ABSTRACT
The Pyramid is a lens for viewing the components of service success. Service games are ongoing experiences that are developed and iterated even once they have millions of players and are receiving vast amounts of data on the behaviour of those players. The techniques these games use vary, from being awesomely fun like Crossy Road to being shamelessly manipulative like Pirate Kings. Variable pricing is why it is possible to have a successful free-to-play game with a tiny audience. A generation of gamers grew up with an expectation that the Base Layer was the heart of gameplay. Product and service games can learn from each other to make better, more enjoyable and more profitable games. The tools and frameworks that help to make better boxed games are less helpful when making service games. Making successful service games is a messy business. It involves compromise and flexibility.
