Next-Gen Social Mechanics: Next Big Opportunity in F2P

🌐 Next-Gen Social Mechanics in Gaming: The Next Big Opportunity in F2P 🌐 As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, the next billion-dollar opportunity lies in pushing beyond today’s social mechanics and connectivity features. In a world craving genuine connection, games that foster deep social engagement both inside and outside the game environment are set to thrive.Imagine games where players can connect beyond traditional friend lists and chat functions. Instead, they could experience a “Tinder-like” player-matching system, building teams or alliances based on compatibility, interests, or in-game objectives. Picture boosters that activate based on proximity, or resource trading convoys that reward cooperation and strategic trading based on location. These features wouldn’t just offer new play methods—they’d create lasting relationships beyond the screen. And I'm not talking only about location-based games here.🔍 Why This Approach Works in Today’s World?In a society […]

Antti Kananen November 3

Journal

What top creatives casual games are using?

What top creatives casual games are using? Here are three new examples:Data Source: AppMagic

Anton Slashcev November 2

Journal

6 key steps on successful puzzle games

I shared the stage with Yunus to discuss 6 key steps on successful puzzle games. Step 6 is the real DEAL! Yunus is the developer behind Hexa Sort,Currently making $15M a month.Published by Lion StudiosThis is not his first puzzle game.He has been fighting in frontlines in this genre.Here are the 6 key steps we discussed:1- Creating a hit mobile puzzle game is not easy:↳ Watching the market, closely,↳ Constant Iteration - (Hexagon theme)↳ Constant Innovation - (Auto Sort)2- You can’t scale a game without a low CPI:↳ Focus on new User Acquisition,↳ Keep your retention high,↳ Iterate CREATIVES as well,3- Level design doesn’t mean quantity:↳ Having 350 levels means nothing,↳ Amount of FUN per level means everything.4- Polished art is not a unique selling point↳ Smooth game play is,↳ Flowing animations are.5- You need patience and practice:↳ What looks […]

Gökhan Üzmez November 2

Journal

Great games know this key to players’ needs!

Great games know this key to players’ needs! Ever noticed the magic of a successful game? ↳ It's driven by passionate, engaged players.(The wheel's been invented, use it)Psychologist Abraham Maslow designed apyramid to classify human needs in 1943.🟢 We all have 5 types of needs: • Basic needs (food, water, shelter).• Safety needs (health, employment).• Belonging needs (friendship, intimacy).• Esteem needs (dignity, respect, purpose).• Self-actualization needs (creation, beauty).Players are humans↳ who seek their needs in your game.By applying this hierarchy to gamers' needs,you build a community around your game. 🟢 Here's the Players' Hierarchy of Needs.Every level aligns with a player's needs.• Basic needs → Fun• Safety needs → Trust• Belonging → Community• Esteem needs → Recognition• Self-actualization needs → Contribution🟢 The hierarchy guides your questions:• What do players need?• Which needs does my game meet?• How do I convey […]

Sergei Vasiuk November 2

Journal

Voodoo’s 2024 Activities with 12 Main Subjects

I am breaking down Voodoo's 2024 activities with 12 main subjects:Over the years, they have surpassed 7 Billion downloads worldwide. Some developers don't understand the basics.They think if design looks good on paper,It will also scale on charts. Yea, about that... I follow all major mobile game publishers,On a custom dashboard, made within minutes.I am starting analysis with Voodoo,And I’ll keep publishing similar reports,On Hyper-Casual Game publishers.Here are discussions for Voodoo in 2024:✦ No major scale in 2024 games,✦ Their Flagships remains the same,✦ They are struggling to keep CPIs low,✦ Live Ops teams are doing a great job,✦ New game attempts focuses on puzzles,✦ They are still acquiring TONS of new users,✦ Their Hybrid Monetization is paying off well.I think they will take the following actions:↳ Work on more Mid-Core games on secret accounts,↳ Strengthen their live ops teams […]

Gökhan Üzmez November 1

Journal

TikTok Trend: Do Re Mi & Scream Chicken

TIKTOK NEW TREND DO RE MI & SCREAM CHICKEN The game development ecosystem has again been surprised by two games that have jumped the charts. 🚀💫 “Mini Games: Calm & Relax” by Unicorn Studio (Rocket Game Studio).💫 “Tik Tap Challenge” by XGame Studio.According to AppMagic, these games have achieved more than 35MM and 12MM downloads respectively in recent weeks. 📈The reason behind the success of these two games lies in... TikTok. 👀Days before they began their exponential growth, both included two filter game trends.👇 Swipe through the slides below and learn about the journey of these hits. 👇- X -Cost Center offers a BI platform that helps scale up mobile games across UA, Creatives, and Gameplay. 🏆Amanote, the rhythm games giant, uses Cost Center's platform for +90% of the CPI and CPA campaigns on its 4 flagships. 📈Call my friend […]

