Brutally Honest #138
Hey, FAM! What’s up?
🥃 Drink talk
My US road show is going well. I’m meeting people here in Santa Barbara / LA, to have real conversations. A recent lunch with Diana reminded me just how powerful real conversations and in-person connections are, even though sometimes I would rather stay home and not talk to anyone.
Sometimes = most of the time.
🦩Tip of the week
What’s the best benchmark KPI to test the creatives for a completely new game? Would it be CPI?
Ah, the classic “What’s the best KPI?” question – it’s like asking a gamer how to choose between pizza and tacos! 🍕🌮 So, CPI (Cost Per Install) is a metric to keep your eyes on when testing creatives for a brand-new game. But don’t just stop there!
To get the full picture, you should also examine metrics like ROAS (return on ad spend) and budget spent per creative.
I always look at CPI/IPM vs. ROAS vs. the level of spending on a creative level!
If you’re getting installs but the players bounce faster than a bad connection in an online match, you might want to dig deeper into those engagement metrics and retention on a creative level.
If your game is new, start producing 1-2 creatives per week (you should have already done this) and add them to your business-as-usual campaigns and go from here!
🐊 Cornelius: The Suspicious Investi-gator
True detective-like exploration of creative trends and historical influences. Delving deep into the world of creatives to uncover hidden patterns and inspirations:
𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬
Idle games have long-inspired genres, often requiring innovative marketing to compensate for their “low-action” gameplay. In March 2022, Idle Lumber by AppQuantum set a new standard by introducing a unique element in their creatives—a river fence that stops logs. This idea evolved further in September 2023, establishing a trend that’s been catching on ever since.
It took a bit of time, but other games eventually picked up on this mechanic. By May 2024, Idle Fishing 2 (Multicastgames LLC) cleverly adapted the river fence concept, transforming it into a net that fits seamlessly into their gameplay. And then, things really got interesting.
In July 2024, AppQuantum took this trend to the next level with a new publishing deal with Rockbite Games Armenia Games, releasing Idle Outpost. This game quickly scaled up, securing a high net profit and introducing—wait for it—the river fence again. But this time, instead of stopping logs, it’s holding back zombies. Genius! AppQuantum already had the playbook from Idle Lumber, so this iteration was a natural evolution. Right, Vitaly?
And it’s not just idle games anymore—4X games are jumping on board. Whiteout Survival (Century Games) and Sea of Conquest (FunPlus) have adopted the river fence mechanic, proving that innovative elements in idle games can inspire entirely different genres.
Honestly, I’ve even started building videos with “River Fence” into other casual games, where they fit surprisingly well and add a new layer of complexity.
So, tell me—have you seen this trend pop up in other games? Which genres?
Yours truly, Cornelius.
💀 Dr. Doom is not amused
One of my industry friends amused me with his direct and honest TL;DRs, so we agreed to share it here, too! My friend remains anonymous as Dr.Doom!
“It seems mobile gaming is still super profitable, especially for the employees in the gaming companies. Like a bunch of NetEase guys who laundered $140 Mil. You know the best part? Computer screensavers have been changed to remind staff of NetEase’s compliance protocols. Scary screen savers definitely gonna stop you from stealing $140 Mil. 😱” Sincerely, Doom (https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/netease-employees-have-allegedly-laundered-up-to-usd139-3-million-in-a-trading-scheme-that-involves-nearly-30-companies/)
🎉 “Ha-ha” moment
Because life is too short to be serious.
🎮 two & a half gamers – Nostalgia in 4X strategy games
Age of Empires Mobile is earning $500k/day right after the global launch. Nostalgia doesn’t mean $100 million/month. But in this case, “only” $11mil/month.
In this episode, we delve into the nostalgic world of the Age of Empires, discussing its recent mobile adaptation and the implications of Tencent’s involvement. Well, no hypercasual gates mechanics, no fun… Ehm, I mean, no revenue! Ehm, I mean no scale. Well, what the fuck do I even mean, then? Well, that is what I wrote in the very beginning. Nostalgia is not enough!
