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

Highlights

Mobile Game Leaders: March 2025 Data

Hei, Hallo& SELAM! Welcome to the March’25 version of Mobile Game Leaders 🦄 February Data? Data source: AppMagic Global Leaderboard: Game Publishers Miniclip got #3. Hypercasual-Only? Ad Creative World Keep an eye on Saudi Arabia & Mintegral. Big moves there 👇🏻 Out of 257,000 Creatives on iOS Top GEOs by Impression US: 41% UK: 8% Japan: 8% France: 5% Canada: 4% South Korea: 3% Saudi Arabia: 3% Brazil: 3% Germany: 3% UAE: 2% Turkey: 2% Australia: 2% Mexico: 2% Top Ad Networks by Impression Mintegral: 33% Facebook: 21% Unity: 15% (%4 in Feb!) AppLovin: 11% Smadex: 5% Out of 418,000 Creatives on Android Top GEOs by Impression Indonesia: 14% India: 13% Brazil: 11% U.S: 10% Mexico: 9% Turkey: 6% S.Korea: 4% Ukraine, France, Saudi Arabia: 3% Spain & Germany: 2% Top Ad Networks by Impression AppLovin: 32% Mintegral: 25% Facebook: 12% AdMob: 12% Unity: 9% YouTube: […]

Gamigion April 6

Highlights

AppLovin’s TikTok Pitch: Boost Ads to Win Big

As reported by CNBC, AppLovin can offer TikTok ‘much stronger bid than others,’ CEO says. AppLovin just threw its hat in the ring to take over TikTok's operations outside China, and it’s not playing small. CEO Adam Foroughi says this isn’t just a U.S. play; it’s a global power move. AppLovin CEO: Our TikTok Bid Tops Them AllAppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi, speaking on CNBC’s The Exchange, called the company’s late-stage offer to acquire TikTok a “much stronger bid than others.” Aiming Big: A Global Merger With TikTokForoughi revealed that AppLovin isn’t just targeting TikTok’s U.S. operations; they’re proposing a full-scale merger with the platform’s entire global business. Trump Extends TikTok Sale Deadline AgainFormer President Donald Trump announced a second extension for ByteDance to divest its U.S. TikTok operations, giving bidders like AppLovin more room to maneuver. The Ad-tech Titan wants […]

Gamigion April 6

Highlights

Clash of Screens: Supercell to Hollywood

First, conquered mobile, now Supercell is charging into entertainment with CINEMATIC FIREPOWER! A new movie? Nope, not this one. Just joking, not this one (: Supercell, the powerhouse behind Clash of Clans & Clash Royale, is plotting its boldest move yet: turning its billion-dollar gaming universes into full-blown film and TV franchises. The Finnish mobile gaming giant has dropped a cinematic gauntlet, posting a job for a senior film and TV development exec in Los Angeles. The mission? Build new worlds. Tell unforgettable stories. And do it with the kind of firepower usually reserved for A-list studios. "We are seeking a Senior Film & TV Development Executive to join our team and drive the development of film and television projects based on Supercell’s franchises. This role requires a strategic thinker with great storytelling instincts, a proven track record for building creative teams in film and […]

Gamigion April 4

Highlights

Save the King trend grew popular in 2024.

🔥"𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗲" 𝗔𝗞𝗔 "𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴" 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰. I spent 𝟰𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 on this trend research, so you don't have to! Was it Royal Match or another game that brought it first? 👇 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 (𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭) – features special mini-levels where the player must quickly solve puzzles to save King Robert from peril. These are presented as the King’s Nightmare levels, in which King Robert is trapped in a dangerous situation (like a room filling with water, a dragon threatening him, or spreading fire) and the player has limited moves or time to rescue him.This “protect or rescue the monarch” idea in Royal Match 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. It builds on a long history of games and storytelling where safeguarding a royal character is central. It goes from ancient board games and classic tales to […]

Matej Lancaric April 4

Highlights

Why Mediation Platforms Are Mobile’s Most Important Product?

