Crafting Player-Centric Experiences

First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! To kick things off, could you introduce yourself to our audience and share a little about what got you started in the industry? Danielle: Yeah, it’s my pleasure! So, I’m Danielle, and I’m the Head of Player Experience at Ilyon. My love for games started when I was 13 and first rolled a d20, discovering the magic of Dungeons & Dragons. Ever since, I’ve been immersed in tabletop RPGs, LARPs, and the occasional video game—though my heart will always belong to role-playing adventures. Professionally, I’ve always been drawn to roles that focus on people. I’ve worked as a flight attendant, account manager, and customer success lead across various industries. Before joining Ilyon, I was at Eldritch Foundry, where I helped bring tabletop players’ imaginations to life by creating […]

Michael Kopelovich January 7

Journal

The Sweet Art of Feature Adaptation

In the ever-evolving landscape of the gaming industry, it's no secret that games often draw inspiration from one another. This cross-pollination of ideas isn't confined to a single genre or platform; it's a universal phenomenon that drives innovation continuously. Whether it's a unique gameplay mechanic from an indie title or a groundbreaking event in one of the biggest franchises, developers consistently look to each other to spark creativity and fuel progress. When a new feature or event makes waves in a particular game, it's only natural for others within the same genre to take notice. After all, if something resonates with players, why not explore its potential in a similar context? However, in a world where game updates are dissected in real-time by every other developer, keeping such innovations under wraps has become virtually impossible. The moment you introduce a […]

Ahmetcan Demirel January 6

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

How to Design Difficulty in Puzzle Games

How to Design Difficulty in Puzzle Games Based on the Playliner research, here is a guide to designing difficulty:1. Offer multiple difficulty tiers • Easy, Hard, Super Hard — with clear visuals to indicate the level.2. Use attempts, not win rate, to tune difficulty • Low attempts (1–3) = Easy • High attempts (20–35) = Hard3. Follow a recommended difficulty curve • Start easy (Levels 1–20) to build confidence • Add a hard spike (Levels 20–30) to create challenge • Introduce progressive increases and major paywalls after Level 504. Gradually introduce mechanics• Let players master core gameplay before adding complexity.5. Reward wisely• Scale rewards with difficulty. Tougher levels should yield better prizes.6. Test and iterate• Track completion rates. • Adjust blocker levels. • Fine-tune using player feedback.• Alternate between challenging and easier phases. Make the game feel “just challenged enough” […]

Anton Slashcev 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

Interesting offer in Coin Master by Moon Active

Spotted an interesting offer in Coin Master by Moon Active! While the design feels a bit crowded for my taste, the concept of 'Bigger prize, same price' is definitely intriguing. Always exciting to see what tests and features studios are trying out to engage players! 🎁✨ Has anyone tried a similar approach and seen any interesting results? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Michael Kopelovich January 5

Journal

How Boom Beach Could Be Set Back to Growth?

This article focuses on analyzing Boom Beach’s current state and suggests couple theoretical ideas for how it could be set back to growth. Note: This article is constructive, giving a straight-forward analysis on a game’s current state — with also suggestions and ideas for future improvement. The sole intention is to provide here an insightful article and as a goodwill-basis give open ideas and principles for improvement. This article has data from AppMagic. Current State of Boom Beach When looked over the long haul, Boom Beach by Supercell has seen long-term engagement decline (despite bringing great amount of revenue and success — which is still something everyone needs to acknowledge) over its lifecycle; a common “trend” for many mobile games as their player bases gradually lose interest after peak growth. Side Note: These things are common “trends” in games such […]

Antti Kananen January 5

Journal

Physiology and Psychology: How They Explain F2P Game Metrics

When we talk about metrics like session times, retention rates, and monetization in F2P mobile games, we’re not just talking numbers. These metrics reveal how player habits, behaviors, and decision-making are rooted in human physiology and psychology.This article focuses on discussing about physiology and psychology behind F2P metrics / KPIs, and how they can be used to break down KPIs you’re seeing behind your game — and, furthermore, how physiology and psychology can be used for game design.Note: Some of the points discussed here can be more theoretical still, as they’ve not been used to far extend, yet, in game development and design.Physiology and Psychology Behind Mobile F2P Games and Their MetricsHere's a deeper look at how we tap into the principles of physiology and psychology to build successful games:Engagement Loops and Habits FormationGratification systems, feedback loops, and well-designed hooks […]

Antti Kananen January 4

Journal

How Stumble Guys Could Be Set Back to Growth?

This article focuses on analyzing Stumble Guys’ current state and suggests couple theoretical ideas for how it could be set back to growth. Note: This article is constructive, giving a straight-forward analysis on a game’s current state — with also suggestions and ideas for future improvement. The sole intention is to provide here an insightful article and as a goodwill give open ideas and principles for improvement. This article has data from AppMagic. Stumble Guys Faces Downhill Slide in Engagement According to AppMagic, Stumble Guys, a hit from Scopely (originally developed and released by Kitka Games who sold Stumble Guys for Scopely), is seeing decline in downloads and engagement. Stumble Guys, Revenue Stumble Guys, Downloads This trend, while common in games after top peaks, highlights a critical point: Without re-freshening of gameplay and strategic updates, it's challenging to maintain DAU […]

Antti Kananen January 4

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

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

#GameDev

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