10 Years of Game Dev in 100 No BS Advice

10 Years of Game Development in 100 No BS Advice --- 🎮 GAME DESIGN ---1. Build around a mechanic that sparks curiosity.2. Make failure a chance to learn, not just a penalty.3. Polish how game actions feel until they shine.4. Let the game whisper its rules, not shout them.5. Support mastery and casual play alike.6. Tie progression to gameplay, not separate systems.7. Focus on why players return, not just monetization.8. Evolve challenges alongside player growth.9. Reward creativity, not just accuracy.10. Make each challenge tell a story without words.--- 🕹️ USER EXPERIENCE --- 11. Make controls feel second nature, not forced. 12. Sync visual, audio, and tactile feedback. 13. Guide with light and color, not cluttered UI. 14. Keep design invisible yet essential. 15. Use consistent patterns for menus and interactions. 16. Tailor interactions to the moment of play. 17. Put […]

Anton Slashcev January 7

Journal

Solitaire genre is getting super hot!

The Solitaire genre is gonna get super hot 🔥 this year 😁. There are 4 high profile games already in the soft launch phase. Who is gonna win this race? The Solitaire category is currently completely dominated by Playtika's Solitaire Grand Harvest making $15 Mil. a month. So who are the challengers? King's Candy Crush Solitaire has been in soft launch for a long time bringing the big IP with him. Metacore is getting out of their merge comfort zone bringing their Grandma into the genre. Wooga is using their perfected metagame from June's journey, swapping the hidden object core for solitaire. And lastly SuperPlay is applying their winning metagame formula from Domino dreams, where they already conquered that genre, to solitaire with a Disney IP.What is the kicker here? The last two games studios are actually owned by Playtika […]

Jakub Remiar January 7

Highlights

Mobile Gaming Today: 41

Hej Fam! Curious about how you celebrated the New Year! Hope you had a great one 🕺 For me, this one has been the worst. Why? 👇🏻 NYE Germany: Several killed after Fireworks Chaos Is it just about people dying? So many injuries… Animals & Plants, Halloo? 🇩🇪 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Though, here’s a COOL update from 2024: 🥁 tooo-too-too-toooom! 🥁 Made it to the Top 10 Mobile Gaming Content Creators! 🌍 Super grateful for all the love and support. Thank you, Gaming People! Weekly Quote Mobile Marketing » User Acquisition & Creative Learnings 2024 🌊 Soft-launch Sonar #7 📱 Mobile Gaming in 2024 🔧 LiveOps Full Breakdown 📈 Evolution Pull-The-Pin Trend 🎁 Interesting Offer in Coin Master 📉 Decrease the CPIs. Whatever it takes! 👾 iOS Games: Top Free ASO & ASA Tools 🤔 User Reactions to Gen AI-created Content? 💐 […]

Gamigion January 6

Journal

‘Unorthodox’ Product and Positioning Strategies

Let's talk about 'unorthodox' Product & Positioning strategies no-one is currently looking into! This article focuses on covering and discussing 'unorthodox' Product and Positioning Strategies that are beyond current commercial sentiment in F2P Mobile Games Welcome to the ‘Unorthodox’ Side of Things! However, despite this, there are lots of opportunities out there no-one is currently looking into; OR they work on them in total secrecy! Shh-h! We’re exploring the shadowy place here. What I mean by ‘unorthodox’ here is everything that is basically beyond the current commercial sentiment and state / phase of the mobile games industry. Here are few examples of 'unorthodox' Product & Positioning strategies that are 'forbidden': Genres and sub-genres no-one is looking to invest in. As publishers, VCs and investors tend to avoid certain midcore, hardcore, and other markets with certain characteristics, there's less money flowing […]

Antti Kananen January 6

Journal

Startup fundraising lessons

Startup fundraising lessons: 1. Common VC wisdom:- Raise for 18-24 months runway- Add 6 months for fundraising- Target 30% buffer for unexpected spend- But here's what they don't emphasize...2. The "hard truth":- You're not in the "money-saving business"- VC money = rocket fuel- Purpose is growth, not survival3. Signs that can spook investors:- <4 months runway when starting fundraise- Raising at same terms as last round- No clear path to next milestone- High burn rate pre-product market fit4. What actually matters:- Progress toward next round's metrics- Clear plan for use of funds- Ability to extend runway if needed- Strategic cash deployment vs. hoarding5. Common advice that's oversimplified:- "Raise when you don't need money"- Reality: Raise when you have momentumRemember: Your runway is countdown to either mega success or your next fundraise. Plan accordingly.

Joakim Achren January 6

Journal

Top Tools for Game Development in 2025

Top tools for game development in 2025 Here’s your ultimate list of tools, broken down by category:Planning 🗂️ • Asana – User-friendly, but limited customization (⭐ 4.5/5) • Jira – Great for agile teams, steep learning curve (⭐ 4.3/5) • ClickUp – Highly customizable, can overwhelm (⭐ 4.4/5) • HacknPlan – Built for game dev, lacks flexibility for other projects (⭐ 4.2/5)Communication 💬 • Slack – Easy integrations, but too many notifications (⭐ 4.6/5) • Discord – Ideal for real-time discussions, less formal than Slack (⭐ 4.4/5) • Google Meet – Smooth with Workspace, fewer advanced features (⭐ 4.3/5) • Zoom – Reliable video, some privacy concerns (⭐ 4.5/5)Documentation 📚 • Notion – Versatile and customizable, can lag (⭐ 4.6/5) • Confluence – Well-integrated with Jira, feels outdated (⭐ 4.2/5) • Google Docs – Real-time collaboration, limited advanced features (⭐ […]

