The Future of UA

Creator programs. Everyone and their mom has one, including Roblox, Fortnite, Rush Royale, and Supercell…but why? What’s the ROI?

Well, there are several benefits to starting one, including:

• Retention: keep the community engaged, return for new content, and generate buzz around updates
• Feedback loops and positive PR: get direct feedback from hardcore gamers and helps you contain negative feedback (rather than creators spreading criticism publicly)
• Generate user-generated content: build a constant engine of content around your game

• Distribution: build hype and get the news out for any new content or
• Reduce fatigue: keep your game’s ecosystem fresh and alive
• Reward: your most loyal fans
• Drive more revenue: more engagement around skins, bonuses, and upgrades ultimately helps build your ecosystem.

All of the above has a direct impact on your User Acquisition activities. Supercell has recruited over 1,000 creators, claiming some have even increased viewership by 600%. I mean, you can’t pay bills with viewership, but still. That was their main UA channel until Brawl Stars blast.

Gaming companies are competing for creators’ attention.

It’s not only brands fighting for the massive reach influencers have today. Developers are finding ways to identify creators and deepen relationships with them. For example, some creator programs demand that the creator almost exclusively plays a certain game, locking them into the game’s respective ecosystem (which is probably not the best idea, but some games just have that kind of leverage right now).

Let’s dissect all the best creator programs out there right now.

Rush Royale paid its players $500k in less than 2 years

My.Games launched its creator program in 2022 for Rush Royale. They recruited over 100 creators to film and edit content about the game, rewarding creators $500k so far. Once accepted into the program, creators are invited to a private Discord where they can collaborate with other creators and learn more about upcoming events.

Their program is unique because it is gamified. They offer three levels where creators can level up to unlock more benefits if their performance metrics improve. But there’s a little bit of negative reinforcement, too. Creators who do not meet the requirements are warned and may have their level lowered.

Creators are rewarded with exclusive events like tournaments, pre-access to new features, and have a direct influence in development. They also offer a 10% revenue share for creators with personal creator codes and an added 5% bonus if their content is exclusively about Rush Royale.

Rush Royale Creator Program Requirements

Supercell opens its doors to more creators

In 2018, Supercell brainstormed with OG content creators and asked what they wanted. This led to creating a creator portal with a tiered rewards system and creator codes. Since its inception, Supercell has recruited over 1,000 creators, and they claim some creators even grew viewership by 600%.

Their robust creator program offers the following benefits:

• Creators Discord channel to share tips, knowledge, and network
• First access to previews and create content before it launches
• Video inboxes – players can watch your content within the game
• Earn money for in-store and in-app purchases with Creator Boost code
• Exclusive first looks, tools, and access to supercell support
• Creator academy: library of video content and bonuses for answering quizzes
• Fan kit media kits

Source: Supercell

Their primary distinguishing feature is the Creator Elixir currency, which gamifies rewards for creators. Creators receive Elixirs for participating in time-sensitive campaigns or other promotions, boosting Supercell’s reach. In return, creators earn exclusive merchandise or skins.

Rick Crane, the Product Owner of the Supercell Creator Program says,”I believe it’s better to focus on the relationships you are building and not just use them for their views.” He highlights the importance of having direct communication with creators to avoid any major fuck ups.

For example, Supercell halved the price for upgrades without announcing a new level was incoming. Players were blindsided and could have saved their gold for the new level if it had been correctly communicated. Creators were upset, and they immediately refunded players.

Supercell Creator Program Requirements

Supercell’s requirements are fairly chill compared to those listed in this article. Their philosophy is that if they give creators the right tools to succeed, they will naturally grow, which will, in turn, help Supercell in the long run.

ha! Two & a half gamers fit the YouTube requirements!

Once applied, a Content Manager will review your content to determine whether it meets their quality and behavior guidelines. Ah fucking hell.. there is always a catch!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=_CEkh3WNXq4%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Epic vows to give 40% of net revenue back to creators

Epic recently announced its Creator Economy 2.0, which is a plan to distribute 40% of Fortnite’s revenues to eligible creators who publish games on Fortnite. The money pool will be from real money spent on Fortnite, purchases of V-bucks, real money transactions (Starter Packs, Quest Packs, Cosmetics), and Fortnite Crew Subscriptions. This excludes the fees paid for licensing.

Similar to Roblox’s creator program that rewards developers for creating experiences through their Fortnite Creative or UEFN engine library. This program runs alongside their popular Support-a-Creator program, which provides creators with unique codes that players can enter when making a purchase. This allows players to support their favorite creators without having to donate directly, as the creator code gives the creator a commission through real-money payouts. However, the Support-a-Creator program is now removed from custom islands because creators will now be paid based on the number of players playing them.

(This video explains everything perfectly)

Engagement payouts are based on two factors:

• Player popularity: attract new players, re-engage lapsed players
• Player retention: players return day-to-day or week-to-week because o compelling gameplay

Fortnite also launched a dedicated Creator Portal with tools and resources to help creators connect with their communities.

