The Next Frontier in 4X: Pure Hybrid Casual 4X Games

The 4X Strategy Games genre, known for its complexity and depth, has long dominated the hardcore space, even after post-IDFA — but, how? Mostly, and very recently, thanks to hybrid casual elements slipping into 4X onboarding, first time user experience (FTUE), and UA strategies. This article focuses on discussing about current and upcoming trends for 4X Strategy Games, with emphasis on Hybrid Casual elements slipping into the genre. Note: This article has data from AppMagic; 4X Strategy segment. Growth Trend for 4X Strategy Games As mobile games continue to evolve due to e.g., post-IDFA effects, hybrid casual elements have been slipping into the 4X ecosystem — specifically to onboarding, FTUE, UA, and driving users to learn the 4X gameplay and systems around it through mini-game takes. Thanks to this the segment has been actually growing lately, instead of churning out […]

Antti Kananen January 1

Analysis

Thinking About Making a Screw Puzzle Game?

Thinking about making a Screw Puzzle game (/Nuts & Bolts game)? You should think again! The market may look appealing, but you should rethink. This article discusses about the current state of a Screw Puzzle segment and what these games should do to start getting more downloads and revenue. Note: This article has data from AppMagic; Screw Puzzle segment. Current State of Screw Puzzle Segment AppMagic paints the picture; the genre has seen its peak, and is now on a downward trajectory. From Q4 2023 to Jul-Sept. 2024, the market saw fast growth, peaking in downloads and revenue — but, now the story is different: Downloads A steep decline, driven by a churning retention profile, rising CPIs due to saturation, and a slowing ROAS profile. Screw Puzzle segment, Top 100 Downloads (Source: AppMagic). In terms of downloads, after a big […]

Antti Kananen January 1

Analysis

Hexa Sort Puzzle Segment: Growth, Challenges, and Lessons

The Hexa Sort sub-segment, led by Hexa Sort by Lion Studios, remains as a promising, yet still small, Casual Puzzle / Sort Puzzle sub-segment. This article dives deep into one of the interesting phenomena’s which were spotted in 2024: the Hexa Sort game and the sub-segment it has formalized (/is giving inspiration for). The article discusses trends as well as future opportunities for this particular sub-segment. Note: This article has data from AppMagic, Hexa Sort and its competitors. State of the Hexa Sort Puzzle Segment Hexa Sort: The Leader Hexa Sort stands as the king of the hill, leading in IAP revenue and Ads revenue. Its success lies in balanced, well-planned UX, tying engagement with monetization: 🔹 Dopamine-driven gameplay encourages positive reviews, rewarded video views, and currency use, blending monetization with satisfaction. 🔹 This game design drives strong monetization while […]

Antti Kananen January 1

Journal

Christmas Loading Screens in Games

🎄 Christmas Loading Screens in Games 🎮 As the year comes to a close, I wanted to share something festive! One of my favorite small touches in gaming is when developers update loading screens to match the season. From holiday cheer to creative visuals, these updates make games feel fresh and fun. Here’s a collection of 15 games that nailed it with their Christmas-themed loading screens this year. Swipe through and enjoy the creativity! 🎅✨ This is my last post of the year, and I want to take a moment to thank everyone who read, liked, commented, and shared my posts throughout 2024. Your engagement means the world to me, and I’m excited to keep sharing more in 2025! Wishing you all a Happy New Year filled with creativity, success, and joy! 🥂

Michael Kopelovich January 1

Journal

My 2024 Annual Review

My 2024 Annual Review and the key reflections for me. 1. Big wins this year:Made 11 new investments at F4 Fund, focused on attention-based businesses2 angel portfolio companies secured 8-figure follow-on roundsElite Game Developers newsletter hit consistent bi-weekly cadenceMajor sleep quality improvements2. Changed my mind about being "all in":Full commitment doesn't mean burnoutWeekends are for family & hobbiesQuality downtime = better performanceFound balance through music, football & Legos3. Learnings & challenges:Deep work suffered - need stronger boundariesGreat founders push through walls unapologeticallyContent quality fears held back publishing (lesson: consistency > perfection)Core values definition remains a key goal for 20254. Key insight from "Die With Zero" book:Don't defer life improvements waiting for "someday", rather,- Invest in quality of life early- Prioritize meaningful experiences- Balance possible frugality with living wellWhat did you learn in 2024?

