Etermax

Goal

With several popular multiplatform games already under their belts, the Etermax team was interested in a cross-platform solution to streamline their development process. The solution needed to integrate with the existing apps for their flagship game Trivia Crack and allow them to implement features across iOS, Android, and web simultaneously. In doing so, they wanted to achieve a faster go-to-market, reduce development time, and help them resolve inconsistencies in their native codebases.

Why Flutter?

In November 2022, the Extermax team assessed several frameworks, including Flutter, by building a proof of concept within Trivia Crack and testing them in a live production environment. This included testing compatibility for ads, video players, and camera recording, and integrating various third-party SDKs such as Amplitude, Appsflyer, Bugsnag, and Firebase. They also investigated the feasibility of incorporating native views. After weeks of rigorous testing, the team chose Flutter and began the migration.

Their solution

Etermax launched the first Flutter version of Trivia Crack in just six weeks, including progressive rollout strategies for testing and implementation. They also integrated Firebase to send remote push notifications and for phone verification, which they found essential for enhancing user engagement and ensuring secure user authentication. Aside from Firebase, Etermax also leverages Google tools and services including Google Cloud, Workspace, and Ads to support their app development and operational needs.

“Hot Reload significantly speeds up our development process, allowing for quick iterations, efficient debugging, and seamless experimentation with UI changes.”

- Pablo Iacopi, Android Staff Principal Engineer, Etermax

Results

The Etermax team found Flutter easy to learn, allowing their developers to start building quickly. The familiarity of the UI elements made the transition even smoother for their iOS developers, who were already accustomed to using SwiftUI.

Flutter's single codebase expedited Etermax’s development process, leading to the quicker go-to-market strategy they were looking for. It also helped prevent inconsistencies between their Android and iOS versions, ensuring a smoother launch process.

In particular, the team found the hot reload feature especially helpful due to its ability to instantly update the app's code and see changes in real time. Etermax credits this feature with significantly speeding up their development process, allowing for quick iterations, efficient debugging, and seamless experimentation with UI changes.

Etermax is currently integrating Flutter into Trivia Crack's other native apps, and the team anticipates a substantial reduction in their codebase and app size. They also expect a higher rate of feature releases for Trivia Crack, with developer efficiency potentially doubling as new features are now only authored once.