Block Blast Hit 300M Players — And Kills 95% of Ideas

Block [music] AI is probably, you know, core in that. We're going to see not just the development of your portfolio, but we're going to see the development of where, [music] you know, where this brings you because you could imagine it can get predictive at some point.
Imagine there's like 3 billion people is playing the game on the mobile devices. So, it's not a niche market at all. So, I personally have a strong belief that there's a [music] huge gap still today. Welcome to pocket gamer.biz from Gamescom. I'm Peggy Ansalt, Jason Wang, my guest. I've waited for this interview. I waited a year patiently because you were saying, "Look, Peggy, I'm doing some cool stuff in AI." So, we will get to that. But first of all, hey, welcome because our first time together formally, your first time at Gamescom. How's it working out?
Um, I think that's been fascinating. That's my first time in Gamescom and I think the from the day one I've been so

impressed by the scale of the events.
There's a great combination about the PC console and the mobile as well. Yes. And also we see there's so many like Asian mobile developers actually to come here not even mention some big name like Tensen Hyover also some smaller one we usually see the Europe like as one market but in fact
every country have the unique language the the cultural habits I think in games con will be the great experience for me not only just to
engage the users through apps or through digitally but also can see them and touch and feel how things really going on in which is also really important because you're building a brand which more power to you. I believe studios should focus on that. More studios should focus on that because that's so important because it's about the experience and that goes beyond the game. But your game blocks everyone talking about it's okay. Yeah. So in case no one knows it, it was 40 million DAO 160 MA in 2024. Latest numbers I

have 300 million Mau in December
2025 not pinning you down to numbers but that was 2025 I can really imagine you're expanding your portfolio that number has also grown.
Yeah we we are still growing and we are happy with the number I think we are even more grateful about how the users not only stay with our game but also they shared our game through the what of mouse.
Was that planned? Did you say yeah it's going to be more of a social gaming experience or was it the players that brought it to you?
No, I think that would be a happy accident. It's more like something just go viral something on our social go viral on on Tik Tok on YouTube and we just realized okay that will be much more meaningful than we thought. We also start to collaborate with couple of the creators. We want to create our own IP image brothers, right? Our IP image something. Next time I can bring up something swag to you.

Okay.
It's just all how to for us to bring more robust experience from smartphone to people's real life in social in their daily life. We want to have more meaningful engagement for the people.
So you're actively creating that community.
Yes, we we did. We also try some offline experience in Japan as well in the AP pack in the Asia market and we really want to see if we can join the other like Asia mobile developer to Gamescom.
You have a following, you have a community and it's just a matter of figuring out how to make that come together. It's a human experience. It's human touch that really matters. You know, a good game and a solid community. But we got together because you were telling me all about your ex your your adventure into AI and it was a year ago was it AI block where you're using AI simulating players understanding behavior. I mean maybe share some of that but you know if the game is about

enjoyment you know to what extent is it experimentation and when does like real enjoyment kick in? AI is a buzz word today. Everyone talking about AI. But for us, AI is really more about how we can keep iteration, keep experimentation in a more datadriven way, in a more automated way by using some machine learning technology more using some datadriven. Math AI is more about how to build more efficiency and also improve the quality of work. let the create that people doing more some creative ideas but also AI can take up about the data and operation and iteration work for us. So we do have a the internal tools I would say that's the name and the product team have I think that's a suitable because again it's it's a more like internal tools
but how the things work is imagine that as you're a game developer or game publisher
if you add any function if you want to make any change on the feature usually you
what you would do historically just you

you make the change you soft launch to the market with a little bit to see how the people's feedback of course you have some internal test QA stuff but you just really want to get people's feedback
if that's bring some negative impact the overall idea is um when the people when our game designer want to be creative on certain feature yeah
instead of launching it to the real life we can using those those AI machine just to analyze the the real life the user or to collect the real user life's behavior and then stimulate
okay
on the sandbox to see how it's really going on if we adding this parameter, adding this feature so that the the beauty part is just to allow our game design team be able to verify the
before they build
before they build even before they launch the market within couple of days. Nowadays, we delegate that job to AI but let the people just doing more creative stuff. They just in charge of
create generating all the crazy out of

box ideas. Yeah.
See, I like that because you're not saying like do it, rely on it, replace. You're saying reduce the time. So, you know, a couple of days from probably what weeks,
months. Yeah. And still come up with the crazy cool ideas, but validate first and learn, you know, don't learn from the pain of having the feature,
investing in the feature, promoting the feature, and then having to kill the feature.
Exactly. Because the things like a lot of feature a lot of the function when you designing it it's counterintuitive sometimes you think what what the story really makes sense what's really the heat feature but in the end after experimentation after some AB testing
you feel like it doesn't really I would say in favor user experience I think it's a lot of things in the game design world is counterintuitive I think people is especially for us is more comfortable with just to do all the testing or the experimentation rather than just trust

