In the video game industry, you only have one shot at making an impression. And that is the first five minutes. It is during this time that the player decides whether they will stay or delete the game for good. According to GameAnalytics statistics, up to 70% of users quit a mobile game within the first 10 minutes. And on PC and consoles, it’s not much better.

First impression = judgment

Like a movie or book, the first few minutes set the tone for the entire experience. If the game starts out boring, incomprehensible or technically crooked – the player will have no desire to “bear with it”. He’ll just quit and go to a competitor. You are not competing with other games, but with YouTube, TV series, TikTok and the whole digital life of the player. If you can’t hook him, he’s gone.

Tutorials are not a brake, but a catapult

A poorly made tutorial is the main killer of interest. The player wants to play, not read instructions. Successful games like Super Mario Odyssey or Celeste teach through gameplay. Already in the first minutes the player takes an action, gets a reaction and comprehends the rules himself. This makes him involved from the start.

Emotional hook

Remember the first minutes of The Last of Us – emotional shock. Or Portal – minimalism and curiosity. And Undertale? There you enter a world that is at once strange, cute, and unsettling. In each of these games, the hook appears immediately – it can be gameplay, visual or emotional. The important thing is to get hooked.

Retention doesn’t lie

The D1 retention rate (players returning the next day) is directly related to the first minutes. If the player feels that he is respected, interested and comfortable – he will come back. If not, the numbers will fail and no marketing will save them.

Conclusion

The first five minutes is not a warm-up. It is the decisive scene. It’s in this short span that love for the game is born… or indifference. Make this moment memorable, respectful and engaging and you have a chance to win.