The Power of 3-Day Offers in Mobile Games

I have been noticing a growing trend in mobile games lately: The 3-day Offer This type of promotion has been popping up in various games and it’s easy to see why—it works wonders for both player retention and revenue. 💰 What Are 3-Day Offers? 🤔 3-day offers are special promotions that provide players with valuable rewards over a period of three days, typically at a low price. These offers usually appear early in the game, such as a welcome offer, and encourage players to return daily to collect their rewards. Why They Work 💡 - Retention Boost: By requiring players to log in over multiple days, these offers effectively increase player retention. Players are more likely to come back to the game if they’ve already invested in future play.- Great Value: These offers provide substantial value at a low cost, […]

Michael Kopelovich July 25

Journal

Cross-Promotion Done Right in Seaside Escape

I just stumbled upon a brilliant example of cross-promotion in a game called Seaside Escape by Microfun. This merge game integrates the promotion of another game from their studio portfolio in a way that feels natural and seamlessly part of the live-ops experience. 👏 What Makes This Cross-Promo Special? 🤔 Microfun has created a special "event" within Seaside Escape, complete with an icon and timer just like any other in-game event. When players tap on the icon, a pop-up screen appears advertising their new game, Merge County, along with an offer wall featuring different missions. Completing these missions in the new game rewards players in Seaside Escape, making the promotion feel like an integrated part of the gameplay.Check out the recording 👇 This method of cross-promotion not only introduces players to a new game but also enhances their engagement by […]

Michael Kopelovich July 24

Journal

Trending Live-Ops Events: Grid Scavenger Hunt

Welcome back to another edition of my segment on Live-ops events in mobile games! This week, we are exploring an intriguing event concept: the Grid Scavenger Hunt. Let's dive into this versatile event's mechanics, impact, and potential! What is the Grid Scavenger Hunt and Why is it Effective? Event Mechanics:✅ Players earn scissors by completing orders, which are used to remove tiles in a grid.✅ Some tiles contain event items needed for progression.✅ Rewards like energy and chests are given for collecting all items. A progress bar tracks additional rewards.✅ Players can obtain extra scissors through special event monetization offers or by using hard currency, adding a sink for in-game resources.Impact and Versatility:✅ This event stabilizes midweek revenue drops rather than causing spikes.✅ The Grid Scavenger Hunt is a flexible tool for patching event schedules and providing fresh experiences.✅ From […]

Michael Kopelovich July 22

Journal

Wondering How Snake Games Are In The Top Charts?

Check out some insights into the trend and dive into the fastest growing Snake games in the world! 🐍 Hippo Lab - Snake Lite KooApps - Snake.io Supercent - Snake Clash Azur Games - Worms Zone LowTech Studios - Slither.io

Zack Weiss July 22

Journal

Communication Is A Huge Problem In Game Development

In fact, nearly every team struggles with it. Given the below issues, it’s no surprise why: → Miscommunication between disciplines→ Unclear goals and expectations→ Ineffective information sharingAll of this is quite shocking. So, how to get better at communication? For Teams:• Schedule regular feedback sessions• Encourage cross functional collaboration• Utilize appropriate communication channelsFor Leaders:• Tailor communication approaches to different members• Flexible project methods to improve communication• Create centralized information hubsFor Everyone:• Manage time zones and remote work effectively• Balance documentation with actionable details• Promote an environment for open feedbackImproving communication can lead to better collaboration, fewer misunderstandings, and a higher quality end product.

Ali Farha July 22

Journal

Game Development Doesn’t Mean Game Business

The financial success of game studios relies on business strategies. Hello mobile game enthusiasts! 🤩 Great to see you all! The gaming industry continues to show its tough side.😒 Back in 2019, it was almost routine to see games achieving 100 million downloads on Android and 30 million on iOS (1/3 ratio)... But now, that seems almost impossible, even 100m-15m is challenging... Nobody is happy with the situation. Is this the end of the world? Not at all. But it does call for a reckoning. Game development shouldn't be profitable for everyone; only the bests should remain. This is natural selection. I had to close my own studio, just like many other founders. The supply-demand balance is off – there's too much supply, making demand more selective. If supply decreases, demand will have fewer choices. Every industry has its ups […]

Yagiz Gur July 18

Journal

8 Essential Skills for Game Producers

Master these to become a top producer: 1. Vision Creation 🌟 - Craft a clear direction for the project- Convey and inspire the team with your vision- Align with stakeholders 2. Industry Knowledge 📚 - Understand gaming industry trends deeply- Perform continuous competitor analysis- Be well-versed in a broad range of references 3. Game Design 🎨 - Master game design principles- Understand project economy and balance- Be skilled in user flow and UI/UX- Find fun and work with game loops 4. Technical Understanding 💻 - Familiarize yourself with game engines and technologies- Know game development processes- Understand technical constraints and possibilities- Communicate effectively with technical teams 5. Product Thinking 🧠 - Grasp the product goal for each feature- Prioritize development based on product impact- Understand player needs and pain points 6. Leadership 🏆 - Inspire, motivate, and guide your team- […]

