How To Increase Engagement and Monetization in Idle Games in 2025

Engagement and monetization strategies behind 2025’s top mobile idle games, with real data from Lamar, Pizza Ready, Capybara Go, and more. Analysis by Aylin Yazıcı. Feel free to contact me. Idle games have evolved. In 2025, the top performers don’t just reward waiting. They demand attention in short bursts, mix strategy with simplicity, and find clever ways to make repetition feel rewarding. Some are hands-off. Others are fast and active. What they share is not their pacing, but their structure. Every one of them is built around compounding progress, tight loops, and systems that scale in the background while pulling the player forward. What makes them work is not the idle mechanic itself. It’s how that mechanic is used inside different types of gameplay. Some games go full tycoon. Others lean into arcade. A few walk the line between management sim […]

Aylin YAZICI July 20

Analysis

All in Hole vs Hole.io: How Two Black Holes Are Devouring the Mobile Market

The gameplay structure of All in Hole in this article was constructed with reference to [1-Hour Play Analysis] ALL IN HOLE | Homa by Sungsu Kim Eat. Grow. Repeat. What All in Hole and Hole.io Teach Us About Scaling Games Analysis by Aylin Yazıcı. Feel free to contact me. Hybridcasual Market Momentum in Q1 2025 The hybridcasual market came into 2025 swinging. In just the first quarter, the top 10 games brought in $87 million in net IAP revenue. That’s a 67% jump from last year and a clear sign that this mix of quick, accessible gameplay with deeper systems is still working. One of the biggest stories of the quarter was All in Hole from Homa. It climbed to the number two spot overall and pulled in $17.7 million. That’s not a typo. It tripled its Q4 revenue and became a breakout […]

Aylin YAZICI July 3

Highlights

Q&A with Roi Glazer, General Manager of Solitaire Grand Harvest

What do you get when you mix solitaire, farming, and The Smurfs? Apparently... a top-grossing mobile game. Also one of my favorite games of all time. Solitaire Grand Harvest, published by Playtika, has quietly grown into the #1 highest-grossing solitaire game in the U.S., with over $1 billion in lifetime revenue and more than 71 million downloads worldwide. Datas from Appmagic At the center of it all is Roy Glazer, General Manager of the game, who’s helped shape its evolution from a card game to a full-blown live ops ecosystem. Solitaire Grand Harvest has been thriving for years — not something every mobile game can say. What do you think is the real secret to its long-term appeal? Solitaire Grand Harvest is the #1 highest-grossing Solitaire game in the U.S., attracting hundreds of thousands of daily players worldwide. Its success […]

Aylin YAZICI May 21

Analysis

Whiteout Survival vs. Kingshot: A Masterclass in Genre

When one studio launches two of the biggest strategy games in the world, the only question left is: which one should you obsess over first? What You’ll Read: In this analysis, we’re diving deep into the frosty survival saga of Whiteout Survival and the flashy medieval mayhem of Kingshot — both powered by Century Games. You’ll get: A full breakdown of how both games launched, grew, and hooked players What makes each gameplay loop tick — from tapping bandits to freezing your citizens How they make money (and why you might want to spend) The ads that got you to download — and the drama that came with them Live ops secrets: who’s evolving faster, and what’s coming next Who’s winning globally, who’s catching up, and what it means for the future of 4X Whether you’re here to pick your next obsession, decode smart […]

Aylin YAZICI May 13

Highlights

Disney Solitaire: A Promising Start to Something Bigger

A Cozy Classic Gets the Disney Treatment Let’s be honest—most solitaire games are fine. Some are fun. But Disney Solitaire? It’s something else. SuperPlay teamed up with Disney ( help from Playtika ofc. ) to launch a game that feels like flipping through a deck of nostalgia. The game dropped globally in 17th April 2025, and it’s basically what happens when TriPeaks solitaire crashes into the Disney universe and they decide to throw a party. Think: cards, characters, cozy vibes, and just enough challenge to keep things interesting. Also, full disclosure: I’m someone who absolutely loves Solitaire Grand Harvest. It’s one of my favorite games. So when I saw Disney Solitaire pop up—especially with Disney IP behind it—I was immediately curious. My hope is that with the right liveops, events, and regular updates, it can rise to that same level. And honestly? It’s off […]

Aylin YAZICI April 19

Analysis

The Addictive and Wildly Profitable World of Solitaire Grand Harvest

How Solitaire Grand Harvest Turned a Simple Card Game into a $1 Billion Mobile Empire? If you told someone that a solitaire game could generate over $1 billion in revenue, they might raise an eyebrow and ask, "Is it made of gold cards?" But that's exactly what Solitaire Grand Harvest has done. From humble beginnings as a card game, Solitaire Grand Harvest has grown into one of the most successful and addictive mobile games of all time. With a brilliantly balanced blend of solitaire mechanics, farm-themed progression, and casino-inspired monetization, this game redefines what a casual title can achieve. Whether you're a casual gamer curious about why this game is so beloved, a game designer trying to dissect its secret sauce, or just someone who appreciates clever mobile design, this is one journey through the fields of innovation worth taking. And for me personally? This […]

