Master the Meta Developer Dashboard | Boost Engagement & Performance
You’ve launched your app—now what? Join Product Manager Dan Zhao and Partner Engineer Akash Phadtare for a comprehensive tour of the Meta Developer Dashboard, your command center for long-term success. This session provides a practical guide to the dashboard's most powerful tools, showing you how to deepen player engagement while also optimizing app performance. 💡 In this session, you’ll learn: How to use tools like Developer Posts, Notifications, and Destinations to increase player engagement and retention. How to diagnose performance issues and identify growth opportunities using Benchmarks, Funnel Analytics, and Crash Reporting. Best practices for implementing and managing add-on content (IAPs/DLCs) and a guide to reading crash logs to fix bugs faster. 🎙️ SPEAKERS Akash Phadtare, Partner Engineer Dan Zhao, Product Manager ▶️ VIDEO CHAPTERS 👋 Introduction 🕒 00:00 - Welcome & Speaker Introductions 🕒 00:47 - Agenda Overview 📈 Part 1: Deepening Player Engagement 🕒 02:39 - Why Engagement is the Most Important Metric 🕒 03:58 - Using Developer Posts for Updates & Communication 🕒 05:01 - A Guide to User Notifications & Targeting 🕒 07:23 - Using Destinations for Rich Presence & Discovery 🕒 09:07 - Managing User Reviews & Setting Alerts 🕒 11:15 - Technical Deep Dive: Implementing Destinations & Group Presence 🕒 14:25 - Technical Deep Dive: Implementing User Notifications 📊 Part 2: Analytics & Performance Optimization 🕒 17:11 - Using Analytics to Prioritize Your Work 🕒 17:41 - Benchmarks: Compare Your App's Performance 🕒 18:59 - Alerting: Set Custom Thresholds for Key Metrics 🕒 20:02 - Funnel Dashboard: Understanding User Conversion 🕒 21:06 - Crash Reporting: Understanding Real-World Performance 🕒 22:34 - Technical Deep Dive: How to Upload Debug Symbols & Read Stack Traces 💰 Part 3: Add-on Content & Monetization 🕒 27:13 - Overview: Consumables, Durables, and DLCs 🕒 29:19 - How to Test IAPs with Test Users & Credit Cards 🕒 29:55 - Technical Deep Dive: Server-to-Server APIs for Purchases 🕒 31:28 - Conclusion & Final Recommendations 📚 RESOURCES ➡️ Developers Blog: https://developers.meta.com/resources/blog/ ➡️ Meta Quest Developer Hub: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/unity/ts-mqdh/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH US ➡️ Sign up to get the latest news from Meta Horizon: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/newsletter 💡 LEARN ABOUT THE META HORIZON START PROGRAM The Meta Horizon Start program provides intermediate and advanced developers with the resources, hands-on support, and expert guidance needed to accelerate their app development. Join a thriving community to get the tools and go-to-market guidance you need to successfully deploy and grow your app on Meta Horizon OS. Apply to Start today: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/discover/programs/startDesigning for Teens & Young Adults | Player Psychology, Monetization & Live Ops
Unlock the strategies behind the most successful games for teen and young adult players on the Meta Horizon Store. In this data-driven session, Anish Baby George, Meta’s Head of Games Growth & Monetization, breaks down the core psychological motivations of this key audience. You’ll see how to translate those insights into powerful game mechanics and discover how to structure effective live service events and plan high-impact holiday campaigns that drive long-term retention. 💡 In this session, you’ll learn: How to translate the core psychological motivations of teen players into actionable game design for progression, customization, and social spaces. A complete playbook for planning and executing high-impact holiday campaigns that capture seasonal excitement and drive revenue. A proven framework for live service operations, from structuring a weekly content cadence to planning major quarterly updates. 🎙️ SPEAKER Anish Baby George, Head of Games Growth & Monetization ▶️ VIDEO CHAPTERS 👋 Introduction: Understanding the Audience 🕒 00:00 - Welcome & Introduction 🕒 01:33 - Defining the Teen & Young Adult (TYA) Audience (Ages 13-24) 🕒 05:19 - Core Principles for Designing with Safety & Privacy 🧠 The Psychology of TYA Players 🕒 06:52 - The 6 Key Aspects of Successful TYA Games 🕒 10:02 - The Science: Self-Determination Theory (PENS Framework) 🕒 12:01 - Motivation 1: Relatedness (Social Connection) 🕒 14:11 - Motivation 2: Competence (Skill & Mastery) 🕒 15:52 - Motivation 3: Autonomy (Choice & Control) ⚙️ Actionable Design & Monetization Principles 🕒 17:26 - Principle 1: Foster Skill Building with Simple Interactions 🕒 18:29 - Principle 2: Integrate Deep Customization 🕒 19:11 - Principle 3: Create Flexible Social Spaces 🕒 20:17 - Principle 4: Structure Progression (e.g., Season Pass) 🗓️ Live Service & Holiday Event Strategy 🕒 21:25 - The Live Service Cadence: A Framework for Ongoing Content 🕒 25:02 - Why Holiday Events Are Critical for