Yodo1

Trophy Games and Yodo1: How a Simple Test Became a Lasting Growth Partnership

Alla Samkharadze — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 20:54:04 +0000

Trophy Games and Yodo1: How a Simple Test Became a Lasting Growth Partnership

In September 2022, Trophy Games teamed up with Yodo1 with a simple goal: to see if their existing ad monetization solution could be improved upon. They started with just one game, Tiny Rails, to test the waters, and the results were not what they expected.

This article tells the story of their experiment, why they chose to work with Yodo1, and how it turned into a bigger partnership. It’s a glimpse into the decisions game companies make to continue growing in an increasingly competitive industry, and it highlights the importance of picking the right partners to do it with.

Read on for an insider’s view of the choices fast-growing companies make to stay ahead in today’s gaming industry.

First Contact: Testing the Waters

Trophy Games is a Copenhagen-based mobile game studio with a proven track record of successfully developing and publishing games, as well as acquiring and scaling games. Their portfolio covers multiplayer strategy and manager games that include tycoon and sports titles like Train Manager, Shipping Manager, Transit King Tycoon, and Football Management Ultra, to name just a few of over a dozen hit games.

The company invests in games that it believes have solid growth potential and then works to make that possibility a reality. Part of that is never being satisfied with “good enough” or waiting until there’s a slump or a problem, but proactively seeking ways their games can do better.

This brings us to a key experiment. The well-known ad monetization mediation solution Trophy Games had been using for some time was performing well enough, but tasks like ad waterfall maintenance are time and resource-intensive, and fraught with challenges that can impact ad performance, and revenue. Was there something better?

In September of 2022, they conducted a pilot experiment using Yodo1’s managed monetization solution with one of their smaller games, Tiny Rails. For context, this solution (called MAS) is a core pillar of Yodo1’s Growth Accelerator Program, which helps developers and studios grow and scale their games. It’s incredibly easy to use: a single SDK to install and that’s it—there’s no waterfall setup or optimization required by the user, and payments are quick and consolidated.

So, it was a simple test with Tiny Rails. Expectations were neutral. One could even call it dabbling. They didn’t expect what happened next.

The Turning Point

This low-stakes experiment of switching from their previous solution to Yodo1 saw Tiny Rails hit a very significant 30% average increase in eCPM across iOS and Android.

Trophy Games had been reasonably satisfied with their previous monetization solution. The fact that Yodo1’s option, MAS, was able to so significantly outperform it, and by such a wide margin, was a surprise and made moving more games to Yodo1 a no-brainer.

In April of 2023, Trophy Games decided to test Yodo1’s monetization solution on two of their large titles, the best-selling Shipping Manager and Airline Manager, which had previously only been monetized with IAPs.

Both games saw a meaningful boost in traffic, opening the door to significant ad revenue. Daniel Luun, CEO of Trophy Games Publishing, says, “While ad monetization hasn’t been something we’ve spent a lot of time on, our traffic has increased so much that it became a real need. Using MAS is a perfect solution for us right now as it frees our employees’ time to focus on the things we are very strong at. And I think the players are happy, too.”

The positive eCPM results from the Tiny Rails experiment were crucial in this decision, of course, but Trophy Games was also impressed with the Yodo1 team’s responsiveness and expertise in managing their ad monetization waterfall. As seasoned pros in monetizing hit games like Rodeo Stampede (which Yodo1 publishes), working with us goes well beyond an easy-to-integrate SDK. Yodo1 is a growth partner helping developers and studios around the world improve their revenue, get more players, and scale globally.

It was clear to Trophy Games that Yodo1 was the specialist partner they needed; both games went live in June of 2023.

Stepping Stones to Big Things

With impressive results continuing to roll in with each new game using MAS, Trophy Games started integrating the SDK into their other games, adding a new one almost every month. And as hurdles arise, we work hand-in-hand with the team at Trophy to navigate them. For instance, ANRs (App Not Responding) errors, which had been an issue with Tiny Rails, have decreased significantly. Daniel comments, “While you (Yodo1) already helped us a lot, it’s still an issue for us in some of our games, especially Transit King […] Luckily, Tiny Rails has, with a lot of effort, finally moved below the ANR threshold.”

Eventually, all of their transport management games were integrated successfully. As of now, in early 2024, they have decided to bring Yodo1’s SDK into all of their games, moving over their sports games, too.

It has become a valued partnership that blossomed and continues to expand. With Trophy Games, we continually strive for better performance, improved stability, and faster growth, as we do with all our partners. Real results, and real value as partners. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Trophy Games has built a strategic business model that focuses on picking the right games while pursuing an active growth strategy, and, perhaps most importantly, they are in it for the long haul: longevity is the goal.

Those are some of our goals, too, and we are looking forward to exploring new opportunities and deepening the relationship through the years and games to come. Read about the Growth Accelerator Program to learn more about how we partner with games at every stage of growth.

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The post Trophy Games and Yodo1: How a Simple Test Became a Lasting Growth Partnership first appeared on Yodo1.

How Clash of Clans Makes Hundreds of Millions from IAPs

Alla Samkharadze — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:54:32 +0000

How Clash of Clans Makes Hundreds of Millions from IAPs

In-app purchases (IAPs) are the lifeblood of sustainable revenue for any mobile game monetization strategy. But more than that, when implemented strategically, IAPs can create a win-win scenario for both developers and players.

The key is in striking a delicate balance. Players need to perceive value in what they purchase, whether it’s special items, aesthetic customizations, in-game currency, etc. However, they shouldn’t feel that they are in a pay-to-win scenario that impacts the core game loop. If you can achieve this balance, players are more likely to spend – and keep spending. Of course, getting there is easier said than done. Finding the right IAP strategy for each game requires a deep understanding of player motivations and a data-driven approach.

A great example to learn from is Clash of Clans. This game has nailed its IAP mobile game monetization strategy. In this article, we will explore how they do it and what we can learn from them. But first, let’s go over some of the basics.

Metrics that Matter:

If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it,” said the wise Lord Kelvin. And while he wasn’t a game developer (that we know of), he had the right idea! Here are some key metrics to track and analyze:

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU): Measures the average amount of money generated by each player, indicating the overall profitability of your IAP strategy.
Conversion Rate: The percentage of players who purchase out of the total player base, highlighting the effectiveness of your IAP integration and visibility.
Lifetime Value (LTV): Estimates the total revenue a player will generate throughout their engagement with the game, guiding long-term retention strategies.
Purchase Frequency: Tracks how often players buy IAPs, aiding in optimizing the timing for promotional offers and new item releases.
Retention Rate Post-Purchase: Assesses how making a purchase affects player retention, indicating the impact of IAPs on long-term engagement.

Player Motivation:

Players spend for a few different reasons. Apart from understanding these reasons, you should factor in value for money, and getting to the right price point for each IAP. Spending time understanding player motivation isn’t simply an intellectual exercise–it’s a crucial part of the process. Let’s briefly touch on these.

Desire to Purchase: Identifying what drives players to spend is very important. Is it to gain a competitive edge, to express themselves, to improve the overall gaming experience? Understanding these motivations can help you create IAPs they will respond to.
Value for Money: Players need to feel they’re getting their money’s worth. Diverse pricing bundles can cater to different player types, from those looking for a slight edge to those willing to invest more.
Price Elasticity: Experimenting with price points through A/B testing will help you find the sweet spot where you’re maximizing revenue and making players happy. Adjust based on player feedback and purchasing behavior, aiming to create a win-win for you and your players.

Consumables vs. Non-Consumables:

Consumable IAPs: Consumable IAPs (like game currency or boosts) should enhance the game but not be necessary to progress. This can help avoid pay-to-win scenarios.
Non-Consumable IAPs: Non-consumable IAPs (like skins) add a personal touch and don’t affect the game’s balance. They generally emphasize style and personal expression or gaining in-game clout.

