User Acquisition – The New Frontier of Game Development
In the rapidly evolving landscape of game development, user acquisition (UA) has emerged as a cornerstone for driving growth and profitability, especially in the post-IDFA era. With the rise of F2P games, hybrid monetization models, and privacy-first policies, developers are navigating complex challenges to attract and retain players. This new frontier demands innovative strategies like rewarded engagement models, playtime campaigns, and seamless integration of ad monetization to maximize revenue while enhancing user retention. Whether leveraging tools like GameAnalytics or embracing trends in hybrid puzzle games, staying ahead requires an adaptive approach. This article dives deep into the transformative shifts shaping UA strategies, explores the interplay of ad revenue and player engagement, and offers actionable insights to thrive in today’s competitive gaming market.
The dynamic landscape of game development, particularly in the mobile gaming sector, is undergoing a transformation driven by rising CPIs, the post-IDFA environment, and the necessity for innovative user acquisition (UA) strategies. Traditional tactics like cloning and reskinning games no longer suffice, as developers now integrate creative gameplay elements into onboarding processes to optimize the user journey from ad to engagement. Games such as Stormshot, Frozen City, and Fiona’s Farm exemplify the fusion of hyper-casual funnels and core gameplay to reduce CPIs while boosting retention and scaling profitability. The shift reflects a strategic pivot to align creatives with user expectations, blending engaging mechanics with revenue-centric designs. As monetization models evolve, the gaming industry’s focus remains on balancing CPI vs. LTV while leveraging analytics and emerging trends to ensure sustainable growth in a competitive market.
Written with Mr. Jakub Remiar!
What Are the Key Insights About the Current Mobile Gaming Market Landscape Shared at the Istanbul Gaming Summit?
The Key Insights About the Current Mobile Gaming Market Landscape Shared at the Istanbul Gaming Summit are given below in video :
What Are the Challenges of Launching Mobile Games Post-IDFA?
The Challenges of Launching Mobile Games Post-IDFA are as followed :
Playtika has temporarily suspended the development of new games, and will not launch any new titles for the foreseeable future. The change in strategy was announced alongside the publisher’s Q4 financial results, MobileGamer.biz reported and was attributed to various challenges in mobile marketing.
They saw that their new games received positive feedback from our players and achieved strong retention numbers. The marketing environment and increasing CPIs for new games made it challenging to scale these games profitably BECAUSE THE CPI VS LTV didn’t work.
Based on the current marketing environment, Playtika temporarily suspended the new game development pipeline until the ROI for new games is economically viable. I guess some companies can launch new games in this brutal environment. Just look below or read the case study here:
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How Does Hyper-Casual Gameplay Funnels Enhance User Acquisition in Modern Game Design?
Hyper-Casual Gameplay Funnels Enhance User Acquisition in Modern Game Design byy using following ways : Recently we have seen multiple games using the strategy of having a hyper-casual gameplay funnel game that onboards the user to the “actual” game. Later, the whole game is presented to the player and the original “funnel game” is made irrelevant regarding overall progression.
This mainly helps to offset the “fakeness” of the user acquisition creatives, where the new “hyper-casual” gameplay prolongs the experience through the funnel of creative – store screenshots – install of the game – first session.
How Are Onboarding Gameplay Experiences Revolutionizing User Acquisition Creatives in Mobile Games?
Onboarding gameplay experiences are revolutionizing user acquisition (UA) creatives in mobile games by providing an engaging and interactive introduction that drives higher conversion rates.
Previously games just used “fake gameplay creatives” to lower the CPI and widen the funnel, but now developers are building full-fledged onboarding gameplay to smoothly translate the user between this install funnel and the main money-making game.
How Does Topwar: Battle Game Generate $22 Million Monthly with A/B Testing and Creative Optimization?
Topwar: Battle Game generates $22 million in monthly revenue by strategically using A/B testing and creative optimization to maximize user engagement and monetization. This game still makes steady 22 Million USD per month. They are clever! A/B testing tutorials and onboarding based on the best performing creatives.
Tutorial
First Screenshot
How Can Creative Testing Improve User Acquisition Campaigns in Game Development?
Creative testing plays a crucial role in optimizing user acquisition (UA) campaigns in game development by ensuring that ads effectively capture player attention, increase engagement, and drive conversions.
As outlined here, these guys are creative masters. Constantly testing a shit ton of new ads. Like this one:
How does Warpath’s 4X and sniper gameplay affect user engagement and revenue?
Warpath’s 4X and sniper gameplay affect user engagement and revenue by following ways: Warpath mashed up their 4x with some sniper gameplay (and creatives). Pretty solid mashup! I was expecting higher monthly revenues to be honest.
How has user acquisition evolved in the post-IDFA era?
User acquisition has evolved significantly in the post-IDFA era due to the limitations on user tracking and the increased emphasis on privacy.
In the pre-IDFA era, the strong core gameplay was always a reflection of D1 retention.
Changes in core gameplay were always reflected in it and usually got early retention.
Long-term retention was the norm of building a strong-performing game.
In the post-IDFA era this still applies but getting great retention is not enough these days.
As the CPI vs LTV formula broke down, everyone is looking at the possibility of acquiring as many users as possible as cheaply as possible as the targeting got thrown out of the window anyway.