Growth 🕒 26:12 - The 5-Factor Playbook for a Successful Holiday Event ✅ Conclusion & Audience Comparison 🕒 30:12 - Key Differences: Designing for Older Audiences (25+) 🕒 31:52 - Summary: How to Combine Motivations for a Hit Game 📚 RESOURCES ➡️Growth Insights Series: Tips for Monetizing In-App Purchases on Horizon: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/tips-monetizing-in-app-purchases-free-to-play-strategies ➡️ Growth Insights Series: Building Competency in New User Onboarding: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/growth-insights-series-building-competency-new-user-onboarding/ ➡️ Growth Insights Series: Effective Expectation Setting in Your Product Details Page https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/growth-insights-series-effective-expectation-setting-product-detail-page-engagement-retention/ ➡️ Developers Blog: https://developers.meta.com/resources/blog/ ➡️ Meta Quest Developer Hub: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/unity/ts-mqdh/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH US ➡️ Sign up to get the latest news from Meta Horizon: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/newsletter 💡 LEARN ABOUT THE META HORIZON START PROGRAM The Meta Horizon Start program provides intermediate and advanced developers with the resources, hands-on support, and expert guidance needed to accelerate their app development. Join a thriving community to get the tools and go-to-market guidance you need to successfully deploy and grow your app on Meta Horizon OS. Apply to Start today: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/discover/programs/startF2P vs. Premium | A Start Developer Panel on VR Monetization
Choosing between Free-to-Play and Premium is one of the biggest decisions a VR developer can make. In this session, we learn the unfiltered monetization strategies from the creators of hit games Moto X, Sail VR, Swordsman, UG, and Clay Hunt VR. Hosted by Scaled Partner Manager Rita Brennan Turkowski, this panel is a masterclass in navigating the path from initial idea to a thriving, monetized app on the Meta Horizon Store. 💡 In this session you’ll learn: When to choose a Free-to-Play (F2P) vs. a Premium pricing model. How to pivot your monetization strategy, even after launch. Proven techniques for building and leveraging a passionate community on Discord and beyond. Expert advice on Early Access, live ops, and creating viral social mechanics. 🎙️ HOST Rita Brennan Turkowski, Scaled Partner Manager 🗣️ PANELISTS Kyle Joyce (Enver Studio) - Moto X, Steal a Monkey Spencer Cook (Continuum) - UG Garett Cook (Red Team Interactive) - Sail VR Almir Brljak (Sinn Studio) - Swordsman, Battlegrounds Aleksi Rantonen (Shotgun Gaming Oy) - Clay Hunt VR ▶️ VIDEO CHAPTERS 👋 Introduction & Panelist Expertise 🕒 00:00 - Welcome & Panel Introduction 🕒 00:27 - Audience Poll: Free-to-Play vs. Premium 🕒 01:03 - Meet the Developers: Panelist Expertise & Games 🤔 Monetization & Concept Validation 🕒 03:37 - Icebreaker: How Game Genre Drives Your Monetization Choice 🕒 05:41 - Concept Evolution: Knowing When to Pivot or Quit 🕒 08:06 - Lessons from Launch: What We Learned from Our First Games 🕒 11:06 - Early Access Strategy: How Early is TOO Early? 📣 Community & Marketing 🕒 15:35 - How to Gather Early Signals from TikTok, Discord & Social Media 🕒 17:19 - Techniques for Building Community & Acting on Feedback 🕒 22:22 - The Power of Social Mechanics & Creating Viral Moments 🕒 25:05 - Creating Your Own Content vs. Working with Influencers ✅ Final Advice 🕒 26:48 - "What I Wish I Knew Then": Key Advice for New Developers 🕒 27:40 - Closing Thoughts: Define Your Audience & Monetization Plan 📚 RESOURCES ➡️ Premium Monetization Models: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/resources/monetization-premium-models/ ➡️ Free-to-Play Monetization Models: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/resources/monetization-free-to-play-models/ ➡️ New Monetization Tools for All Developers: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/blog/monetization-tools-meta-horizon-store-developers-quest/ ➡️ Developers Blog: https://developers.meta.com/resources/blog/ ➡️ Meta Quest Developer Hub: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/documentation/unity/ts-mqdh/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH US ➡️ Meta for Developers: https://developers.meta.com/ ➡️ Sign up to get the latest news from Meta Horizon: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/newsletter 💡 LEARN ABOUT THE META HORIZON START PROGRAM The Meta Horizon Start program provides intermediate and advanced developers with the resources, hands-on support, and expert guidance needed to accelerate their app development. Join a thriving community to get the tools and go-to-market guidance you need to successfully deploy and grow your app on Meta Horizon OS. Apply to Start today: https://developers.meta.com/horizon/discover/programs/start
