When Visuals Drive Performance

What can you do to improve your game’s performance when another title comes out of nowhere and speeds past it on every chart? You could double down on LiveOps, compete on seasonal content, or push daily events to the max. But guess what? Your competitor can do exactly the same, and probably will. You could also try to optimize your game through different levers such as your level funnel, monetization hooks, or progression systems. They often move the needle, but only marginally. Instead, the smarter move might be to understand how your rival got better at the very thing you were the best at. Analyze what made them click with the audience you once owned. And while doing so, use the opportunity to differentiate your game again by bringing something fresh to the table. This has been Triple Match 3D’s […]

Ahmetcan Demirel April 14

Analysis

Gaming Under Fire: China vs. Tariffs

This topic is on fire. Covered by our dear friend, Zach. *Spoiler Alert: No, but we are all under uncertainty. As the latest round of U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods grabs headlines, it’s natural to wonder: Is China’s dominance in the global gaming market under threat? For now, the answer is no, but the landscape is shifting, and the ripple effects are worth watching closely. China & Europe Hit Back as U.S. Tariffs Kick In 🚨 Update: Tariff War Intensifies On Wednesday, China raised its retaliatory tariffs to 84%, with Trump firing back by immediately increasing U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to a staggering 125%. While mobile games remain untouched, the message is loud and clear: this is no longer just a trade dispute, it’s a full-blown standoff. If geopolitical tensions continue, we may see actions beyond tariffs, such as […]

Gamigion April 9

Analysis

Rip and Tear: Job Hunting in Gaming’s Hunger Games Era

I have a high degree of impostor syndrome going into this. 😅 I feel that these kinds of articles are usually written by big names in the gaming industry who have the power to shake things up and draw attention to glaring issues. However, I'll bite the bullet! Today, you won't read the story of a gaming industry veteran, ex-Blizzard, ex-Riot, etc., but rather one of a “more average Joe”. Or Paul. But a Paul who is passionate about gaming and the industry of creating games. My higher education is in management and marketing, but my chosen path is that of a Product Manager for digital apps. Including free-to-play mobile games. I worked for around 15 years as a PM so far, 5 of which are in the gaming industry. I came to the gaming industry from classifieds/e-commerce and was […]

Paul Gramada April 9

Analysis

Pizza Ready! – From Dough to Domination: The Idle Arcade Success

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that pizza is a universal love language. So when Supercent decided to channel that into a mobile game, it’s no wonder they struck gold. Or in this case, a piping hot slice of success. Pizza Ready! didn’t just show up – it dominated. It became the mozzarella on the hyper-casual genre’s crust, the sauce that bound mobile gamers together. But how did it manage to do that? Well, buckle up, because we’re about to dive into the gooey, cheesy center of why Pizza Ready! became one of the most downloaded and, surprisingly, most monetarily delicious games of the past year. 🎮 The Simulation Gold Rush - Why Everyone’s Making Arcade Idle Games Here’s the thing – making an arcade idle game might seem like the easiest recipe in the book. You’ve got the simplified […]

Aylin YAZICI April 8

Analysis

Monopoly GO makes $104M per month. Their 3.7K Ads Strategy?

🎲♟️ Monopoly Go is making $104M per month. Here’s what I saw in their 3.7k ads strategy 👇 🎯 Winning Ads Run for 30+ DaysMost of their Meta ads stay live for over a month, which means (for me) they’re betting more on branding than rapid iteration.👵📊 Older Players == More Spending PowerUnlike many mobile games, 40+ users make up a bigger share of their audience. And older players tend to spend more.🥐 France #1France gets the most ad impressions in Europe, which matches its high download ranking.📱 Google Play Gets More TrafficThey drive 64.5% of their traffic to Google Play vs. 35% to Apple. I am not sure why that is, honestly.🎥 Simple Ads Work (again)Their best-performing ad? No voiceover, just in-game animations and a catchy hook:✅ “Simple Tips to Get Rich!” (will also work in 100 years, I […]

Sven Jürgens April 7

Analysis

How does PvP counter play systems work?

Warning ☢️ Heavy Game Design post ahead 😁 How does PvP counterplay systems work? We already talked about the elemental system driving PvE games, but how about Player versus Player games? Again, similar to the elemental system, PvP counterplay systems can go from pretty straightforward (rock-paper-scissors ✂️) to some very advanced mechanics as faction and unit synergies, specific traits, direct immunity mechanics, and environment advantages. This system is powering some of the most biggest games on the market, such as Riot Games's League of Legends or Supercell's Clash Royale & Brawl Stars. Again, it is the hidden reason why you need to be able to master and, most importantly, collect or upgrade all or most of the characters in the game to stay competitive 😎. This takes much more skill than just playing with elemental affinities and throwing water dungeons […]

Jakub Remiar April 7

Analysis

What’s Wrong With Vita Mahjong?