Aylin YAZICI April 14

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

What the Hex! is Going On? Agave Games’ New Soft Launch

Soft-launching in Canada & Brazil. Data: AppMagic Casual puzzle game lovers, it’s time to pay attention—Agave Games just dropped a new title into soft launch, and if you’ve been following their recent $18 million investment, you know the industry has its eyes on them. The game? What the Hex!—a mix of color-sorting puzzles with a Monopoly GO! style town-building meta. I played it, and here’s the scoop on what it’s all about, how it plays, and why people are curious about Agave’s next move. A Hexagonal Spin on Sorting Puzzles If you’ve played Hexa Sort, you’ll feel right at home with What the Hex! The gameplay is simple but strategic: you stack and merge hexagonal tiles of the same color to clear space and meet level goals. Sounds easy? Well, not so much. The game doesn’t hold your hand for long—later levels introduce more colors, trickier […]

Aylin YAZICI March 18

Analysis

Lucky Defense Analysis: 111%’s Risky Bet That Won Big

An All-in-One Deep Dive That's Actually Fun to Read! Alright, let’s talk about Lucky Defense—the game that took the classic tower defense genre, rolled the dice (literally), and ended up creating one of the most chaotic, fun, and weirdly addictive experiences out there. This isn’t your average game analysis. Nope. We’re going full throttle into the depths of Lucky Defense—from its epic rise, gameplay mechanics, wild community moments, and even the monetization that’ll make you ask, "Am I gambling or gaming?" So, buckle up. It’s about to get lucky (or unlucky) 🎉 The Origin Story: When Luck First Struck Lucky Defense was officially launched by 111% (a South Korean dev studio) on May 23, 2024. And it didn’t just drop quietly—it absolutely exploded in South Korea. We're talking about skyrocketing to the #1 download spot and pulling in over $11 million in revenue within its first two months. Not too shabby for […]

Aylin YAZICI March 17

Analysis

The Sweet Art of Feature Adaptation

In the ever-evolving landscape of the gaming industry, it's no secret that games often draw inspiration from one another. This cross-pollination of ideas isn't confined to a single genre or platform; it's a universal phenomenon that drives innovation continuously. Whether it's a unique gameplay mechanic from an indie title or a groundbreaking event in one of the biggest franchises, developers consistently look to each other to spark creativity and fuel progress. When a new feature or event makes waves in a particular game, it's only natural for others within the same genre to take notice. After all, if something resonates with players, why not explore its potential in a similar context? However, in a world where game updates are dissected in real-time by every other developer, keeping such innovations under wraps has become virtually impossible. The moment you introduce a […]

Ahmetcan Demirel January 6

Journal

350+ feature references from the top 100 mobile games.

I've collected 350+ feature references from the top 100 mobile games. What's inside:🎮 FTUE (First Time User Experience)🎟️ Season Pass🎁 Daily Bonus🔥 Starter Pack🛒 Shop🏆 Win/Lose Screens📖 Storytelling...and much moreHow to get it:1. Comment 'references' below.2. Add me as a connection so I can DM you.3. I'll send you the link to the Figma board → Duplicate and use it as you wish.References are gathered using the Playliner platform.

Anton Slashcev November 8

Journal

Harsh truth for puzzle game developers:

Harsh truth for puzzle game developers: ✦ You can assemble a ‘’top-tier’’ team,✦ You can analyze the market inside and out,✦ You can utilize the ‘’state-of-art’’ mechanic,✦ You can produce a ‘’decent-polished’’ game,But if you aren’t:✧ Acquiring enough new users,✧ Monetizing aggressively without notice,✧ Using multiple networks for certain time,✧ Keeping your UA campaigns up for long time,You won’t get the results you expect.Take a moment to look at Appmagic Analytic link:https://lnkd.in/dGmX8jJ7There is not a single 2024 Puzzle Release on top.It all looks like ‘’big’’ players are making money.They all started from the bottom though.In today’s puzzle environment its not ‘’just’’ about:↳ Innovation on gameplay,↳ Aggressive UA campaign,Its about how long you can last spending:↳ Money on UA campaigns,↳ Time innovating with ‘’data’’,↳ Time and Money on your team.Its tough out there, But it is still, doable…Cheers! PS: Matej 🦩 […]

Gökhan Üzmez November 7

gamedevelopment

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