Dynamic Offers in Action!

🎥 Dynamic Offers in Action! ✨ I came across two engaging offers recently, one from Coin Master and another from Gossip Harbor. What sets these apart is how they leverage small animations to bring their offers to life. Unlike the usual static images, these animated offers create a sense of excitement and make the experience feel much more immersive. Not only does this approach catch the eye, but it also has the potential to drive higher engagement and revenue. It’s a great reminder of how small design tweaks can have a big impact.

Michael Kopelovich January 13

Journal

9 Traps That Kill Your Game

9 Traps That Kill Your Game (And How to Avoid Every Single One)Most live service games fail.Not because the devs aren’t smart.But because they fall into unseen traps.Here’s the truth: ☝️If you can avoid these 9 traps,you’ll stay ahead of 95% of games out there.1. Metrics:↳ Focusing on revenue instead of fun.↳ Fix: Track engagement. Fun = profits.2. Events:↳ Too many events = burnout.↳ Fix: Space them out. Keep it fresh.3. Ads:↳ Fake gameplay ads destroy trust.↳ Fix: Show the REAL game. Trust scales.4. Progression:↳ Too easy? Boring. Too hard? Frustrating.↳ Fix: Balance it for fair rewards.5. Monetization:↳ Pay-to-win drive players away.↳ Fix: Offer value. Keep it fair. Win long-term6. Community:↳ No community = no loyalty.↳ Fix: Engage through events & social media7. Onboarding:↳ Confused players don’t stick around.↳ Fix: Teach the basics in a fun way.8. Feedback:↳ Ignoring complaints […]

Sergei Vasiuk January 13

Journal

Step-by-step process for reviewing new games

I’ve reviewed over 100 games in the past few years. Here’s my step-by-step process for reviewing a new game:𝟭. 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 Before playing, I focus on understanding the competition: • Read user reviews in app stores • Play 3-5 competitor games • Take screenshots of key moments • 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀: —— Gameplay tempo – is it fast or slow? —— Monetization strategies – how are purchases introduced? —— Engagement hooks – what makes players return? —— Strengths and weaknesses𝟮. 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗪𝗜𝗖𝗘 Each playthrough serves a specific purpose:𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 (𝟭 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿) – Focus on the big picture: • General feel – Does it engage from the start? • User flow – How intuitive is it for a new player? • Core loop – Do main mechanics fit together? • Goals – Are short- and long-term objectives clear? […]

Anton Slashcev January 13

Journal

Game Testing GEO Guide 101

🗺️ My Game Testing Geo guide simplifies success. Here is the ultimate reason for testing: Save on User Acquisition whilegetting accurate player data.That's literally the core of it. 🗿Making every dollar count.Pivot your game early on.Optimize fast.PS: Philippines losing their ‘’testing country”due to their new regulations and low-tech usage( low fps or too many crash issues)

Gökhan Üzmez January 11

Journal

30 small game changes = BIG impact

30 small game changes = BIG impact 🤑 Based on the Playliner research, here are the most popular changes for increasing LTV::---Balance fixes ⚖️ 1. Tune enemy strength & level difficulty to keep it challenging, not frustrating. 2. Adjust economy: resource generation, item pricing, and currency balance. 3. Balance characters & items: prevent overpowered builds, tweak rarity drops.---Better UI/UX 🎨 4. Rearrange UI for clarity, improve icons & colors. 5. Simplify menus, improve onboarding with better tutorials. 6. Add satisfying visual/audio feedback & better error handling.---Smooth progression 🎮 7. Adjust level pacing for better flow. 8. Introduce new mechanics gradually to keep it fresh. 9. Balance XP & rewards to maintain motivation.---Monetization tweaks 💰 10. Test IAP pricing & bundle values. 11. Fine-tune ad rewards & special offers. 12. Balance earning vs. spending virtual currency.---Content polish ✨ 13. Speed up VFX […]

Anton Slashcev January 11

Journal

Marketing Digest Weekly #1

📰 Weekly Highlights in Tech & AI• Meta Introduces AI-Generated Accounts on Facebook and Instagram:Meta has launched AI-generated accounts aimed at boosting engagement on Facebook and Instagram by delivering personalized content to attract younger audiences while competing with TikTok and Snapchat. The AI Studio tool also allows users to create their own AI characters, contributing to the growing trend of AI influencers.• Google CEO Sundar Pichai Declares AI Model Gemini as Top Priority for 2025:Pichai announced that scaling the AI model Gemini to reach 500 million users will be Google’s biggest focus in 2025.• xAI Completes $6 Billion Series C Funding Round:Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, raised $6 billion in a Series C round with participation from A16Z, Blackrock, and Sequoia Capital. The funds will be used to further expand and enhance xAI's AI technologies. —> https://x.ai/blog/series-c🛠️ Top Tools of […]

