Live Ops Event Planning Template

Most studios plan events 6-12 weeks out for standard events and 3-6 months out for major seasonal events. The timeline depends on content complexity. A simple sale event might need 2 weeks of lead time. A full themed event with new art, mechanics, and a reward track needs 8-12 weeks minimum.

Top mobile games typically run 2-4 overlapping events of different types: one major event, one recurring challenge, one sale or limited-time offer, and one social/competitive event. The key is making sure events do not compete for the same player time or currency. Each event should have a distinct action and reward.

Design event-specific sinks that absorb the currency or items you inject. For example, if an event gives players 50% more gold than normal play, introduce event-exclusive crafting recipes or upgrade paths that consume gold. Track your economy health [metrics](/metrics) daily during the event and adjust drop rates server-side if inflation appears.

Both, but through different mechanics. Set a minimum level requirement high enough that day-1 players are not overwhelmed, but low enough that your mid-funnel players participate. Use tiered reward tracks where early tiers are accessible to everyone and later tiers reward veteran engagement. This is similar to how you would segment in a [product strategy](/strategy-guide).

Participation rate (% of DAU who engage with the event at least once) is the top-line metric. If participation is low, nothing else matters because the event is not reaching players. After participation, focus on completion rate (% who finish the free track) and incremental revenue. Retention lift during and after the event measures long-term value. ---