences and emotions that are stimulated when they play. Every day, they drop by to play the Sudoku or crossword puzzle of the day. The result: a return rate of over 50 percent, in some cases even around 70 percent. They automatically stay longer on the website, get more involved with what’s on offer and perhaps sign up for the newsletter, take a look at subpages or – this would be the absolute bull’s eye – they take out a digital subscription, which ideally contains not only selected journalistic content but also additional content from the gaming sector.

Flexible and ready for use at any time – kr3m Playground

kr3m Playground has been tested in many ways. BILDspielt,DER SPIEGEL,Stern,FOCUS Online and other high-reach media rely on the kr3m games portfolio.

The flexibly adaptable solution for the integration of HTML5 casual games can be used permanently, is conform to IVW and can be integrated with a tracking tool. All content is developed in-house by experienced developers and individually designed according to customer specifications. The entertaining games meet the current standards worldwide, both graphically and technically.

Our Playground – The No. 1 Games solution for advertising revenues and customer loyalty – risk-free financed by Rev Share.

The Online Advent Calendar 2021 from DER SPIEGEL

Every day, users can look forward to great prizes worth a total of over €70,000 in the online Advent calendar from DER SPIEGEL in 2021. The attractiveprizes behind the 24 doors come from well-known manufacturers such as VW, Philips, Sonos, Quelle and others. Christmas campaigns for adults like these are more in demand than ever and, with professional performance, generate more traffic, more users, new customers and are an efficient way of building customer loyalty.

Since 2002, kr3m has been offering online Advent calendars with game elements and contest opportunities, which have been used successfully by major publishing houses and media companies. This year, we are pleased to announce the Christmas cooperation project with DER SPIEGEL.

The success of Christmas campaigns – customer loyalty and ad revenue

The answer to the question of why marketing campaigns are so successful, especially during the Christmas season, is clear from our point of view.

Online advent calendars or Christmas competitions draw the attention of both existing and new customers to the company’s own portal or online store. In addition, retention is created. This means that customers are motivated to return regularly and a positive brand identification takes place. In addition, this type of special promotion during Advent can generate valuable addresses that enable customer contact throughout the year.
Another important point is the revenue generated by ads and revenue share. By visiting the Advent calendar, ads are played out that lead to revenue and are shared among the cooperation partners. This not only acquires new customers and strengthens the bond with existing customers, but also increases your company’s sales.

Trend with strong economic potential – online Advent calendars are booming

The market for Advent calendars is growing year by year. With growing popularity, the calendar variants and also the target group have changed significantly. While it used to be mainly children who enjoyed opening the doors every day, there are now Advent calendars for adults of all ages and for every walk of life. With the advent of digital Advent calendars, the Advent business has once again undergone a profitable development.

Ein Blick auf Google Trends offenbart, dass der Suchbegriff „Online Adventskalender“ hohe Bedeutung gewonnen hat. Datenquelle: Google Trends (https://www.google.com/trends)

The high number of search queries for online Advent calendars indicates enormous interest and heightened expectations on the part of users. It is clear that the tradition of the Advent calendar not only stokes anticipation in the real world – opening the doors in the run-up to Christmas has also become established in the digital world and is simply part of it.

The kr3m christmas package

In order to meet users’ expectations for Christmas gaming fun, kr3m’s classic online Advent calendar was equipped with the newly developed lottery mechanism last year. This allows users to collect more and more raffle tickets by playing the integrated online games. Playing the games increases the time spent on them. Valuable time that we can use for profitable ad playouts. We offer the connection of the advertising media of the marketer of your choice – display and video, desktop and mobile.

In addition, the online advent calendar is optimized throughout for all relevant end devices and the calendar can be opened from anywhere and at any time. The more raffle tickets the user collects, the higher his chance of winning one of the 24 daily prizes or even the spectacular grand prize.

All the advantages of the online advent calendar:

• SEO boost through customized content
• income through ads and revenue share
• the great prizes create a high incentive for retention and frequent user interaction
• cross-media promotion of the advent calendar
• Positive brand perception is strengthened
• Regular customers are sustainably inspired
• positive user experience

Thanks to years of successful cooperation with a wide variety of retailers and companies, we at kr3m can draw on a wealth of experience when it comes to acquiring prizes. In addition to first-class technology prizes, we can also offer high-priced trips and shopping vouchers for the online Advent calendar prize draws.

Plan your next Christmas campaign now with kr3m

Online Advent calendars and Christmas competitions with high-quality prizes have become an indispensable part of the digital world. Every year, they attract interested users who engage with your brand and your products almost as a sideline. Take advantage of the most important sales time of the year, inspire your regular customers with Christmas campaigns from kr3m and secure new customers and target groups. We will be happy to assist you.

Franziska Weser is looking forward to your call at
Phone +49 (0)721 183 959 – 300, Mobile +4915127605525 or an Email.