A cohort is a group of players who share a common starting point in time or behavior — such as install date, event participation, or first purchase. Cohort analysis tracks how these groups behave over time to evaluate retention, monetization, engagement, and system impact.
Cohorts don’t show how players behave. They show when they behave differently — and why.
1️⃣ Definition
A cohort is a segmented player group, usually tied to a date or trigger, used to analyze how players behave after a shared event — enabling designers and analysts to measure trends and test the impact of game changes.
📍Don’t compare everyone. Compare the right people in the right timeframe.
2️⃣ Why Cohorts Matter
Goal | What It Helps With |
Retention tracking | See if changes improve player return rates |
Monetization behavior | Identify when and why users convert |
Feature testing | Evaluate impact of new systems over time |
Event analysis | Track player value post-event |
LiveOps refinement | See who sticks and who churns — and when |
📍Cohorts show whether your design changes actually change long-term behavior.
3️⃣ Types of Cohorts
Type | Based On | Example |
Acquisition cohort | Install date | Players who joined in March |
Feature cohort | First use of a mechanic | Players who tried PvP in v1.4 |
Payment cohort | First purchase date | Users who became payers last week |
Event cohort | Participation in LiveOps | Joined Halloween dungeon event |
Churn cohort | Last activity | Users who quit in July |
Retention cohort | Session milestones | Returned on Day 7 after install |
📍Each cohort is a controlled lens — and the most honest way to track change over time.
4️⃣ Example: Retention Cohort Table
Install Date | D1 Retention | D7 Retention | D30 Retention |
Jan 1 | 42% | 18% | 7% |
Jan 8 | 35% | 15% | 5% |
Jan 15 | 45% | 21% | 10% |
📍This table shows if updates or onboarding changes actually improved player retention.
5️⃣ Cohorts vs Segments
Concept | Focus | Example |
Cohort | Time or trigger | Players who joined last week |
Segment | Behavior or traits | Whales, lapsed users, PvP-only |
📍Use cohorts to test when, and segments to understand who.
6️⃣ How Cohorts Inform Design
Insight | Design Response |
Drop-off at Day 3 | Adjust FTUE pacing or reward loop |
Payment spike after tutorial | Introduce shop offers earlier |
Event cohort churns faster | Redesign reward timing or task volume |
New cohort outperforms old | Lock in changes that caused the lift |
📍A good cohort analysis leads to specific design actions — not just data slides.
✅ Cohort Analysis Checklist
📍Don’t treat cohorts as dashboards — treat them as stories over time.
Summary
Term | Cohort |
What it is | A group of players with a shared start point in time or behavior |
Why it matters | Tracks player behavior over time — and how design changes affect it |
Used for | Retention, monetization, LiveOps evaluation, A/B testing |
Design goal | Make decisions based on real-world player timelines, not averages |
📍Cohort analysis is the most powerful way to answer: “Did this change make things better — and for whom, and when?”