our gut feeling.
So how's it going? I mean have you actually said that feature we need to kill it data told us and hey data was right.
You're trying to more
simulate that so you have like a segment of you know these are our you know our block blast brothers they're our fans this is what they like. So if if the simulation of them likes it and and enjoys it then it's it's a winner. So is is it more about just understanding the audience or is it already testing the features?
I would say high level our designing principle. We always have the idea of simplicity. We always love the idea of is more to be honest. It's much harder for you to kill a feature rather than add something back. If it's not really make the value, it's make the impact or maybe positive experience for user for either stay longer or maybe they even more into our game or we can also check the comment the feedback they give it to us. The successful rate about our

numerous AB testing is pretty low. It's less than 5%, it's around 3 to 5%. What does that mean? So for every new ideas we have in mind we really put into the testing to put into development even for their AB testing work
only three or five out of the countries ideas
really show the positiveness really showed the significant improve that's that's the ratio of our successful rate but we are not being I would say uh frustrated actually we we think that's a pretty good signal at least our in founders mind I think it's fascinating because if you think about it, you almost want you to license the tool now because think of the studios that aren't doing that and they're going after like the hundred ideas when actually you know three to five are the ones to pursue.
Yes.
You know that helps you focus your effort, your resources. It's also showing that there's no such lowh hanging fruit for us especially for the

broad team
just can collect everything we're trying is maybe is not being
attempt before by the markets we just doing like purely exploration purely innovation
and the lower rate actually prove that we are operating in a deep quarter
yeah I like that I like the idea of avoiding avoiding distress
avoiding distress
and avoiding think about from the other way.
Tell me about that because that was a concept for me. That's something we're not thinking about about making the experience immersive and compelling across you know all geos and and all and all types of players.
It's not just a logo for us. we really actually put into a um really important role for every I would say tough decision between do we want more like short-term revenue or do we want to have more large scale of audience or do we want to keep high bar about our product design just for the ultimate benefit ultimate experience for the users

usually we will choose the latter one due to this like principle
it's I think it's similar to to me it's similar to what Google and during right they used to advocate Google say hey I want to make sure all the information is equally accessible to to every every user every internet user but Google search yes
and dualingo is the same as one of my favorite app as well so they want to make sure the education equality no matter in the which country you have no matter you are rich or not you'll be able to affordable you get some affordable education on the language study
yes
I think for us I think we are also holding the same idea but on the ex game experience side and regard that's why we uh focus keep focus on to lower the barrier about our um how people access our game
and we don't force the some like game feature to be like 10 pressure we also

we don't really that into those AP feature like say the user who holding low performing devices we're willing to cut some special fact cut some monetization opportunity just for them to be able to streamline to to play our
stupid block blast in an easier way. It's not just a compromise. That's the way how we following our principle and
to make it accessible.
Yes.
To make it accessible and you know what about the other platforms? Are you looking at those more seriously now than before? I'm talking to some mobile publishers and they're like, "You know what?
We're all about connection and we're a small studio." I mean, you're not, but you know, we're a smaller studio and we're going to win on connection. Connection is stronger on console. It's a different audience perhaps. I don't know. I'm not there because pocket gamer is focused on mobile first, but I am hearing that more and more. So, you know, all platforms matter basically.

Yeah.
And and DOC matters. Everything matters. Where do you see um your expansion? We're talking about the audience, but I'm thinking about the experience you bringing it to everyone in every way. What what is next on the list to do that?
I think so far we still have a couple of things to do to focus but major is still on our own product design and our own product improvement. Not only for the blob blast, we really want to incubate and develop them. Um a lot of things are already happening. We are ready to share to the industry. I think the the whole idea is still around our the the game development the idea and also to matching the the team's expertise to see how we can make it a good leverage about the team's talent and the user experience you know the current casual game market the puzzle game market I'll see a lot of the fascinating title genre the new innovative game players coming
I think block AI is probably you know

core in that we're going to see not just the development of your portfolio, but we're going to see the development of where, you know, where this brings you because you could imagine it can get predictive at some point. You know, I don't know if it can predict like enjoyment,
but uh that would be
interesting. What has it what has it shown you where you're like because you're a little bit of a data
a data nerd? I feel it. What has where where has it surprised you?
We believe that a lot of things are to be discovered is not to be made. need to make sure you're adaptive enough
to ready for anything
but ultimately it's coming from your curiosity. You just keep the strong curiosity.
So what does like the next is it more about the experience or the experimentation that's the driver here?
It's a combination. It's a definitely a combination with the AI development like chatbt Gemini AI agent is continue to be improved. I think what's really lack of is the still about the idea and how you

understand on the player as a human being. I think this is really unique for for us to to understand and how the role as a as a mobile publisher we're playing or mobile developer we are playing within this kind of ecosystem. It's not just chasing for the short-term number like impression click retention for on your dashboard. It's more about how you
go to the real life, talk to them, observe what kind of the best I would say experience they are looking for and trying to beat that experience. Try to beat that expectation. Yeah.
To surprise them. I think that's the the heart of a gamer, the heart of gaming is
what's what teach us. I like that because we're always thinking about well how do we optimize and you wonder like do we optimize ourselves to an average experience at some point
and you're saying no keep surprising them. So I like that because I that's my fear is that we optimize ourselves to average.
Yeah.

