TikTok Trend: Do Re Mi & Scream Chicken

TIKTOK NEW TREND DO RE MI & SCREAM CHICKEN The game development ecosystem has again been surprised by two games that have jumped the charts. 🚀💫 “Mini Games: Calm & Relax” by Unicorn Studio (Rocket Game Studio).💫 “Tik Tap Challenge” by XGame Studio.According to AppMagic, these games have achieved more than 35MM and 12MM downloads respectively in recent weeks. 📈The reason behind the success of these two games lies in... TikTok. 👀Days before they began their exponential growth, both included two filter game trends.👇 Swipe through the slides below and learn about the journey of these hits. 👇- X -Cost Center offers a BI platform that helps scale up mobile games across UA, Creatives, and Gameplay. 🏆Amanote, the rhythm games giant, uses Cost Center's platform for +90% of the CPI and CPA campaigns on its 4 flagships. 📈Call my friend […]

Carlos Pereira November 1

Journal

All in Hole by Homa Games already scaled to $50K+ A Day

All in Hole by Homa already scaled to more than $50K a day 🤑 in IAPs, even though it is still in T1 "soft-launch" release and it is not available worldwide (US is open). We couldn't ignore this very bold iteration so you can read the rundown here 😎. Core gameplay is based on Attack Hole 🕳️, another similar game in Homa's portfolio, which already did 100 Mil. downloads. Both of these are an iteration on Voodoo's 2018 smash hit Hole.io, which is a PvP ⚔️ based version of this core, where you eat your opponents. It still does 300K downloads a day and is past 350 Mil. downloads. So the team at Homa already had a previous experience with single player version of this core, where you simply grow your hole to eat more and more bigger level objectives, […]

Matej Lancaric November 1

Journal

Better iterations with OODA Loop

💫 Better iterations with OODA Loop Why typical "Learn, Build, Measure" methodology may be misleading?OODA Loop is a decision-making framework, developed by John Boyd consisting of 4 steps:❶ ObservationIdentify the problem.Gain an overall understanding of the environment.❷ OrientationDefining what should be the next steps and why.What's your timeline and how feasible your solutions are?❸ DecisionCheck your resources and data.Take into consideration all the potential outcomes.❹ ActionDefine who's responsible, prepare the scenarios and take the actions.👉 HOW TO USE IT FOR GAMES?OODA Loop is one of the best approaches when you want to optimize your user experience.First you identify a friction or you want check a UX theory.Then you start checking your data, things like your custom events, your data dashboards, etc.Often you need to write new queries in order to inspect some new ratios and broaden your view.Once you have […]

M. Ali Saatchi November 1

Journal

Happy Halloween to all my US readers!

🎃 Happy Halloween to all my US readers! 🎃I love seeing the holiday spirit come alive in mobile games, especially through all the visual transformations. From spooky loading screens to themed events, it’s amazing how games add that extra festive touch. Swipe through to see some fun examples of Halloween visuals in mobile games! Do you enjoy these seasonal designs as much as I do? 👻hashtag#Halloween hashtag#MobileGames hashtag#GameDesign hashtag#FestiveFun hashtag#SpookySeason

Michael Kopelovich October 31

Journal

How Integrating IP into Games Can Impact Monetization

From 2011 to 2024, ZiMAD has attracted over 150M users globally and created a wide range of content in partnership with well-known brands like National Geographic, Sony Pictures, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Marvel, Disney, Pixar, and LIFE. Here is what I learned about the secrets to successful collaborations. Benefits of Partnering with Brands Before choosing an IP and starting a collaboration, it’s essential to understand what you want to achieve and what can be accomplished with their support. ZiMAD’s extensive experience highlights several key advantages: 1. Expanding the User Base: Every collaboration is an opportunity to showcase creativity and develop unique content that can capture the interest of new users. It also helps keep the app’s CPI low while driving steady growth in key metrics. With an IP, there’s also potential for broader audience reach, and in some cases, a reduction […]

Elizaveta Savenkova October 30

Journal

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

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

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

Take note, casual game developers!

Take note, casual game developers! 🎯In Cake Sort, I noticed a clever approach that I hadn't seen before—Skip It offers placed directly next to each Rewarded Video (RV) placement in the game. Instead of hiding the option in the game store, they make it super clear how buying these 10 tickets can let players skip watching the RV and still claim the rewards. This strategy boosts both visibility and the appeal of the purchase, making it easier for players to understand the advantage of grabbing these tickets! 💡 Definitely something worth considering for your own game!

Michael Kopelovich October 24

Journal

Top Progression Mechanics from Peak Games

Top Progression Mechanics from Peak GamesBased on the Playliner report, here are the 11 most popular progression mechanics in Peak games:1. Short-term goals ↳ Players are introduced to goals within the first minutes to keep them focused and motivated.2. Progress visualization ↳ Thematic rooms or stages unlock at specific levels, offering visual changes and rewards.3. Event locks ↳ Teasers for upcoming events encourage players to progress and unlock new content.4. Global maps ↳ A visually engaging path shows players how far they've come and what’s next.5. Daily bonuses ↳ Players receive rewards for logging in daily, promoting consistent engagement.6. Win streaks ↳ Winning multiple levels grants escalating rewards, with FOMO kicking in after a defeat.7. Sprint tournaments ↳ Players compete to complete levels faster, often using boosters for an advantage.8. Regular tournaments ↳ Players earn points through level completion to […]

Anton Slashcev October 23

Journal

How to Evaluate Your Game Ideas?

How to Evaluate Your Game Ideas?Here are some critical questions you need to ask:1. Market Size: • Is your genre growing or declining? • Are new developers entering the niche, or is it saturated? • How could future trends and technology impact your genre?2. Competitive Analysis: • Who are your competitors, and what made them successful? • Why did similar games fail? • What makes your game stand out?3. Know Your Audience: • Who is your audience, and what do they value (e.g., story, competition)? • What are people saying about similar games on platforms like Reddit, Steam, or App Store?4. Core Game Design: • Can you pitch your game in one sentence? • Does the art style and core gameplay loop stand out? • What will keep players coming back?5. Marketing & Community Building: • How will you reach […]

Anton Slashcev October 22

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