About helping Founders as an Investor:

The hardest things about helping founders as an investor: - Making the founder feel they're not alone. It's "against the odds" difficult to make a startup successful- To not work from the position where the founder feels they need to interact like a subordinate- Finding the balance between being supportive while maintaining necessary objectivity- Knowing when to be hands-on vs when to step back and let founders find their own path- Building genuine trust that enables founders to share real problems, what keeps them up at night- Accepting that sometimes the best help is simply listening, not trying to solve everything- Resisting the urge to pattern match too quickly based on past experiences- Understanding that each founder's journey is unique, even if challenges seem familiar

Joakim Achren December 23

Journal

Your favorite Game to play in 2024?

I asked 6 more game industry experts, 6 more games. What is your favorite game to play in 2024? Part III: Arin, Sr. Talent Marketing Specialist at Blizzard,Picks a top notch ARPG DLC, dark and intense…Anton, Executive Game Producer, Picks an innovative mobile game called:Cup Heroes by Voodoo, casual take on a Roguelike RPG, definitely worth checking out. Ömer, Founder of Gamigion,Goes with another dominating mobile RPG,Cappybara GO! RPG clashes social casinoWith adventure and innovation. Joe, Head of Talent at Play Ventures,Goes with everyones fav indie card gameBalatro, is an excellent choice. Ryan, marketing partner at A16Z picks UFO 50, collection of retro art game console style gamesHe always pushes me to think with His newsletters, did it again with his game pick.Mariusz, CEE of Mobile Gaming at GoogleLoves Monopoly series, and picks Monopoly GO!Many thanks to Part III contributors ofGame […]

Gökhan Üzmez December 23

Journal

Feedback Made Simple!

🚀 Feedback Made Simple! 🎮 Spotted this smart and user-friendly Feedback feature in Match Factory by Peak Games. 📝 It lets players instantly share their thoughts, directly from the game—no need for extra steps or complicated forms.This is such a great way to keep the feedback loop active, build trust, and show players their opinions truly matter! 💡✨

Michael Kopelovich December 23

Highlights

Brutally Honest #143

Hey, FAM! What’s up? 🥃 Drink talk Back home in Slovakia. So many new ideas. Looking forward to start executing. Stay tuned. The new AI section is here! Check it out at the end of the newsletter! 🦩Tip of the week How do you evaluate creatives before spending a dime testing them? Ever had that gut feeling—"this will flop" or "this will crush it"? We’ve all been there. I used to be the “no feelings, only data” person, but as I started producing more creatives myself, I developed a solid framework to pre-evaluate ideas. Here’s how: The Boring Test When you watch the creative, ask yourself: Where do you lose interest? Is it the 1st second? The 3rd? Are you watching until the end? Try this with your team. Watch together and ask for a show of hands—“Who got bored, […]

Matej Lancaric December 20

Journal

New AdROAS in Meta: Start Testing This ASAP

Last post of the year!🎄✨ Today I am bringing a real-data case about the 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐝𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐒 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚 for all those games that primarily monetize through ads!The case is quite straightforward:I unlocked this new optimization goal one week ago and here’s what I’ve observed so far:👉LTV D1 is 378% higher in adROAS campaign👉Retention D1 is 15% higher in adROAS campaign👉Retention D3 is 12.8% higher in adROAS campaign👉ROAS predictions over one year are positive in a shorter period and at higher percentages.So the conclusion is clear: START TESTING THIS ASAP! 🚀How to enable this optimization goal:1️⃣Connect your AdRev partner with Adjust to start receiving AdImpression Revenue data in Adjust.2️⃣Enable AdImpression Mapping in Adjust under Meta’s Data Sharing options. (Note: This feature is only available if you have the Adjust Growth Solution.)3️⃣Ensure you’ve sent at least 15 […]

David Vargas December 20

Journal

History of Match 3

The combined lifetime revenue of the big Match 3 games is $24 Bil. 🤑 and 5 Bil. downloads 🤯 on mobile. We covered the 13 years long evolution in our most longest and comprehensive episode yet 😎 looking at the top grossing games in the current charts. The overall trend of the market suggest it is an elite club as during the last 3 years there are no new games with critical scale as Laura pointed out. Space Ape Games's Chrome Valley Customs, released in 2023, being the most successful one with $40 Mil. lifetime revenue. To get a comparison, Dream Games's Royal Match was doing $20. Mil. a month 1 year after release, currently $120 Mil. per month 😅 and even King's Candy Crush is still making $80 Mil. a month, being a 13 years old game 👵. Having […]

Jakub Remiar December 19

Journal

Mobile Gaming in South East Asia

South East Asia is a region with strong potential for growth in the coming years, particularly within the mobile sector. This includes mobile gaming, non-gaming apps, and the overall mobile industry. I got a lot of questions about data for this region. For that reason I created that report covering mobile topics (with strong focus on mobile gaming and mobile apps) in South East Asia (especially: Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia). - general data about internet and mobile in South East Asia - detailed data about mobile gaming in South East Asia - detailed information about mobile apps in South East Asia

Mariusz Gąsiewski December 19

Journal

Is your game fun?

