Monetization reports and market data
Documents
two & a half gamers session #25 - Does Ubisoft give a F! about mobile games? GD, UA & Admon analysis
Ubisoft faces a significant strategic impasse regarding its mobile gaming division, which currently contributes only 8% of the company’s total revenue.
- Ubisoft’s mobile division currently contributes only 8% of the company’s total revenue, signaling a significant strategic underperformance.
- The mobile portfolio is heavily reliant on aging legacy titles released between 2013 and 2016, such as Hungry Shark and Growtopia, with no successful scaling of new mobile launches.
- Marketing efforts are hampered by a reliance on traditional channels like Facebook and Google, while failing to utilize high-growth platforms such as TikTok and Unity.
two & a half gamers session #24 - 1 year after IDFA Apocalypse. State of the UA, Admon & retargeting
The mobile gaming industry has successfully navigated the initial disruption caused by Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, moving beyond the narrative of an industry apocalypse toward a more sophisticated, privacy-centric operational model.
- Optimizing pre-prompt messaging and timing is critical for iOS user acquisition; effective implementation can increase opt-in rates from a baseline of 15–20% to as high as 40–54%.
- Retargeting remains a vital performance channel, with sophisticated studios now hiring dedicated specialists and using verifiable incrementality studies—often involving control groups—to justify spend and measure true ROI.
- The industry has shifted toward a more fluid budget allocation strategy between iOS and Android, moving away from the initial post-IDFA panic that caused a mass migration of spend toward Android.
two & a half gamers session #23 - How to do a proper game performance audit? UA, Admon & GD
Conducting a comprehensive game performance audit requires a holistic evaluation that integrates team capabilities, production processes, and technical execution.
- A proper game performance audit should be categorized into three pillars: the team's production capabilities, the game's design and monetization strategy, and the technical health of UA and Admon.
- Ad monetization audits must prioritize a 'sandwich' waterfall structure; failing to place competitive networks between price points allows bidders to lower their payouts because they no longer face pressure from higher-bidding alternatives.
- Fill rates below 97% are considered unacceptable; if fill is low, developers should add more ad networks or implement a backfill placement to ensure every ad request is monetized.
two & a half gamers session #22 - How to predict game performance? What is Tilting Point's secret?
Tilting Point maintains a competitive edge in the mobile gaming market by integrating rigorous data-driven analysis with a collaborative approach to developer partnerships.
- Tilting Point evaluates potential publishing partners by requiring a clear product roadmap, viewing the absence of one as a primary indicator to decline a partnership.
- The company targets an 85% confidence level in their ability to scale a game before committing to a full publishing partnership, though they acknowledge that predictive LTV models often fluctuate once UA spend reaches 45k–60k per month.
- The UA team is structured with dedicated managers for specific game portfolios alongside network-specific representatives who maintain direct relationships with platforms like Facebook and TikTok.
two & a half gamers session #18 - How could King make 30% more revenue? Full UA, GD & Ads analysis!
King maintains a dominant position in the global mobile gaming market, anchored by the enduring success of the Candy Crush franchise.
- King could increase its annual ad revenue by approximately $22 million, a 30% boost, by transitioning from direct-contract negotiations to an open-market programmatic mediation model.
- King generates $2.5 billion in annual revenue primarily through its Candy Crush franchise, which is supported by a massive library of over 11,000 levels.
- Internal innovation efforts outside of King's core match-three expertise, including forays into endless runners, narrative-driven restoration, and midcore RPGs, have failed to achieve long-term sustainability.
two & a half gamers session #16 - 7 Ad monetisation secrets how to make more revenue
Maximizing mobile game revenue requires a rigorous, hands-on approach to ad monetization that prioritizes direct negotiation and technical optimization.
- Maximize revenue by treating ad networks as leverageable partnerships, insisting on dedicated account management to secure superior price points and performance support.
- Maintain technical hygiene by removing unused placements in mediation platforms like Unity to reduce latency and stabilizing eCPMs during AdMob’s data-ramping periods.
- Protect user experience and ad delivery control by disabling unauthorized end cards that artificially extend ad duration without providing additional value.
two & a half gamers session #14 - How to read Ad mon data for beginners? ATT & player segmentation
The mobile gaming industry is currently navigating a complex landscape defined by significant financial volatility and shifting privacy paradigms.
- Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework has resulted in a $10 billion revenue impact, though opt-in rates have stabilized at a resilient 40–42% rather than the feared 10–20%.
- Developers are shifting focus from privacy-centric segmentation to strategies based on in-game progression and spending depth to navigate the current market landscape.
- To maintain competitive ad monetization, developers must ensure ad auctions conclude within a 300-millisecond window to avoid latency and revenue loss.
two & a half gamers session #13 - Rovio making $2.6M/year more from ads & more efficient UA? Full...
Rovio faces a critical inflection point as its financial performance remains stagnant, with 2021 revenue reaching €286.2 million, a figure that fails to surpass historical highs from its initial public offering.
- Rovio’s 2021 revenue was EUR 286.2 million, representing flat growth with a 5% increase over 2020 but a 1% decline from 2019 levels.
- Revenue is heavily concentrated in IAP (80%), followed by Ads (15%), Licensing (3%), and other sources (2%), with 66% of total revenue originating from the USA.
- Rovio increased its ad revenue by 32% year-over-year in 2021, totaling EUR 41.6 million, despite a strategy of not requesting user consent for tracking on iOS.
two & a half gamers session #11 - How to increase game revenue by 35% with Narrative design
Narrative design serves as a critical lever for enhancing mobile game performance, functioning as a bridge between core mechanics and player retention.
- Integrating narrative design from the inception of a project can increase game revenue by up to 35%.
- Narrative design functions as a bridge between core mechanics and player retention, transforming gameplay loops into immersive experiences that drive higher lifetime value.
- Applying universal storytelling frameworks like the Hero’s Journey provides structural progression that prevents player boredom and reduces churn.
two & a half gamers session #9 - How to increase AdARPDAU? How Adnetworks make money? Admonetisat...
The gaming industry is currently navigating a complex transition period characterized by aggressive investment in blockchain technology and the strategic repurposing of established mobile intellectual property.
- Hiring a dedicated ad monetization manager is only financially viable once a game reaches $20,000 to $30,000 in daily ad revenue, as the role typically yields a 20% revenue improvement that must justify the salary.
- Games with high ad reliance, particularly in the idle genre, should aim for more than five impressions per daily active user (DAU) to effectively scale campaigns and ensure ad revenue accounts for at least 40% of total income.
- The blockchain gaming sector saw significant investment growth in 2022, reaching $2 billion by mid-March, following a trend of increasing quarterly funding from $430 million in Q1 2021 to $1.6 billion in Q4 2021.
Creative trends Q3, Merge mansion Japan, Admon tips, Habby: Souls review (#87)
Mobile gaming strategy currently centers on aggressive user acquisition through high-frequency creative refreshes and the strategic adoption of successful, genre-agnostic hooks.
- Mobile user acquisition strategy is shifting toward genre-agnostic creative hooks, such as physics-based puzzles and animal themes, to lower cost-per-install regardless of core gameplay alignment.
- Habby’s idle RPG 'Souls' generated $13 million in revenue between its August 2023 launch and the report date, maintaining a balanced 50/50 revenue split between Android and iOS.
- Technical stability is now a primary operational requirement, as publishers must meet strict Google Application Not Responding (ANR) thresholds to protect organic traffic from SDK-related crashes.
From Hypercasual to Hybridcasual - The Estoty Portfolio story (#86)
Estoty has established itself as a major force in the mobile gaming sector, amassing over one billion downloads and 200 million active players through a strategic evolution from hypercasual titles like Johnny Trigger to more complex hybridcasual experiences.
- Estoty has transitioned from a hypercasual model to a hybridcasual strategy, focusing on refining a core 'arcade-survivor' gameplay loop across multiple titles with varying themes.
- The studio's shift to a direct-to-consumer model highlights the industry trend where developers are moving away from publishers like SayGames to retain control over their own UA and product roadmaps.
- The success of 'Alien Invasion' (scaled in October 2022) compared to a previous, failed fishing-themed iteration demonstrates that theme selection is a critical driver for lowering CPI and reaching a broader target audience.