Monetization reports and market data
2,306 documents·108 writers·10,483 charts and tables
Documents
Two & a Half Gamers65 min
two & a half gamers session #7 - Is Axie infinity dead? LTV in crypto gaming & web3 UA/marketing
The gaming industry is undergoing a fundamental transition from speculative play-to-earn models toward sustainable play-and-own frameworks.
- The 'Play-to-Earn' model is proving unsustainable due to economic inflation, leading the industry to pivot toward 'Play-and-Earn' or 'Play-to-Own' frameworks that prioritize fun and engagement over financial returns.
- Axie Infinity's economy has faced significant depreciation, forcing a shift in narrative from a platform for earning a living to a traditional gaming experience where earning is a secondary feature.
- Blockchain gaming introduces a native economic value transfer layer that allows for the enforcement of scarcity and value exchange, which was previously difficult to manage in digital environments.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
Two & a Half Gamers69 min
two & a half gamers session #5 - Surprise crypto comments & How to tackle soft launch stages?
The mobile gaming industry relies on a disciplined, three-phased soft launch strategy to ensure long-term viability before global expansion.
- A disciplined soft launch requires three distinct phases: technical validation of data integrity, retention milestone testing (Day 1, Day 7, and Day 30), and monetization validation in tier-one markets like the UK and Germany.
- Statistical significance for soft launch data requires a minimum of 400 to 500 daily installs to accurately determine if lifetime value exceeds customer acquisition costs.
- Long-term mobile game success relies on core gameplay mechanics and live operations rather than blockchain-based speculative financial layers, which often suffer from inflationary pressures that undermine sustainability.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
Two & a Half Gamers52 min
two & a half gamers session #4 - How to soft launch a mobile game Ad monetisation Perspective
The mobile gaming industry is undergoing a period of rapid expansion, with ad spending projected to reach $130 billion by 2025.
- Ad spending in the mobile gaming industry is projected to reach $130 billion by 2025, necessitating sophisticated monetization strategies as Meta’s dominance declines and platforms like TikTok rise.
- Developers should target a baseline of 60% player engagement with at least five ad impressions per daily active user to maximize revenue without increasing friction.
- To protect profit margins, publishers must maintain a competitive ad waterfall and obscure performance rankings from individual networks to prevent revenue leakage.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
Two & a Half Gamers56 min
two & a half gamers session #3 - Is Roblox evil mega corp or money making machine?
Roblox functions as a massive, closed-loop economic ecosystem that leverages its 47.3 million daily active users to maintain a dominant position in the gaming industry.
- Roblox maintains a highly profitable business model by taking a 30% cut of all transactions while retaining 75.5% of total platform revenue, effectively operating as a closed ecosystem with its own internal currency, Robux.
- Roblox bypasses 'store within a store' platform guidelines by classifying its 20 million games as 'experiences,' allowing it to avoid direct competition or restrictive policies from Apple and Google.
- The platform creates significant financial friction for creators by requiring a $5 monthly subscription to withdraw earnings, with a minimum withdrawal threshold of 100,000 Robux ($1,000) and only 17% of total revenue actually exiting the platform to users.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
Two & a Half Gamers42 min
Stash Special: loyalty programs, well-made web shops, frictionless user experience
The gaming industry is undergoing a strategic pivot toward direct-to-consumer web storefronts as developers seek to reclaim autonomy from platform gatekeepers.
- Developers are shifting to direct-to-consumer web storefronts to bypass platform commission structures and mitigate the impact of 'core technology' charges imposed by app store gatekeepers.
- This strategic pivot is driven by evolving regulatory frameworks, specifically the EU’s Digital Markets Act and recent legal rulings in the United States.
- Web-based storefronts are most critical for game titles where annual monetization per user exceeds five dollars, particularly within the strategy and social casino sectors.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
Thomas Brush9 min
Watch This If You Want To Make Games
The primary objective for independent game developers seeking financial sustainability is to move away from the high-risk strategy of chasing viral hits and instead adopt structured methodologies for product design and audience engagement.
- Independent developers should shift from chasing viral hits to building a consistent studio brand that fosters long-term audience loyalty across multiple projects.
- The 'Trinity Hook' framework increases market viability by requiring developers to integrate distinct visual, mechanical, and narrative elements into every game.
- Narrative hooks are most effective when utilizing the principle of contrast, such as juxtaposing opposing character traits or placing ordinary individuals in extraordinary circumstances.
