two & a half gamers Special Episode – We are Warriors live Review: Ad juggernaut, creative depth, balancing difficulty & progression, UA
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers special session. 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. Special Guest: Samer Al Dafai
The Team:
Jakub Remiar- Game design consultant
Felix Braberg – Ad monetization consultant
Matej Lančarič – User Acquisition & Creatives consultant
Summary
In this episode, the hosts discuss the game We Are Warriors with special guest Sam from Lesmo. They explore the inspiration behind the game and its unique gameplay mechanics. They also delve into the game’s progression system and the challenges of balancing difficulty. The hosts analyze the game’s ad monetization strategy and the impact of rewarded ads on revenue. They also discuss the game’s retention rates and the importance of long-term progression. Overall, they highlight the success and potential of We Are Warriors as a hybrid casual game. The conversation covers various topics related to game development, revenue estimations, ad revenue breakdown, user acquisition, creative strategies, and the role of external partners. The chapters delve into the learning process in game development, the impact of IAPs on ad revenue, the distribution of downloads and revenue, and the importance of creative depth. The conversation also highlights the role of TikTok Creative Challenge and the creative philosophy of the team. The conversation covers various topics related to the game, including organic downloads and growth, difficulty and user feedback, creatives and art style, user ratings and reviews, progression and economy, user segmentation and ad placements, segmentation and ad load, UA strategy and creatives, and final ratings and closing remarks.
Agenda
00:00 Epic Introduction and Special Guest
04:14 The Idea Behind We Are Warriors
06:07 Game Design and Progression
18:08 Ad Monetization Strategy
21:32 Retention and Revenue
23:44 Ad Placements and Strategy
29:25 Game development and learning
30:13 Estimations and revenue breakdown
33:39 Impact of IAPs on ad revenue
34:44 Scaling and revenue comparison
36:23 User acquisition and session counts
38:08 Downloads and revenue distribution
39:32 Ad networks and mediation
42:06 Payback period and UA predictions
44:33 TikTok Creative Challenge
50:07 Creative team and external partners
55:22 Creative philosophy and consultants
57:26 Organic Downloads and Growth
59:06 Difficulty and User Feedback
01:00:14 Creatives and Art Style
01:01:21 User Ratings and Reviews
01:02:01 Progression and Economy
01:04:08 User Segmentation and Ad Placements
01:06:09 Segmentation and Ad Load
01:08:26 UA Strategy and Creatives
Takeaways:
Organic downloads can lead to significant growth, especially when leveraging platforms like TikTok.
User feedback on difficulty should be considered and A/B tests can help optimize the game’s difficulty.
Creatives and art style play a crucial role in attracting and engaging users.
User ratings and reviews provide valuable insights and should be monitored and addressed.
Segmentation of users based on their progression and behavior can help optimize ad placements and ad load.
User segmentation can also be used to tailor the game experience and economy.
Regular iteration and updates are important for maintaining user engagement and monetization.
User acquisition strategies should focus on creating new playables and experimenting with different angles.
The overall rating for the game is positive, with praise for the team’s performance and revenue generation.
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Please share feedback and comments – matej@lancaric.me
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