Carlos Pereira November 1

Journal

All in Hole by Homa Games already scaled to $50K+ A Day

All in Hole by Homa already scaled to more than $50K a day 🤑 in IAPs, even though it is still in T1 "soft-launch" release and it is not available worldwide (US is open). We couldn't ignore this very bold iteration so you can read the rundown here 😎. Core gameplay is based on Attack Hole 🕳️, another similar game in Homa's portfolio, which already did 100 Mil. downloads. Both of these are an iteration on Voodoo's 2018 smash hit Hole.io, which is a PvP ⚔️ based version of this core, where you eat your opponents. It still does 300K downloads a day and is past 350 Mil. downloads. So the team at Homa already had a previous experience with single player version of this core, where you simply grow your hole to eat more and more bigger level objectives, […]

Matej Lancaric November 1

Journal

My 6 crucial metric every game developer should track

My 6 crucial metric every game developer should track, because in modern video game design, DATA reigns supreme. Today, every successful game isa result of data driven game design.Every game developer should:- Design, create and maintain a data warehouse,- Validate player data from every source,- Define game metrics such as retention and ltv,- Use efficient dashboards to track progress,For a profitable and fun game.I am actually impressed by Dive and how it simplifies everything. From data collection to clear, actionable insights, it saves both time and money.Making it very “cost-efficient”. If you want:✦ A clear understanding of your game metrics, ✦ To make smarter, data-driven decisions,✦ And save valuable time and money,You should definitely try DIVE because, Data is no longer optional in game development;It's your most powerful ALLY.Cheers! PS: Curious to see how DIVE can transform your game? Send […]

Gökhan Üzmez November 1

Journal

DeamPlus Games Earned $12M+ IAP Revenue

DeamPlus Games Earned $12M+ IAP Revenue Amids “Hoa Hoa Hoa” Season 🍂 Game of Vampires: Twilight Sun, an empire-building RPG, is the ultimate vampire fantasy brought to life. 🌘Gothic castles, luxurious dark interiors, a spooky atmosphere — and a ton of pop-culture references! From Twilight and The Vampire Diaries to Blade and The Addams Family — this game is packed with nostalgic nods that resonate with players through its ASO, ad creatives, and character design. 🧛‍♂️🏰The right timing and a touch of luck drive this success even further: with the game’s global launch, the unexpected revival of the Twilight franchise came into play! Millennials are fueling it with nostalgia, while Gen Z is having fun with those cringy moments the old movies have. ✨🧛‍♀️For a deep dive into this phenomenon and the insights game developers can draw from it, check […]

Andrei Zubov November 1

Journal

Next Multi-Billion Dollar Opportunity: PNS-Led F2P Games

🚀 The Next Multi-Billion Dollar Opportunity in Gaming: PNS-Led F2P Games 🚀 The #F2P #gamingindustry has become commercialized, but many commercially driven #games may not stand the test of the time. The future opportunity lies in the physiological aspects of #gaming through Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)-led #gamedesign. Unlike traditional SNS-led games that stimulate e.g., the “fight or flight” response, PNS-led games focus on e.g., social connection, and meaningful #engagement, creating spaces where players can enjoy the experience without the intensity of SNS-led #design.🚀 Why This Matters for KPIs: Lower CPI, Higher LTV, and Stronger K-Factor.PNS-led games address core needs, not just symptoms. By creating experiences rooted in e.g., genuine connection, they attract and retain players in ways that drive #KPIs and scalable #UA:1. Reduce #CPI by appealing to a broader audience looking for #socialengagement, resulting in better efficiency.2. Increase #LTV […]

Antti Kananen November 1

Journal

Data Dump Friday

𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝟰𝟬𝟬𝗸 𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗦; 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙• Strinova hits 400k Steam Wishlists• Waifu 3rd-person shooter w/nearly 4M web pre-registrations• From iDreamSky, a Chinese Studio• Has Tencent Money• ~$500M market cap; publicly traded on the Hong Kong Exchange• Previously published Western Games in China (e.g., War Robots, Subway Surfers)• With the rise of Steam China, this could be a considerable cross-region game.• Remember, Nikkie and Genshin were hits in the U.S. (25% rev share)! 𝗗𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗢𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥, 𝗦𝗟𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚• Bigger than Monopoly Go!• ~$700M over 6 months; iOS only• $88 Revenue Per Download!• But downloads are crumbling, far below Honor of Kings (10-20k v.s. 500k Weekly)• Something doesn’t smell right; this limited appeal? Data error?• The total revenue curve is bending inward, too.𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗘𝘀 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗕𝗟𝗥𝗨𝗜𝗠? 𝟳𝟬%+ 𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡• Huuuge Games: In H1 2024 DTC revenues accounted for […]

Phillip Black November 1

Journal

Better iterations with OODA Loop

💫 Better iterations with OODA Loop Why typical "Learn, Build, Measure" methodology may be misleading?OODA Loop is a decision-making framework, developed by John Boyd consisting of 4 steps:❶ ObservationIdentify the problem.Gain an overall understanding of the environment.❷ OrientationDefining what should be the next steps and why.What's your timeline and how feasible your solutions are?❸ DecisionCheck your resources and data.Take into consideration all the potential outcomes.❹ ActionDefine who's responsible, prepare the scenarios and take the actions.👉 HOW TO USE IT FOR GAMES?OODA Loop is one of the best approaches when you want to optimize your user experience.First you identify a friction or you want check a UX theory.Then you start checking your data, things like your custom events, your data dashboards, etc.Often you need to write new queries in order to inspect some new ratios and broaden your view.Once you have […]

M. Ali Saatchi November 1

Journal

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