Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery slashes prices but is it enough?
By Callum Gunn
The latest Harry Potter app game is slashing prices after complaints, but it may just be a form of testing and have nothing to do with making users happy.
Fans were eager to jump into playing Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery when it finally dropped on mobile app sites around the world. However, the excitement was quickly shrouded in negativity, when free-to-play gamers learned they would either need to spend money to get energy or wait eight hours to complete a challenge. This wasn’t just once or twice either. Starting less than an hour into opening the app, it happened on every challenge.
Rather than answer the complaints from fans, the makers behind the game have opted to drop the price for the energy gem purchases. This doesn’t look like it’s for the sake of the gamer though, as different people see different prices. It’s a form of A/B testing to see which works out better for the company.
Photo Credit: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery/Jam City Image Acquired from ONE PR Studio.
More from Harry Potter
- Tom Felton is the star of the new Harry Potter x CASETiFY collection
- Create a magical event worthy of Hogwarts with this new Harry Potter-themed party planning book
- Can Fantastic Beasts hold up to the Harry Potter franchise?
- Show off your Wizard’s Chess skills with this Harry Potter set that’s now over half off
- Harry Potter continues to inspire generations – including Jack Harlow
While some players see a large drop in the energy bundles, others aren’t seeing a drop in price at all. The price of the bundles isn’t even consistent, with players seeing a discount sometimes but not every time it comes to buying them.
A/B testing is common to see if a certain marketing campaign or trick works. For Hogwarts Mystery, the campaign will tell the company if people are willing to buy more energy at discounted prices or not.
Watch your favorite shows on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!
There should possibly be some testing on whether free energy now and then or the ability to get through a few challenges early on without needing extra energy. This would likely get more fans on-board with buying bundles in the future. While a game company needs to make money, gamers need to get the chance to experience the world within and see if the game works the way they expected. They need to see if it’s something they want to spend their money on.
Considering the hype the game had, slashing the prices for some players in A/B testing just isn’t enough.
What do you think Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery needs to do? Are you willing to buy bundles at a lower price when you see them? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Don’t forget to follow Wizards and Whatnot on Twitter to stay up to date with the latest Wizarding World news and opinions.