Understanding Retention #4: Retention Vs. Rolling Retention

🚨 Understanding Retention Part 4: Retention VS Rolling Retention ❶ What is Retention?Retention measures the percentage of players who return to your game after a specific period (D1, D7, D30, etc).❷ What is Rolling Retention?Rolling Retention takes it a step further. Instead of focusing on a fixed point in time, Rolling Retention looks at whether users continue to return to the game beyond a specific day.👉 For example, instead of asking how many users returned on exactly Day 7, Rolling Retention asks how many users played on any day after Day 7.This metric gives you a broader picture of long-term player engagement and helps you understand how sticky your game really is.❓When to Use Which?· Use Retention when you’re focusing on immediate engagement and onboarding· Use Rolling Retention when you want to calculate long-term stickiness and lifetime engagement patterns✨ Checkout […]

M. Ali Saatchi October 25

Journal

Analysis: Playable Ads In Germany

Why do so many advertisers stick only to the big media channels (a.k.a. walled gardens)? What opportunities are they missing in the lesser-known arenas? This article reveals how playable ads are capturing attention in Germany. I'll give you a closer look at how these ads are used in gaming and non-gaming apps and offer insights that could open new doors for your mobile marketing efforts. Interactive ads, often called playable ads, are a popular way to engage users with interactive content, and I will use these terms interchangeably throughout this article. While playable ads are traditionally associated with gaming apps—allowing users to try out gameplay within the ad—non-gaming apps often use interactive elements like end cards appended to video ads. Both genres aim to enhance user engagement by offering interactive experiences within advertisements. Example of a “Playable” Gaming App Ad: "Playable” Non-Gaming […]

Samet Durgun October 25

Journal

Short-form entertainment reshaped the UA creatives landscape

Short-form entertainment has reshaped the UA creatives landscape, influencing everything from interactive novels to 4X games. 👇 This shift began to take hold in July 2022 when Rise of Kingdoms (Lilith Games) released video ads that left many viewers scratching their heads, feeling cringy, and wondering, "Is this really working?" That was also when Reelshort soft-launched—though hardly anyone noticed at the time. It wasn’t until mid-2023 that Reelshort (Crazy Maple Studio) made waves, scaling rapidly with a unique approach: short-episode content in ads. With engaging, one-minute episodes, it brought drama content directly into advertising—allowing viewers to indulge in endless mini-stories anytime, anywhere. The ads tapped into a library filled with gripping tales of romantic entanglements with billionaires, heart-wrenching tragedies, epic comebacks, passionate love stories, revenge plots, and more. And that’s exactly what they showcased in their creatives. By 2024, the […]

Matej Lancaric October 25

Journal

Here’s 1 core issue I see in growth-stage game studios

I've managed $100M+ budgets. Here's 1 core issue I see in growth-stage game studios:They're throwing money around without realizing it.Example:Not enough partners? Missing annual targets?The typical response: "We need to hire more salespeople."But is recruiting new salespeople the answer?Or are you just adding more water to an overflowing ocean?Truth is, you don't have a sales problem.You have a foundational problem.Who is this really for?What makes you different?What does your strategy actually deliver?How do you communicate your value?If you don't address these foundational issues,you'll end up in a cycle of slow growth.Here's what I'd do this week:1. Identify your top 3-5 customers2. Schedule calls with them today3. Ask key questions about your value and impact4. Refine your messaging to sharpen differentiationRemember:Growth challenges are constant.It's how you tackle them that matters.I learned this the hard way at Gameloft, Blizzard, and Huuuge.Now I […]

Alexis Gresoviac October 24

Journal

I analyzed puzzle games and only 1.5% were successful

I analyzed puzzle games and only 1.5% were successful*.Here are 6 HOT takeaways you should be aware of:Check out the whole list at https://lnkd.in/dynmZZ4N There are 1229 mobile casual puzzle releases in 2024.Only 62 games made more than 500K downloads.Only 19 games made more than 1M downloads.Here are my takeaways1. Crazy misleading ad creatives on top 10,2. Sorting comes in different ways,3. Logic puzzles have an increase, especially on those open up to reveal,4. IAPs still relies on boosters, thoughThere are good examples ‘’content locks’’,5. ‘’Color’’ and ‘’Sort’’ are the most common by far,6. If you can get creative with creatives, you can thenfocus on player onboarding and journey.*: success meaning can change, for me, it's the comparison where majority of downloads cumulate.

