Adventure events are one of the most engaging features.

Adventure/Expedition events are one of the most engaging features. 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽 • Players explore a special event map using point-and-click controls • Progress requires “event energy” to remove obstacles and collect resources • The map is revealed section by section as obstacles are cleared 𝟮. 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 • Each event begins with a dynamic intro video • Characters deliver dialogue during milestones • Players can skip—but most stay for the story 𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 • Tasks are grouped into chapters • Players can complete tasks in any order • Completing all tasks in a chapter unlocks new content and rewards 𝟰. 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 & 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 • Key items are scattered across the map • Players gather, combine, and redeem them for prizes • Some objectives require building or repairing key structures 𝟱. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 • “Dynamite” clears multiple […]

Anton Slashcev April 14

Journal

Step-by-Step Playbook for Hybrid Casual

Turbine's Step-by-Step Playbook for Hybrid Casual Development 👇 ✅ 1. Find talented dev team in India, Turkey, Ukraine, Malaysia, Romania or Poland. 😆✅ 2. Build 'core gameplay prototypes' in service of core gameplay ads, until you find < $1 CPI in US iOS FB.✅ 3. Assume you will repeat #2 many, many times. If you can produce ads without prototypes, all the better.✅ 4. Commit to one (or more) of the six proven IAP econ structures most appropriate for your core GP.✅ 5. Prove D1 retention with 30m gameplay (Tier2-3 Geos, aOS) of 35%.✅ 6. Prove D7 retention with 120m gameplay (Tier 2-3 Geos, aOS) of 15%.✅ 7. Implement RVs, Interstitials, basic IAP, HC sinks as per econ model in #4.✅ 8. Optimize for D7 payback of 50%, D30 of 100%.✅ 9. Assume you need to attempt the above 3-5 […]

Matthew Emery April 14

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

Journal

Interesting approach in Cake Sort by Lion Studios

Interesting approach in Cake Sort by Lion Studios Locking content behind in-game currency while also offering a direct purchase option for those who are short. This adds a strategic choice: grind for coins or pay to skip. Especially smart since earning coins takes time, making the offer more tempting. Would you wait or buy?

Michael Kopelovich April 14

Journal

Old Vs. New Mobile Gaming

The mobile game industry has changed. What worked five years ago? Won’t cut it today.Here’s how the game has changed 👇 𝗞𝗣𝗜𝘀 🔴 Old way: DI1–D7 retention, downloads, conversion rate 🟢 New way: Playtime, ARPU, ROAS, D30–D360 retention 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 🔴 Old way: Copy top games, no originality 🟢 New way: Unique, deep, and engaging gameplay 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 🔴 Old way: Slow grind, hard paywalls, rewards locked behind IAPs 🟢 New way: Fast progression, soft paywalls, generous free rewards 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🔴 Old way: Choose either IAP or Ads 🟢 New way: Hybrid model: a mix of IAP, Ads, and subscriptions 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗢𝗽𝘀 🔴 Old way: Optional; launch and forget 🟢 New way: Mandatory: constant support drives success 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗨𝗔 🔴 Old way: Rely on paid UA and fake creatives 🟢 New way: Mix paid and organic, focus on real gameplay […]

Anton Slashcev April 13

Journal

6 Pillars of Game Production

40+ Tools cheat sheet, highlighting 6 main pillars of the game development that I find useful for the Video Games Industry. Game development is a form of Art.6 Pillars are essential for a strong foundation:↳ Research↳ Design↳ Art↳ Development↳ Live Ops Data↳ MonetizationMaster these for success.

Gökhan Üzmez April 13

Journal

Supercell’s Clash of Clans’ WWE Update

Supercell's Clash of Clans just had a massive update this week, not only because the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) collaboration event ClashMania, but also doing some radical changes, so what happened 🕵? All training timers ⏲️ for troops, heroes healing, spells, siege machines were removed from the game. This is a continuation of the removal of unit costs in 2022, which already created a much more strategic experience with out the worry of spending resources. Similarly during the economy revamp during the introduction of the battle pass in 2019, this again accelerated the content progression speed of the game, which now has townhall 🏛️ 17 as max level. It started with max level 8 during its initial release during August 2012. You can see how Supercell is continuously adjusting the game according to the current content length in order to […]

Jakub Remiar April 11

Journal

14 Game Dev Dos and Don’ts

14 game development dos and don'ts from my perspective. Game development is a serious business,Often people oversee major mistakes,Lose time on unrelated small details,Under estimates, the alternatives! 🆕 For new game developers,📝 I listed my go to advices:⛔ Try NOT to do:↱ Ideation without data,↱ Creative focus strategy,↱ Aggressive monetization,↱ Tangled in legal challenges,↱ Sell where everyone else sell,↱ Ignore alternative profit channels.✅ Try to DO:↳ Data driven game design idea,↳ Valuable creative marketing,↳ Always put players first,↳ Consider alternatives,↳ Check Gamehaap,↳ See the value,↳ Sell games,↳ Profit.

