two & a half gamers session #108 – From Hypercasual to Hybridcasual – The Supercent story. Iterative nature & Admon w/ UA in grey zone
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This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #108. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 am conference discussion vibe, so let’s not take it too seriously.
The Team:
Jakub Remiar- Game design consultant
Felix Braberg – Ad monetization consultant
Matej Lančarič – User Acquisition & Creatives consultant
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Summary
In this conversation, Jakub, Matej, and Felix discuss the hyper-casual and hybrid-casual games developed by Superb, a South Korean company. They focus on three games: Pizza Ready, Outlet’s Rush, and Snake Clash. The hosts highlight the iterative nature of Superb’s games, with each new release improving upon the previous one. They also discuss the similarities between the games and the use of familiar mechanics and features. The hosts note the success of Superb’s games, with millions of downloads and significant revenue. They also mention the importance of CPI (cost per install) in the hyper-casual genre and the potential for further expansion and innovation in the future. The conversation explores the aggressive ad monetization strategies employed by SuperSense in their games Pizza Ready and Outlet Rush. The games heavily rely on ad revenue, with IAP revenue being a low percentage. The discussion delves into the use of rewarded video placements, interstitial ads, banner ads, and in-app open ads. It also uncovers the controversial practice of using players’ devices as a botnet for data scraping. The conversation raises questions about the ethics and profitability of such strategies. Overall, the ad monetization in these games is deemed aggressive, but effective. In this final part of the conversation, the hosts discuss the aggressive and creative use of branded ads in hypercasual games. They mention games like Outlast Rush and Pizza Ready, which earn close to 9 million per month and speculate on the amount spent on user acquisition. They also explore the use of famous logos and brands in game ads, such as Gucci, Chanel, and Nike. The hosts discuss the legality and effectiveness of these ads and share their thoughts on the Snake UA game. They also provide tips and tricks for emulator users and mention upcoming episodes and events.
Takeaways
- Superb’s games follow an iterative approach, with each new release improving upon the previous one.
- The games, such as Pizza Ready, Outlet’s Rush, and Snake Clash, share similar mechanics and features.
- Superb has achieved significant success with millions of downloads and substantial revenue.
- Cost per install (CPI) is an important factor in the hyper-casual genre.
- There is potential for further expansion and innovation in the hyper-casual and hybrid-casual space. SuperSense games Pizza Ready and Outlet Rush heavily rely on ad revenue, with IAP revenue being a low percentage.
- The games employ various ad placements, including rewarded video placements, interstitial ads, banner ads, and in-app open ads.
- SuperSense’s use of players’ devices as a botnet for data scraping raises ethical concerns.
- The aggressive ad monetization strategies in these games are effective in generating revenue.
- The conversation highlights the need for a balance between monetization and user experience. Branded ads in hypercasual games can be aggressive and creative, using famous logos and brands to attract users.
- Games like Outlast Rush and Pizza Ready can earn close to 9 million per month, indicating a significant investment in user acquisition.
- The legality and effectiveness of using famous logos and brands in game ads is a gray area, but it can generate attention and drive CPIs.
- The Snake UA game is an interesting iteration of the classic Snake game, with a focus on level-based gameplay and boss fights.
- Emulator users can use mod APKs to access unlimited resources and progress in hypercasual games.
- Upcoming episodes and events, such as the Limassol conference, are mentioned.
Keywords
hyper-casual, hybrid-casual, Superb, South Korea, Pizza Ready, Outlet’s Rush, Snake Clash, iterative, mechanics, features, success, revenue, CPI, expansion, innovation, ad monetization, SuperSense, Pizza Ready, Outlet Rush, rewarded video placements, interstitial ads, banner ads, in-app open ads, botnet, data scraping, branded ads, hypercasual games, user acquisition, famous logos, Gucci, Chanel, Nike, Snake UA, emulator, tips and tricks, upcoming episodes, events
Agenda:
00:00 Epic intro
01:07 Discussion on Hyper-Casual and Hybrid-Casual Games
06:10 Overview of Supercet Games and Revenue
07:29 Gameplay and Mechanics of Pizza Ready, Outlet’s Rush, and Snake Clash
10:34 Comparison to My Perfect Hotel and Other Games
16:09 The Iterative Nature of Supercent Games
21:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
23:02 Aggressive Ad Monetization
25:43 Rewarded Video Placements and Interstitial Ads
27:14 Controversial Use of Players’ Devices as a Botnet
30:07 Effectiveness of Aggressive Ad Monetization Strategies
38:37 Balancing Monetization and User Experience
41:37 The Aggressive and Creative Use of Branded Ads in Hypercasual Games
42:56 Earning Millions: The Investment in User Acquisition for Games like Outlast Rush and Pizza Ready
43:24 The Gray Area of Using Famous Logos and Brands in-Game Ads
45:06 Exploring the Unique Gameplay of Snake UA
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Helping you stay 2.5 steps ahead of the games industry. Don't be too serious, except about UA.
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