Don’t get me wrong you still need a kickass game with badass metrics but the stakes just got higher and you also NEED these new tricks that cool kids are using on the UA streets in order to stay competitive in the user acquisition game which eventually translates into your CPI vs LTV scalability formula. Playtika is not able to figure it out, but actually, some companies are. Let’s look at the examples again.
How does Stormshot’s onboarding and creative strategy enhance user acquisition in mobile games?
Stormshot’s onboarding and creative strategy plays a key role in enhancing user acquisition by ensuring new players are immediately engaged and retained.This game is still pretty fresh. Global launched a few months ago, with revenues growing steadily.
In Stormshot, we can clearly see that they took their time to not just copy the usual pin puzzle lava creative that Playrix uses for Hero wars, but they actually develop a pretty lovely puzzle game with a full-fledged physics element that is stitched carefully into the onboarding of the game.
Honestly, this is my favorite game in terms of creatives. I love these concepts! Super funny, really simple, and has a hypercasual feel with headlines + enemies dancing. What else do you need?
The genius move in this game is the fact you only see these “shooting” levels in the creatives and in the store. There is no sign of 4X anywhere! You can see that the characters and the game have the same setting/theme of graphics and no longer are just slapped playables like the previous generation of games that used this tactic.
We have seen this second iteration start mainly in the 4X genre, but it seems that it is slowly translating throughout other CPI-intensive genres. We are talking about the strategy of having essentially a funnel minigame + main game on top of it.
Some latest prominent examples are Frozen City, Gold & Goblins, Fiona’s Farm and Stormshoot.
Frozen City pretty much implemented an Animal Warfare Hypercasual game on top of itself, which enables it to use different creative concepts than the usual idle genre gameplay and still remain true to the game
How do autobattle mechanics in Frozen City, Animal Warfare, and Gold & Goblins enhance gameplay?
Autobattle mechanics in games like Frozen City, Animal Warfare, and Gold & Goblins play a crucial role in enhancing gameplay by streamlining the combat experience, improving player retention, and adding strategic depth.
Read my latest articles!
The same applies to Gold & Goblins, which uses unique creative concepts that again are translated in the game with the puzzle block-destroying minigame that is present through all of its mine levels and nicely smoothens the whole experience.
How does combining multiple gameplay elements improve user acquisition in mobile games?
Combining multiple gameplay elements in mobile games significantly enhances user acquisition by appealing to a broader audience, increasing engagement, and creating a more dynamic and immersive experience.This is also not exclusive only to midcore/RPG games. We also saw games such as Fiona’s Farm, which pretty much combines three core gameplays:
- Match 3 levels of a typical puzzle game
- Production puzzle of Township
- Energy exploration of Family Island.
This again enables the game to use the full potential of creative concepts with all of these gameplays without being labeled “fake” and again meeting player expectations in the onboarding funnel. G-E-N-I-U-S!
I know, I know, not as impressive as the previous examples. It will get there. Don’t forget. This is the game Playtika invested in when saying they won’t be launching new games:
Instead, the company will focus on “high growth potential studios,” such as Fiona’s Farm developer Ace Games, which Playtika invested $25 million into back in November.
Fiona’s farm vs Toonblast puzzle levels
Fiona’s Farm vs Family Island resource production
How does Whiteout Survival transition from idle to 4X gameplay?
Whiteout Survival successfully transitions from an idle game to a 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) gameplay model, providing players with a dynamic and evolving experience that keeps them engaged. Actually, we spoke about this game on our last podcast. Enjoying the smooth transition from an idle game to 4X game. Listen to the episode below. You can see the gameplay of both games next to each other, so check it out!
What makes Dragonscapes Adventure unique in mobile game marketing?
Dragonscapes Adventure stands out in mobile game marketing through its strategic combination of captivating gameplay, innovative marketing techniques, and community-driven engagement. Since I spent a lot of time analyzing Frozen city and Whiteout survival, I came across this cute-looking game with super weird creatives. What the hell is happening here? Jesper noticed as well!
How can hypercasual games scale effectively with rising CPIs?
Scaling hyper-casual games effectively in an environment of rising Cost Per Install (CPI) requires strategic adjustments in both user acquisition (UA) strategies and in-game monetization.
Weird shit, but it’s in the game. You will encounter that minigame after playing 2 minutes! Still weird as fuck!
What to expect?
Have you seen the pattern here? No? Okay, let’s unpack a little bit.
Even though many dislike the genre of Hypercasual and it is being proclaimed dead almost every year. Last time even by Voodoo itself, it seems its legacy will continue.
Impacting our industry forward is a go-to trick to survive in the current hostile landscape of rising CPIs and lower LTVs.
The unique accessibility and the ability to capture a truly wide audience, be it 4X, RPG, Idle or Casual, is currently the only way to scale these CPI-hungry machines consistently.
X-Hero did it well last year, Kingdom Guard and Top war seem to be masters. There is the new frontier of games like Stormshot, Frozen City, Gold&Goblins, Whiteout Survival or Fiona’s farm that are development heavy, but capable of scaling.
In the upcoming months and next year, we are going to see more genres implementing this strategy to tackle the ever increasing CPIs.
Oh wow! You made it until here! You must be very engaged. I like that type of players.. Ehm, people!
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