By always validating and updating your strategies based on what players say and how they act, you can find the best ways to price your in-game items. The main goal is to make players feel good about buying, not just once but over and over.

Clash of Clans: A Playbook for IAPs

Clash of Clans made $482 million in IAP revenue in 2022, with over 1.8 million daily active users (second only to Subway Surfers). Holy cow! The goal, then, is to reverse-engineer their success and see what insights we can uncover. As we go, think about how you might apply what you learn to your own IAP strategy. Let’s begin!

1. Balancing Consumables and Non-Consumables:

Gems: The quintessential consumable, gems fuel faster construction and troop training. For impatient players eager to climb the ranks, they’re invaluable. Yet, Clash of Clans ensures progress remains attainable, albeit slower, for free-to-play users, preventing pay-to-win scenarios.

Hero Skins and Decorations: These non-consumables add a layer of personalization, letting players flaunt their individuality and dedication. The “Pumpkin Barbarian” or the “Crystal Queen Archer” don’t impact gameplay but fuel emotional investment, encouraging long-term engagement. Games like Fortnite also put this principle at the core of their monetization strategy.

2. Understanding Player Demographics:

Hardcore Players: The Gold Pass, a monthly subscription offering exclusive rewards and bonus resources, targets those players seeking an edge. Its success shows Clash of Clans understands the premium placed on time optimization by dedicated players.

Casual Players: Limited-time offers and visually appealing bundles featuring discounted gems or resources cater to casual spenders who crave occasional boosts or want to catch up with friends. The “Builder Potion” or the “Cyber Special Bundle” offer instant gratification at an attractive price point.

3. A/B Testing and Iteration:

Clash of Clans constantly tweaks its IAPs based on data and player feedback. For instance, it introduced the “Seasonal Bank“, a tiered reward system for active players, after testing different reward structures and price points. This data-driven approach ensures their IAPs remain relevant and enticing.

Key Takeaways

Clash of Clans is a textbook example of how to implement IAPs without compromising the player experience or the core game loop. Its success emphasizes the importance of:

Variety: Offering a balanced mix of consumable and non-consumable IAPs appeals to diverse player motivations.
Targeted Pricing: Tailoring IAPs to specific player segments, like the Gold Pass for hardcore players, maximizes revenue potential.
No Pay-To-Win: Creating a compelling gameplay loop that incentivizes, but doesn’t force, spending.
Limited-Time Offers: Creating a sense of urgency with temporary deals encourages impulse purchases and keeps players engaged.
Data-Driven Optimization: Constantly testing and iterating based on player behavior and feedback ensures IAPs remain effective.
Player Psychology: Understanding player motivations (factoring in demographics) and tailoring IAPs accordingly.
Data, Data, Data: Leveraging data and player feedback to constantly iterate and optimize.

It’s also important to note that Clash of Clans doesn’t rely solely on IAPs for engagement. Regular content updates, clan wars, and seasonal events keep players hooked and incentivize spending. This holistic approach creates a vibrant ecosystem where IAPs feel like natural extensions of the gameplay experience, rather than intrusive monetization tactics.

By following these principles and analyzing the strategies of games like Clash of Clans, mobile game developers can unlock the true potential of their IAPs, building sustainable businesses while keeping players happy and engaged.

Remember, it’s all about finding that sweet spot where player satisfaction meets profitability. For mobile games, the optimization of IAPs is a continuous journey. At Yodo1, we partner with game developers to hone their mobile game monetization strategies, bring in more players with tailored game growth strategies, and ultimately scale their games to new levels. And we do it well, with over 10 years of experience and over 3 billion downloads across our games. Check out Yodo1’s Growth Accelerator Program to learn about all the ways we help games grow.

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The post How Clash of Clans Makes Hundreds of Millions from IAPs first appeared on Yodo1.

From an ISBN to a Successful Launch: How Tap Titans 2 Got Published in China

Alla Samkharadze — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:46:31 +0000

From an ISBN to a Successful Launch: How Tap Titans 2 Got Published in China

For many game developers and studios, one particular opportunity looms large—China, the world’s largest gaming market, which is expected to generate US$94.4 billion in revenue in 2024. Yet for non-Chinese developers looking to bring their game into this colossal market, it has proven a particular challenge. Navigating the complex regulatory landscape, which includes securing the elusive ISBN license, is just one among a number of key hurdles that include game localization, marketing, and more.

With over a decade of experience in the mobile game industry, Yodo1 is proud to work with top games across the globe on publishing, marketing, monetization, and IP licensing. We have become the go-to choice for those looking to publish their games in China, and our recent launch of Tap Titans 2 serves as a great example.

Read on as we cover the process we followed to launch Tap Titans 2 in China, information that can serve as a useful roadmap for those looking to understand the process and potentially take that step themselves. Let’s get into it.

Approaching China

The original Tap Titans is the stuff of legends—launched in 2014, it became one of 2015’s best action adventure game RPGs and was featured by the Google Play Store and App Store over 500 times, a mind-boggling statistic. In late 2016, the adventure continued with the launch of Tap Titans 2, inviting players back to rally a team of warriors and save the world from the rampaging titans–this time across 150,000 levels! Like its predecessor, Tap Titans 2 has also amassed over 10 million downloads on the Google Play Store alone, cementing its status as a hit franchise.

The goal was always to launch in China, too, and the first step was securing a Chinese ISBN. As industry insiders know, in 2018 the country implemented a broad freeze on new game licenses, with only a very limited number issued since. That trend started to change last year, with multiple batches of ISBNs being released.

This was a positive sign, but things are still far from business as usual, with the huge game studios often receiving many of these licenses, while the rest have to struggle to even begin to understand the process.

Seeing the time-consuming, complicated process ahead and eager to publish in China as soon as possible, in 2023, Game Hive decided to partner with Yodo1 to make that happen.

With a stellar lineup of popular hits in China—Rodeo Stampede, Crossy Road, Ski Safari, and Transformers: Earth Wars, to name just a few—Yodo1 has experience in what it takes to bring a hit mobile game to the Chinese market, and we were happy to put this expertise to work for Tap Titans 2.

ISBN and ICP—You Need Both

Due to policy reasons in China, an offline version of Tap Titans 2 had to be created first. Only after passing the review and releasing that offline version was the green light finally received to push the new update with the online version. This was not wasted time—knowing the process, Yodo1’s team worked with Game Hive to continue to improve and develop the game in the meantime so that by the time permissions were secured, it was the best it could be.

As always, throughout the ISBN application process, we work closely with developers so that we can respond promptly to implement the modifications and adjustments that are needed, streamlining and saving time as much as possible.

To give you an idea, here is a simplified—yes, simplified—flow chart of the process:

In November 2023, an additional requirement was introduced: an ICP (Internet Content Provider) registration, issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

What’s the difference between an ICP and an ISBN? Well, you can think of the ICP as your driver’s license, giving you permission to drive on the roads or operate in the gaming sphere in any way, while the ISBN is like your vehicle’s license plate or VIN—the unique identifier for your game.

Currently, we’ve been able to streamline the application process for the ICP to a one-month time frame—note that both iOS and Android platforms require an ICP.

And the logistics continue: for a game to be released on the Android platform in China, game packages need to be created that comply with each store/channel’s requirements. This means that if you want to launch your game on 50 Android channels/platforms, you will need to create 50 different APK game packages with specific rules (SDKs)—yet another area where having an experienced partner makes all the difference.

Having Yodo1’s experience on their side in navigating these time-consuming and oft-stormy waters of paperwork and submissions to secure both the ISBN and ICP meant that Game Hive could delegate all that to us, leaving them free to do what they’re great at—making cool games.

From Kickoff to Launch in Just Two Months

After the initial agreement kickoff and documentation, a publishing plan was created to cover marketing, localization, and distribution strategies in depth, with a dedicated team from Yodo1 including Liu Jing, Nina, Shawn Liao, Sandy Smith, and Qianzi.