Anton Slashcev January 5

Journal

What makes a Good Leader

I get asked a lot about what makes a good leader, or what skills to focus on, but leadership isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about trusting the right people. At Kwalee I have the privilege of managing close to 200 talented individuals across multiple disciplines. Some of these areas I have zero experience in when I started. Yet, our success isn’t the result of one person trying to master everything—it’s the result of empowering great leaders who do.The late, great Steve Jobs said it best when he said “we don’t hire smart people and tell them what to do, we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do” and I’ve always tried to listen to that advice.Probably the most important lesson I learned in my leadership journey is this: delegation is key. Not just assigning tasks, but trusting […]

John Wright January 5

Journal

Gaming Factory Professions

Sorry gamers… but I have to say this! Not everyone is familiar with the inner workings of game development. Sure, I can guess the recipe for Oreo cookies BUT! Outside the factory, guesses turn to crumbs. Absolutely, you’ve got every right to critique the games you buy. But sprinkle a little #Respect for the devs. TRUST ME! Launching a 'bad' game is never the goal. Behind every release is a squad of genius devs, even if it misses. It's the collective effort of hundreds, sometimes thousands. 3D Modeler, UX Designer, VFX ArtistAI Developer, UI Designer, 2D ArtistTools Programmer, Level DesignerStore Manager, DevOps EngineerBrand Manager, Email MarketerPixel Artist, Mobile DeveloperTexture Artist, Space Designer Rigging Artist, Casting Director Digital Artist, Rendering EngineerMarket Analyst, Network Engineer Backend Developer, System Architect Player Support, Fitness Coach, QA Tester Storyboard Artist, Gameplay Programmer Layout Artist, Script […]

Sergei Vasiuk January 3

Journal

Mobile Gaming Cycles: Commercialization & Industry in Motion

The mobile gaming industry is a dynamic ecosystem, constantly evolving through cycles of innovation, commercialization, and reinvention. Each cycle introduces new opportunities and challenges — shaping how games are developed, marketed, and sustained. From genre-mixing to shifts in user acquisition strategies, these cycles fuel the industry’s growth and creativity — and sentiment. This article focuses on discussing about current state of Mobile Games market, what has driven it where it is, and what (potentially) lies ahead. How We Ended Up Where We Are: The Post-IDFA Reset The introduction of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework sent shockwaves through the industry — disrupting traditional methods of user acquisition and monetization. Over the years, most (commercially adaptable) studios have adapted to what is required for survival; focusing on e.g., onboarding and first-time user experiences (FTUE) with marketability in mind — whilst overall […]

Antti Kananen January 3

Journal

The Evolution Pull-The-Pin Trend

🚀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝗧𝗵𝗲-𝗣𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 👇 Hero Wars popularized the "pull-the-pin" mechanic. The ads depicted engaging scenarios where players had to solve puzzles to guide heroes through treacherous traps, even though the core gameplay was more RPG-focused. This mechanic became synonymous with creative ads that blended curiosity, problem-solving, and a near-death experience, resulting in a 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗣𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. Both Hero Wars & Evony. Playrix saw the same thing after implementing Pull The Pin in 2019. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀. We could also see Hustle Castle (MY.GAMES) adopting it. Lily's Garden (Tactile Games) added to pull the pin into the mix after the advertising "fiasco" in 2023. And, here we are with Angry Birds Dream Blast (Rovio Entertainment), 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱 […]

Matej Lancaric January 3

Journal

My 3 Predictions for Gaming in 2025

My 3 predictions for gaming in 2025 🎮 1. Gaming VCs will evolve beyond their traditional focus:- Expanding into broader consumer tech (fintech, healthcare, e-commerce)- Gaming expertise proves valuable across consumer sectors- Pure gaming funds will face pressure to adapt or struggle- Real example: 15 of 19 recent F4 Fund investments were non-gaming2. The AI Gaming Tools Reality CheckWarning signs ahead for AI gaming startups:- Many will hit funding walls- Key challenges: • Market oversaturation • In-house tool development becoming norm • Big AI players democratizing core tech • Limited market sizeSurvival path:- Expand beyond gaming- Prove significant revenue growth- Find sustainable niche markets3. The Mobile Gaming Renaissance. Why mobile is back in focus:- Strongest investor interest since 2021- VC dry powder needs deployment by 2025- Maturing UA landscape post-IDFA- New channels emerging (incentivized ads)- Fresh wave of well-developed games […]

Joakim Achren January 3

Journal

What are user reactions to Generative AI-created content?

What are user reactions to Generative AI-created content? I came across several predictions for the mobile gaming, app, and digital industries in 2025. AI was a prominent theme throughout, particularly its role in content creation. How do users react to the content created by Generative AI? There is not much research around that yet. Quite interesting one was done by GWI and released in the middle of 2024 (with the question: "How you would feel if you discovered that content you liked was made using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools?"Based on that research we see that: 🔷 majority of users did not change their attitude towards the content created by AI 🔷 there was a significant group of users who answered "I would like the content much less than before". and "I would like the content slightly less than before", […]

Mariusz Gąsiewski January 3

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