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Keynote: 2020 so far - How the Mobile Gaming Industry is Changing PG Connects Digital #2
The mobile gaming industry underwent a period of profound transformation during the first half of 2020, driven largely by the onset of global lockdowns.
- Mobile gaming traffic stabilized at approximately 10% above pre-pandemic levels following a surge in early 2020, though Day 7 retention rates declined, particularly in the hyper-casual genre.
- Average session length has become the primary metric for driving lifetime value in ad-monetized models, as the gap in session duration between top-tier games and the broader market continues to widen.
- The mobile gaming market experienced a decline in Cost Per Install (CPI) across most genres during the first half of 2020, providing a strategic opportunity for user acquisition.
Panel: How Lockdown has Unlocked the Games Industry PG Connects Digital #2
The global games industry experienced a profound period of accelerated growth and mainstream validation during the COVID-19 lockdown, characterized by a surge in player engagement, download volumes, and advertiser interest.
- The COVID-19 lockdown triggered an industry-wide surge in player engagement and downloads, though data teams struggled to recalibrate lifetime value models due to the volatility of these unprecedented behavioral shifts.
- Operational models have permanently shifted toward hybrid work, as companies balance high remote productivity with the need to restore collaborative creative output lost in virtual environments.
- Business development strategies are moving toward a digital-first approach, with a projected long-term reduction in reliance on expensive, in-person industry conferences.
Fireside Chat: The Benefits of Using a Publisher Rather than Going it Alone PGCD#2
Independent game development thrives when creators leverage strategic partnerships to bridge the gap between prototype quality and commercial viability.
- Publishers provide essential infrastructure for monetization, user acquisition, and technical SDK maintenance, allowing small development teams to focus exclusively on core game design and iterative refinement.
- Strategic partnerships leverage a publisher’s economies of scale and analytical capabilities to bridge the gap between a prototype and a commercially viable product.
- Successful collaboration relies on the integration of data-driven design, specifically utilizing A/B testing and performance analytics to maximize revenue potential.
History of Mobile Gaming Quiz PG Connects Digital #2
The mobile gaming industry has experienced rapid evolution since its inception, a trajectory highlighted through a ten-question historical quiz presented at the Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #2 event in June 2020.
- The mobile gaming industry has evolved from the 1997 debut of Snake on the Nokia 6110 to a multi-billion dollar global economic force.
- Modern mobile gaming scale is exemplified by titles like Candy Crush, which contains over 7,100 levels, and the 2019 Fortnite World Cup, which awarded a $3 million first-place prize.
- The industry demonstrates massive financial impact, such as the 2016 launch of Pokémon Go increasing Nintendo’s market value by $7 billion in one day and Monster Strike generating over $8 billion for Mixi.
Panel: What Does Success Look Like in UA? PG Connects Digital #2
Modern user acquisition strategies have evolved beyond a reliance on vanity metrics like raw install volume, shifting instead toward a rigorous, data-driven focus on long-term profitability and return on ad spend.
- Success in user acquisition has shifted from raw install volume to a focus on long-term profitability, return on ad spend (ROAS), and the retention of high-value users.
- Marketing, finance, and product teams must collaborate to align cohort-based profitability analysis with broader business objectives to ensure sustainable growth.
- While Google and Facebook remain dominant, TikTok and Snapchat are essential for their creative capabilities and influence on multi-touch customer journeys.
Panel: Mixing it up - Latest Techniques for Innovating in User Acquisition & Retention PGCD#2
Modern user acquisition strategies are undergoing a significant evolution, shifting from a heavy reliance on established platforms like Facebook, Google, and Apple Search Ads toward a more diversified approach.
- A day-seven retention rate exceeding 30% is the critical benchmark for determining the long-term viability of a mobile game.
- User acquisition strategies must shift from a reliance on the Facebook, Google, and Apple Search Ads duopoly toward diversified channels like TikTok, Snapchat, and influencer marketing to achieve scale.