Overall, this contributes to Fortnite’s end goal of building its own metaverse. Their deal with Disney, along with their own creative development engine to build new maps, helps add endless variety to keep players engaged, while also compensating passionate creators who develop new maps.

Epic Creator Economy 2.0 Requirements

• The creator’s Epic account:
  • Must be at least 30 days old before applying, and at least 7 of the last 30 days must have included time editing in Fortnite Creative, Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) and/or Unreal Engine
    OR
  • Spent and redeemed $73 (based on USD prices) in the last 90 days on Fortnite in-game products. Gift cards and V-bucks do not apply to this spending threshold. Note that it may take up to 24h for spending and redemption to be reflected.

• The creator is capable of accepting the Engagement Program Payout Terms, either on behalf of themself, or the legal entity that they represent.
• The creator or the legal entity’s representative must be a legal adult. Abide by the creator content guidelines
• Able to receive engagement payouts using Epic’s payment platform(s), currently Hyperwallet
• All creators who are legal adults and were enrolled in the Support-A-Creator program as of March 22, 2023, are automatically eligible to enroll in the engagement payouts program.

Hearthstone’s demanding creator program

The decade-old game is not nearly as popular today as it was a few years ago. But even after the slashing of its esports budgets, Hearthstone is seeing a steady uptick in players again, which could be attributed to its Creator Program. It indicates a shift in attention away from esports and towards streaming and user-generated content.

Announced in 2023, the program has the same benefits as most other games do, including:

• Direct communication with developers and early access to future content
• Giveaway codes and bundles to reward your community
• Special events like playtesting, invitations, and live events
• Influencer-exclusive merch

Hearthstone Creator Program Requirements

While the benefits are fairly straightforward, their application requirements are slightly stricter than others.

Roblox Commits $35 Million to its Creator Fund.

In 2021, Roblox announced its partnership program, the Game Fund, where developers could apply to have their Roblox experiences funded. With a minimum of $500,000 per project, they established a network of developers to continually develop new games with cross-platform and mobile optimization in mind. They reported a payout of $741 million in 2023, a 19% increase from the previous year.

In 2024, they switched gears and rebranded it to the Creator Fund, a $35 million fund for developer studios and users alike. Instead of funding developers who create new games, the Creator Fund is powering experiences like the unhinged Clip It, which is basically a clone of TikTok baked into the game.

Like any other creator fund, creators need to submit an application. The program is pretty robust, though, as everyone accepted will have their own KPIs, milestones, and collaboration with in-house experts. It’s also open to professional developer studios and brands on a rolling basis.

Roblox Creator Fund Requirements

The creator fund is open to creators and developers who are looking to build unique projects on the platform.

• Multiplayer-focused
• Cross-platform with mobile optimization in mind
• Social mechanics as key to the experience
• Strong retention, monetization, and live operation plans,
• In-experience avatars that reflect elements of the user’s platform avatar identity. Ability to leverage items that you can equip on platform avatars, like the ones you buy in the Marketplace.

Application Requirements

• 18+ age requirement.
• Details about you and/or your team.
• Short description of your project.
• Pitch deck of high-level strategy, design specifications, etc.
• Project milestone schedule and budget.

Read more about the program here and apply here.

Key Takeaways for Creator Programs

It’s no secret that these programs work. Managing a community is a huge undertaking, but focusing on creators has allowed massive programs like Supercell’s to be run by a team of 4. Here are some of the key takeaways to help inspire you to build one of your own:

Focus on building relationships first

If you’re wondering which new game features to launch or how to structure rewards for creators: talk to them. It’s that easy. A byproduct of building strong relationships with creators is that it can help prevent botched launches and PR nightmares. Having experienced creators beta test new features is a great way to ensure smooth and balanced rollouts and avoid backlash from the community.

Have a lower barrier to entry

Don’t focus on the follower count. Supercell has shown that investing in high-quality creators can pay off in the long run. New creators who have an eye for content can be successful and grow with your program. So it’s important to vet creators based on their quality, rather than vanity metrics (you probably also want to vet out the toxic players, too).

Don’t cheap out

Successful creator programs are rewarding. While the title of being a Blizzard partner is cool, it’s not enough to sustainably run a creator program.  If you’re forcing creators to post only about your game, you have to present an equal return in value to reward them for it. While these programs all provide financial incentives, programs like Supercell’s also provide the tools to help creators be better at their jobs via their video academy.

Take feedback seriously

Supercell attributes its new game’s success to having face-to-face meetups with creators to get direct balance feedback for their new game, Squad Busters. It’s not enough to address complaints. To actually build trust, you have to implement their feedback. Whether it was the lack of variety or broken items, Supercell incorporated their feedback into the game. They even invited 100 creators to their Helsinki office on launch day. That’s how genuine relationships are made.