Why do launched games fail?

Why do launched games fail? It often comes down to one of three things: 1. Weak Product ↳ The game doesn’t provide enough value to its core players. ↳ It’s not fun to keep players engaged. 2. Weak Marketing ↳ The game could be a hit, but it’s lost in the noise. ↳ Players who would love it simply don’t know it exists. 3. Weak Market Research ↳ The game resonates with players, but the audience is too small. ↳ A loyal fanbase is great, but without enough players, costs won’t be covered. Having a fun game (Point 1) is critical. But most games fail because of Points 2 and 3. So, remember: Creating a great game is only half the battle. To win, you need a sizable niche and the ability to connect with players.

Anton Slashcev October 26

Journal

Patience in Game Development: Key to Iteration and Success

Patience in Game Development: The Key to Iteration and Success ⚙️🚀 Patience is an incredibly valuable yet often overlooked trait in game development. Iteration is key, but it takes time to get it right -- especially when moving from concept to core gameplay. One of the biggest challenges we face is balancing the need for marketability with the risk of discarding good core mechanics. 💡 When testing new concepts, especially in F2P mobile game development, we rely on scientific methods: test marketability, then build fast, test, tweak, and repeat. This iterative process helps us find something that resonates with players and has the potential for commercial success. However, moving too quickly can discard game mechanics that may have blossomed with more time and polish, especially when marketability drives decisions over other factors at early stages. It’s easy to miss out on innovative gameplay […]

Antti Kananen October 26

Journal

Gaming Will NOT Grow: Konvoy Data

𝗞𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗢𝗬 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗔 𝗦𝗨𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪• From $188M to $223M in 2029.• This means virtually no growth. Huh?• $188B is worth about $218B in 2029 dollars assuming a 3% inflation rates.• $218B to $223B is a 2% change, way, way below the S&P 500 8% real 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘭 growth rate.• Inflation and S&P benchmarks need to be a core part of any long-run market analysis. 𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗥𝗘𝘀 𝗠𝗢𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗨𝗚𝗘• An over 1M download start is far above other recent releases, including the steady-eddy Sea of Conquest from Fun Plus.• Uses the RTS element to fake ad into 4x, but less brutally then Last War.• After a big brand budget burst, will this sustain? Let’s see!𝟰𝘅 𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗚𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗡 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗦• U.S. dominates, but China’s RPD is unusually high (~10% of downloads but 20% of revenue).• 4x is a region uniting […]

Phillip Black October 25

Journal

Mobile game loop breakdown:

Mobile game loop breakdown:Here's a simplified view of how key elements fit together:1. Core Gameplay • This is where the main action happens – puzzle-solving, combat, or other mechanics. • Consumables or Boosters help players progress faster by enhancing gameplay.2. Win Condition • When players win, they are rewarded with: - Currency 💰 - Meta Score 📊 - Progress Points 🎯 • Success keeps players motivated to continue and progress further.3. Fail Condition • When players fail, they lose: - Lives 🫀 - Currency 💰 • Players can choose to continue by spending currency, keeping engagement high.4. Progression System • Progression is critical for maintaining player interest: - Win streaks and quests offer goals and challenges. - Players earn boosters, currency, power levels, and progress points to advance.5. Metagame • The metagame adds depth and longevity: - Leaderboards 🏆 and […]

Anton Slashcev October 25

Journal

Releases & Transfers: October 2024

TRACKING RELEASES & TRANSFERS# 1 LIST OF OCTOBER, 2024Hi Mobile Gaming Family! 💟Today I bring you another edition of our…💫 Tracking Releases & Transfers 💫October's first list brings releases and transfers to big publisher accounts between September 22 and October 21.I've found 138 titles. 💪🔎I highlight 6️⃣ titles of them.✅ “Barbie Merge Mystery” by Rollic.One of the world's leading Hybridcasual publishers. 🏅It has taken the rights to one of the best-known children's IPs in the world. 👧To make a game in one of the most profitable puzzle genres in the world. 🧩💰That’s it. 😯The Turkish giant 🇹🇷 released the soft launch version of the game on October 21 🗓️ and only for the 🇬🇧.✅ “Dual Guns: Music Shooter Game” by Amanotes.The big Singapore publisher 🇸🇬 has launched a fun game that mixes the rhythm 🎶 and shooter 🔫 genres.If this […]

Carlos Pereira October 25

Journal

Understanding Retention #4: Retention Vs. Rolling Retention

🚨 Understanding Retention Part 4: Retention VS Rolling Retention ❶ What is Retention?Retention measures the percentage of players who return to your game after a specific period (D1, D7, D30, etc).❷ What is Rolling Retention?Rolling Retention takes it a step further. Instead of focusing on a fixed point in time, Rolling Retention looks at whether users continue to return to the game beyond a specific day.👉 For example, instead of asking how many users returned on exactly Day 7, Rolling Retention asks how many users played on any day after Day 7.This metric gives you a broader picture of long-term player engagement and helps you understand how sticky your game really is.❓When to Use Which?· Use Retention when you’re focusing on immediate engagement and onboarding· Use Rolling Retention when you want to calculate long-term stickiness and lifetime engagement patterns✨ Checkout […]