Joakim Achren January 1

Journal

Q5 Steam Stakes

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 The fate of PC & Console's (HD) live-service model hangs on Q5's ambitious lineup: Strinova, Infinity Nikki, Path of Exile 2, Supervive, Marvel Rivals, and Delta Force. Should these titles fail to gain traction, the industry faces a cascade of down rounds, studio closures, and layoffs—not to mention a wholesale reassessment of the HD live-service paradigm. Eric Seufert's meditation on "The last social media platform" may prove prescient; we might witness the same in HD live service.The warning signs are already apparent. Mountaintop Studios' venture-backed Spectre Divide has become a cautionary tale, with peak simultaneous users (PSU) dropping below 100. Supervive's trajectory is similar, maintaining 4,000 PSU despite years of development, encouraging playtests, and the backing of the former League of Legends leadership team. Its salvation may lie in the East, given that […]

Phillip Black January 1

Journal

Soft-launch Sonar #7

Soft-launch Sonar #7 📡 is back with 15 brand new soft launched games with no particular filter 😅. There are games from a lot of big players in the market such as Metacore, Supercent, Rollic, Voodoo, Homa, Century Games, FunPlus, tap4fun, Joynet Games. Come check out what we caught this time 😎. Metacore is innovating the merge genre, with level-based merge boards and also entering the Solitaire race with their Grandpa 👵. It is gonna be a heated category where multiple big names such as King, Wooga, SuperPlay are gonna battle over it next year. On top of it, Rollic is also entering the merge genre with Barbie IP. Continuing the casual board games trend, Voodoo is gonna chase its "Domino Dreams" 😅 Also Hexa sort core is being iterated by Homa in a coin-style fashion. Century Games is continuing […]

Jakub Remiar January 1

Analysis

Match 3D Puzzle Games: Bright Future for 2025 and Beyond

The Match 3D puzzle game segment continues to dominate, showcasing resilience and strong growth in both revenue and downloads. This article discusses about current state of the Match 3D Puzzle Games segment as well as gives trends and predictions for 2025 and beyond. Note: This article has data from AppMagic, Match 3D segment. Match 3D Outlook According to AppMagic, titles such as Triple Match 3D by Boombox Games, Match Factory! by Peak, and Match 3D by Lion Studios have established themselves as leaders by combining engaging puzzle game mechanics with good-fitting meta-features. These games have not only captivated casual players but also maintained their positions as high-performing titles in mobile game markets. Match 3D segment, Top 100 Revenue (Source: AppMagic). Match 3D segment, Top 100 Downloads (Source: AppMagic). Why They’re Thriving Match 3D games succeed because they tap into core […]

Antti Kananen January 1

Analysis

The Next Billion-Dollar Merge Games

Merge games segment on mobile has seen interesting takes in past couple years, from Merge Mansion originally boasting the genre up — with Travel Town and Gossip Harbor raising their heads up as followers, who managed to raise to the genre’s top.This article focuses on looking beyond what is currently out there, with giving some trends and predictions for the near and longer future, in terms of what type of merge games we would be seeing (hopefully) — and, discussing, why these introduced topics could make sense for the genre.Note: This article has data from AppMagic; Merge Games segment.Innovation Meets DepthMerge games have proven their staying power with Travel Town and Gossip Harbor blending solid grid management with narrative-driven building layers (in terms of grid management and how it boasts from engagement to economy and monetization, Travel Town has done […]

Antti Kananen December 31

Journal

GPT vs. Royal Match: Can AI Win a Hard Level?

Introduction Ever wondered if GPT could help beat a tricky level in Royal Match? Well, I decided to put it to the test. Before diving into the game, I made sure to "train" GPT on the basics of Royal Match, explaining the mechanics, how to create power-ups, and ensuring it understood the fundamentals as best as I could. With that prep done, I tackled a hard level with GPT as my guide, move by move. Here's how it went: The Setup The level was challenging, with limited moves and multiple objectives: clear the wooden crates, collect yellow crowns, and free the piggies. Armed with screenshots for every move, I consulted GPT for its recommendations, following them step by step. Did GPT’s logic bring me victory? Let’s find out. The Moves Move 1: Match three red tiles in the bottom right […]

Michael Kopelovich December 30

Journal

I don’t get Sora, but Kling AI is a game-changer.

𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗔 → 𝗞𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗜 → 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗠𝗟 I don't get Sora, but Kling AI is a game-changer. 👇Using them together is pretty cool. You can clearly see the difference. 1 base image from Midjourney, and three different video outputs. 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁: *Silhouette of a skeleton in a hood in the dark, face not visible, Yellow neon eyes are visible, cyberpunk*𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁:*skeleton turns his head and looks into the camera, the camera slowly zooms into his eyes and ends very close, extensive fire burns in the background*𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 & 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀• I don't understand Sora (or Sora doesn't understand me)• Runway needs a special prompt approach• Kling AI is killing it• there is infinite potential • Keyframes in Runway/Luma/KlingGot exactly what I wanted... Only from KlingAI!🦄 How to decrease CPI by 40% and triple ROAS with AI creatives: https://lnkd.in/dM-2VACa🎈How to use AI in […]

Matej Lancaric December 30

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

Login to enjoy full advantages

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Cancel subscription