10 Years of Game Dev in 100 No BS Advice

10 Years of Game Development in 100 No BS Advice --- 🎮 GAME DESIGN ---1. Build around a mechanic that sparks curiosity.2. Make failure a chance to learn, not just a penalty.3. Polish how game actions feel until they shine.4. Let the game whisper its rules, not shout them.5. Support mastery and casual play alike.6. Tie progression to gameplay, not separate systems.7. Focus on why players return, not just monetization.8. Evolve challenges alongside player growth.9. Reward creativity, not just accuracy.10. Make each challenge tell a story without words.--- 🕹️ USER EXPERIENCE --- 11. Make controls feel second nature, not forced. 12. Sync visual, audio, and tactile feedback. 13. Guide with light and color, not cluttered UI. 14. Keep design invisible yet essential. 15. Use consistent patterns for menus and interactions. 16. Tailor interactions to the moment of play. 17. Put […]

Anton Slashcev January 7

Journal

How to Design Difficulty in Puzzle Games

How to Design Difficulty in Puzzle Games Based on the Playliner research, here is a guide to designing difficulty:1. Offer multiple difficulty tiers • Easy, Hard, Super Hard — with clear visuals to indicate the level.2. Use attempts, not win rate, to tune difficulty • Low attempts (1–3) = Easy • High attempts (20–35) = Hard3. Follow a recommended difficulty curve • Start easy (Levels 1–20) to build confidence • Add a hard spike (Levels 20–30) to create challenge • Introduce progressive increases and major paywalls after Level 504. Gradually introduce mechanics• Let players master core gameplay before adding complexity.5. Reward wisely• Scale rewards with difficulty. Tougher levels should yield better prizes.6. Test and iterate• Track completion rates. • Adjust blocker levels. • Fine-tune using player feedback.• Alternate between challenging and easier phases. Make the game feel “just challenged enough” […]

Anton Slashcev January 6

Journal

Top Tools for Game Development in 2025

Top tools for game development in 2025 Here’s your ultimate list of tools, broken down by category:Planning 🗂️ • Asana – User-friendly, but limited customization (⭐ 4.5/5) • Jira – Great for agile teams, steep learning curve (⭐ 4.3/5) • ClickUp – Highly customizable, can overwhelm (⭐ 4.4/5) • HacknPlan – Built for game dev, lacks flexibility for other projects (⭐ 4.2/5)Communication 💬 • Slack – Easy integrations, but too many notifications (⭐ 4.6/5) • Discord – Ideal for real-time discussions, less formal than Slack (⭐ 4.4/5) • Google Meet – Smooth with Workspace, fewer advanced features (⭐ 4.3/5) • Zoom – Reliable video, some privacy concerns (⭐ 4.5/5)Documentation 📚 • Notion – Versatile and customizable, can lag (⭐ 4.6/5) • Confluence – Well-integrated with Jira, feels outdated (⭐ 4.2/5) • Google Docs – Real-time collaboration, limited advanced features (⭐ […]

Anton Slashcev January 5

Journal

Social Engagement Time in Mobile Games

Social Engagement Time in Mobile Games Based on the Playliner research, here's the breakdown of social presence in popular games:• Zynga Poker (with Core): 85%• Monopoly Go: 70%• Board Kings: 70%• Coin Master: 67%• Dice Dreams: 27%• Animals & Coins: 18%• Solitaire Tripeaks: 10%• June’s Journey: 9%• Candy Crush Saga: 7%• Royal Match: 5%• Zynga Poker (without Core): 5%• Fishdom: 4%• Best Fiends: 0%• Solitaire Grand Harvest: 0%Statistics are based on 10-hour playtests for each game, during which all moments where the player sees avatars or names of other players on the screen were counted.