Thomas BrushMay 2024
Deconstructor of Fun76 min
Supercell's Squad Busters - The Definitive Deconstruction
Squad Busters represents a pivotal attempt by Supercell to secure its next billion-dollar franchise, serving as a strategic response to the company’s need for revenue growth.
- Supercell developed Squad Busters as a strategic growth initiative to secure a new billion-dollar franchise, supported by a massive pre-registration campaign exceeding 40 million users.
- The game utilizes a lean, agile development model with a core team of approximately 30 people, focusing on rapid iteration and live operations.
- The core gameplay loop centers on a hectic, accessible sandbox experience featuring roguelike elements and randomized character sets that force real-time adaptation.
Deconstructor of FunMay 2024
Two & a Half Gamers65 min
How to grow IAP revenue by 375%? SayGames Special with Anton Volnykh
The transition from hyper-casual to hybrid-casual gaming represents a fundamental shift in operational strategy, prioritizing long-term product sustainability over rapid prototyping.
- SayGames has successfully shifted its business model from a hypercasual focus to hybrid-casual, resulting in a significant increase in In-App Purchase (IAP) revenue across its portfolio.
- The company supports its development teams by providing internal tools, including a proprietary analytics system and SDK, to help them transition from simple ad-based games to more complex hybrid-casual titles.
- Rather than taking over projects, SayGames nurtures internal expertise by guiding teams through the long-term development and scaling process of hybrid-casual games.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
GameMakers49 min
How Hyperbeard Became Mexico's Top Game Publisher
HyperBeard has established itself as the leading mobile game publisher in Mexico by shifting the industry standard from individual title performance to a cohesive, ecosystem-based growth model.
- HyperBeard achieved market leadership in Mexico by shifting from individual title performance to a cohesive, ecosystem-based growth model targeting young adult females.
- The company utilizes a 'feeder' strategy that funnels users from low-acquisition-cost titles into higher-monetizing games to maximize total lifetime value across the entire portfolio.
- By treating their catalog as a unified brand, the studio bypasses the limitations of the post-IDFA landscape where traditional, isolated user acquisition has become prohibitively expensive.
GameMakersMay 2024
Two & a Half Gamers53 min
Screw Jam success story: How to reach $250k/day revenue? Innovative & satisfying hybrid casual game
Screw Jam, a hybrid-casual title developed by Quok Games and published by Rollic, has emerged as a benchmark for success in the mobile gaming market, currently generating approximately $250,000 in daily revenue.
- Screw Jam, developed by Quok Games and published by Rollic, generates approximately $250,000 in daily revenue, split between $150,000+ from in-app purchases and $80,000+ from ad monetization.
- The game's monetization strategy relies on a high-value US-based iOS user base, with an active user count of approximately 250,000, of which 210,000 are located in the United States.
- Ad revenue is driven by a mix of rewarded ads (averaging four per session), interstitials (averaging six per session), and persistent banner ads with a 10-second refresh rate.
Two & a Half GamersMay 2024
Naavik63 min
Mastering the Roblox Meta
Roblox functions as a hyper-competitive digital ecosystem where success is defined by rapid iteration, organic discovery, and a deep understanding of player behavior.
- Roblox hosts 350 million monthly active users and generates $3.3 billion in annual bookings, creating a hyper-competitive environment where success requires constant iteration rather than static development formulas.
- Long-term traction is driven by organic discovery, influencer activity, and inherent social mechanics rather than traditional marketing or initial seeding efforts.
- Developers must prioritize 'bare-bones' fun and core gameplay mechanics, as the platform's audience frequently cycles through multiple titles in a single session.
NaavikMay 2024
PocketGamer.biz46 min
Multiscription's Teis Anker Mikkelsen On Scaling Subscription Models Across Gaming Platforms
Subscription models represent a transformative approach to player retention and long-term engagement within the gaming industry.
- Subscription models should be deployed as part of a hybrid monetization strategy that includes ad-supported play and one-time unlocks to accommodate diverse player preferences.
- To ensure retention, subscriptions must offer persistent benefits like experience boosts and exclusive content rather than ephemeral consumables that lose value quickly.
- Subscription models can increase overall revenue by driving higher in-app purchase activity, as subscribers are incentivized to maximize the utility of their recurring investment.
PocketGamer.bizMay 2024