Самокат: "Пандагочи" - геймификация с виртуальным питомцем

Objective

Samokat, a Russian rapid delivery service for food and groceries, needed to increase user engagement and app retention through emotional brand attachment. The business goal was to drive daily habit formation and build customer loyalty using in-app gamification mechanics.

Solution

KTS agency created Pandagochi, a virtual red panda companion inspired by Tamagotchi mechanics, embedded in Samokat's mobile app. Users fed, dressed, and cared for their panda through daily missions and activities. A standout mini-game called 'Cookie Boom' (inspired by 2048) provided quick engagement sessions. The game featured a key innovation: items ordered from Samokat (milk, noodles) appeared in-game and were consumed by the panda, bridging virtual and real-world purchases. Players earned rewards, promo codes, and unlocked new features as their pet grew with their activity level.

Results

1+ million users participated; 70% completed at least one task, 20% completed 5+ tasks. Daily active users reached 55,000+. The Cookie Boom mini-game generated 2.5+ million gaming sessions with over 50 years of cumulative screen time. User engagement exceeded targets by 3x. Thousands of promotional codes were activated, driving increased order frequency. Emotional brand connection strengthened with significant growth in user loyalty and repeat purchases.