Anton Slashcev December 30

Journal

10 signs you might be working on a dead game 🚩

10 signs you might be working on a dead game 🚩 (you don't want to miss them)𝟭. 𝗡𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 👀↳ Without direction, priorities scatter and time is wasted. 𝟮. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲. 🎮 ↳ If developers don’t enjoy it, players won’t either. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁𝘀 🔄 ↳ Frequent changes derail progress and drain morale. 𝟰. 𝗡𝗼 𝗨𝗦𝗣 🪝↳ A generic game can’t stand out in a crowded market. 𝟱. 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 🌀 ↳ When no one knows who’s responsible, chaos reigns. 𝟲. 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 🛑 ↳ Finger-pointing creates toxicity and stalls solutions. 𝟳. 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 📉 ↳ Players don’t come back if the game doesn’t hook them early. 𝟴. 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗽 ⁉️ ↳ Adding more instead of fixing the basics only bloats the game. 𝟵. 𝗡𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 🗨️ ↳ Empty forums and social […]

Anton Slashcev December 30

Journal

Live Ops features to boost Retention

Live Ops features to boost Retention Based on the Playliner research, here are 7 proven Live Ops features that can boost retention for your game:1. Daily bonus • 🎁 Rewards players for logging in daily. • 🔄 Encourages habitual play with escalating rewards for consecutive logins.2. Daily quests • 📅 Fresh tasks reset every 24 hours. • 🎯 Keeps players motivated with achievable short-term goals.3. Push notifications • 🔔 Gentle nudges to remind players of events or updates. • ⏰ Timing is key to re-engage without annoying.4. Mini-games • 🎮 Adds variety with small games inside the main game. • 🌀 Keeps the experience fresh and reduces monotony.5. Collection systems • 🃏 Let players collect items or characters to complete sets. • 🌟 Appeals to collectors and provides long-term goals.6. Season pass • 🕒 Time-limited rewards system that motivates continuous […]

Anton Slashcev December 27

Journal

Mobile Gaming in 2024

Mobile Gaming in 2024 Here’s the wrap-up: 𝟭. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀• Total downloads hit 53.9B (+0.5% YoY). • In-app purchase (IAP) revenue climbed to $58.9B (+2.9% YoY). • The average revenue per download (RPD) was $1.17. 𝟮. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰: • My Supermarket Simulator 3D: 64M downloads, $3.6M IAP revenue. (https://lnkd.in/eR4tr5f4) • Squad Busters: 46.1M downloads, $61M IAP revenue. (https://lnkd.in/e5D_Hpfd) • Screw Puzzle: 45M downloads, $5.3M IAP revenue. (https://lnkd.in/eWs_quhj) • Pokemon TCG Pocket: 35M downloads, $160.1M IAP revenue. (https://lnkd.in/eU-Cv42S) • Capybara GO: 14.1M downloads, $52M IAP revenue. (https://lnkd.in/e7MGwKdp)𝟯. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹: • 23,095 new games launched. • New games brought in $3.43B in IAP net revenue (5% of total revenue). • They accounted for 5.57B downloads (9.7% of total downloads). • Success rate: ±1.3% (measured as games earning $1M+ in IAP revenue). 𝟰. 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲𝘀: • Match 3D: +46%, […]

Anton Slashcev December 26

Journal

R&D Framework for Game Prototyping

🕹 R&D Framework for Game Prototyping 🕹 Below is the framework we often use when starting work on new projects:I. Pre-Production (2-4 weeks)1. Idea Generation: ▶ Market analysis, gathering references; ▶ Brainstorming to pick the most promising ideas2. Greybox Prototyping: ▶ Focus on a single core feature; ▶ Find the fun factor3. Conceptualization: ▶ Preparing the GDD, user flow, and key shots;▶ Selecting the right tools and creating a roadmapII. Production (4-10 weeks)4. Features Development: ▶ Concentrate on key gameplay mechanics and speed in development;▶ Minimal meta or progression5. Content Creation: ▶ Craft key art, and fun levels, and use ready-made assets;▶ Secondary art, vfx, sounds, etc. can be draft6. Minimum Viable Product: ▶ Ensure the game offers 20-40 minutes of engaging gameplay with a distinctive style and polished game feel▶ Better fewer, but betterIII. Product-Market Fit Validation (1-3 weeks)7. […]