Gold in the Middle: Why Mediation Platforms Are Mobile’s Most Important Product When I started in the mobile advertising space 8 years ago and asked about Mediation platforms, I was always brushed off with a: “It’s all that data."Great, that tells me so much… But what exactly is happening? Don’t worry. Let’s use this week's newsletter to explain the opportunities that present themselves to a mediation platform. By the end, I’m sure you’ll see why the mediation platform is the best strategic product to operate. Let’s talk about the fictitious ABC Inc. ABC Inc. has built and operates a successful mediation platform and a UA network in the fictitious mobile space. Here are the opportunities: Gatekeeping 🔐 Owning and operating a Mediation platform gives ABC Inc. leverage over other ad networks in the industry. They set the rules on who […]

Felix Braberg April 3

Highlights

Race for TikTok: AppLovin and Amazon in the Mix

The clock’s ticking, and TikTok’s U.S. future is on the line. With an April 5 deadline fast approaching, ByteDance is under pressure to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations, or face a nationwide ban. Among the rumored buyers? Ad Tech titan AppLovin, reportedly deep in negotiations, and Amazon, whose all-in bid hasn’t gained much traction with ByteDance. The original January ban was delayed after President Trump returned to office, allowing more time for a sale. But the clock is almost out. If no deal is struck by Saturday, Trump could extend the deadline again, but there’s no guarantee. Big Bids, Bigger Stakes AppLovin’s interest is said to be known at the highest levels of the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Amazon’s offer—rumored to be for all of TikTok—has been viewed with skepticism. Still, both tech giants represent the growing U.S. appetite to control the […]

Gamigion April 3

Highlights

When to Scale a Mobile Game?

Hey, FAM! What’s up? 🥃 Drink talk First, it was vibe coding; now, I have started seeing vibe prompting and even vibe marketing. Jesus fucking Christ. Are you serious? 🦩Tip of the week When to Scale a Mobile Game? 1. Analyze Soft Launch Performance Before scaling, a game must pass a soft launch and ideally some time after global launch. This phase serves as a litmus test for: Cohort Profitability: Tracking how different cohorts of players perform in terms of lifetime value (LTV). Retention Metrics: This includes Day 1, Day 7, and Day 30 retention rates. Successful scaling typically requires a minimum of 10-15% retention after Day 30. Monetization Consistency: Ensure that in-app purchases (IAP) and ad revenues are consistent and can be predicted over time. 2. Confirm Cohort Consistency While early cohorts may perform well, consistency is key. The […]

Matej Lancaric April 3

Highlights

Mobile Gaming Today: April’1 Week

Hey Fam, Was Ramadan Festival week! I had the best time playing Mo-co, Squad Busters & Brawl Stars with my nephews! Lots of laughs & sweet moments all around (: 👌🏻 Top Gaming Content » Helping Your Players In a Smart Way 🌿 Top puzzle games know the secret: support players, even if it means less short-term cash. From Royal Match’s smart propeller targeting to Toon Blast’s clean levels, these subtle touches help players win without feeling squeezed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Help is Help. Royal Match’s “take a look” before end-game offers might lower conversions, but it builds trust. These aren’t just kind gestures; they’re smart, player-first design that drives long-term loyalty and revenue. And it’s not just puzzles. A helpful AI or clear progression works wonders in any genre. Quick wins are easy, but great games play the long game by […]

Ömer Yakabagi April 3

Highlights

2025 Mobile Gaming Report: Key Insights for Marketers

Sensor Tower recently released a 50-page report about the state of mobile gaming in 2025. I spent several hours reading and preparing a TL: DR version for you. I added some custom graphs and creatives for visual experience! Enjoy .. Key KPIs: Growth & Engagement In-App Purchase (IAP) Revenue: Mobile game spending returned to growth in 2024, with global IAP revenue up about 4% YoY (reaching roughly $82 billion). Notably, 84% of this revenue came from games with live operations features, underscoring the importance of ongoing content and events. User Engagement: Players spent more time and came back more often—total hours in-game rose ~7.9%, and sessions jumped 12% compared to 2023. This indicates that existing users are playing more frequently and for longer durations, even as new user growth slows. Daily engagement per user increased, helping offset a 6.6% drop in new game […]

Matej Lancaric April 2

Highlights

Helping Your Players In a Smart Way

The point of making a game is to provide players with entertainment they value enough to spend money on. At its core, a game’s success hinges on this simple principle. But how you deliver that entertainment varies dramatically between genres, and each genre comes with different monetization strategies. Some games rely on energy or life systems, where players hit a play limit unless they spend to continue. Others focus on boosters and power-ups that enhance the player’s chances of clearing a level. Some offer skip or ease options that allow players to pay to bypass difficulty spikes. The most successful games do not rely on just one method. Instead, they carefully combine and calibrate these levers to appeal to the broadest possible audience. This balancing act between challenge, friction, and monetization is constantly discussed and optimized. Yet, what often gets […]

Ahmetcan Demirel April 1

Highlights

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