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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?

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Q5 Steam Stakes

๐—ฃ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜†๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ž๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐˜€: ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ค๐Ÿฑ ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—บ ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐˜€ 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 layoffsโ€”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 […]

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Soft-launch Sonar #7

Soft-launch Sonar #7 ๐Ÿ“ก is back with 15 brand new soft launched games with no particular filter ๐Ÿ˜…. 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 ๐Ÿ˜Ž. Metacore is innovating the merge genre, with level-based merge boards and also entering the Solitaire race with their Grandpa ๐Ÿ‘ต. 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" ๐Ÿ˜… Also Hexa sort core is being iterated by Homa in a coin-style fashion. Century Games is continuing […]

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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 Theyโ€™re Thriving Match 3D games succeed because they tap into core […]

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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 โ€” with Travel Town and Gossip Harbor raising their heads up as followers, who managed to raise to the genreโ€™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) โ€” 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 […]

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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 GPTโ€™s logic bring me victory? Letโ€™s find out. The Moves Move 1: Match three red tiles in the bottom right […]

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

๐—ฆ๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—” โ†’ ๐—ž๐—Ÿ๐—œ๐—ก๐—š ๐—”๐—œ โ†’ ๐—ฅ๐—จ๐—ก๐—ช๐—”๐—ฌ ๐— ๐—Ÿ I don't get Sora, but Kling AI is a game-changer. ๐Ÿ‘‡Using them together is pretty cool. You can clearly see the difference. 1 base image from Midjourney, and three different video outputs. ๐— ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ท๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜† ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐˜: *Silhouette of a skeleton in a hood in the dark, face not visible, Yellow neon eyes are visible, cyberpunk*๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ผ ๐—ฝ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฝ๐˜:*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*๐—ง๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐˜†๐˜€ & ๐—ค๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ธ ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐˜€โ€ข I don't understand Sora (or Sora doesn't understand me)โ€ข Runway needs a special prompt approachโ€ข Kling AI is killing itโ€ข there is infinite potential โ€ข Keyframes in Runway/Luma/KlingGot exactly what I wanted... Only from KlingAI!๐Ÿฆ„ How to decrease CPI by 40% and triple ROAS with AI creatives: https://lnkd.in/dM-2VACa๐ŸŽˆHow to use AI in […]

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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:โ€ข Zynga Poker (with Core): 85%โ€ข Monopoly Go: 70%โ€ข Board Kings: 70%โ€ข Coin Master: 67%โ€ข Dice Dreams: 27%โ€ข Animals & Coins: 18%โ€ข Solitaire Tripeaks: 10%โ€ข Juneโ€™s Journey: 9%โ€ข Candy Crush Saga: 7%โ€ข Royal Match: 5%โ€ข Zynga Poker (without Core): 5%โ€ข Fishdom: 4%โ€ข Best Fiends: 0%โ€ข 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.

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iOS Games: Top Free ASO & ASA Tools

Hereโ€™s my little gift to you: Top free tools for ASO & ASA. ๐ŸŒ Switchr โ€“ App Store looker | https://lnkd.in/ewMD_Dit๐Ÿ”Ž Ad Repository โ€“ Competitor research | https://lnkd.in/eynfFNGz๐Ÿ“ธ Scrnshts Club โ€“ Design inspo | https://scrnshts.club๐Ÿ’ฌ ASO CustomGPT โ€“ Strategy tool | https://lnkd.in/eNep5fbZ๐Ÿ“Š MobileAction Action โ€“ App Store insights | https://lnkd.in/eyX9n2nAโญ Sensor Tower โ€“ Top charts WW | https://lnkd.in/eac3PCSk

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10 signs you might be working on a dead game ๐Ÿšฉ

10 signs you might be working on a dead game ๐Ÿšฉ (you don't want to miss them)๐Ÿญ. ๐—ก๐—ผ ๐—ฐ๐—น๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐Ÿ‘€โ†ณ Without direction, priorities scatter and time is wasted. ๐Ÿฎ. ๐—˜๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—บ ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ป'๐˜ ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฒ. ๐ŸŽฎ โ†ณ If developers donโ€™t enjoy it, players wonโ€™t either. ๐Ÿฏ. ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜ ๐—ฝ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ผ๐˜๐˜€ ๐Ÿ”„ โ†ณ Frequent changes derail progress and drain morale. ๐Ÿฐ. ๐—ก๐—ผ ๐—จ๐—ฆ๐—ฃ ๐Ÿชโ†ณ A generic game canโ€™t stand out in a crowded market. ๐Ÿฑ. ๐—จ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—น๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐ŸŒ€ โ†ณ When no one knows whoโ€™s responsible, chaos reigns. ๐Ÿฒ. ๐—•๐—น๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐Ÿ›‘ โ†ณ Finger-pointing creates toxicity and stalls solutions. ๐Ÿณ. ๐—Ÿ๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—น๐˜† ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐Ÿ“‰ โ†ณ Players donโ€™t come back if the game doesnโ€™t hook them early. ๐Ÿด. ๐—™๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฐ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ โ‰๏ธ โ†ณ Adding more instead of fixing the basics only bloats the game. ๐Ÿต. ๐—ก๐—ผ ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—บ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ถ๐˜๐˜† ๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ โ†ณ Empty forums and social […]

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Creative Animation Alert!

๐ŸŽ‰ Creative Animation Alert! ๐Ÿช› Spotted this fantastic end-of-level reward multiplier animation in Screw Tile by ABI Game Studio. The screw animation adds such a unique and satisfying touch to the experience. ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ‘Love seeing creative design ideas like thisโ€”kudos to the team for making rewards feel extra rewarding! ๐Ÿ’กโœจCheck out the game here:iOS: https://shorturl.at/0UhwSAndroid: https://shorturl.at/MTvzj

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What gaming has taught me

What gaming has taught meโ€”and what I tell non-gaming founders: social gameplay is the engine behind long-term user retention. Hereโ€™s how it works. 1. Players who form in-game friendships stay 2-3x longer. I've talked to veteran players who say they would've quit ages ago if not for their guild relationships.2. The best social mechanics connect solo and group play:- Rewards from guild activities help individual progress- Individual contributions strengthen the guild- Creates a powerful engagement loop3. Live events and competitions give social groups clear goals to rally around. When players collaborate towards shared achievements, it builds lasting bonds.4. The data is clear: games with strong social features consistently show higher D90+ retention rates. No other feature comes close to matching this impact.5. Building meaningful social systems early is crucial. You can't bolt them on later and expect the same results.

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