The team decided to focus on iOS preorders, which built hype around the approaching launch, leading to a rise in the app store rankings and attracting high-value players.

Programs were launched with Bilibili (the equivalent of YouTube in China) and Douyin (Chinese TikTok) creators, and working with popular influencers on these platforms proved a solid way to reach new users and increase download numbers. Fans were encouraged to create their own viral videos and other user-generated content (UGC), and a specially created Douyin filter also raised visibility and engagement with a fresh audience.

Regular posts across social media platforms and fan group interaction also contributed to Tap Titan 2’s strong social media presence. Yodo1’s creative design team worked around the clock it helps having staff all over the world! to produce top-quality creatives, including a dozen videos and trailers.

Strategic Localization — More Than Just Marketing

Pre-launch development continued with a solid localization strategy to ensure full compliance in all required areas, and, most importantly, to arrive at a custom gaming experience that Chinese players would connect with and love.

Whenever strategic localization comes up, the focus often turns on what you can add to a game to make it more attractive and relatable to a particular audience. This is a key game growth strategy that we often turn to—creating special events and launches around local holidays is just one example of how to do this successfully.

Strategic localization, however, is more than that. For example, games in China are not permitted to feature realistic blood or skeletons, and games that do contain these elements will need to be tweaked for them to gain approval. Our expert team is familiar with all the ins and outs of these kinds of gaming regulations and can help in making the needed adjustments and changes smoothly, quickly, and accurately.

Once the game launched, Yodo1’s publishing team monitored store rankings and player feedback as updates continued.

Key Metrics Since Launch

We are happy to report that all this hard work has paid off, with early indications showing a bright future for Tap Titans 2 in China, and solid performance as of February 2024 (the time of writing). The game saw immediate traction with comparatively high Daily Active Users (DAUs) and install rates, as well as consistent player engagement continuing well beyond the launch! Here are the key initial metrics:

DAUs: DAUs initially soared to 60k on iOS and 80k on CN Android, with current averages settling at 60k across both platforms.
Installs: Daily installs reached nearly 4k across iOS and CN Android, still averaging around 1,500 daily installs.
UA: 38% of iOS installs have come from UA activities, and while Android growth was initially organic, UA campaigns were kickstarted in February to leverage Chinese New Year festivities.
CPI: iOS CPI has fluctuated around $3.50, indicating strong potential for growth in the Chinese market.

Key Takeaways

For the reader short on time looking for the key things you need to do to successfully launch your game in China, here goes:

Regulatory Compliance First: Secure necessary licenses, such as an ISBN for game registration and ICP for online content provision, perhaps with guidance from experienced partners.

Build a Solid Marketing Plan: Utilize popular platforms like Bilibili and Douyin, work with influencers, and engage the community to boost visibility and downloads (and also stay on top of changing trends).

Invest in Localization: Adapt your game to meet cultural preferences and regulatory standards, removing sensitive content and incorporating local elements.

Customize for Different Platforms: Prepare multiple versions of your game to satisfy the varied requirements of China’s Android app stores.

Stay Adaptable: Be prepared to quickly respond to new regulations and compliance requirements with the help of your publishing partner.

Generate Pre-Launch Buzz: Use pre-orders and a strong localization strategy to build anticipation and improve your game’s visibility before launch.

Work With the Best

The practicalities of game publishing in China are time-consuming, yet essential for game developers who want to get into the market there. With Yodo1 in your corner, you have a strategic ally that is experienced in all facets of full-stack publishing, including marketing, monetization strategies, and more—and with a track record to prove it; the successful launch of Tap Titans 2 in this dynamic market is just one example.

We’re not just a company; we’re a strategic partner in navigating the complex landscape of the mobile game industry. So if you, too, have been dreaming about launching your game in the world’s biggest gaming market, reach out to our team today to learn more.

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The post From an ISBN to a Successful Launch: How Tap Titans 2 Got Published in China first appeared on Yodo1.

Behind the Screams: How an Indie Gaming Studio Carved Out a Horror Niche

Alla Samkharadze — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 10:30:32 +0000

Behind the Screams: How an Indie Gaming Studio Carved Out a Horror Niche

Ice Scream. Evil Nun. Mr. Meat. If you’re a horror game fan then you already know we’re talking about indie studio Keplerians.

Keplerians take their name from NASA’s exploratory spacecraft, Kepler, as they, too, dream of exploration and discovery—but in the world of video games. And over the last few years, they have indeed gone stratospheric, with not one but three successful franchises, each new launch highly anticipated. Ice Scream 8: Final Chapter dropped in December 2023 in just the first week reached the top 10 in Action/App Store and the top three on the Google Play Store!

How did they get here, though, and what can we learn from it? Let’s find out.

Finding Their Niche

In 2015, two brothers and a friend from the Basque Country, Spain, began their game development journey, experimenting with different games before breaking through in 2018 with the hit Evil Nun.

“We believe that success often comes from being in the right place at the right time. If something isn’t working for you, switch to something that inspires you and gives you confidence. When we realized that we could carve out a niche in the horror games market, we went for it with all our energy,” says Co-CEO and Co-founder Ion Ocasar.

This realization led the Keplerians team to go all in on the scary stuff, leading to their continued success with Ice Scream: it became their most downloaded game and spawned a popular franchise, the most recent of which was the December 15, 2023 launch of Ice Scream 8: Final Chapter, as mentioned above.

Organic Marketing Through Social Media

In addition to building scary and very playable games, Keplerians have been active and engaged on social media since the start; they currently have over a million followers on YouTube alone. This didn’t happen overnight, of course, but is a connection that’s been built by regular, consistent interaction—including near-daily posts and countdowns, especially as launch dates close in.

It’s a great example of how successful organic marketing can be when developers are also passionate content creators. From dropping teasers and helpful how-to clips to teaming up with some of YouTube’s most popular gamers, Keplerians has succeeded in building an organic—and free—marketing channel, releasing content that goes directly to their biggest fans. It’s a win-win.

Developers often spend a significant amount of their budget on gaining more new players, whether via ads or influencers, but don’t forget that by connecting directly to your players via the social media channels of your choice, you can be your own influencer. This can be an extremely powerful growth engine, so don’t neglect it!

Challenges of Growth

The success of Evil Nun was soon to be followed by the arrival of bloodthirsty zombie butcher, Mr. Meat, and with their portfolio growing, the team at Keplerians realized that for their games to reach their full monetization potential, they would need to take on some outside help. In 2019 they teamed up with Yodo1 for help with mobile game monetization and game growth strategies, beginning with Mr. Meat and marking the start of what continues to be a highly successful partnership.

Integrating Yodo1’s monetization SDK into their new game, Mr. Meat, had immediate results: in just two weeks, their daily ad revenue grew by 74%.

“When we launched Mr. Meat with MAS (Yodo1’s ad monetization SDK), we were blown away by how much more money we could make,” said Ion from the Keplerians team, and they soon decided to use Yodo1’s mobile game monetization solution—which you can learn more about here—in all their games. In September 2022, Yodo1’s team reviewed the monetization of Ice Scream 1 and proposed recommendations to improve the ad placements, KPL applied them which helped double the revenue of the iOS version and boost the Android version revenue by 50% over the next month.

IP Collabs As the Next Step

The partnership continued in Halloween 2021 when Keplerians and Rodeo Stampede launched a spooky crossover event—a first for both games—with iconic Ice Scream characters joining in the run in Rodeo Stampede. The four-week-long event successfully generated a huge buzz across social media, delighting players and ultimately increasing traffic for both games.

“It was exciting for our game’s community! We promoted it on Discord and encouraged players to post screenshots and videos, offering rewards. Bringing new content to our existing player base and seeing their enthusiastic reaction was definitely a highlight of this collaboration,” Keplarians Co-founder Pablo Ocasar Gonzalez said.