And uh when it really should be to take the you know to take it from business 101 delight the customer it's still about that.
Totally. Totally. Is it a hard Is it a hard trade-off? Cuz I know, you know, data backed decisions, there's the danger, could get mediocre, could get average. How do you keep the spirit of what the game is about? And also in your upcoming games in the portfolio, any thoughts for studios when they're like saying, "Yes, I'm going to be I want to be like Jason Hungry Studio. I'm going to do AB testing. going to turn it into a science which you have but keeping the art and a science
but I think we are just also run by doing but we are super super open for partners who want to to us exchange ideas
I'm wondering you know what do you find exciting in this what are you bringing personally um in experience here
it's coming from our founders mind about experience equality and also the

companies for me I would Hey there for intersection about I I used to work in tech industry okay
before hungry studio working in Google and trade desk all the tech company for over a decade so for me as joining from the big tech company to a mobile publisher mobile developer to get my hands dirty that will be
um great value for I think it give me a strong ownership and also better understanding how things can really work I think it's a different lifestyle different working style and I personally really enjoy the letter
and a different model because you grew you know hungry studio grew through y through UA basically yes
but I think the next level is like that intersection again where it's like yes very good in the understanding of the adtech yes
and understanding though and this is I like you get that the app experience the game experience and the ad experience
exactly
are are one and the same now in the

minds of the player Yes, I I can add a few more points on this because you know our game is so heavily rely on ads revenue.
Yes,
to be honest, nobody really really like ads for sure, right? So, but how the ads economy going to work in the broader IA maybe broader mobile game ecosystem. I think that's a huge topic and we are still exploring uh for Hungry Studio. We also invest a huge kind of the resources to build some in in-house ad tech solution. It's not just for maximize the revenue but also for how to balance the experience to about control the creative control the add template to also make sure we are being able to
to find the X
find you're right you found the incremental value because
yes
you see because like games count is a great example you not only see the games here
you see Mercedes bands they have a big booth you see Lego they are doing their cool stuff you also see a lot of the food and the beverage brand they are making sponsorship imagine there's like

three billion people is playing the game on the mobile devices so it's not a niche market at all so
I personally have a strong belief that there's a huge gap still today the brands and e-commerce uh the advertisers they are target audience who in the gaming environment in gaming context how can we build a better bridge to empower yes both side and bring the value and empower the the supply chain I talked to both sides because I was originally you know more non-gaming than gaming. More about business. Yes. And then of course the passion of gaming but you know the argument was for years well it's not a safe environment for my brand.
Yes.
And I think that's what's important. That's what's changing and studios like yours understand that. It's like, yes, we could show more ads or we could be more aggressive, but then you won't have a discussion at some point with the brands out there that have an appetite for this
to engage the younger audience. Gen Z, J, Crush, King, and also Zingga, right?

Mini Clip, they are building also their direct sales like some direct advertising solution for the brand and for the e-commerce partners. We love to join force. would love to also learn something from them and to contribute if we could back to the community and industry.
What about your journey then? Some thoughts on what we might see or not see as you pursue that goal because I think that is the key to sustainability. I think brand and trust and love because we love the games go in that direction and it's it's so meaningful. It's what studios have to think beyond the game and think about the experience, the brand and the the everything together.
Agree. Agree. I cannot agree more. I I I think the building the brand is also one of my biggest passion in my life. Um
it's not just to I would say throw the money make a fancy creative content

around the TV commercial. No, it's more about how you really sit down, think about
what you want to do and what you don't want to do. I think especially for the lateral one is extremely important.
Yeah.
Brand building means you want to having a trust not a trust to the user not only to the users but also to the industry partners to the
to the partners. Yes. to to everyone because brand means the commitment means when they interact with you or any your team's representative or maybe they are heard about you they wanted the consistency yes
they want the certainty they want the trust as being here so I think it's it's be require a lot of long-term effort I think on the way to do but also in the longer term we also believe brand building was also become one of the most one of the most differentiated I would say point for our game and for our company for our team as well. So many talented team every day there's a new

small things small inventions happen in the industry we all excited about it but how we still can maintain the long term we wish can be joining some of the big brand right here in Gibbs con also in the industry I have huge huge respect for the people who spending decades long to maintain the brand to build a brand even though there's no short-term revenue even there no short-term payoff they still believe that's the right to do. I think eventually
it will happen.
It will happen.
I can't wait to hear more and continue the conversation. Jason, truly, I love what you're doing and maybe people don't tell you that, but you are absolutely on the right track. Thank you.
Thank you so much.