Tapwave
Soft-Launch Helper
Soft-Launch Helper

A calm, thoughtful look at your game
before you let it out into the world

A supportive pre-release service that works through your build's first-session experience, store presence, and light analytics setup — at a pace that lets you act on the feedback comfortably.

What you'll come away with

Quiet confidence before a quiet release

The Soft-Launch Helper works through three areas that matter before a test release — your first-session flow, your store presence, and your analytics setup. You receive clear, actionable notes you can work through whenever the time feels right.

First-session notes

Friendly observations on how a new player experiences your game from the very first interaction — what's clear, what's slightly confusing, and what might be worth smoothing out before testers arrive.

Store text review

A look at your store listing copy — title, short description, long description — with gentle suggestions for clarity, accuracy, and tone. Nothing prescriptive, just a second set of eyes.

Analytics setup guidance

Light, practical guidance on what to track during a soft launch — a small number of events that actually tell you something useful about early retention, without over-engineering the setup.

A familiar feeling

The build feels done. Releasing it
feels like a different kind of work.

There's a particular kind of friction that shows up late in a hyper-casual project. The game is built. The core loop works. Levels play the way you intended. And then you look at the list of things that stand between you and a test release — analytics events, store copy, first-session impressions — and it's a different kind of task than the development work that got you here.

For a lot of developers, especially smaller teams, this is where projects stall. Not because the game isn't ready, but because the preparation for release feels like a second job, and it's one nobody asked for. The result is either a release that goes out underprepared, or a game that stays in "nearly ready" longer than it should.

The Soft-Launch Helper is meant to fill that gap — not by taking over, but by going through the pre-release checklist with you and giving you clear, measured feedback you can act on at your own pace.

The approach

Measured feedback, not a rushed checklist

We look at your game as a new player would

First-session experience is easy to lose perspective on when you've built the game yourself. We approach your build with fresh eyes and note what a first-time player is likely to encounter — confusion, delight, friction, clarity.

Store text that describes honestly

We read your store listing the way a potential player does — looking for whether it accurately describes the game, whether the tone matches the experience, and whether any part of it might set incorrect expectations.

Analytics guidance that's proportionate

A soft launch doesn't need twenty tracked events. We suggest a small, specific set of things to measure during your test window — the ones that will actually tell you something useful about whether the loop is holding attention.

Advice you can act on whenever you're ready

Every piece of feedback is written to be easy to understand and act on independently. There's no assumption you'll implement everything before release — you decide what to address and when, based on what feels right for your project.

Working together

Simple, low-friction, unhurried

1

You share your build and any context

We'll need access to the build and any store text you've drafted. You can also share what you're most uncertain about — that helps us prioritise the parts that feel least settled to you.

2

We work through the three areas

First-session experience, store text, analytics setup. Each gets a focused look without being rushed. We take notes as we go and compile them into a clear, organised document.

3

You receive the feedback document

A structured set of notes covering all three areas — observations, suggestions, and a few priorities if you're short on time. Written to be easy to act on when you're ready.

4

One follow-up exchange included

After you've had time to read through the notes, you can come back with questions or ask for a bit of clarification on anything. We want the feedback to be genuinely useful, not just delivered.

Investment

Straightforward pricing for a focused service

$320 USD, fixed

One clear price for the full service. Nothing added on after the fact.

What's included

First-session flow review with written observations and notes

Store text review — title, short description, long description

Light analytics setup guidance — a short, practical event list

Organised feedback document covering all three areas

One follow-up exchange for clarifications after you've reviewed

Get started — $320
Why the pre-launch stage matters

Small details, quietly significant

A soft launch is a low-stakes test, which is exactly what makes the preparation worth getting right. When a game goes out without a clear store listing or with a first-session experience that leaves players slightly uncertain, the data you collect during the test window reflects those issues rather than the game itself. Fixing them after the fact means rerunning the test.

Analytics is similarly underestimated. A soft launch with no tracking tells you almost nothing actionable. A soft launch with a thoughtful set of three or four events tells you where players are dropping off, whether the loop is holding for more than one session, and what to focus on before a wider release.

Realistic expectation: this service doesn't guarantee store approval, a specific retention rate, or any particular outcome from your test. What it does is give you a cleaner, more considered starting point for the test — and clearer data to learn from when it's done.

3

Areas reviewed

1

Follow-up included

$320

Fixed cost

0

Rush required

Our commitment

Feedback that's actually useful — or we revisit it

The three areas covered by this service — first-session experience, store text, and analytics setup guidance — are all included in full. If you receive the document and feel one area wasn't addressed properly, let us know. We'll look at it again.

The included follow-up exchange is there precisely to make sure the feedback lands clearly. If something in the document is unclear, too brief, or needs more context, that's what the follow-up is for.

And as always — the initial conversation is free. Tell us about your build and where you are in the process. If the Soft-Launch Helper is a fit, we'll move forward. If something else seems better, we'll say so.

Getting started

What happens after you reach out

1

Send a short note

Describe your build and roughly where you are — how close to a test release, what you're most uncertain about. No formal documents needed at this stage.

2

We confirm the scope and begin

Once you're comfortable, you share the build and any store text you've drafted. We confirm the $320 investment and start working through the three areas.

3

Feedback document delivered

You receive the full document. Read through it in your own time. Use the included follow-up if anything needs clarifying. Then act on what feels right, when it feels right.

Ready to prepare your game for a quiet release?

Get in touch through the contact form. Tell us a little about your build and where you are in the process — that's all we need to get started.

Get in touch — no commitment

We reply within one working day.

Other services

Earlier in the process? These might fit.

The Soft-Launch Helper works best when you already have a build. If you're not there yet, these might be the right starting point.

Prototype $180

Single-Loop Prototype

One core mechanic shaped into a playable form. A focused starting point for testing an idea before building a full game around it.

See what's included
Full kit $540

Casual Game Kit

A short hyper-casual title with light levels and a progression curve. For teams ready to go beyond a prototype and build something complete.

See what's included