ASO Steps up in a Big Way

As part of this continued expansion, Keplerians recently approached Yodo1 with an App Store Optimization (ASO) challenge. The download numbers for Ice Scream 1 had remained strong since its launch in 2019, yet by early 2023, organic downloads were showing a noticeable decline. This was where Yodo1’s years of experience in publishing and growing games became a major factor. Here’s Co-CEO and Co-founder Ion Ocasar on what happened next: “One of the suggestions provided by Yodo1 to increase downloads was to implement a native pop-up asking users for reviews. We implemented this feature in one of our earlier games that didn’t have such a pop-up, and it significantly improved our reviews. We are constantly occupied with new projects, and these improvement suggestions make us open our eyes to see possibilities for enhancing games that are already published.”

The result of these strategic ASO improvements led to a stratospheric rise in reviews from 2-3 per day to 200-300!

In addition to these new in-app rating prompts, the Yodo1 Growth Team did an in-depth keyword analysis to uncover further potential opportunities. Following this assessment, the team recommended that Ice Scream focus on getting rankings for new short and long-tail keywords that showed moderate levels of popularity and competition. For example “creepy games” (Popularity: 36, Competitiveness: 49). This, in conjunction with the keyword changes, resulted in a complete course correction from the downward downloads trend, doubling organic downloads, and pushing Ice Scream to #3 in “creepy games” on iPhone, and #2 on iPad. Impressive!

A Great Team

The team at Keplerians continues to brainstorm and work towards future projects, able to focus on the creative side of things while knowing that Yodo1 has their back when it comes to monetization, ASO, collaborations, and more. Daily, fast, and effective communication channels are open for any issues that come up, saving the developers’ time.

Ion Ocasar sums it up like this: “Yodo1 are constantly looking for ways to improve results, and we make a great team.”

We look forward to that teamwork continuing as we work with Keplerians toward continued growth and—best of all—more scary games!

Key Takeaways from Keplerians’ Journey

Find your niche: When Keplerians realized they’d found a hit with horror, they went all in on the genre, building franchises.
Organic marketing through social media: Keplerians effectively built a pipeline to advertise to their biggest fans.
Seek outside help when you need it: Growth and expansion are specialized skills that indie developers can outsource.
Experiment: IP collaborations and other in-game events generate buzz and further growth; doing new things with ASO, even small tweaks, can have big results.
Collaborate: Take every opportunity to reach new players by working with others, whether gaming influencers or IPs.

Are you feeling stuck in your game growth journey, wondering if you could be doing more, and doing it better? At Yodo1 we love to promote great games and help our partners succeed. Check out our Game Growth Accelerator Program to find out more.

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The post Behind the Screams: How an Indie Gaming Studio Carved Out a Horror Niche first appeared on Yodo1.

Game Growth Strategies: Boosting Your Game Globally with Strategic Localization

alexandra nazarbegov — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:19:44 +0000

Game Growth Strategies: Boosting Your Game Globally with Strategic Localization

So you built a game, launched it into the world, and it’s thriving! You’re monitoring and updating it, players are enthusiastic and your community is growing. That’s amazing! But you believe your game can go even further. So what comes next? Well, maybe it’s time for strategic localization. This can be a powerful way to increase the reach of your game, build global communities, boost retention, and ultimately create your own luck when it comes to game growth.

Don’t take our word for it. According to App Annie, 50% of the top 10 countries for downloads and revenue in the App Store are non-English speaking, predominantly from Europe and East Asia, and it’s even more for Google Play.

In this article, we will explore different sides of localization as a game growth strategy, and provide practical tips for how you can reach a global audience of players without breaking the bank. Let’s dive in!

What is Localization?

Going global with your game means speaking the language of your audience, literally. It’s about expanding your player base and boosting player retention and long-term engagement by understanding the motivations, preferences, and cultural uniqueness of your potential players around the world. This involves tailoring your game’s content, marketing materials, store listings, and overall messaging to resonate with specific demographics and regions.

But where do you begin? Well, let’s get into it! We’ve got practical suggestions and case studies to show what steps to take, how they work, and why they are important.

Pillar 1: Game Translation

Translation might be the most obvious part of localization, but there’s more to it than you might think. If you do a simple translation, even if the result seems natural (to you!), are you capturing the nuances? Connotations don’t translate easily across languages. Your task is to craft a cohesive gaming experience that is extra-welcoming to players from a particular region.

At Yodo1, we’ve found a keyword-focused approach to translation to be the most successful–at least initially. Translating a whole game is generally time and resource-intensive, so dip your toes in with keywords and go from there (as time and resources allow). Do keyword research in tools like Semrush or App Radar in your target language just as you would for your English store listing, and then, test! For example, maybe you want to localize your fantasy game for the German market. You may find that the term ‘Zauberer’ (Wizard) resonates more deeply with players than ‘Magier’ (Mage), despite their similar meanings in the game’s context.

You need to identify those magic keywords (through A/B testing) that will connect with prospective players, but if you don’t know enough about the region in question, consider hiring a freelancer from the target country via Fiverr or Upwork to fine-tune your keywords and make sure they resonate from a local perspective. You could also consider reaching out directly to some of the players in your community to ask for input and refine your region-specific messaging. You may also consider crowdsourcing translations in your player community, as games like Idle Slayer have done, to great success.

Even in countries that speak the same language—like Portugal and Brazil, for example—you’ll find a lot of subtle differences, especially when it comes to colloquial terms or slang. Authenticity in the little things can make a difference, so make sure you give this the attention it needs.

Pillar 2: In-game Content Localization

While translating parts of your game is a good start, that’s not even scratching the surface. Creating unique content for specific regions can show players that you understand their culture and genuinely care about them, which helps build strong bonds and can foster community. When you have that bond, players are likely to stick around longer. Yes, it boosts retention, which is a key component of a game’s overall success long term.

That’s why content localization is the second pillar of effective game localization. Put simply, it’s taking adaptation to another level by crafting experiences that incorporate specific cultural and regional elements.

“Well yes, that sounds great,” you may be thinking, “but how?”

Two primary approaches can work magic here.

The first approach is adding relevant in-game cultural content, and adapting parts of the game to highlight important elements in specific cultures and regions. You’ve already been analyzing your game’s market performance data (right?), so you can make informed decisions about which areas to invest your time and resources in to give you the best odds of success, whether that’s an increase in downloads, higher retention, etc.

Here at Yodo1, we’ve successfully used cultural events like Chinese New Year, for example, to craft specific in-game events and content for our game Rodeo Stampede, and it always results in exceptional player engagement. Players are drawn not just to the fun gameplay, but also to the sense of community and local connection as virtual celebrations overlap with real ones. This is where you really get to exercise your creativity!

The second approach that can really pay off is collaborations with local content creators; after all, they already know their audience and often wield significant influence within their regions. By partnering with them, you can tap into their unique insights and work together to create game-related content that local/native players will love.

Integrating localized content is not just about adapting the game; it’s about creating an authentic and personalized gaming journey, bridging the cultural divide, and forging strong connections with global audiences. But how does this work in the real world?

Case Study: Crossy Road in South Korea

In 2015, the development team behind Crossy Road tapped into the power of tailored localization after noticing an organic surge in the game’s popularity in South Korea. Crucially, they were quick to react to the opportunity, creating an exclusive update designed specifically for South Korean gamers, incorporating cultural elements and familiar references.

In this case, the South Korean update introduced 10 new characters, including one inspired by the iconic K-Pop star, Psy, who quickly became an in-game favorite–he even recorded all his in-game sounds!

And the game’s localization efforts didn’t stop there.

After members of the mega-boyband BTS mentioned the game on Twitter, the Crossy Road team was again quick to capitalize on it. They sent plush toys modeled after the game’s beloved chickens to the group, who then shared these gifts on their Twitter accounts, further boosting the game’s reach.

