Two & a Half Gamers Session #4: How to Soft Launch a Mobile Game Ad Monetisation Perspective

Mobile game developers must adapt to a rapidly shifting revenue landscape where mobile advertising spend is projected to reach $130 billion by 2025, a 300% increase from 2020 levels. This growth necessitates a strategic approach to ad monetization during the soft launch phase, particularly for titles that fall within the middle of the genre spectrum between hypercasual and hardcore. While extreme ends of this spectrum typically rely almost exclusively on either advertising or in-app purchases, mid-core games require a balanced integration of ad formats to maximize lifetime value without compromising player retention.

The primary recommendation for developers in this middle ground is to prioritize rewarded video ads as the foundational monetization format. Rewarded ads consistently outperform other formats by offering the highest effective cost per mille and the highest completion rates. Because these ads are opt-in, they generate the lowest amount of user friction while simultaneously attracting significant competition from ad networks due to their high conversion rates. This format serves as the undisputed leader for sustainable growth, providing a value exchange that benefits both the player and the developer.

Successful soft launching from an ad monetization perspective involves testing these integrations early to ensure they complement the core gameplay loop. By focusing on high-converting inventory like rewarded video, developers can capitalize on the increasing influx of user acquisition spend across the industry. The strategy emphasizes that as ad revenue becomes a larger portion of total mobile game earnings, the technical and psychological implementation of these ads during the testing phase is critical for a successful global rollout.