Doruk Kasoglu January 10

Journal

Get Your Iterative Game Development Right

The most important part in games production, on a quest to build a successful game, is getting iterative development right — yet, most don't get it right or don't even know how to approach it right.This article focuses on the ‘core’ of iterative development, with an intention to (potentially) help to set some of you better on track for creating, and shipping, better performing games — from both the players’ point of view (PoV) as well as from the commercial PoV.Note: This article excludes process coverage, for now, which I might tackle in later articles about games production and topics related to iterative development. Further exclusions are mentioned in the article itself, as the case applies. Furthermore, understanding this article requires some level of understanding (theoretical and/or practical) of game development processes for direct applications. If there is no such […]

Antti Kananen January 9

Highlights

Mobile Game Leaders: 2024 Analysis

Market Performance Global consumer spending on Mobile Games declined for the second consecutive year, reaching $107 billion in 2023. Mobile game downloads fell for the first time, totaling 88 billion. Emerging Trends Casualization: There's a notable shift towards more Casual Gaming experiences, with Mid-core games facing challenges connecting with their audiences. Brands & IPs: Brands are increasingly engaging in partnerships to attract new audiences, leveraging well-known intellectual properties to enhance appeal. Regional Developments Chinese gaming companies have significantly expanded their global presence, with China-based publishers capturing a third of global revenue. They've successfully entered markets like Japan & U.S. through quality production and localization efforts. WeChat Minigames Are Crushing It in China Technological Innovations Advancements in cloud gaming and AI integration have been pivotal. Big Studios like Tencent and NetEase are leading with cloud gaming platforms and AI-driven game features, […]

Ömer Yakabagi January 9

Highlights

Royal Kingdom’s Big Gamble: Is It the Next Match-3 King?

Here’s what’s covered in this deep analysis article on Royal Kingdom; Royal Kingdom’s Launch & Early Challenges Core Mechanics & Features Financials & Monetization Strategies Royal Kingdom vs. Royal Match Retention & Player Engagement Tactics The Future of Royal Kingdom User Acquisition & Marketing Total Downloads & Revenue Royal Kingdom’s Big Gamble: Can It Usurp the Throne? The mobile gaming landscape is more competitive than ever, with developers constantly testing new waters. Enter Royal Kingdom, a bold new entry in the match-3 puzzle space. But is it poised to take over the crown from the mighty Royal Match? You’ll find an intriguing combination of mechanics that separate it from the usual suspects like Candy Crush and Royal Match. This game is much more than just a pretty face with an addictive core loop. Let’s dive deep into the nuts and bolts of this game and its […]

Aylin YAZICI January 9

Journal

Brutally Honest #146

Hey, FAM! What’s up? 🥃 Drink talk Gamesforum last year was a blast in both Barcelona and Hamburg. It's a Must-go conference every year for UA & Monetization people! You should definitely go to Barcelona next month. This is why: The quality of content is insanely good networking with the best of the best business opportunities side events it's Barcelona! SIGN UP WITH MY OWN PROMO CODE - Unicorn20 🦩Tip of the week I have been thinking about the role of UA and how it is evolving nowadays. A Senior User Acquisition (UA) Manager in the games industry typically combines deep analytical capabilities with strategic marketing and leadership skills. They are responsible for planning, executing, and optimizing campaigns to drive high-quality players into a game at scale. Below are some of the core skills and competencies that are commonly expected […]

Matej Lancaric January 9

Journal

Dark and Darker by Krafton

Dark and Darker mobile ⚔️ published by Krafton Inc. is on its way to launch in the first half of 2025. We couldn't wait, so we reviewed the PC version of the game and looked at the different monetization models that the mobile game will probably have. The game got taken down from Steam and after a victory in lawsuit over Nexon's copyright claim in January 2024 it is back on Steam from June 2024. The PC version relaunched as a free to play game with a very unique model, reminiscent of Path of Exile "pay for convenience". As you see in the image, by being free to play you can only enter the Normal dungeons, have 1 character slot and can't sell items on the marketplace. After a $30 purchase the game basically goes from demo mode into full […]

Jakub Remiar January 9

Journal

Exploring the Mobile Mediation Market

I recently took a deep dive into the world of mobile mediation platforms and shared insights on how developers can maximize ad revenue. Here’s an overview of what I covered:📜 The Evolution of Mobile Mediation:Back in 2008, the App Store revolutionized app distribution, but discoverability quickly became a problem. Early on, featured placements by Apple or Google were the only ways to guarantee downloads. As the app ecosystem exploded, it was clear this wasn’t scalable. Enter Admob in 2009, bringing ads into apps, which transformed how developers monetized and acquired users. Mediation platforms emerged as the marketplace for networks to bid on inventory, ensuring publishers got the best price. Today, mediation platforms like Admob, Unity Level Play, and Applovin MAX are essential for any developer.💰 What You Get Paid for Ads:Ad revenue boils down to two key metrics: eCPM (Effective […]

Felix Braberg January 9

Journal

Login to enjoy full advantages

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Cancel subscription