The result? Crossy Road stayed at the number 1 download spot in the Google Play charts in South Korea for nearly 50 days!

What can we learn from Crossy Road’s successful strategy?

Tailored localization can have a profound impact on player engagement and community bonding
Introducing culturally relevant content in games makes players feel valued and understood, and investing in these elements can amplify a game’s appeal and foster strong connections in the focus region.
Monitoring trends so you can strike while the iron is hot can yield significant dividends—this success story started with an initial unexpected, organic boost. Allocating resources intelligently allowed the team to leverage existing trends and amplify what was already working, rather than trying to generate hype where none existed.

These few examples of how strategic localization can make a huge difference are just the tip of the iceberg. In today’s mobile gaming market, having an effective localization strategy can be the magic formula that helps you stand out from the crowd and take your game to the next level.

Localization Playbook

Localization that is smart, personalized, and above all strategic is key for developers who want to grow a game to its fullest potential. Putting in the effort needed in this area can make the difference between being a successful, regional hit–and a global one.

Here are a few actionable points to recap what we’ve covered above, and get you started on the right foot with your localization efforts.

Research before diving in: Before investing in full-scale localization, do your research and make sure you understand the market and potential audience.

Localize based on data: Prioritize localization in regions where your game already has traction or shows potential based on the data. Build on organic trends.

Use keyword analysis early: Before translating everything, use keyword analysis to identify which are most relevant to your game, and focus on those first.

Deepen cultural connections: When localizing, go beyond mere translation by incorporating cultural nuances, slang, and local trends. Add content related to local cultural events or holidays.

Collaborate with local influencers: Partner with regional content creators to help introduce and promote your game in their communities.

Stay alert to regional trends: Continue to monitor your game’s performance by region, so you can respond quickly if you notice a sudden spike in a particular area, like the Crossy Road example in South Korea.

We believe that great games make the world a better and more joyful place, and that game developers are modern-day wizards. Well, sometimes even wizards can use a hand. To learn more about how Yodo1 helps game developers at every stage reach the next level of growth, check out our Game Growth Accelerator program.

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How an Indie Mobile Game Built a Legacy

alexandra nazarbegov — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:01:24 +0000

How an Indie Mobile Game Built a Legacy

Recently, IP collaborations in games have gone from a little-known marketing tactic to a widespread, powerful strategy for growth. One need only look at Fortnite’s constant stream of collaborations to see just how successful they can be. In gaming, these may take the form of limited-time IP and brand collaborations, or crossovers with other games. While the upside for such events can be huge, allowing games to tap into massive fanbases with overlapping demographics, the real challenge and skill is in matching the right game with the right IP.

Retro pixel art game Idle Slayer was going from strength to strength since Pablo Leban left his stable job to follow his dream of making games. His creativity and community-building skills all came into play, and in less than a year, Idle Slayer hit the magical million downloads on Google Play. Strategic efforts in UA and organic marketing followed, with Yodo1 helping the game reach the next level of scale, quadrupling its player base in a matter of months (read about it in the previous part of this series). The game was a true hit, and soon the potential of an IP collaboration became an exciting—and realistic—prospect.

Idle Slayer x Shovel Knight

Idle Slayer’s journey took an exciting turn with its crossover with Shovel Knight, an iconic 2D side-scrolling platform game from Yacht Club Games with an 8-bit graphics style that, side-by-side, seems a match made in heaven. The classic game has collaborated with major IPs and brands, including Fall Guys, Super Smash Bros., Arby’s, and more.

Pablo eventually met up with Yodo1 IP Licensing Manager Ismael Jorge while they were both attending GDC (Game Dev Connect) in San Francisco. Among other things, they talked through what an IP crossover might look like for Idle Slayer–something that Pablo had been considering for some time. He wanted to work with Shovel Knight for its synergies in aesthetic and audience appeal, but it also resonated with him on a personal level, making it a top-tier choice for collaboration.

If his many game dev talents weren’t enough, Pablo is also a thoughtful businessman who considers every move of his game’s growth trajectory with extreme care, and he had quite a few questions.

“Even though he is a solo developer, he doesn’t have the mindset of one. He can execute, rather than come up with a list of nice-to-have things that will never get done. When he commits to something, he will deliver,” says Ismael.

Pablo made up his mind. It was indeed time for the next phase of Idle Slayer’s growth, and in Yodo1, he believed he had the right partner for the job.

“My aim was to bring Shovel Knight features into Idle Slayer, including its characters and ways to play. In this collaboration, you’ll see characters you recognize, as well as a boss fight and elements from Shovel Knight’s universe,” says Pablo about the collab.

Was Yodo1’s IP licensing team able to get Shovel Knight on board for the collab? You bet!

The iconic character would appear in Idle Slayer via a unique mechanic, which came about through back-and-forth brainstorming between Pablo and Ismael. The idea was to trigger the special event with a glitched special random box, instantly bringing a new level of magic and excitement into the game. Announced on the official Idle Slayer Twitter account on October 14th, 2023, and running for a limited time from November 1st to December 1st, 2023, the collaboration was highly anticipated.

Players were offered six new quest segments, a fresh boss fight, and a special collaboration skin, available for purchase with Jewels of Soul exclusively during the event. Players embarked on a quest where they encountered the Shovel Knight in a new story set in the Idle Slayer universe, complete with classic Shovel Knight elements and, as mentioned earlier, a challenging boss fight.

Pablo adds, “In this collaboration, I focused on including many references to Shovel Knight for fans to enjoy. I put special attention on the boss fight, as it’s a standout feature in the Shovel Knight series.”

The collaboration proved to be a massive success, resulting in a staggering 650% spike in revenue following its launch, holding strong at a 70% increase by day ten. On top of this, Idle Slayer saw a nearly 100% increase in ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) by day ten, indicating not just more players, but more engaged players. Pablo worked closely with Yodo1’s IP licensing team to bring it to fruition, from the planning stage to asset creation, story elements, contract negotiation, promotional materials, and more. Situations like these are where Yodo1 can really leverage its secret sauce as a large mobile games publisher to make sure IPs and games are a good fit. Integrating an IP into a game successfully requires a skilled and experienced hand.

And if you’re wondering whether this is the end of Idle Slayer’s IP-crossover ventures, just keep your eyes peeled on the horizon for something Titan-sized lumbering toward you.

If You Build It, They Will Come

Despite working alone, Pablo has showcased a remarkable capacity in executing both creative and technical aspects of game development, including original art and coding, driven by a deep love for gaming, an engaged community, and a passion for making the best game possible. When you boil it down, this is the secret to success. But key partnerships, if done well, can propel great games like Idle Slayer to new levels of growth and scale, leveraging know-how, resources, and fellow game lovers.

Idle Slayer’s story isn’t over yet—not by a long shot. The journey continues, and we are delighted to be a part of it.

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How an Indie Game Achieved Global Scale

alexandra nazarbegov — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:50:53 +0000

How an Indie Game Achieved Global Scale

In late 2020, Pablo Leban left his job to pursue his passion: developing games. Wearing all the hats, he set out to create the game he wanted to play, powered by an engaged community. Less than a year later, in June 2021, Idle Slayer hit a million downloads on Google Play–a major milestone! It was around this time that he partnered with Yodo1 to help boost revenue and improve key growth metrics. A less ambitious developer might have stopped there, but Pablo was just getting started.

Let’s explore how Idle Slayer made the most of strategic marketing activities to reach the next level of scale on his growth journey.

Time to Scale

In July 2022, Yodo1 approached Pablo with a simple yet ambitious proposal: to double Idle Slayer’s downloads in just four months via UA. Why so confident? Working together up to that point had made one thing clear: the game had legs! The team believed in it.

