135 episodes
two & a half gamers Lancaric.me
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- Leisure
This is a no BS gaming podcast. We share insights, knowledge and fun gossip relating to the topics of User Acquisition, Game Design and Ad monetisation. You will find here actionable insights in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. A safe space where we mimic the honesty of a 4am conference discussion. Enjoy & let us know your feedback!
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Screw Jam success story: How to reach $250k/day revenue? Innovative & satisfying hybrid casual game
Screw Jam, developed by Quok Games and published by Rollic, is a successful mobile game with daily revenue of 150k+ in InApp Purchases and an additional 80k+ in Ads revenue. Screw Jam combines the mechanics of Tile Match and Zen Match, creating a unique gameplay experience. It features physics-based puzzles and a streak mechanic that adds depth and challenge to the gameplay. This hybrid casual game has a well-designed progression system, including a battle pass and various boosters.
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #111. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Youtube: https://youtu.be/CF4_FaWrpNc
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-29stniv6f-oLJzhx2U_mRB_ppXnJ9hvQ
March3D UA playbook: https://lancaric.substack.com/p/match-3d-ua-playbook-real-data-inside
Agenda
00:00 Epic intro
01:20 Introduction and Background of Qukk Games
03:23 The Success of Screw Jam
11:08 The Streak Mechanic and End Monetization
14:05 Unique Gameplay: Physics-Based Puzzles
16:32 Deterministic Levels and Mastering the Game
18:36 Exploring Gameplay Mechanics and Features
22:12 Analyzing Ad Placements
27:30 The Impact of Rewarded Ads
30:57 Speculating on Success and Scalability
35:30 Rollic Games' Strategy
36:39 Introduction to Mobile Game Advertising
37:08 Playable Ads and Reward Mechanisms
40:06 Exploring Hybrid Casual Games
43:21 The Use of Intellectual Property in Mobile Games
46:25 Leading Publishers in the Hybrid Casual Game Space
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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Takeaways
Overall, Screw Jam is praised for its innovative gameplay and satisfying experience. Screw Jam introduces various gameplay mechanics and features, such as ice blocks, shutter open mechanic, bomb mechanic, and chain mechanic.
The game utilizes different ad placements, including banners, interstitials, and rewarded ads.
We speculate on the potential success and scalability of Screw Jam, as well as the overall strategy of Rollic Games.
Rollic Games aims to have multiple successful games in their portfolio, following the hybrid casual genre.
Highlighting the impressive growth and revenue of Screw Jam within a short period of time. Playable ads are a popular trend in mobile game advertising, with many games using them as a format to engage users.
Hybrid casual games, which combine elements of casual and mid-core games, are gaining traction in the industry.
The use of intellectual property in mobile games is becoming more common, with some games incorporating well-known characters or themes.
Engaging with the podcast through likes, shares, and comments can help support its growth and provide valuable feedback.
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Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!
Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
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If you are interested in getting UA t -
Zombie.io global launch case study: A Midcore game with complex gameplay & wide range of features
Apocalyptic Zombie.io adventure is available now! Immerse yourself in this delightful casual shooting mobile game in Zombie.io, where you take on the role of an adorable potato protagonist.
The game unfolds in a world where extraterrestrial potatoes accidentally find themselves on Earth, forging an alliance with humans to combat the sudden zombie threat and save the world.
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #110. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Youtube: https://youtu.be/46wdtF6eNAE
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2ftcc85es-CesThaafn9k0BIFSVAV8FQ
Agenda
00:00 Epic intro
01:09 Introducing Zombie.io
03:04 Complex Gameplay and Confusion
06:07 Features and Events in Zombie IO
09:42 Rewarded Ads and Epic Heroes
12:32 Monetization Strategies
16:08 Automation and Gameplay
18:14 Exploring the Features of game
36:38 Introduction and Overview of 'Legend of Mushroom'
41:12 Analyzing the Game's Ad Placements
46:22 Discussion on Creative Strategies and Concepts
49:18 Reviewing the Mediation Stack and Ad Revenue
53:08 Final Thoughts and Rating
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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Takeaways
Zombie IO is a mid-core game with complex gameplay and many features.
The game automates many aspects of gameplay, allowing players to watch and progress.
Rewarded ads are heavily integrated into the game, providing players with additional rewards.
The game monetizes through in-app purchases, including battle passes and other items.
The company behind the game, JoyNet Games, has a history of successful games, including Legend of Mushroom.
The game's potential for high revenue may be limited due to its mid-core nature and target audience.
The gacha system is used to obtain powerful equipment and items.
The game's ad placements are extensive, and players may watch multiple rewarded ads per session.
AdMob is the primary ad mediation platform used in the game, providing a better user experience compared to other platforms. The game 'Legend of Mushroom' uses various creative concepts in its ads, including the 'twisted blades' and 'sword' creatives.
Jakub emphasized (again) the importance of social features in driving player engagement and retention.
There is potential for improvement in the game's mediation stack, with the addition of more networks to increase ad revenue.
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Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!
Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
---------------------------------------
If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-20 -
Helldivers 2 Special: Why is it so good? Second Galactic War Begins! New major Order!
HELLDIVERS 2 is a 3rd person squad-based shooter that sees the elite forces of the Helldivers battling to win an intergalactic struggle to rid the galaxy of the rising alien threats. From a 3rd person perspective, players use a variety of weapons (pistols, machine guns, flamethrowers) and stratagems (turrets, airstrikes, etc.) to shoot and kill the alien threats.
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers special session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Youtube: https://youtu.be/7HMSuq4v8y4
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2ftcc85es-CesThaafn9k0BIFSVAV8FQ
Agenda
00:00 Epic intro
07:20 Overview of Arrowhead and their games
13:07 Galactic War economy & systems
28:12 Commercial success of Helldivers2
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
---------------------------------------
Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!
Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
---------------------------------------
If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-2024-my-top?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true
Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
Felix Latest Article -
https://www.felixbraberg.com/post/the-end-of-gam-and-admob-placement-refreshes
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/two-half-gamers/message -
Supermarket Simulator Mobile: Why is it so popular? Start your own Supermarket now! (#109)
Supermarket Manager Simulator is a game developed by Digital Melody that has gained popularity and shot up the download charts. It is a hyper-casual game where players manage a #supermarket, stocking shelves, pricing items, and serving customers. The game has a first-person perspective and includes mini-games like checking out customers and managing inventory. The company behind the game, Digital Melody, is a small Polish company known for developing playable mobile games.
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #109. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Youtube: https://youtu.be/lV9ddnhvNwY
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2ftcc85es-CesThaafn9k0BIFSVAV8FQ
Agenda
00:00 Epic Intro
02:59 Supermarket Manager Simulator's Rise in Popularity
07:42 Product Deep Dive: Gameplay and Features
11:28 Optimizing Gameplay in Supermarket Manager Simulator
25:17 Enhancing the Metagame
28:38 Expanding Advertising Reach
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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Takeaways
Supermarket Manager Simulator is a hyper-casual game where players manage a supermarket.
The game includes mini-games like checking out customers and managing inventory.
Digital Melody, the company behind the game, is a small Polish company known for developing playable mobile games.
The game monetizes through rewarded videos and interstitial ads, but it is considered under-monetized. Consider adding banner ads and reducing cooldown times for interstitial ads to increase ad revenue.
Focus on improving the depth of the game's metagame to provide players with more long-term goals.
Explore running iOS campaigns and utilizing TikTok for advertising
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Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!
Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
---------------------------------------
If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-2024-my-top?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true
Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
Felix Latest Article -
https://www.felixbraberg.com/post/the-end-of-gam-and-admob-placement-refreshes
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/two-half-gamers/message -
CTV Special: Connected TV Ads examples Unpacked with Arthur from Vibe.co. Ideal customer for CTV?
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers special live session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Matej Lancaric, Arthur Querou
Youtube: https://youtu.be/4qFeVMbbbnc
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2ftcc85es-CesThaafn9k0BIFSVAV8FQ
Agenda
00:00 Introduction and Low Expectations of TV Creatives in the US
06:23 Running CTV Campaigns and Ad Experience
13:19 Data Partners and Audience Targeting
27:20 CPI Difference Between CTV and Facebook Ads
34:09 Examples of Successful Creatives
40:14 Contacting Vibe for CTV Advertising
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
Arthur Querou
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurquerou/
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Takeaways
CTV advertising offers precise targeting, retargeting, and measurement similar to Facebook and Google ads.
The minimum budget to start a CTV campaign is $50 a day, but it can scale up to hundreds of thousands or even millions for larger advertisers.
Simple, direct, and clear creatives tend to perform well in CTV advertising.
Incrementality measurement is important in understanding the full value of CTV advertising.
The ideal customer for CTV advertising is someone who understands that it takes time and investment to see results and is looking for a partner to navigate the evolving landscape.
---------------------------------------
Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!
Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
---------------------------------------
If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-2024-my-top?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true
Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
Felix Latest Article -
https://www.felixbraberg.com/post/the-end-of-gam-and-admob-placement-refreshes
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/two-half-gamers/message -
From Hypercasual to Hybridcasual - The Supercent story. Iterative nature & Admon w/ UA in grey zone
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #108. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Youtube: https://youtu.be/VyBThe0Ukq4
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-29stniv6f-oLJzhx2U_mRB_ppXnJ9hvQ
Agenda
00:00 Epic intro
01:07 Discussion on Hyper-Casual and Hybrid-Casual Games
06:10 Overview of Supercet Games and Revenue
07:29 Gameplay and Mechanics of Pizza Ready, Outlet's Rush, and Snake Clash
10:34 Comparison to My Perfect Hotel and Other Games
16:09 The Iterative Nature of Supercent Games
23:02 Aggressive Ad Monetization
25:43 Rewarded Video Placements and Interstitial Ads
27:14 Controversial Use of Players' Devices as a Botnet
30:07 Effectiveness of Aggressive Ad Monetization Strategies
38:37 Balancing Monetization and User Experience
41:37 The Aggressive and Creative Use of Branded Ads in Hypercasual Games
42:56 Earning Millions: The Investment in User Acquisition for Games like Outlast Rush and Pizza Ready
43:24 The Gray Area of Using Famous Logos and Brands in-Game Ads
45:06 Exploring the Unique Gameplay of Snake UA
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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Takeaways
Supercent games follow an iterative approach, with each new release improving upon the previous one.
The games, such as Pizza Ready, Outlet's Rush, and Snake Clash, share similar mechanics and features.
Supercent has achieved significant success with millions of downloads and substantial revenue.
There is potential for further expansion and innovation in the hyper-casual and hybrid-casual space.
Supercent games Pizza Ready and Outlet Rush heavily rely on ad revenue, with IAP revenue being a low percentage.
The games employ various ad placements, including rewarded video placements, interstitial ads, banner ads, and in-app open ads.
The aggressive ad monetization strategies in these games are effective in generating revenue.
The conversation highlights the need for a balance between monetization and user experience. Branded ads in hypercasual games can be aggressive and creative, using famous logos and brands to attract users.
The legality and effectiveness of using famous logos and brands in-game ads are gray areas, but they can generate attention and drive CPIs.
The Snake UA game is an interesting iteration of the classic Snake game, focusing on level-based gameplay and boss fights.
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Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!
Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!
Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
---------------------------------------
If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-2024-my-top?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=podca