M. Ali Saatchi October 25

Journal

Analysis: Playable Ads In Germany

Why do so many advertisers stick only to the big media channels (a.k.a. walled gardens)? What opportunities are they missing in the lesser-known arenas? This article reveals how playable ads are capturing attention in Germany. I'll give you a closer look at how these ads are used in gaming and non-gaming apps and offer insights that could open new doors for your mobile marketing efforts. Interactive ads, often called playable ads, are a popular way to engage users with interactive content, and I will use these terms interchangeably throughout this article. While playable ads are traditionally associated with gaming apps—allowing users to try out gameplay within the ad—non-gaming apps often use interactive elements like end cards appended to video ads. Both genres aim to enhance user engagement by offering interactive experiences within advertisements. Example of a “Playable” Gaming App Ad: "Playable” Non-Gaming […]

Samet Durgun October 25

Journal

Short-form entertainment reshaped the UA creatives landscape

Short-form entertainment has reshaped the UA creatives landscape, influencing everything from interactive novels to 4X games. 👇 This shift began to take hold in July 2022 when Rise of Kingdoms (Lilith Games) released video ads that left many viewers scratching their heads, feeling cringy, and wondering, "Is this really working?" That was also when Reelshort soft-launched—though hardly anyone noticed at the time. It wasn’t until mid-2023 that Reelshort (Crazy Maple Studio) made waves, scaling rapidly with a unique approach: short-episode content in ads. With engaging, one-minute episodes, it brought drama content directly into advertising—allowing viewers to indulge in endless mini-stories anytime, anywhere. The ads tapped into a library filled with gripping tales of romantic entanglements with billionaires, heart-wrenching tragedies, epic comebacks, passionate love stories, revenge plots, and more. And that’s exactly what they showcased in their creatives. By 2024, the […]

Matej Lancaric October 25

Journal

Here’s 1 core issue I see in growth-stage game studios

I've managed $100M+ budgets. Here's 1 core issue I see in growth-stage game studios:They're throwing money around without realizing it.Example:Not enough partners? Missing annual targets?The typical response: "We need to hire more salespeople."But is recruiting new salespeople the answer?Or are you just adding more water to an overflowing ocean?Truth is, you don't have a sales problem.You have a foundational problem.Who is this really for?What makes you different?What does your strategy actually deliver?How do you communicate your value?If you don't address these foundational issues,you'll end up in a cycle of slow growth.Here's what I'd do this week:1. Identify your top 3-5 customers2. Schedule calls with them today3. Ask key questions about your value and impact4. Refine your messaging to sharpen differentiationRemember:Growth challenges are constant.It's how you tackle them that matters.I learned this the hard way at Gameloft, Blizzard, and Huuuge.Now I […]

Alexis Gresoviac October 24

Journal

I analyzed puzzle games and only 1.5% were successful

I analyzed puzzle games and only 1.5% were successful*.Here are 6 HOT takeaways you should be aware of:Check out the whole list at https://lnkd.in/dynmZZ4N There are 1229 mobile casual puzzle releases in 2024.Only 62 games made more than 500K downloads.Only 19 games made more than 1M downloads.Here are my takeaways1. Crazy misleading ad creatives on top 10,2. Sorting comes in different ways,3. Logic puzzles have an increase, especially on those open up to reveal,4. IAPs still relies on boosters, thoughThere are good examples ‘’content locks’’,5. ‘’Color’’ and ‘’Sort’’ are the most common by far,6. If you can get creative with creatives, you can thenfocus on player onboarding and journey.*: success meaning can change, for me, it's the comparison where majority of downloads cumulate.

Gökhan Üzmez October 24

Journal

Hearthstone is Back in Chinese Mobile Stores

Hearthstone is back in Chinese mobile stores to break its own records! 🇨🇳🚀In January 2023, Blizzard’s games were removed from Chinese stores after their 14-year licensing agreement with NetEase expired. After 20 months, the Blizzard-NetEase agreement is back in place, and so is Hearthstone — one of the most beloved collectible card games (CCG) worldwide. 🃏✨And Chinese players couldn’t be more excited!Before the exit, Hearthstone was pulling in an impressive $2.4M/month in China during 2021-2022, according to AppMagic. Fast forward to October 2024, and it’s already brought in over $13.5M — and the month isn’t even over yet! 📈🔥This is yet another great example of how Western games thrive when entering the Chinese market! I wrote about other games with similar success stories in one of my previous posts, check it out as well: https://lnkd.in/dRnXu3Gg

Andrei Zubov October 24

Journal

How Cup Heroes Monetizes Its Success

How Cup Heroes Monetizes Its Success10M+ downloads and $1.7M in monthly revenue (https://lnkd.in/eyg_hWaK)Cup Heroes is a masterclass in hybrid-casual monetization. Here’s how they do it:I. Core-Gameplay Ads Monetization:• 🛡️ Watch ads to unlock skills like boosting damage or crit rate.>>>> Skills last for only one chapter, so players keep watching.• 💀 Revive your character once per chapter by watching an ad.• 🎁 Double your rewards at the end of each chapter with another ad.II. Progression IAP Monetization:• 🎉 Starter packs offer hard and soft currency, plus bonuses.• 🏆 Season passes keep players engaged with rewards and daily quests.• 💎 Hard currency packs let players fast-track progress for a premium price.• 🎲 Gacha chests offer upgrades and characters with a bit of surprise.• 🔓 Unlock new characters by collecting fragments or buying them with diamonds.III. Other Monetization Options:• ⚡ Speed boosts […]

Anton Slashcev October 24

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