Anton Slashcev July 18

Highlights

ZiMAD Partners Up with Dots.eco

Mobile game developer ZiMAD is proud to announce a partnership with Dots.eco, an environmental rewards platform that transforms millions of casual actions into real-world impact on the planet. As part of the collaboration, ZiMAD has crafted special Magic Jigsaw Puzzles game packs showcasing stunning wildlife images. Proceeds from these packs will directly support the protection of 130,000 square feet of wildlife habitat. Have you ever thought that you could help save the planet by assembling a pack of puzzles? ZiMAD gives such an opportunity to everyone — by earning certain rewards in the game, you help preserve an acre of land that will one day be home to a new pride of lions or perhaps a large family of elephants! As players solve puzzles, they will also learn more about how they can make a difference in environmental preservation every […]

Gamigion July 18

Journal

Are Downloads and Revenue Indicators of Success?

Downloads and revenue are not indicators of a game's success.Many large games operate with a negative ROAS throughout their existence.Despite impressive numbers, they often bring their owners nothing but losses.So why do studios continue to buy traffic for such games and lose money?Here are several reasons:• Hope for profitability: Belief in a turnaround during the live-ops phase• Competitive strategy: Securing traffic share to force competitors to bid higher.• Inflating valuation: Boosting overall ARR before selling the company.• Attracting investments: Demonstrating potential to draw in investors.• Misjudgment: Sometimes, it's simply foolishness. :)There are rare cases where buying traffic for a loss-making game makes sense.But it's mostly an attempt to create the illusion of a successful game for investors or stakeholders.Profit > Volume

Anton Slashcev July 16

Journal

Toxic vs Healthy Game Experience

Your game isn’t irreplaceable; Players have countless alternatives just like yours.If you make a mistake and frustrate a player, they'll simply find a better experience elsewhere. Here are some mistakes that can cause churn: Pre-Game:↳ 📂 High file sizes and long download times.↳ 📝 Requiring players to create an account before entering the game.FTUE (First Time User Experience):↳ 🧩 Offering a complex, text-heavy, and confusing onboarding experience.Mid-Game:↳⏳ Not having enough content to keep players engaged for 14 days or repetitive gameplay.Long-Game:↳🚫 Lack of Live-Ops and not fostering a sense of belonging among players.Yes, you can make these mistakes. Because you are human.But remember, the cost of losing a user is higher than acquiring a new one.So, aim to be healthy, not toxic.

Yagiz Gur July 16

Journal

10 Game Monetization Models

Here’s a quick overview of 10 different models, each with its pros and cons. 1. Premium Pros:- Immediate revenue upon sale- Complete experience for players Cons:- High price can deter players- Heavy reliance on initial launch success 2. Free-to-Play Pros:- Large player base- High revenue potential through in-game purchases Cons:- Challenges with user acquisition- Requires constant updates 3. Subscription Pros:- Predictable, steady revenue stream- Encourages long-term engagementCons:- Requires ongoing high-quality content- Achieving profitability can take years 4. Ads-Based Pros:- Free for players, large player base- Quick profitability Cons:- Poor user experience- Short engagement span- Volatile ad revenue 5. Hybrid Pros:- Flexibility to cater to various player types- Diverse revenue streamsCons:- Complexity in managing and balancing methods- Risk of overwhelming players 6. DLC (Downloadable Content) Pros:- Extends game lifecycle- Provides post-launch revenueCons:- Requires ongoing development- Balancing free content and paid DLC […]

Anton Slashcev July 16

Journal

15 Red Flags For Game Producers

If you hear statements like these - RUN! 🚩 1) "The more meetings we have, the faster tasks get done!" 2) "I don't care about player feedback; we just make money." 3) "I don't need market research; I have a Vision." 4) "I don't need a Vision; I have market research." 5) "We won't use new tools; everyone is already used to Excel!" 6) "We need to add AI because everyone else is adding it." 7) "I listen to those I like and ignore the rest of the team." 8) "I don't trust my team and personally check every task." 9) "If I'm crunching, everyone must crunch." 10) "I could do this task faster myself; why does it take the developer so long?" 11) "I don't have time to play other games; I'm busy developing our game." 12) "No one is indispensable; the team is just parts of a big […]

Anton Slashcev July 15

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