We removed signups entirely from our product. Here's what that forced us to rethink
Most SaaS advice says: get the email first, everything else later. We went the opposite way with our side project and I'm curious what you think.
What we built: a browser game site (pp2hub.site) – 9 games so far, multiplayer included. Zero signups, zero downloads. You open a game and you're playing.
What "no account" forced us to solve:
Multiplayer without users. No friend lists, no profiles. Instead: one person creates a game, gets a 5-letter code, friends type it in. The server only handles the code, the game itself runs between browsers. Turned out to be simpler than accounts ever were.
Progress without a database. Scores and unlocks live in the browser's local storage. Downside: switch devices and it's gone. So far nobody has complained.
No email list = no retention channel. This is the real cost. We can't ping anyone when a new game drops. Our bet is that people come back through the games themselves and short videos, not through newsletters.
Every extra click hurts more. Without a signup wall there's no "sunk cost" keeping people around, so the first 10 seconds have to deliver. We cut menus down to one button.
What I'm unsure about:
- At what point would you add an optional account (sync progress, friends)?
- How do you build retention without collecting emails at all?
Would love to hear from anyone who's run a no-signup product – did you regret it later?