Crash games are some of the most popular titles played throughout the world. What happens when they are put to test in the real world? Find out which of these popular titles soared high and which ones crashed down.
- Why are crash games so popular everywhere?
- Summary of key takeaways
- TESTA’s methodology and test environment
- What you should know about crash games and iGaming in India
- Key findings with good internet coverage
- Performance results of individual games
- Key findings from the bad coverage location
- Crash games performance in bad network conditions
- Lessons learned for iGaming crash game providers
- Conclusion
Why are crash games so popular everywhere?
There are some good reasons why crash games do so well—
- they provide instant gratification,
- they are lightweight and fast paced,
- UX is excellent even on budget devices or in regions with limited connectivity,
- people compete against each other, and communities get built at the same time.
It’s no secret that crash games are popular in mature and emerging markets alike. A key factor to their success is that they’re relatively-small sized, compared to graphics-heavy slots and live dealer games—and they rarely have UX problems. As long as internet connectivity is decent, they play well.
But how do these highly in-demand games actually perform when tested in the real world? When internet connectivity actually varies—as it tends to do from place to place—how then, do crash games play?
TESTA, the leading crowdtesting platform for the iGaming industry, sought to answer this question so they stress tested 4 top crash games in locations with good and bad internet connections to see how the games held up.
The testing was done in India on popular crypto operator, BitCasino. The games tested were Aviator, JetX, Aviatrix and F777.
Summary of key takeaways
These findings underscore the importance of thorough crowdtesting, especially for emerging markets with varying connectivity. Addressing these areas proactively can help developers ensure smoother gameplay, retain players and gain a competitive edge.
- Unexpected performance gaps: Despite their reputation for reliability under varying conditions, popular crash games Aviator, JetX, Aviatrix, and F777 Fighter exhibited notable performance issues under poor network conditions, with extended load times and gameplay interruptions.
- Connection quality impact: The testing revealed that almost all games faced significant slowdowns and connection errors when tested under poor network conditions. For example, Aviator and JetX encountered long load times and frequent connection drops, impacting the overall user experience.
- Load times as a key metric: Game load times are a crucial metric for player retention. Games with slower load times, such as F777 Fighter (up to 25 seconds under poor network conditions) risk losing player engagement, especially in fast-paced environments like crash games. However, the OnlyPlay offering was the only game to play perfectly in the bad connectivity location.
- Room for improvement on UI: Specific UI and responsiveness issues—such as lagging multipliers and delayed cashout options—were identified across multiple games, suggesting the need for further optimization to enhance the player experience.
TESTA’s methodology and test environment
To see how crash games performed in real world scenarios, TESTA looked at the top crash games in India in a good cellular network location and a bad one.
TESTA Qrowd was employed to measure user experience in terms of the combined customer journey including game load time, gameplay interruptions due to fluctuations on the network, lag during gameplay and audio-video sync.
TESTA Qrowd is a worldwide community of QA and testing experts that specialize in providing in-market data and insights for the iGaming industry.
Environment setup
Testers used iPhone 11 running on iOS 17.6.1 on the Jio cellular network. They prepared their browser, clearing cache data for test consistency. They collected diagnostic information like internet speed, IP location and viewport resolution.
Game setup
Testers used fun mode to measure the load times and played until they had recordings of at least 3 cashout attempts that exceeded the 5x multiplier.
Test recording
Testers recorded their screens to document their steps and then they played through assigned games on the operator’s platform.
Post-test review
Testers reviewed their footage to ensure all tests were complete. TESTA’s in-house team then reviewed and compiled the data.
What you should know about crash games and iGaming in India
India is rapidly emerging as a high-potential market in the iGaming industry. The sector has experienced substantial growth, attracting attention from major industry players. Projections indicate that India’s online gaming sector will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 30% in the coming years. This remarkable expansion is fueled by increasing smartphone adoption, affordable and reliable internet access, and a growing population of tech-savvy gamers.
The key market drivers in India:
- Increasing smartphone penetration and affordable mobile data plans.
- Mobile gaming accounts for about 90% of the gaming market in India
- A shift in consumer behavior towards online platforms for entertainment.
- Regulatory changes that may favor the growth of legal online gambling.
Crash games have gained traction worldwide, attracting players with their exciting gameplay mechanics. However, the challenge lies in ensuring these games perform optimally, especially in diverse markets like India. TESTA did its testing in India during the week of Diwali, when gambling is considered to be auspicious among Indians.
With a significant population and increasing smartphone penetration, the demand for engaging and efficient gaming experiences is on the rise. Understanding how these games respond to fluctuating internet conditions is crucial for developers aiming to succeed in this landscape. However, the discrepancy between the expected lightweight nature of crash games and the actual performance issues uncovered during testing was surprising.
Key findings with good internet coverage
For the good internet connection, TESTA did the test at Rushikesh Park at Bopal-Ghuma Road in Ahmedabad.
The average download was speed 22.1 Mbps and upload speed of 1.75 Mbps.
What the testers said
Despite some inconsistency in loading time, all the games performed well in the good internet location, with no major connection drops or UX issues detected during the tests.
Testers were generally impressed with all the crash games in the test.
Performance results of individual games
JetX
JetX outperformed all other games for load time, taking only 6 seconds to load. The audio and video were synced throughout the gameplay.
- There were no gameplay interruptions due to connection drop or poor connectivity
- There was no lag during the gameplay
Aviator
Aviator is the market leader with more than 10 million bets. It’s the avatar of all crash games—light-weight and extremely reliable on all types of devices, even in low bandwidth environments. It downloaded decently in the good location, taking just 8 seconds. It’s performance was perfect.
