Game Recommendations - Getting Started via Braze
Everything you need to know about third party integration via Braze
Overview
This guide walks you through enabling Future Anthem’s Game Recommendations in Braze.
Requirements
- Active subscription to Amplifier AI — Game Recommendations
- Braze account with admin access and a REST API Key (scoped for user attributes & events)
- Mapping between your gameplay events’ user IDs and Braze external_id
- Real‑time transactions or daily activity feed available to Future Anthem (to power models)
- Designated test users in Braze for staging/UAT
Quick Start Checklist
Step 1 — Activate data & ID mapping
Confirm the player ID mapping (game events → Braze external_id) and enable the data feed to Future Anthem.
Step 2 — Connect Braze
Create a dedicated REST API Key and share cluster/base URL; Anthem sets up event/attribute delivery to your sandbox/staging workspace.
Step 3 — Configuration & testing
Agree the events & attributes schema, send staged payloads to Braze, and wire them into your campaigns/canvases for UAT.
Step 4 — Go live & measurement
Switch credentials to production, launch campaigns, and monitor KPIs (send, open/click, recommendation hit rate, conversion).
Step‑by‑Step Setup
Step 1: Activate data & ID mapping
Goal: Ensure the models can score players and that IDs line up in Braze.
- Confirm the player ID we receive in gameplay data maps 1:1 to Braze external_id.
- Provide a list of test users (their external_ids) in Braze for staging.
- Enable/confirm the real‑time transactions (or daily feed) to Future Anthem.
- (Optional) Share any operator‑specific labels you’d like mirrored to Braze (e.g., VIP tier) for segmentation.
Step 2: Connect Braze
Goal: Let Anthem write events/attributes into your Braze workspace.
- Create a REST API Key with permissions for utrack (events and attributes push), campaigns.trigger.send, canvas.trigger.send (API Trigger campaigns/canvas directly)
- Share your cluster/base URL and the sandbox/staging API key securely.
- We configure delivery to your sandbox/staging workspace first; production credentials are applied after UAT.
Security: Use a dedicated key for Anthem, restricted to the minimum scopes; rotate as per your policy.
Step 3: Configuration & test
Goal: Validate the payloads and wire them into Braze journeys.
Testing steps:
- Anthem sends sample payloads for your test users.
- In Braze, create either a Action Triggered campaign/canvas (event/attribute change‑driven), a Scheduled campaign/canvas, or a direct API-Triggered campaign/canvas.
- Add personalisation using event properties (for action triggered), user attributes (standard or enriched).
- Validate delivery and rendering across email, push, and in‑app.
Note: game_exit_with_recommendations is an optional real‑time exit trigger. For all other journeys, rely on direct API-triggered or Scheduled.
Campaign setup pattern (Action-Triggered):
- Set channels & capping: email, push, IAM; apply Braze frequency caps and quiet hours.
- Choose trigger type: Action trigger or
- Define audience & filters: market/jurisdiction, RG flags, VIP tier, recency.
- Define audience actions trigger: Custom Events agreed with Future Anthem (event names shared)
- Define target audience group: using dynamic segments created by Future Anthem enriched attributes or apply filters
- Add control/holdout: include a holdout to measure incremental lift.
- Measure: monitor hit rate, opens/clicks, sessions per player, and revenue per player; adjust frequency and category mix.
Campaign setup pattern (API-Triggered):
- Set channels & capping: email, push, IAM; apply Braze frequency caps and quiet hours.
- Choose trigger type: API-Triggered.
- Proceed with usual campaign set up process
- Share the campaign ID with FA after its configured
Liquid examples:
- In‑app / Push (triggered by event):
“Since you enjoyed , try next!” - Email (API-triggered):
“Your picks this week: ”
Step 4: Go live & measurement
Goal: Launch production campaigns and quantify impact.
- Switch to production API credentials.
- Roll out the triggered in‑app/push exit journey and the email canvas using attributes.
- Track Braze metrics (sends, opens, clicks) and Amplifier AI metrics (recommendation hit rate, game variety, incremental revenue vs control).
- Iterate frequency capping, channel mix, and category boosts based on performance.
Example Use Cases
- Real‑time exit nudge (in‑app/push): Trigger game_exit_with_recommendations and message the next best games instantly.
- Weekly favourites (email): Use your_favourites to populate a 3–6 game block for returning players and send emails directly.
- New game promotion (push/email): Target players with new_game_propensity for fresh releases using enriched attributes new_games_recommendations.
- Cross‑sell/Upsell (in‑app/push): Use game_exit_with_recommendations (reason BECAUSE_PLAYED) to surface “Up Next” titles and encourage discovery of new or premium games.
- Renewal & Retention (email/content cards): Schedule campaigns using your_favourites and new_games_recommendations to keep players engaged and lower churn risk.
- Repeat Play (in‑app/email): Show an in‑app carousel from game_exit_with_recommendations, then a follow‑up email with the top 3 from new_games_recommendations.
- Winback (email/push): Target lapsed segments with your_trending_games or popular_games) to bring inactive users back.
- Loyalty & Engagement (email/push): Reward VIPs with early access via new_games_recommendations and picks tied to your_favourites.
FAQs
Do we need code changes in Braze?
No—use standard custom events and custom attributes; wire them into campaigns/canvases with triggers and Liquid.
Where do recommendations come from?
From Amplifier AI’s models. We call the Game Recommendations API and push results into Braze as events/attributes, or attach them as trigger-properties.
How often arethe attributes refreshed?
Events are real‑time; attributes can be daily to near‑real‑time, depending on configuration.
What about rate limits?
We batch where sensible and respect Braze limits; your AM will align volumes and timing with your traffic.
Can we add more attributes?
Yes—additional categories (e.g., Trending) can be added after go‑live.
How do I get support or make a feature suggestion?
Visit our 'here to help' form and we will respond accordingly.