Gökhan Üzmez April 11

Journal

Tech TENSION: Unity 6 Pulled from China

It's official. Unity 6, the world’s most popular game engine, has been pulled offline in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and future updates won’t reach Chinese users. In its place? A new, homegrown version: 团结引擎. Unity Technologies says the move ensures services are better tailored to China's game development scene. But timing is everything, and this shift lands squarely in the middle of escalating U.S.-China trade tensions, suggesting the tech cold war just leveled up. See: Gaming Under Fire: China vs. Tariffs Released on January 1, 2024, 团结引擎 will now carry the torch. A newly announced pricing model takes effect June 2025, mirroring Unity's global structure: a free Personal license for small teams and a Pro license for studios making over $200K annually. The mission? Catch up fast. The local roadmap prioritizes replicating Unity 6’s key features — but […]

Gamigion April 11

Highlights

How to Create the MONOPOLY GO! Effect

Monopoly Go’s economy design makes social casino accessible. The roll-move-resolve loop is more approachable on a board than on a slots reel, so the game can create a real sense of tension (the board piece will sometimes enter bullet time before landing on a tile). Another achievement is the game’s events, which cut to the core of the design. Recurring events are a key source of how the game creates “runs” by stringing together level climbing in different, interconnected progression centres. While Monopoly Go certainly wasn’t the first to invent “move around board, trigger events”, it’s undoubtedly popularized it. It’s starting to appear as its own genre, and even morphing into Archero 2 mini-games. Excel Sheet here. The events “tickle” the mind by creating cascading effects where multiple reward centres trigger, in some time interconnected ways. The economy is of […]

Phillip Black April 11

Journal

IP collaborations aren’t just cool, they’re game changers.

IP collaborations aren’t just cool, they’re game changers. • Double user engagement through gamified experiences• Keep players around longer with familiar characters• Increase loyalty by 22%• Raise revenue by 10–30%, especially during events• Reach younger audiences in ways traditional media can’tStill not convinced?Let’s look at the numbers:𝗧𝗼𝗽𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗫 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗶𝗺• +5% DAU• +12% downloads• iOS revenue rank in China: #30 → #2𝗧𝗼𝗽𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗫 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀• 13M players in 2 weeks• Broke all-time revenue record on Day 1𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗫 𝗗𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗼𝗻𝘀 & 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝘀• 208% revenue boost• 161% ARPPU increase• 52% pay rate jump𝗜𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗫 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻• 87.5% revenue boost• 70% more downloads𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗫 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 & 𝗠𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗻𝘆• 180K skins sold in 1 week• 10M views & 750K comments in 2 weeksThe results speak for themselves.Brands win.Studios win.Players win.If you’re not exploring IP collabs in 2025, you might be leaving serious […]

Anton Slashcev April 11

Highlights

Netflix Just Dropped a Black Mirror Mobile Game

Welcome to Black Mirror: Thronglets, the brand-new mobile game launching alongside the latest season of Black Mirror on Netflix. Inspired by the episode Plaything, this isn’t your average nostalgia trip. It’s a dark dive into digital affection, emotional manipulation, and what happens when your virtual pet wants something more than just snacks. Seen the episode? You already know the vibe.Haven’t yet? Sad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ7tXCvTfWE&ab_channel=NetflixGames Inside The Glitchy Heart Of Thronglets When Andrea Jacobson pitched the idea of turning Plaything’s fictional game into reality, we were all in. Who could resist a project that turns childhood comfort into high-tech dread? Thronglets starts out sweet. It’s cute. Quirky. Even lovable.Then it gets curious.+ Gets clingy. A Story You Don’t Just Watch, You Play This isn’t a promo. It’s a full-blown narrative extension. Netflix is pushing the boundaries of storytelling, letting you step inside […]

Ömer Yakabagi April 10

#GameDev

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