About the author call_made
Matej Lancaric
A true mobile marketing enthusiast currently working as a UAย consultant.
HighlightsJournal 13 Matej Lancaric March 26
Why? ๐
๐ช๐ฒ๐น๐น, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ, ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
โณRetention
โณFeedback loops and positive PR
โณGenerate user-generated content
โณDistribution
โณReduce fatigue
โณReward your most loyal fans
โณDrive more revenue
Supercell has recruited over 1,000 creators, claiming some have even increased viewership by 600%. I mean, you canโt pay bills with viewership, but still. That was their main UA channel until Brawl Stars blast, and it still is the main UA for some games: ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ ๐ถ๐’๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐จ๐, ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐.
Creator programs. Everyone and their mom has one, including Roblox, Fortnite, Rush Royale, and Supercellโฆbut why? Whatโs the ROI?
Well, there are several benefits to starting one, including:
All of the above have a direct impact on your User Acquisition activities.ย Supercell has recruited over 1,000 creators, claiming some have even increased viewership by 600%. I mean, you canโt pay bills with viewership, but still. That was their main UA channel until Brawl Stars blast.
Itโs not only brands fighting for the massive reach influencers have today. Developers are finding ways to identify creators and deepen relationships with them. For example, some creator programs demand that the creator almost exclusively plays a certain game, locking them into the gameโs respective ecosystem (which is probably not the best idea, but some games just have that kind of leverage right now).
Letโs dissect all the best creator programs out there right now.
My.Games launched its creator program in 2022 for Rush Royale. They recruited over 100 creators to film and edit content about the game, rewarding creators $500k so far. Once accepted into the program, creators are invited to a private Discord where they can collaborate with other creators and learn more about upcoming events.
Their program is unique because it is gamified. They offer three levels where creators can level up to unlock more benefits if their performance metrics improve. But thereโs a little bit of negative reinforcement, too. Creators who do not meet the requirements are warned and may have their level lowered.
Creators are rewarded with exclusive events like tournaments, pre-access to new features, and have a direct influence on development. They also offer a 10% revenue share for creators with personal creator codes and an added 5% bonus if their content is exclusively about Rush Royale.
In 2018, Supercell brainstormed with OG content creators and asked what they wanted. This led to creating a creator portal with a tiered rewards system and creator codes. Since its inception, Supercell has recruited over 1,000 creators, and they claim some creators even grew viewership by 600%.
Their robust creator program offers the following benefits:
Source: Supercell
Their primary distinguishing feature is the Creator Elixir currency, which gamifies rewards for creators. Creators receive Elixirs for participating in time-sensitive campaigns or other promotions, boosting Supercellโs reach. In return, creators earn exclusive merchandise or skins.
See also Top 10 Challenges in Mobile Game User Acquisition + Solutions
Rick Crane, the Product Owner of the Supercell Creator Program says,โI believe itโs better to focus on the relationships you are building and not just use them for their views.โ He highlights the importance of having direct communication with creators to avoid any major fuck ups.
For example, Supercell halved the price for upgrades without announcing a new level was incoming. Players were blindsided and could have saved their gold for the new level if it had been correctly communicated. Creators were upset, and they immediately refunded players.
Supercellโs requirements are fairly chill compared to those listed in this article. Their philosophy is that if they give creators the right tools to succeed, they will naturally grow, which will, in turn, help Supercell in the long run.
ha! Two & a half gamers fit the YouTube requirements!
Once applied, a Content Manager will review your content to determine whether it meets their quality and behavior guidelines. Ah fucking hell.. there is always a catch!
Epic recently announced its Creator Economy 2.0, which is a plan to distribute 40% of Fortniteโs revenues to eligible creators who publish games on Fortnite. The money pool will be from real money spent on Fortnite, purchases of V-bucks, real money transactions (Starter Packs, Quest Packs, Cosmetics), and Fortnite Crew Subscriptions. This excludes the fees paid for licensing.
Similar to Robloxโs creator program that rewards developers for creating experiences through their Fortnite Creative or UEFN engine library. This program runs alongside their popular Support-a-Creator program, which provides creators with unique codes that players can enter when making a purchase. This allows players to support their favorite creators without having to donate directly, as the creator code gives the creator a commission through real-money payouts. However, the Support-a-Creator program is now removed from custom islands because creators will now be paid based on the number of players playing them.
(This video explains everything perfectly)
Engagement payouts are based on two factors:
Fortnite also launched a dedicated Creator Portal with tools and resources to help creators connect with their communities.
Overall, this contributes to Fortniteโs end goal of building its own metaverse. Their deal with Disney, along with their own creative development engine to build new maps, helps add endless variety to keep players engaged, while also compensating passionate creators who develop new maps.
See also AI Agents – Arcads X Gumloop – Matej Lancaric
The decade-old game is not nearly as popular today as it was a few years ago. But even after the slashing of its esports budgets, Hearthstone is seeing a steady uptick in players again, which could be attributed to its Creator Program. It indicates a shift in attention away from esports and towards streaming and user-generated content.
Announced in 2023, the program has the same benefits as most other games do, including:
While the benefits are fairly straightforward, their application requirements are slightly stricter than others.
In 2021, Roblox announced its partnership program, the Game Fund, where developers could apply to have their Roblox experiences funded. With a minimum of $500,000 per project, they established a network of developers to continually develop new games with cross-platform and mobile optimization in mind. They reported a payout of $741 million in 2023, a 19% increase from the previous year.
In 2024, they switched gears and rebranded it to the Creator Fund, a $35 million fund for developer studios and users alike. Instead of funding developers who create new games, the Creator Fund is powering experiences like the unhinged Clip It, which is basically a clone of TikTok baked into the game.
Like any other creator fund, creators need to submit an application. The program is pretty robust, though, as everyone accepted will have their own KPIs, milestones, and collaboration with in-house experts. Itโs also open to professional developer studios and brands on a rolling basis.
The creator fund is open to creators and developers who are looking to build unique projects on the platform.
Itโs no secret that these programs work. Managing a community is a huge undertaking, but focusing on creators has allowed massive programs like Supercellโs to be run by a team of 4. Here are some of the key takeaways to help inspire you to build one of your own:
If youโre wondering which new game features to launch or how to structure rewards for creators, talk to them. Itโs that easy. A byproduct of building strong relationships with creators is that it can help prevent botched launches and PR nightmares. Having experienced creators beta test new features is a great way to ensure smooth and balanced rollouts and avoid backlash from the community.
Donโt focus on the follower count. Supercell has shown that investing in high-quality creators can pay off in the long run. New creators who have an eye for content can be successful and grow with your program. So itโs important to vet creators based on their quality, rather than vanity metrics (you probably also want to vet out the toxic players, too).
Successful creator programs are rewarding. While the title of being a Blizzard partner is cool, itโs not enough to sustainably run a creator program. If youโre forcing creators to post only about your game, you have to present an equal return in value to reward them for it. While these programs all provide financial incentives, programs like Supercellโs also provide the tools to help creators be better at their jobs via their video academy.
Supercell attributes its new gameโs success to having face-to-face meetups with creators to get direct balance feedback for their new game, Squad Busters. Itโs not enough to address complaints. To actually build trust, you have to implement their feedback. Whether it was the lack of variety or broken items, Supercell incorporated their feedback into the game. They even invited 100 creators to their Helsinki office on launch day. Thatโs how genuine relationships are made.
Oh wow! You made it here! You must be very engaged. I like that type of playerโฆ Ehm, people!
Please share this article with your industry friends. It would mean the world to me.
About the author call_made
A true mobile marketing enthusiast currently working as a UAย consultant.
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