What is a Funnel?

In game analytics, a funnel is a way to visualize and track a sequence of player actions — from first interaction to key goal (like completing a tutorial or making a purchase). It helps you understand where players drop off — and why they don’t finish what they start.

1️⃣ Definition

A funnel is a step-by-step path that players are expected to follow, often during onboarding, a feature flow, or monetization process.

Concept	Formula
Conversion Funnel	% of players who complete each step of a user journey

📍Example: 1,000 players start tutorial → 800 finish step 1 → 500 finish step 2 → 300 complete → That’s a 30% full conversion rate, with clear drop-off points at each stage.

2️⃣ Why Funnels Matter

Use Case	What It Reveals	Design Insight
Onboarding flow	Shows where players get confused or quit	Is your tutorial too long or unclear?
Monetization path	Tracks shop → click → purchase	Is something stopping the transaction?
Event participation	Join → engage → complete → claim	Are players dropping before the reward?
Feature adoption	Prompt → open → use → repeat	Did players see your new system?

📍Funnels don’t lie. If players drop — it’s your system, not just “bad users.”

3️⃣ Funnel Anatomy

Stage	Example (Tutorial Funnel)
Entry point	App launch or tutorial start
Step 1	Move camera / perform first action
Step 2	Complete first match / level
Step 3	Open reward / finish tutorial
Exit / Goal	Player reaches main menu or meta layer

📍Use funnels with event tracking tools to monitor player progression in real time.

4️⃣ Optimizing Funnels

Problem	Fix
Steep early drop-off	Improve UX, shorten first steps
Mid-funnel stall	Add feedback or reward after Step 2
Exit before conversion	Surface value earlier (e.g. bundle previews)
Skips / dead ends	Ensure all paths are reachable and tracked
Hidden steps	Label all milestones clearly (even passive ones)

📍A good funnel is not just about the numbers — it’s about flow. Every step must make sense and feel good.

5️⃣ Funnel vs Metrics

Term	Focus
Funnel	Step-by-step behavioral flow
Conversion Rate	% completing a goal
Churn Rate	% dropping out over time
Retention	% returning players

📍Funnels explain why metrics rise or fall. If retention is low — your funnel probably knows why.

✅ Funnel Checklist

Are you tracking player journeys for key features?

Do you log each step, not just start and finish?

Are drop-offs matched with design hypotheses?

Are you testing A/B versions of underperforming steps?

Do you segment funnel results by cohort (new vs returning)?

📍Funnels help you debug behavior. But only design can fix it.

Summary

Term	Funnel
What it is	A visual and analytic breakdown of player steps
Why it matters	Shows where and why players disengage
Used for	Onboarding, monetization, events, feature adoption
Paired with	Conversion Rate, Retention, Churn, Session Flow

📍Funnels are not just analytics — they’re design mirrors. They reflect how clearly, intuitively, and rewardingly your systems unfold.