Gökhan Üzmez October 24

Journal

Hearthstone is Back in Chinese Mobile Stores

Hearthstone is back in Chinese mobile stores to break its own records! 🇨🇳🚀In January 2023, Blizzard’s games were removed from Chinese stores after their 14-year licensing agreement with NetEase expired. After 20 months, the Blizzard-NetEase agreement is back in place, and so is Hearthstone — one of the most beloved collectible card games (CCG) worldwide. 🃏✨And Chinese players couldn’t be more excited!Before the exit, Hearthstone was pulling in an impressive $2.4M/month in China during 2021-2022, according to AppMagic. Fast forward to October 2024, and it’s already brought in over $13.5M — and the month isn’t even over yet! 📈🔥This is yet another great example of how Western games thrive when entering the Chinese market! I wrote about other games with similar success stories in one of my previous posts, check it out as well: https://lnkd.in/dRnXu3Gg

Andrei Zubov October 24

Journal

How Cup Heroes Monetizes Its Success

How Cup Heroes Monetizes Its Success10M+ downloads and $1.7M in monthly revenue (https://lnkd.in/eyg_hWaK)Cup Heroes is a masterclass in hybrid-casual monetization. Here’s how they do it:I. Core-Gameplay Ads Monetization:• 🛡️ Watch ads to unlock skills like boosting damage or crit rate.>>>> Skills last for only one chapter, so players keep watching.• 💀 Revive your character once per chapter by watching an ad.• 🎁 Double your rewards at the end of each chapter with another ad.II. Progression IAP Monetization:• 🎉 Starter packs offer hard and soft currency, plus bonuses.• 🏆 Season passes keep players engaged with rewards and daily quests.• 💎 Hard currency packs let players fast-track progress for a premium price.• 🎲 Gacha chests offer upgrades and characters with a bit of surprise.• 🔓 Unlock new characters by collecting fragments or buying them with diamonds.III. Other Monetization Options:• ⚡ Speed boosts […]

Anton Slashcev October 24

Journal

Take note, casual game developers!

Take note, casual game developers! 🎯In Cake Sort, I noticed a clever approach that I hadn't seen before—Skip It offers placed directly next to each Rewarded Video (RV) placement in the game. Instead of hiding the option in the game store, they make it super clear how buying these 10 tickets can let players skip watching the RV and still claim the rewards. This strategy boosts both visibility and the appeal of the purchase, making it easier for players to understand the advantage of grabbing these tickets! 💡 Definitely something worth considering for your own game!

Michael Kopelovich October 24

Journal

Top Progression Mechanics from Peak Games

Top Progression Mechanics from Peak GamesBased on the Playliner report, here are the 11 most popular progression mechanics in Peak games:1. Short-term goals ↳ Players are introduced to goals within the first minutes to keep them focused and motivated.2. Progress visualization ↳ Thematic rooms or stages unlock at specific levels, offering visual changes and rewards.3. Event locks ↳ Teasers for upcoming events encourage players to progress and unlock new content.4. Global maps ↳ A visually engaging path shows players how far they've come and what’s next.5. Daily bonuses ↳ Players receive rewards for logging in daily, promoting consistent engagement.6. Win streaks ↳ Winning multiple levels grants escalating rewards, with FOMO kicking in after a defeat.7. Sprint tournaments ↳ Players compete to complete levels faster, often using boosters for an advantage.8. Regular tournaments ↳ Players earn points through level completion to […]

Anton Slashcev October 23

Journal

G-STAR 2024 Preview

As we gear up for G-STAR 2024, the largest gaming exhibition in Korea, excitement is building around the major game developers who are unveiling their highly anticipated titles. This year’s G-STAR, set to take place from November 14 to 17 at the BEXCO Convention Center in Busan, promises to be the biggest yet, with 3,281 booths—101% larger than last year. With global gaming powerhouses like Nexon, Netmarble, and Krafton showcasing their latest innovations, here’s a sneak peek at what to expect. Nexon Leads with Massive Presence Nexon, the event’s main sponsor, is expected to draw significant attention with its lineup, though details remain under wraps until the upcoming “Nexon Media Day” on October 30. Speculation is rife that titles like First Berserker: Kazan, which was teased at Gamescom and Tokyo Game Show, will headline the booth. With 300 booths dedicated to their […]

Myoungwon Kim October 23

Journal

Balancing Act of F2P Games: Acquire, Retain, and Engage Players

Every F2P game relies on UA channels to attract new players, through organic or paid methods. For mobile games, social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are popular acquisition channels. In contrast, PC and console games often use platforms such as Steam, Reddit, YouTube, and Twitter to reach potential players. Regardless of how newcomers discover your game, a seamless onboarding experience and engaging tutorial are essential to ensure early retention (D1, D3, D7). Especially today, with acquisition costs higher than they were four years ago, it's crucial to treat every player as a potential paying customer and find ways to maximize their engagement. Players acquired through these channels are often referred to as "newcomers" or "casual players." They may join your game because a friend invited them, they saw their favorite influencer playing it, or most commonly, they clicked on […]

Gökhan Üzmez October 23

Journal

Interesting offer in Tile Busters: Buying New Avatars

I came across this interesting offer in Tile Busters where players can purchase new avatars using either in-game currency or through in-app purchases. 🎨👤 While I’m probably not the target audience for buying avatars, I’m sure there are plenty of players who love customizing their profile. It’s a cool option to keep in mind if your game offers any skins or avatar elements. There’s definitely a segment of players who really value personalization! 🎮✨ hashtag#TileBusters hashtag#GameOffers hashtag#Customization hashtag#Avatars hashtag#MobileGaming

Michael Kopelovich October 23

Journal

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