- The audio and video were synced throughout the gameplay
- There were no gameplay interruptions due to connection drop or poor connectivity
- There was no lag during gameplay
Aviatrix
Aviatrix took 10 seconds to load indicating that there is some scope of improvement in the quality in order to beat the competition.
- The audio and video were synced throughout the gameplay
- There were no gameplay interruptions due to connection drop or poor connectivity
- There was no lag during gameplay
F777 Fighter
OnlyPlay’s F777 Fighter took 16 seconds to load showing there is significant room for improvement.
Once the game loaded, however, there were no issues noticed during gameplay.
- The audio and video were synced throughout gameplay
- There were no gameplay interruptions due to connection drop or poor connectivity
- There was no lag during gameplay
For game load time, JetX was fastest
Game load time is one of the most important KPIs determining player engagement and retention.
First impressions matter and at Rushikesh Park in Ahmedabad, where connectivity was decent at 22 Mbps, JetX came out on top.
Key findings from the bad coverage location
Testing the games in locations with slow internet connections is even more important given the diverse internet landscape of India. Game performance needs to stay reliable especially in real-money gameplay, particularly in high-stakes, time-sensitive environments like crash games. Connection issues and user experience can impact the user satisfaction thus affecting the reputation.
For the bad internet connection, the testers made sure to get authentic results and traveled outside the city to truly test the games in a known location where the internet connection is poor, in order to maintain the genuineness of the test. TESTA did this test at Sanand Heights Society at Sanand, Gujarat. The average download was speed 2.74 Mbps and upload speed of 0.07 Mbps
Crash games performance in bad network conditions
Here are the key takeaways from testing in the bad location including friction points on the individual games, game load times, and some actual comments from the testers about the experience.
Aviatrix
Aviatrix performed really well overall in the slow internet connection showing that the developers have made the effort to optimize the game for the market. It took just 8 seconds to load.
Besides that, game play was exceptional.
- Audio and video were in sync
- No lag in the gameplay was observed
- There were no errors or connection issues faced
All in all it was a smooth experience. So kudos to the Aviatrix team!
Aviator
On the upside, the Aviator audio and video were synced throughout the gameplay. On the downside however, Aviator took 17 seconds to load—quite unexpected from the leading game provider.
Besides that, the aviator plane did not show up at all during gameplay, showing a major fault in optimization of the product for the market.
Other issues included the following:
- The gameplay was interrupted twice and the tester encountered connection errors.
- The gameplay was also impacted by lag, affecting the multiplier on screen—which also impacted the cashing out.
JetX
JetX showed a strange error while testing the game with a bad internet connection. The gameplay was smooth, but the tester got an error “Your user entered from another device” which didn’t make sense as the tester was playing in fun mode, which doesn’t require an account. It took JetX 11 seconds to load.
Other observations included:
- The tester faced interruptions in the gameplay during bad connection
- The audio and video were synced throughout the gameplay
- No noticeable lag during gameplay was observed
Such error messages can affect the trust and reliability of the players in the game and lead to an off-putting experience. Something the developers need to test in the real environment.
F777 Fighter
F777 Fighter is very popular with great visuals and the overall the UX is great. The gameplay was super smooth and the tester did not face any lag once the game was loaded. However, the load time was long at 25 seconds.
After Fighter777 loaded though, it played well.
- There was no lag during the gameplay
- Audio and video were in sync
Aviatrix loaded fastest when connectivity was bad
Sanand Heights Society at Sanand, Gujarat. does not have ideal internet connectivity, with average download speed at 2.74 Mbps and upload speed of 0.07 Mbps.
Even so, the crash games did download, and for Aviatrix and JetX, their time wasn’t too much slower than in the good location which had over 22Mbps download speed.
Lessons learned for iGaming crash game providers
- Game providers must address connection errors caused by dynamic network changes.
- Game load times were affected in nearly all scenarios, highlighting the need for extensive testing in emerging markets like India.
- However, longer load times mean smoother game play.
- Optimizing software size and quality is crucial to reduce gameplay load times, ensuring a great user experience and increasing revenue through enhanced engagement and retention.
- Inconsistent loading of game assets and key graphics, along with inaccuracies in multipliers due to gameplay lag, necessitate further testing to resolve these issues.
- User interactions, such as placing bets and cashing out, must be flawless to ensure player retention and maintain the game’s reputation.
- Response times during gameplay need further optimization to prevent costly mistakes.
- Games must improve overall software quality to adapt to the dynamic internet landscape in emerging markets.
Conclusion
TESTA’s QA and UX testing improves product quality for game providers and operators. Real-world testing is crucial in emerging markets. For Crash Games, thorough testing ensures smooth gameplay and optimal cash-out experiences.
Key takeaways for game developers:
- Hidden inefficiencies: Unexpected issues in lightweight games highlight the need for thorough testing.
- Market-specific challenges: Understanding diverse internet landscapes is crucial for enhancing player satisfaction.
- ROI of testing: Early identification of performance issues prevents revenue losses and enhances market success.
- Continuous improvement: Ongoing QA and UX testing in new markets ensures engagement and competitive advantage.
Data-driven testing is essential for iGaming businesses in emerging markets. With money on the line, as it always is with online gambling, flawless performance is crucial. Early detection of issues helps retain players and maintain reputation. This approach ensures competitiveness and product success.
Get in touch with TESTA to talk about how to begin evaluating your in-market iGaming quality and usability and/or that of your competitors.
About the author
Ian McKinnon
TESTA Head of Marketing