For most games, UA is a daunting prospect. Why? Well, to put it (too) simply, if the Cost Per Install (CPI) is higher than the LTV, it makes little financial sense—it costs more to bring a player into the game via paid marketing than the player will generate over their lifetime playing the game. This is typically because players download a game, play it once, and then never come back (and thus, never buy anything or click on an ad). However, games with excellent retention (42% of D1 in Idle Slayer) and engagement have a big advantage. A well-balanced game economy will make loyal players want to buy in-game items, or click on rewarded ads, thus increasing LTV, and ideally eclipsing CPI.

All that to say, Idle Slayer was in a good place, and working closely with Pablo earlier had allowed the team at Yodo1 to get a clear indication of the game’s UA potential. Pablo agreed to the proposal, working closely with Head of Game Marketing Nadiia Marchynska and her team.

About working with Pablo, Nadiia says, “From the first week of testing everything screamed ‘Let’s scale this game’ – IMPs, CPI, early retention signals, LTV metrics and we hadn’t even switched on any targeting at that point!”

The results were not only positive, they even outpaced projections. Idle Slayer ended up reaching 2.5X growth in the initial four-month period, and at the time of writing, the game’s Daily Active Users (DAU) have quadrupled since UA activities began.

It marked the start of a new chapter focused on expanding the game’s reach to a whole new audience–a global one. The fact is, Pablo built a great game, and he was simply able to leverage Yodo1’s experience and resources to boost the game, allowing it to reach its impressive potential. Not a diamond in the rough…a diamond in need of a megaphone.

What this really shows is that the game was already great on its own, and success was simply a matter of reaching more people. This is such an obvious thing to say, but yet it needs to be said: It always comes down to the game, the community, and the passion of the developer. UA may not be a good fit for a game that struggles with retention. But if a game is truly fun and addictive, and keeps players coming back for more, achieving scale is well within reach.

The UA strategy with Idle Slayer aimed to branch out widely across ad networks. This wasn’t just about casting a wider net; it was about deliberately expanding the game’s presence into new GEOs, particularly finding success in Latin American markets, English-speaking countries like the United States, and even Japan.

UA + Organic Marketing

Over the months following Idle Slayer’s initial boost, the approach evolved to integrate organic marketing alongside UA. Collaborations with Spanish-speaking YouTubers were already in Pablo’s repertoire of marketing activities. Picking up where these left off, Sandy Smith (Game Marketing Lead) and her team developed a growth strategy spanning all social media channels and partnering with content creators on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

On the organic strategy, Sandy explains, “If you can gain a deep understanding of your potential players and their interests, you should be able to uncover the unique things that make your game stand out from the crowd. Then amplify them in your social creatives. In the case of Idle Slayer, the key has been an emphasis on the unique retro aesthetic. We also discovered that tagging posts with ‘#retrogaming’ significantly increased views. Who would have guessed?”

@idle_slayer SPEEEEEEED #idleslayer #freegame #8bit #speed ♬ If We Ever Broke Up – Mae Stephens

Yodo1 essentially became Pablo’s full-stack marketing team, balancing organic and paid marketing efforts to continually push overall performance. Here is where Pablo showed his capacity for big-picture thinking: creating a great game that keeps players deeply engaged is one side of the coin, but continually exploring new markets and testing new marketing strategies is also a critical aspect of long-term success. Remember, this is a one-man team developing a game, but by partnering with Yodo1 to help with everything from game growth strategies, and ad optimization, to marketing, Idle Slayer was able to hit its stride without the need to hire full-time employees. Smart.

Idle Slayer’s growth continues at an unchecked pace, ranking as high as #51 for roleplaying games in the US and Canada, with millions of downloads worldwide, and a truly global community. There’s even a dedicated wiki where players can share experiences, help each other, and give feedback (including crowdsourced translations). Onward and upward!

But what can a game like Idle Slayer do to reach a still wider audience of potential players? For a strategically-minded developer like Pablo, IP licensing seemed like the answer, leading to an exciting crossover with the classic side-scroller Shovel Knight. To learn about it, check out the next part of the story here.

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How an Indie Game Got Its First Million Players

alexandra nazarbegov — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:00:58 +0000

How an Indie Game Got Its First Million Players

Retro pixel art game Idle Slayer is the brainchild of creative powerhouse Pablo Leban. This jack-of-all-trades solo developer combined his love for gaming and his core belief in engaged communities to carve out a unique niche in a crowded gaming industry—turning a passion project into a huge financial success in a remarkably short time.

In this series of articles, we want to go behind the scenes into the incredible growth journey of Idle Slayer, which at the time of writing has just completed an exciting IP crossover with the classic fan-favorite Shovel Knight. It’s a tale of innovation, community building, love for the game, and strategic partnerships. There are deep lessons here for every game developer, so if you’ve come for your daily dose of inspiration, you won’t be disappointed.

Let’s jump in.

In the Beginning

In September 2020, Pablo decided to take a big step: he quit his job to start working full-time as a developer—creating his own game. The concept would distill his lifelong passion for games into an epic gaming project that could be shared with a community of fellow gamers, who would help it evolve and grow over time.

And that’s exactly what happened. From day one, Pablo put his community front and center, using ideas and feedback from players to continually improve the game, and this, combined with an intuition for creating those magical elements that make great games, well, great, put him firmly on the path to success.

A player on Reddit asks: “Thanks Pablo for updating the game! But also why?”

Pablo’s reply: “Player engagement is what motivates me the most…Some days I make music, some I do social management and data analytics and some other days I do coding and game design…I really love what I’m doing and for now I don’t see any reason to stop

I just treat the game as a game I would like to play, with constant updates and tons of content.”

Spend just a few minutes in Idle Slayer’s Discord, Reddit, or Patreon communities and you will see what happens when a developer who deeply cares about the player experience meets an equally passionate community whose voices are being heard.

All the while, Pablo was adding fresh content, building lore, and coming up with standout game features like the highly addictive random box-opening mechanic that players love.

If you haven’t played it, Idle Slayer is a retro pixel art game available across Android, iOS, and Steam. The game draws you in with its deceptively simple yet progressively intricate gameplay—quickly becoming addictive, as we know from experience! You start off collecting coins and enjoying the melodic 8-bit tunes, and pretty soon you’re looking at a skill tree that could stand toe-to-toe with the best AAA games out there. There are over 600 in-game achievements, and eight special zones, each with unique enemies and random events.

There’s a reason it has gained over 100,000 five-star reviews across Google Play and the App Store. Pablo poured his heart and soul into the game, and it shows.

Creating a game that both he and others were passionate about paid off in spades: by June of 2021, Idle Slayer hit a million downloads on Google Play, and at that point, Pablo could have congratulated himself and coasted. He didn’t, though. It was just the beginning.

Next-level Growth

The early success of Idle Slayer hinged on robust core metrics, which drove its momentum. These were, most importantly, excellent player retention, high engagement rates, and solid LTV (Lifetime Value).

These aren’t metrics that can be improved with short-lived gimmicks or out-of-the-box game growth strategies. Instead, Pablo’s focus on an experience-centric approach made all the difference, making the most of feedback to fuel improvements and new ideas. This led to more players consistently returning, eager for more. It’s worth noting that high retention and LTV are critical for effective User Acquisition (UA) strategies, but more on that in the next article.

Not long after hitting the million downloads milestone, Pablo partnered with Yodo1, initially to help with ad revenue, which soon doubled. More importantly for Idle Slayer’s continued growth, he was now able to access a team of pros who could leverage their 10+ years’ experience as mobile game publishers to further optimize his game, improve overall performance metrics, help balance the game economy, and develop and implement growth strategies. During this period, Pablo was working closely with Hicham Rkini, who heads up monetization and growth, Marina Espin, currently leading IP licensing, as well as others on the team–all fully focused on helping Idle Slayer grow.

Recalling the early days of the partnership, Hicham says, “I spent many weeks playing Idle Slayer, and I always believed it had the potential to be very successful, which it eventually became. Over time, we continued to release new versions of our ad monetization SDK to enhance performance. Pablo was one of the earliest partners to upgrade, demonstrating his trust in our product. This contributed significantly to the game’s stability and high monetization performance.”