We explore the gameplay mechanics, including various mini-games and the integration of elements from Vampire Survivors, while also reflecting on the challenges of maintaining the essence of a classic strategy game in a modern mobile format. The conversation highlights the balance between nostalgia and innovation in game design.
The real deal starts now. When the nostalgia fades off, the game is on! Age of Empires has the tools for scaling UA. 4 different minigames have been implemented and incorporated into the core of the game. No ducktaping. IMHO, even though survivor.io gameplay is a popular trend in creatives, I think it’s weak for this type of game. Why do you think companies like Rivergame or Scorewarrior focus on gates mechanic?
📺 Watch on Youtube
🎧 Listen on Spotify
🦄 Diary of a Dancing Unicorn
Today was a good day.
Hey hey! Let’s have a call today! I have a time-sensitive request.
Hello, thanks a lot for reaching out. Today is not possible, how about early next week?
Any chance to do it tomorrow? It’s really important.
Hmm.. Okay then, let’s try to do it tomorrow. I can move things around to make myself available. How about 5 p.m.?
Yes, that would be great. Thanks a lot for accommodating.
Okay, talk tomorrow.
…
…
No show. 5:10 pm. – Hey, I just left the call.
*8 hours later* Oh, sorry, I was double booked. Let’s find time early next week.
I am quite busy already for early next week, but I can try to squeeze it in.
Great, it’s not that time-sensitive. Talk then.
????????????
Today was a good day.
🤺 Quote of the week
“How’s everyone’s capybara clone going?” – Raymond, 2.5gamers slack
Age of Empires Mobile review!
🧞 Level up yourself
I launched a YouTube Channel. I’m putting a ton of energy into creating valuable content that I think you’ll like. Check out the latest stuff, and give me a like and subscribe.
👾 Gaming blast from the past
Do you remember this game? What did you play when you were young?
As Felix showed in the recent episode. Let’s check how they butchered the game on mobile.
🥦 Before you go
Ask Matej AI a question. It’s actually quite good!
We produced one more episode at 2.5gamers. Check it out now:
Actually, last week was extra special. Here you go one more:
🍿 Fun starts in two & a half gamers Slack!
We are opening up a Slack channel for everybody. It is the most inclusive slack for the gaming industry. Female, male, non-binary, juniors, mid-level, seniors, vendors, developers = EVERYBODY! We are waiting for you ♥️
Feel free to join here!
💡 The latest UA & Marketing jobs for you prepared by Gamigion:
Director of Product Marketing Scopely
Marketing Manager, LATAM Supercell
Performance Marketing Manager Supercell
Live Operations & Monetization Lead Supercell
Monetization Manager Supercell
ASO Manager Playtika
Social Media Manager Playtika
Social Media Growth Manager Playtika
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Product Monetization Manager Moon Active
User Acquisition Manager SciPlay
Director, LiveOps & Monetization SciPlay
Head of Monetization & LiveOps SciPlay
Marketing Researcher Plarium
Ad Monetization Specialist Codeway
ASO Manager Tripledot Studios
Monetization Director – Paper.io 2 Voodoo
User Acquisition Specialist Gameloft
Product Marketing Lead Gameloft
Performance Marketing Specialist Agave Games
Junior Product Marketing Manager Kwalee
Senior Ad Monetisation Manager Miniclip
Marketing Analyst X-FLOW
Marketing Video Specialist Rovio
User Acquisition Manager Futureplay Games
Ad Monetization Manager AxesInMotion
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User Acquisition ABI Game Studio
Client Growth Manager Smadex
Senior Product Marketing Manager AppsFlyer
Senior Data Scientist, User Acquisition Remerge
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Monetization Manager (Remote) TyrAds
Marketing Analyst – Persona.ly
Head of Marketing (NL) iion
Team Lead UA – Remote SOFTGAMES
UA Marketing Producer Playrix
Lead User Acquisition Manager Playrix
Senior Performance Marketing Manager Playrix
Marketing Manager, EMEA Moloco
Senior Growth Manager Moloco
Growth Manager Moloco
VP of UA Appodeal
