About the author call_made
Matej Lancaric
A true mobile marketing enthusiast currently working as a UAย consultant.
Journal 9 Matej Lancaric January 3
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 ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต. Both Hero Wars & Evony. Playrix saw the same thing after implementing Pull The Pin in 2019. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ด๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐.
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), ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป. See? You can actually do that. Taking notes, King?
Puzzle-solving elements showcased in ads had to be incorporated in the onboarding experience. This created a seamless connection between the ads & the actual game, addressing the criticism of “fake ads” ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ (Nexters ($GDEV)) ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ.
By implementing pull-the-pin mechanics and crafting emotionally charged creatives, these games made mobile gaming more accessible to casual audiences, offering a low barrier to entry while drawing players into more complex game loops. ๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐บ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐บ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ. This is why runner gates mechanic working so well.
The adoption & evolution of pull-the-pin have had overwhelmingly positive effects on the gaming industry. ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐๐ต๐:
๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฃ๐๐, ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต: Pull-the-pin mechanics and creative ads like those used by Hero Wars and Evony lowered CPIs significantly, making mobile gaming accessible to a broader audience.
๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Multiple Games borrowed and iterated on successful mechanics, proving that inspiration fuels innovation. Popcore even created a hypercasual Pull The Pin game based on this mechanic!
The takeaway for UA managers & developers, borrow from successful mechanics, iterate boldly, and create experiences that captivate your audience. Whether itโs a pull-the-pin puzzle or a gates mechanic, the secret lies in evoking the emotions that make players click, play, and stay.
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About the author call_made
A true mobile marketing enthusiast currently working as a UAย consultant.
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