The Good Tech Companies - How Prem Kothandaraman Helped Zynga Attract 1M New Players

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/how-prem-kothandaraman-helped-zynga-attract-1m-new-players. Prem Kothandaraman redefined monetization for Zynga’s Words With Friends, boosting users by 30% with a smart, player-friendly in-game currency system. Check more stories related to gaming at: https://hackernoon.com/c/gaming. You can also check exclusive content about #zynga-monetization, #prem-nishanth-kothandaraman, #in-game-currency-system, #mobile-game-revenue, #gaming-user-engagement, #game-design-strategy, #words-with-friends-update, #good-company, and more. This story was written by: @echospiremedia. Learn more about this writer by checking @echospiremedia's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman led the launch of the first in-game currency system for Words With Friends, increasing players by 30% and boosting engagement. His dual-currency design and technical innovation modernized monetization while enhancing gameplay, earning him recognition as a rising talent in the gaming industry.

This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. How Prem Kathandaraman helped Zynga attract 1M new players, by Sonia Kapoor. In the competitive landscape of mobile gaming, where innovation and user engagement are paramount to success, the recent transformation of Zynga's words with friends stands as a testament to exceptional engineering leadership and strategic vision. Under the guidance of software engineer Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman, the introduction of the first ever in-game currency system for this flagship title has not only revolutionized its monetization strategy but has dramatically expanded its player base and market reach. Words with Friends, with its millions of active players worldwide, had long operated on a

traditional ad-supported model. The implementation of an in-game currency system represented a significant pivot in the game's decade-long history and business approach. Tasked with this mission-critical initiative, Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman leveraged his technical expertise and game design background to orchestrate a seamless integration that would enhance rather thandisrupt the core player experience. What distinguishes Prem Nishanant's contribution was his ability to transcend the conventional boundaries of software engineering. While serving primarily as a full-stack engineer, he demonstrated remarkable versatility by actively shaping the product vision.

Working in close collaboration with designers and product managers, he made significant contributions to the game design itself, authored critical sections of both product and technical specifications, and conducted comprehensive competitive analysis to ensure the feature would resonate with the game's diverse audience. The technical implementation was no small feat. The new system needed to integrate seamlessly with existing game mechanics while introducing multiple pathways for currency acquisition, through gameplay achievements and direct purchases, all while maintaining the game's performance standards across millions of concurrent users.

This required sophisticated backend architecture to handle transaction processing, wallet management, and synchronization across devices, as well as thoughtful front-end implementation to make the currency system intuitive and engaging for players of all skill levels. Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman's approach to the challenge was methodical end-user centered. He spearheaded the development of a dual currency model that balanced free progression with premium options, ensuring that non-paying users still enjoyed a rich gaming experience while creating compelling incentives for monetization. This balanced design was crucial in maintaining the game's inclusive community feel while opening new revenue streams. The system also incorporated innovative features such as time-limited special offers and achievement-based

rewards that kept the economy dynamic and engaging. The results were nothing short of transformative. Following the launch, Words with Friends experienced a surge in daily active users, growing by over 1 million players, an impressive 30% increase in a mature product. Perhaps most notably, the initiative succeeded in attracting a younger, more competitive demographic, effectively expanding the game's market reach beyond its traditional user base. The engagement metrics showed substantial improvement as well, with average session length increasing and player retention rates showing positive trends across all user segments. From a business perspective, the new currency system created a

sustainable revenue channel that complemented the existing advertising model. This diversification proved especially valuable in adapting to changing market conditions and advertising fluctuations in the mobile gaming ecosystem. Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman's academic background proved instrumental to this success. His master's degree in computer science from UC Irvine, with specialized focus in game design and development, provided the perfect foundation for tackling this multifaceted challenge. This educational grounding enabled him to approach the project with a unique blend of technical rigor and user-centric design thinking. His coursework in artificial intelligence also contributed to the implementation of smart reward systems that adapted to player behavior, creating personalized experiences

that enhanced engagement. The development process itself showcased Prem Nishanth Kaathandaraman's leadership abilities. By fostering cross-functional collaboration between engineering, design, product, and analytics teams, he created an environment where technical constraints and product aspirations could be balanced effectively. His emphasis on data-driven decision-making ensured that design choices were validated through player testing and market analysis rather than assumptions. This methodical approach minimized risks while maximizing the feature's impact potential. For Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman personally, the project represented a significant career milestone, establishing him as a cross-functional engineer capable of delivering high-impact innovations

at scale. His ability to bridge technical implementation with strategic product thinking has marked him as a rising talent in the gaming industry. The project's success has already translated into expanded responsibilities and recognition within Zynga, positioning him for future leadership opportunities in game platform development. The success of this initiative extends beyond immediate metrics. It demonstrates show thoughtful engineering leadership, when combined with strategic vision, can breath new life into established gaming titles. As the industry continues to evolve, particularly in monetization strategies that balance business objectives with player experience, Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman's work stands as a compelling

example of innovation done right. Looking ahead, the implications of this project's success extend beyond words with friends. It showcases how data-driven design and cross-disciplinary collaboration can transform gaming experiences while driving business growth. The knowledge and methodologies developed during this project have created valuable intellectual capital that will inform future product decisions across the organization. As Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman continues his trajectory in in game development and platforming engineering, Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman has established himself as an emerging expert in the gaming industry. With a master's degree in computer science from UC Irvine and specialized

education in artificial intelligence and game design, he bridges sophisticated technical expertise with creative vision. His comprehensive experience spans full stack engineering for major gaming platforms, including the successful delivery of features used by millions of players daily. With a deep understanding of both engineering principles and user experience design, Prem Nishanth has demonstrated exceptional ability in developing innovative solutions that drive player engagement and business growth. His expertise in integrating advanced technologies while maintaining focus on player experience has consistently delivered excellence in the competitive landscape of game

development. Prem Nishanth Kothandaraman's forward-thinking approach to gaming infrastructure and monetization has positioned him as a valuable contributor to the evolution of the digital gaming landscape. This story was distributed as a release by Echo Spire Media under Hacker Noon's business blogging program. Learn more about the program here. Thank you for listening to this Hacker Noon story, read by Artificial Intelligence. Visit hackernoon.com to read, write, learn and publish.