🚀 Ultimate guide to understand if your game is fun 🔑 11 key items on measuring Fun𝟭. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻• Return Rates: Measures how often players come back.• Churn Analysis: Helps identify why players stop playing.• Time Spent Playing: Indicates how captivating the game is.𝟮. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄• Progression Curves: Smooth difficulty increases keep players motivated.• Balance Between Challenge and Skill: Ensures the game is neither easy nor hard.𝟯. 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆• Multiplayer Features: Enhances fun through cooperation or competition.• Community Engagement: Active forums and events foster a sense of belonging.𝟰. 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴• Player Choices Impacting Story: Increases investment through agency.• Engaging Plot and Characters: Deep stories and relatable characters draw players in.𝟱. 𝗨𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝘀• Intuitive Interface: Easy navigation keeps focus on gameplay.• Responsive Controls: Smooth mechanics enhance player satisfaction.• Accessibility Options: Makes the game enjoyable […]

M. Ali Saatchi December 19

Journal

‘Pick Me Up’ By SuperSonic

HYBRIDCASUAL STUDIES“PICK ME UP” BY SUPERSONIC & HIBOX Hello, Mobile Gaming Fanatics! 🤪Last month, I posted about Supersonic from Unity's competition for new Hybridcasual titles (link in the comments). 💪Among the sub-genres being focused on in the competition is Idle Resource Management (IRM).To support your search for a new IRM 🤩, I bring you a study of the new game that is starting to be successful, “Pick Me Up”.Developed by Hibox and published by Supersonic, “Pick Me Up” is an excellent case of how to build an IRM game from an everyday theme.The theme of “Pick Me Up” is the car-sharing business (a.k.a. Uber). 🚗📲Hibox's version is detailed and fine-tuned, giving the player the feeling of opening a new ride-sharing startup! 👏👇 Swipe through the slides below and see similarities between the game and the Uber app. 👇The game has […]

Carlos Pereira December 19

Journal

Match Factory’s Success and Gameplay Mechanics

Match Factory, a standout in the Match-3D genre from Peak Games, has quickly captured players’ attention, generating an impressive $350K in Daily Revenue. But what’s driving this success? By dissecting its gameplay mechanics, difficulty curve, monetization strategy, and player engagement features, we can better understand how Match Factory blends the best practices from its predecessors while putting its own spin on the genre. Revenue Graph Game Design & Core Gameplay At its heart, Match Factory is a match-3D puzzle game with a classic yet refined twist. Players tap on items on the grid to create matches of three or more identical items. When successful, the items disappear, and new items fall to fill the gaps, making for a fast-paced, satisfying gameplay loop. But beyond these basic mechanics, Match Factory layers in complexity, keeping players hooked level after level. The core objectives revolve around matching and clearing items, […]

Aylin YAZICI December 18

Journal

Experts’ Favorite Games of 2024

What is your favorite game to play in 2024?I asked 5 Game Industry Experts, here they are: Matej , UA and Marketing Consultant,Capybara Go!You know him from two & a half gamers,His pick is an absolute revenue making machine,Scaling big time in mobile platform, Eric, Principal at Gossamer ConsultingWorld of Warcraft: The War Within.‘’Even after 20 years, WoW remains the gold standard for the MMO genre.’’And he is absolutely right.This particular expansion features‘’ ↳ a compelling storyline ↳ innovative additions like scalable Delves, ↳ the Hero Talents system, ↳ and Warbands for shared character progression’’ Renata, Head of PR at UGC NinjaRoyal Match by Dream GamesShe is particularly interested in Level and progress system, and as she isAround lvl 777, it’s safe to say she is addicted.Sergei, LiveOps Director Wargaming,Astro Bot and also mentioned Helldivers 2.We know he like spending […]

Gökhan Üzmez December 18

Journal

Mobile MMOs: Innovation Opportunities in 2025

Mobile MMOs: Innovation Opportunities in 2025 🎮🌍 The mobile #MMO genre remains an interesting frontier, offering opportunities for creative disruption. While high barriers to entry deter newcomers, the potential for innovation—and rewards—makes it a ripe area for exploration. Trends to Look in Mobile MMOs:1. Lapsed and Underserved Audiences 👨‍🔧🗡️Western gamers who grew up on #MMOs like #WorldofWarcraft now face 'constraints' by life. #MobileMMOs designed for short, flexible play could attract these players, offering them nostalgic experiences in an accessible format. E.g., creating systems where players feel empowered without excessive grinding, such as streamlined progression mechanics inspired by lighter ARPGs, would be worth to be studied. Additioanlly, MMOs can be mixed with open and non-open design, making them light while retaining key elements.2. Eastern Market vs. Western Market 📉📈MMOs flourish in Asian markets, where habits are around long sessions and intricate […]

Antti Kananen December 18

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