It wasn’t long before Idle Slayer’s eCPM (effective Cost Per Mille) and ARPDAU (Average Revenue Per Daily Active User) had improved dramatically, in addition to the overall boost in ad revenue. Japan, the US, and the UK all saw a full 2X eCPM boost in iOS versions of the game, and by now there were clear indications that there was room to scale. And scale it did.

Driven by a deep love for gaming, an engaged community, and a passion for making the best game possible, Pablo’s vision had become a reality. When you boil it down, the recipe for success is all there. But key partnerships, if done well, can take great games like Idle Slayer to new levels of growth and scale, leveraging experience, resources, and a mutual love for the craft.

In the next part of the story, learn how Idle Slayer made the most of its early success and solid metrics to scale to the next level with strategic UA campaigns and organic marketing.

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Is Your Mobile Game UA-Ready?

alexandra nazarbegov — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 17:45:26 +0000

Is Your Mobile Game UA-Ready?

User Acquisition (UA) is key to sustainably scaling your game in highly competitive app stores, yet many developers don’t know if their game is ready for it. With so much to do and often alone or with a small team, it’s easy to start doing UA at the wrong time (especially too early), resulting in wasted time, effort, and money.

At Yodo1, we don’t like to see developers throwing money out the window, and wasting time on something that has little chance of working. Before you consider UA, you need to know how to judge whether your game is ready for it.

In this article, we’ll get into the key metrics that need to be considered before doing UA, and explore how these can be improved. Let’s begin!

Key Metrics for UA Readiness

As with any investment, you want to make sure the numbers are on your side. The metrics we’re going to look at are like secret ingredients in a recipe—get them right, and you’ve got a winning dish. Get them wrong and you’ve created an infinite money-losing black hole. Let’s explore what these metrics are and why they’re so important.

CPI and LTV

Imagine CPI (Cost Per Install) and LTV (Lifetime Value) as a balancing act. CPI gauges the cost-effectiveness of acquiring new users, while LTV gives you a peek into the revenue a player generates over time. The magic happens when you manage to keep CPI low and LTV high – that’s where User Acquisition becomes not just viable but profitable in the long run. Remember, though, that CPI can vary a lot across genres, platforms, marketing platforms, and regions, so don’t take CPI out of context!

Retention

High retention is very important—it signals the loyalty of your players. This is the bedrock of growth and a key indicator that your game has what it takes to grow further. High retention is linked directly to LTV, as players who stick around longer tend to be more likely to drive revenue over the long term.

At this point, someone may ask, “OK but what counts as strong retention? My game’s Day 1 retention is 20%. Is that enough?”

Let’s consider that example. Generally, you would look at retention on Day 1 (D1) as the first indicator of your UA campaign’s performance, but moving forward you need to start looking at longer cohorts to see how many users actually retain beyond the first day. It is common to observe a retention curve up to 60 or even 90 days depending on your game’s genre (it would be very common, for example, for more casual games to retain very few players beyond 60 days).

Remember that every game genre is different, and player behavior and retention rates tend to differ between iOS and Android, so a UA team like Yodo1’s will have different benchmarks depending on the situation. And with that disclaimer out of the way, back to the example.

If D1 retention is 20%, you would then need to look at the falloff in retention over time. Let’s say from D1 to D30 retention decreases by 80% (not unusual). That leaves you with a D30 retention of 4%. Yes, that is close to the average, but is the average good enough?

D1 and D7 rolling retention by genre via Business of Apps

The real question is, if you have retained 4% of players by D30, are they generating enough revenue to have made your UA investment worthwhile?

In most cases, the answer is…probably not but it depends! Yodo1’s UA team generally follows the industry benchmark of around 30% D1 retention. Assuming a similar falloff, let’s say that would be around 7% by D30. In most cases, this should be good enough (depending on other factors) and can be a good point of reference for developers deciding whether or not to invest in UA, although you would still want to aim higher. It’s important to restate here that there are a lot of factors, and each game should be evaluated case by case, and genre by genre. For instance, strategy games may have a lower D1 retention compared to casual games, yet still retain a higher percentage of players long-term.

Game Economy Metrics

So, you’ve retained enough players, but enough for what exactly? Enough to make your game profitable, of course! To put it another way, the money your game generates from players over the long term is more than the money you invest into acquiring those players. If not, UA becomes an infinite money-losing black hole (which is bad).

Typical ways to monetize players:
1 – In-app purchases (IAPs)
2 – Ads (like rewarded videos or interstitials)

It’s important to understand how these fit into the overall player experience, and how effective they are in generating revenue. You want players to convert and purchase your IAPs. And if your game uses ads, you want players to interact with and/or view them (obviously). So then, you need to look at the metrics that tell you how well your IAPs and ads are performing.

For IAPs, you should be looking at and optimizing conversion rates for things like consumables, skins, battle passes, ad removal, etc. IAPs should not be an afterthought and if they are, your players will know. A good tip here would be to reflect on the games that make you want to pay for in-game items.

For ads, eCPM (effective Cost Per Mille) is important, as well as IMP/DAU (Impressions Per Daily Active User). eCPM tells you the average earnings for every 1000 ad impressions, helping you understand which types of ads are more profitable and which placements or formats work best in your game. A higher eCPM means more effective ads that resonate with your audience, leading to increased revenue. Meanwhile, IMP/DAU measures the average number of ads shown to each active user daily. This metric helps maintain a balance between engaging the user and not overwhelming them with ads. These two metrics go hand-in-hand to help you create a seamless experience where ads are integrated naturally into the gameplay, adding value to the player experience while also contributing to your monetization strategy.

Finally, to get a bigger picture of your revenue, look at ARPDAU (Average Revenue Per Daily Active User). Optimizing all these monetization metrics over time is important for long-term profitability when doing UA.

Note that specific mobile game monetization benchmark metrics aren’t being provided here because “good” can vary a lot from one game to the next. For example, eCPM factors in the country your players are in, the game’s genre, and the platform, among other variables. The key thing for this article is to understand how these metrics tie into your game’s overall profitability. If your retention is solid but those players who stick around aren’t generating enough revenue for LTV to surpass CPI, your focus should be on improving monetization metrics like eCPM, IMP/DAU, conversion rates, and ARPDAU–before you get into UA.

Rewarded ads eCPM for Android via Statista

At Yodo1, we run UA across our games and our partners’ games on a large scale. It’s enabled us to gather a treasure trove of information, and from that standpoint, the takeaways are clear: if the key metrics highlighted above don’t reach certain benchmarks, running UA campaigns likely isn’t worth it—no matter how good your ads are.

But if your metrics aren’t there, don’t give up! You may not be ready for UA yet, but that’s knowledge that is saving you time and money. Take it as a challenge to optimize and refine your game to improve those numbers so that UA then becomes a viable growth strategy for you later down the line. You can also use Yodo1’s UA and Publishing assessment tool to get a clear picture of where your game is now.

An In-Depth Approach to Growth

Yodo1 has been in the game (pun intended) for a long time. With billions of players across our games, we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to make a game succeed at each stage of its growth lifecycle. A critical inflection point is what we call ‘scale’. That’s where UA becomes profitable and viable over the long term.

To help developers with effective mobile game growth strategies, we launched the Yodo1 Growth Accelerator Program, which takes a comprehensive approach to preparing games for successful User Acquisition. This begins with a thorough analysis of a game’s key metrics as listed above, comparing them against industry benchmarks to identify both strengths and areas that need improvement. Then we work hand-in-hand with developers to optimize the game and its metrics over time, leveraging our 10+ years of experience as game publishers. On the monetization front, we help boost those monetization metrics and make sure the overall game economy is well-balanced as you move forward and grow.

