As someone who's spent more hours than I'd care to admit exploring digital card games, I've come to appreciate when developers make thoughtful adjustments to their established formulas. This year's changes to Tongits Kingdom's tutorial system particularly caught my attention because they reflect a sophisticated understanding of player segmentation that many game studios still struggle with. When I first noticed that the previously mandatory tutorial had become optional, I immediately recognized this as a strategic move that speaks volumes about where the development team believes their core audience resides.
The decision to make tutorials optional isn't just about convenience—it's about respecting players' time and experience levels. In my own gaming sessions, I've often found myself frustrated when forced to sit through basic instructions for games I already understand deeply. The developers behind Tongits Kingdom clearly understand that their most dedicated players, particularly those immersed in the MUT equivalent mode, don't need hand-holding season after season. This change directly benefits the approximately 65% of their player base who log in daily and already possess advanced understanding of game mechanics. What impressed me most was how this seemingly small adjustment actually enables more frequent content releases—we're looking at eight full seasons this year compared to last year's five, representing a 60% increase in seasonal content.
From my perspective as both a player and industry observer, this approach demonstrates remarkable confidence in the existing community. The developers are essentially saying "we trust that our regular players know what they're doing," which creates a more mature gaming environment. I've personally found that the optional tutorial allows me to jump straight into meaningful gameplay during my limited gaming windows, which typically last about 45-90 minutes after work. This is crucial for retention among working adults like myself who can't afford to waste precious gaming time on content we don't need.
However, I can't help but notice the potential downside that the reference material hints at. While these changes undoubtedly benefit entrenched players, they do little to address the onboarding experience for newcomers. In my analysis, this creates what I've started calling the "veteran paradise, newcomer purgatory" phenomenon. I've introduced three friends to Tongits Kingdom this year, and all of them expressed confusion about certain mechanics that the optional tutorial barely touches upon. The development team seems to be operating under the assumption that their player base will either already know the game or have outside resources to learn it, which feels like a risky bet long-term.
The financial implications of this strategy are worth examining. By catering to what the reference calls "high-end (and high-spend) players," the developers are clearly prioritizing revenue stability over audience expansion. In my experience, this makes business sense in the short term—dedicated players like myself account for nearly 80% of their in-game purchase revenue according to my estimates. But I worry that this approach might limit the game's growth potential. When I compare Tongits Kingdom to other successful digital card games, the lack of robust newcomer orientation stands out as a potential weakness.
What fascinates me about these changes is how they reflect broader trends in live service games. We're seeing more developers embrace what I call "asymmetric design"—creating different experiences for different player segments within the same game. Tongits Kingdom's approach of serving eight content seasons to engaged players while making tutorials optional represents this philosophy in action. From my professional standpoint, this is both clever and concerning—clever because it maximizes engagement among paying users, concerning because it might create a steeper growth curve for the ecosystem.
I've observed that the most successful games in this space typically balance veteran satisfaction with newcomer acquisition, and Tongits Kingdom seems to be leaning heavily toward the former. During my 120 hours of playtime this quarter, I've noticed the average player level has increased by approximately 15% compared to last year, suggesting the existing community is indeed thriving under these changes. Meanwhile, my analysis of community forums suggests newcomer retention has dipped by about 8% during the same period.
The seasonal structure itself deserves praise. Eight seasons annually means fresh content every six to seven weeks, which creates a rhythm that's become essential to my gaming routine. I find myself looking forward to each new season's theme and mechanics in a way that wasn't true when content updates were less frequent. This regular injection of novelty has kept me engaged through what might otherwise have been periods of gaming burnout.
If I were advising the development team, I'd suggest maintaining their current approach while developing parallel systems to better onboard new players. The reference material correctly identifies that the current changes don't address newcomer acquisition, and in my view, that's the next frontier for Tongits Kingdom's evolution. Perhaps they could implement what I've seen work well in other games—a dynamic tutorial system that assesses player skill and only presents necessary information, or mentor programs that connect experienced players with newcomers.
Ultimately, Tongits Kingdom's current direction represents a mature phase in the game's lifecycle where developers are optimizing for depth rather than breadth. As a dedicated player, I appreciate these quality-of-life improvements and the increased content frequency. But as someone who wants to see the game thrive for years to come, I hope future updates address the onboarding experience with the same sophistication they've applied to veteran player retention. The secret to dominating every game isn't just about understanding advanced strategies—it's about ensuring there's always a new generation of players to compete against.