Chris Han

Retention is the ultimate test for any mobile game, but some studios seem to have cracked the code.Take Block Blast, a title we’re proud to work with at ThinkingData: it consistently outperforms industry averages for retention.Retention benchmarks (Sensor Tower):D1: 51%D7: 32%D30: 21%D60: 14%Most casual games struggle to reach 5–10% retention by Day 30, making Block Blast’s performance impressive.Here’s how they do it:1️⃣ Data-driven development + A/B testingEvery part of the player journey, from onboarding to in-game events, is tested. Features, UI tweaks, and reward systems are evaluated to see what truly drives engagement.2️⃣ Dynamic difficulty adjustmentBlock Blast adapts in real-time to player skill, keeping challenges balanced and engagement high during the critical first week.3️⃣ Smart monetization strategiesRetention isn’t just about keeping players happy, it’s about keeping them invested. Thoughtful in-game offers, rewards, and ad integration strengthen engagement without disrupting the […]

“Your store knows you’re a sniper. Should it show you rifles first?” That line came from a talk by Richard Goldsmith (Deloitte) at GDC 2025, and stuck with me for some reason. That question came up again in a recent Deconstructor of Fun episode. Michail Katkoff made a sharp point in response to George Ng and I’m paraphrasing here but the gist was:Maybe it’s not that anything has fundamentally changed. We’ve always tried to optimize based on player behavior. It’s just that now we’re actually good at it now and that’s why the ethical concerns are suddenly surfacing.Goldsmith’s point was straightforward: if you know a player always picks sniper rifles, show them bundles they’ll actually use. Better targeting leads to more purchases and a better experience. Everyone wins, right?But then George said something else.“We were already optimizing for monetization without […]

How many times can you repackage the same roguelike formula and still top the charts? If you’re Habby, apparently over and over again!If you’ve followed the poncle Vampire Survivors craze or mobile roguelikes in general, you might think we’ve seen it all by now. But Habby keeps proving there's still more room to explore with thoughtful and innovative iteration.From Archero to Survivor.io to Capybara Go, they have built a roguelike portfolio that's surprisingly consistent, but each one evolves the formula in ways that feel deliberate and layered, not repetitive. Every game pulls from the same genre roots: tight loops, RNG-based power-ups, session-based progression, but reinvents the experience just enough to feel fresh and mobile-native.Archero nailed the formula early: randomized upgrades, one-thumb control, and that “just one more run” energy, even serving as an inspiration for Vampire Survivors.Survivor.io then took their […]

When Capybara Go first popped up, some assumed it’d be a short-lived viral game. 🍊 Cute, meme-y, floods your TikTok for a few weeks, then disappears like most trend-chasers.But somehow... this one didn’t vanish. It kept going, and that wasn’t an accident.♨️ Capybara Go became one of the rare meme-fueled mobile games that actually stuck. The more I watched it grow, the more I realized how much product thinking went into making that happen.Habby capitalized on the trend and was able to build a whole, novel experience around it. From the cozy art direction to the lo-fi sound design and polished UI, every piece leaned into the wholesome weirdness of capybara meme culture, but what made it work long-term was the game loop.Players didn’t just come for sword-wielding capybaras. They stayed for:🛠️ Low-friction progression and collection systems🎁 Seasonal content and […]

Was looking over my notes from Live Service Gaming Summit NA and wanted to share some gems→ “This game is not yours, it’s the players” – Rich VogelLet players lead. Cohorts, heatmaps, and behavior data, it’s about co-building with your community.→ Nick Chapelas on monetizationProtect your runway. Don’t nuke your economy with big discounts. Players will never pay full price again after huge discounts. Use data and instinct to pace rewards.→ Andrei Chan (Tencent) on team cultureLiveOps across regions means more than time zones. Different cultures need different communication, trust, and process rhythms. For teams and players→ Donovan Kennedy (Jackalyptic)Don’t just copy what’s trending. Use player types (killers, achievers, explorers, socializers) to design what your players actually find fun.→ Time is currencyMultiple teams called this out. Players pay to save time, not to win. Monetization should feel like progress, not […]

Copy-paste LiveOps don’t scale across regions, they flop Century Games found that out fast when what worked in the U.S. didn’t move the needle in Japan or Korea. Their answer? ThinkingEngine's multi-level cohort analysis. Century Games customized its LiveOps strategy across key regions with real-time personalization.Phase 2 (of 3):✅ Personalize monetization offers – Adjusting pricing, bundles, and offer timing based on how players in each market converted. What worked in the U.S. wasn’t what drove purchases in Japan.✅ Event rewards players want – Reward structures were changed based on player behavior in each region, ensuring that incentives aligned with local engagement trends and player motivations.✅ Regional LiveOps scheduling – Tailored LiveOps is key in scaling globally. Event timing and cadence were localized around regional play patterns and activity peaks to maximize participation and spend.The payoff? Higher engagement and spend across […]