Anton Slashcev December 26

Journal

LiveOps Full Breakdown

LiveOps Full Breakdown Here's a list of the most popular LiveOps events:𝟭. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 📅 • Collection / Album • Single Season Pass • Double Season Pass 𝟮. 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 🏆 • Weekly Contest • Leaderboard • Solo Tournament • Race Tournament • Team Race / Regatta • Team Tournament • PvP / Duel Tournament 𝟯. 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 ⏳ • Unlimited Lives • Daily Bonus • Double Rewards • Cost Reduction • Faster Production • Better Drop Rates • Special Mechanic • Stat Improvement 𝟰. 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 🤝 • Clans / Teams • Friends • Leagues • Partners (Co-Op) • Heist / Raid 𝟱. 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀 ⭐ • Level Completion Streaks • Multiplier Streaks • Group Challenge Streaks • Tournament Point Streaks • Time-Limited Streaks 𝟲. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 🥇 • Milestone Tasks • Team Chest • Daily Quests • Time-Sensitive Challenge […]

Anton Slashcev December 24

Journal

My Top 10 Predictions for Mobile Gaming in 2025

My Top 10 Predictions for Mobile Gaming in 2025: 1. 🚨 Stagnation ahead • Expect slow growth in revenue and a slight drop in downloads. Rising costs for user acquisition and marketing are making things tough.2. 💳 Alternative stores take the stage • Developers are moving to platforms like Amazon, Appstore or Galaxy Store and embracing web payments to avoid heavy app store fees.3. 🤝 IP collaborations will thrive • Big games are teaming up with famous brands for live-ops events. It’s a marketing and engagement win-win.4. 🧩 Puzzle games rise to the top• Puzzle games will dominate revenue growth, while action, arcade, and simulation games lead in downloads.5. ⚡ Hybrid casual is the new trendsetter • Games with simple yet engaging mechanics are blending monetization models and extending live-ops.6. 📈 M&A heats up• Major players will expand portfolios through […]

Anton Slashcev December 23

Journal

Mobile Games Downloads Heatmap 2024

Mobile Games Downloads Heatmap 2024 Here’s the breakdown by genre, with all the numbers:1. Hypercasual Games (https://lnkd.in/epJ6KA2Y) • Total Downloads: 12.9B (-9.9%) • Puzzle: 3.0B (-11.1%) • Arcade: 2.7B (-12.2%) • Runner: 1.5B (-14.5%) • Idle Arcade: 1.0B (21.9%) • Shooter: 542.8M (7.1%) • Simulation: 1.1B (-9.7%) • Clicker/Idle: 197.2M (-15.3%) • Other genres like Rhythm (-22.5%) and Satisfaction (-12.5%)2. Casual Games (https://lnkd.in/e6MViVcK) • Total Downloads: 28.3B (-1.3%) • Match-3: 885.3M (-19.9%) • Merge: 608.6M (20.5%) • Kids: 4.6B (0.8%) • Simulation: 4.3B (3.6%) • Bubble Shooter: 398.0M (-16.7%) • Hidden Objects: 235.4M (9.7%)3. Midcore Games (https://lnkd.in/eJ7_A4Ed) • Total Downloads: 12.4B (+0.4%) • Shooter: 2.4B (-3.2%) • Racing: 1.0B (10.0%) • Action/Brawl: 427.7M (34.9%) • Real-Time Strategy (RTS): 408.5M (14.6%) • Action RPG: 263.9M (20.5%) • Idle RPG: 234.5M (17.1%) • Card Battler: 97.1M (15.6%)Key Takeaways: • Hypercasual continues to […]

Anton Slashcev December 18

Journal

Push Notifications Guide

Push Notifications Guide Based on the Playliner research, here’s how to master push notifications:1. Time-Based Notifications • Game reminders after 24 hours of inactivity • Daily bonuses for rewards • Limited-time offer alerts • Event notifications (start, mid-event, and end reminders) • Booster expiration warnings2. Action-Based Notifications • Achievement unlocked: Celebrate player milestones • Friend/enemy activity: Updates on gifts, requests, or teams • Resource collection ready: Alert when resources are available • Progress milestones: Highlight new levels or achievements3. Best times to send notifications: • Morning (7:00–9:00): Game reminders, team updates • Midday (9:00–12:00): Resource updates, rewards • Evening (18:00–20:00): Event pushes, offer reminders4. Tips to keep players engaged: • Be concise: Short, action-focused messages • Incentivize: Highlight rewards and progress • Personalize: Use player names and in-game activity • Time it right: Avoid sending too many or off-peak hours5. […]

Anton Slashcev December 17

Anton Slashcev

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