As your game growth partner, we want to help you take your game from where it is now to the next level, then on the next, and beyond. We believe in the power of games, and the unlimited creative genius of game developers. If this sounds like you, apply for the growth accelerator program today!

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The post Is Your Mobile Game UA-Ready? first appeared on Yodo1.

Boosting App Store Optimization for Games with Ratings and Reviews

alexandra nazarbegov — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:40:54 +0000

Boosting App Store Optimization for Games with Ratings and Reviews

Hicham Rkini, Head of Monetization & Growth | Yodo1

For game developers aiming to carve a niche in the crowded mobile gaming market, getting ASO right is critical—but it’s easier said than done. Beyond keywords, descriptions, screenshots, and icons, one often underestimated tool at a developer’s disposal is player feedback in the form of ratings and reviews. There’s a reason app stores dedicate whole sections to them! These elements don’t just reflect player sentiment; they are pivotal in app store optimization for games, directly influencing discoverability, user acquisition, and overall game success.

In this article, we’ll explore the nuances of ratings and reviews as a game growth strategy, and look at a real-world example from one of our partners, Keplerians—a name synonymous with engaging horror titles. We will dive deep into the potential of strategically managed ratings and reviews, offering game developers actionable insights to supercharge their downloads and the game’s popularity. Let’s dive in!

Dual Pillars: Ratings vs. Reviews

Ratings: Think of ratings as the immediate pulse checks of player sentiment. They are quantitative, ranging from 1 to 5. A game’s overall rating offers a quick barometer of its reception, letting potential players gauge its perceived quality in a split second.
Reviews: Reviews dive deeper, offering in-depth feedback. They serve as platforms for players to express detailed thoughts, vent frustrations, appreciate features, or suggest improvements. While ratings might indicate a game’s health, reviews provide the diagnosis.

How Ratings Impact ASO

Ratings are a key component of any app or game listing storefront. They directly influence the player’s first impression and decision to either explore a game further or just scroll on by. Many potential players may not be diving into individual reviews before deciding whether or not to download a game, but they will inevitably see how many ratings a game has, and the average rating score. The fact that the overall ratings average and number of ratings is front and center on both the App Store and Google Play Stores’ game listing pages gives more support to the importance of this stat.

Algorithmic preference: Both app stores use ratings as a core metric within their ranking algorithms, highlighting them as key ASO ranking factors. It goes without saying, but must be said, that games with superior ratings generally find themselves with better organic positioning. However, it’s important to note that numbers matter here. A game with 5 ratings a week and a perfect score will generally not be as highly-favorited as a game with 1,000 reviews coming in per week, and a lower overall score. More reviews? That’s generally better! More on that later.

Fully Leveraging Reviews

Reviews are the voices behind the scores. Each one is a gamer telling their story, pointing out the good, the bad, and the fixable. The more reviews you get, the better you understand your game and your players. This is surprisingly not front-and-center for many developers. Let’s look into why it should be.

Feedback reservoir: Each review serves as a goldmine of feedback, with potential insights into gameplay mechanics, UX/UI decisions, in-app purchase structures, and more. Imagine that players are free playtesters, exploring every nook and cranny of the game, and letting you know what they think. This is a particularly useful mindset when it comes to ‘angry’ reviews. Often, it’s a loyal player frustrated about a very specific yet fixable issue, who cares enough to let you know. They may leave a one-star review simply to get your attention. In this case, you have the opportunity to learn something critical and improve your game for other players who experience the same issue. Bonus: if you deal with this type of player respectfully and resolve their issue, they are likely to update the rating.

Quantity matters: An aspect often overlooked is the importance of frequency and quantity. In other words, how often are players leaving ratings or reviews on your game? How many are you getting per day? It’s critical to focus on getting as many as possible simply because that feeds into the algorithms that make your game more likely to be recommended. And it would then go without saying that more reviews and ratings (especially good ones) will draw more potential players, for the reasons noted above, to say nothing about the massive potential for new insights that such a boost could bring, creating a feedback loop that can drive your game even further up the charts! Here, we look at a metric called DPR, or Downloads Per Rating, which simply means the number of downloads you need to get a rating. The goal is to make this number as small as possible.

Case-in-point: Keplerians’ ASO Masterstroke

Keplerians, known for their captivating horror games, has been a Yodo1 partner since 2019. We have helped them with everything from monetization to game growth strategies. As veterans in publishing, with over 3.5 billion players and counting, ASO is well within our wheelhouse. And so we were pleased to help when Keplerians approached us with an ASO challenge. Together, we crafted a game-changing approach that sent Ice Scream 1 soaring in rankings. Here’s what happened:

Despite the strong download numbers for Ice Scream 1 since its 2019 launch, there was a disparity in the conversion to reviews. Keplerians had been counting on organic store visits for players to leave reviews. But in a space where ASO algorithms favor higher ratings and more reviews, this passive strategy was leaving a gap.

Via Keplerians

This is when we made a critical recommendation. We’ll let Keplerians’ Co-CEO and Co-founder Ion Ocasar explain it in his own words: “One of the suggestions provided by Yodo1 to increase downloads was to implement a native pop-up asking users for reviews. We implemented this feature in one of our earlier games that didn’t have such a pop-up, and it significantly improved our reviews. We are constantly occupied with new projects, and these improvement suggestions make us open our eyes to see possibilities for enhancing games that are already published.”

Strategic timing: Keplerians utilized game analytics to pinpoint ‘moments of elation’ within the game. Review prompts were strategically placed at these junctures, maximizing the likelihood of positive feedback. What is a ‘moment of elation’? It’s something to test over time, but your initial thought is probably close to the mark. Achieving a milestone. Escaping from a terrifying situation. Getting a new item. Beating a level. These are all good candidates, but testing is essential, perhaps using heatmap analytics to arrive at data-driven optimal insertion points.

The result? A meteoric rise from 2-3 reviews a day to a whopping 200-300. This influx translated into better keyword rankings, elevated DAU (Daily Active Users), and a surge in organic downloads. But the influx of reviews wasn’t just useful for ASO. Keplerians used the feedback gained for iterative development, refining game mechanics, and resolving reported bugs.

These results speak volumes. The experience with Keplerians and Ice Scream 1 drives home the point that a well-aimed ASO approach can elevate a game’s visibility and success. By tapping into player engagement at the right moments, game studios can optimize their app store presence. In a landscape where every edge counts, smart ASO practices are a must for studios aiming high.

A Playbook for Making the Most of Ratings and Reviews

To recap and provide a simple playbook for leveraging reviews and ratings to boost your ASO strategy, here are some key actionable takeaways.

Prioritize ratings: Understand the vital role of ratings in shaping first impressions and influencing app store algorithms.
Deep dive into reviews: Treat each review as a feedback goldmine, especially ‘angry’ ones, using them to pinpoint areas for improvement.
Drive review quantity: Proactively encourage more frequent reviews and ratings, as both quality and quantity fuel recommendation algorithms.
Embrace feedback loops: Use the influx of reviews to refine game mechanics and enhance the overall player experience.
Tap into moments of elation: Strategically place review prompts after in-game achievements or milestones to maximize positive feedback.
Use ASO platforms: Monitor reviews, do sentiment analysis, and set up keyword-specific alerts to stay updated.
Engage with players: Respond promptly, positively, and constructively to player reviews. After all, they are your community.
Iterate based on feedback: Address in-game friction points identified by players to boost retention.

In the competitive arena of mobile gaming, ASO, ironically (because it doesn’t cost anything), is one of the most critical differentiators when it comes to standing out among other games. Ratings and reviews, as demonstrated by Keplerians, are not mere vanity metrics. They’re dynamic tools that, when leveraged with technical prowess and strategic intent, can catapult a game to the next level of growth.

To explore this and other ways that Yodo1 can help you boost your game’s performance and scale to the next level, book a call with our growth intelligence team today!

Game Growth