Want to know what's wrong with Vita Mahjong from Vita Studio? My wife got seriously hooked on this game, and I resisted for a while before giving it a try. Then I saw it ranked in the Top 15 Free Games on the App Store, and decided to run a poll—should I review it or not? Only one person voted yes, which felt odd… but I went ahead anyway. According to my wife, the game is overloaded with ads—which drives her crazy. But when I launched it for the first time, I saw zero ads. NONE. The gameplay was chill, familiar from other mahjong titles, and surprisingly soothing. And then I played for three hours straight. Can you imagine that kind of session for a mobile game? And again—not a single ad. There’s even a “No Ads” option in the […]

Michael Khripin April 7

Analysis

Why Now Is the Worst Time to Launch a Match-3

For any team eyeing a sizable market, Match-3 has always been an incredibly tempting target. Puzzle games remain one of the biggest and most consistent genres on mobile, and within that space, Match-3 stands out as a true titan. Generating over 60% of puzzle IAP revenue and pulling in more than $5 billion last year, Match-3 has long held the promise of massive returns. It’s the kind of stat that makes even the most disciplined team think, “If we could just carve out 1% of this market…” That thinking has led so many teams into the grinder… Despite the genre’s enormous size, we haven’t seen a single new Match-3 title cross the $100M lifetime revenue mark in the West since Royal Match, which launched in 2020. Considering the scale of the market, that benchmark isn’t just fair, but it’s actually […]

Ahmetcan Demirel April 7

Analysis

Sort Games Monetization: Complete Guide

Hello and welcome back, everyone! Thank you for joining me for another genre exploration in our journey through the diverse world of mobile gaming monetization. If you missed our last discussion on the most utilized monetization strategies in merge games, be sure to check it out here. It's full of insights that might inspire your next big idea, regardless of the genre you're currently working on. Today, we're delving into the captivating world of sort games. While different from merge games, the principles of monetization remain universal and highly adaptable. So, let's uncover how this genre keeps players engaged and, more importantly, how it turns that engagement into revenue. Market Trends and Evolution in Sort Games Sort games have seen a massive surge in popularity over the past few years, evolving from ultra-casual tap experiences into deeper, more strategic titles […]

Michael Kopelovich April 7

Analysis

Captivating Mobile Video Ads in 4 Seconds

Mobile video ads' view rates reveal that attention starts dropping after just four seconds. Today, attention is advertising’s most valuable currency, making the hook—the opening of each video—the most crucial element of the ad creative. What makes a great hook? Straight to the point: Within the first 2 seconds of your ad, it should be blatantly clear what’s happening. Add movement: Movement, whether fast and dynamic or slow and hypnotic, is a great way to catch the eye. Evoke curiosity: Implement elements that give the viewer no choice but to continue watching. Create humorous, shocking, or awe moments: Play with emotions. You can never go wrong with a good WTF moment! Use all the tools at your disposal: Not just visual, but audio, SFX, voice-over, and text. For research, ad intelligence platforms like Apptica can help you spot top-performing creatives by showing which ads have the highest […]

Alexandra Pulinets April 6

Analysis

What’s Wrong With mo.co?

Another review based on my poll, second top choice—the latest release from Supercell — mo.co. For those who will read till the end, there is a bonus—a chance to get an invite. I really like the visual aesthetic—it’s fresh and vibrant. The idea of receiving quests via chat with NPCs and collecting rewards right there is great—very modern. Feels like chatting in DMs, familiar and intuitive. Brilliant marketing move with the invite system—you get 3 invites after reaching level 8. That’s going to bring in high-quality, motivated viral traffic. At first, the shop only offers loot boxes for merch tokens (currency earned through gameplay), and there’s no way to spend real money. Later, the full store unlocks. It follows a classic structure: Short LTO offersLong 3-week bundlesHard currency packs for IAPsA free resource pack on 24h cooldownLoot boxes for hard […]

Michael Khripin April 5

Analysis

Take-aways from playing Block Blast

Want to know what’s wrong with Block Blast from Hungry Studio ? The game is #1 in the casual category at the moment (March 20), but from a monetization perspective it is pure AdMon and much more simple that many other casual games on the market. Static banners at the bottom. Interstitials after every level, short ones, easily skippable. The only case of rewarded videos – revival after losing. In this case, the video ad is long because the player is motivated to wait, providing better CPM. Revival happens only one time. If you lose again, it will be final. There are no IAPs, so there is no game shop, no offers, no resources, no energy, no lives, you name it. Players can play as long as they want. Game sessions are not limited. But absence of IAPs also means […]

Michael Khripin April 1

Analysis

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