- Ad creative must be directly aligned with the actual game experience to manage player expectations and reduce churn, as quality of users is more important than raw install volume.
Your Virtual Game Arts Studio PG Connects Digital #2
The presentation outlines the expansion of Creadits, a creative services firm, into the game art production sector.
- Creadits has expanded from performance marketing into a virtual game art studio, providing on-demand access to a global network of talent for concept art, 3D modeling, animation, rigging, texturing, and lighting.
- The service operates as a scalable extension of internal teams, utilizing centralized management hubs in the US, UK, Japan, and Singapore to maintain quality control while developers retain creative direction.
- Typical project-based outsourcing engagements range from $1,000 to $10,000, with $5,000 serving as the common baseline cost.
Investing in Game Startups | Venture Capital ft. London Venture Partners, Konvoy, and Transcend
Investment strategies in the gaming sector have shifted toward prioritizing experienced founding teams and sustainable community-building over speculative trends like the metaverse.
- Investment strategies have shifted away from speculative trends like the metaverse toward prioritizing experienced founding teams and sustainable community-building.
- Seed and Series A valuations in the gaming sector have declined by approximately 20% as founders prioritize deal certainty over aggressive growth.
- Industry success is now defined by long-term player retention and the creation of persistent, economy-driven digital spaces rather than traditional hits-driven models.
BattlePass Game Design: Q&A With Top F2P Designers and Product Execs
Battle Pass systems function most effectively as engagement and retention mechanisms rather than standalone monetization drivers.
- Battle Pass systems function primarily as engagement and retention tools rather than standalone monetization drivers, requiring a sound core game economy to be effective.
- Developers should target a 70% completion rate for the Battle Pass, as players who finish the progression track show a significantly higher propensity to purchase future iterations.
- Strategic pacing should prioritize accessible early rewards to build player habits, while reserving high-value chase items for the final stages of the progression cycle.
Panel: What Do You Do in the Inevitable Decline of Ad Revenue? PG Connects Digital #2
The gaming industry remains fundamentally resilient, often maintaining stability during broader economic downturns due to the accessible nature of digital entertainment.
- Diversify revenue streams by combining ad-based models with in-app purchases to capture value from the majority of non-paying users.
- Avoid reactive increases in ad frequency during performance dips, as this degrades user experience and triggers algorithmic penalties.
- Prioritize long-term retention and high-quality content over short-term revenue extraction to capitalize on the expanded player base created by recent global consumption shifts.
Panel: How Can Monetisation Make Your Game More Fun? PG Connects Digital #2
Monetization serves as a fundamental component of game design that, when executed with precision, enhances rather than detracts from the player experience.
- Monetization should be integrated during the early design phase to ensure revenue strategies function as an extension of the gameplay loop rather than an intrusive obstacle.
- Developers should utilize hybrid monetization models, such as battle passes, subscriptions, and rewarded video systems, to tailor experiences to specific genres and player segments.
- To prevent user burnout and content depletion, developers must implement disciplined ad frequency capping and place advertisements only within positive gameplay contexts.
Keynote: Hybrid Monetisation Deserves a Hybrid Investment Strategy / Supercharge Your Instant Games
Facebook’s Instant Games platform currently serves a global audience of over 700 million players, leveraging HTML5 technology to facilitate seamless social gaming experiences within the Facebook and Messenger ecosystems.
- Adopting a hybrid monetization model that combines in-app purchases with in-app advertising is now standard, with over 50% of developers utilizing this approach and 89% of top-performing titles integrating ad SDKs.
- Transitioning to a hybrid investment strategy—balancing mobile app installs, app event optimization, and value optimization—can drive a 50% increase in installs and a 60% boost in day-two retention.
- Facebook’s Instant Games platform currently reaches over 700 million players globally using HTML5 technology within the Facebook and Messenger ecosystems.
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