Game Growth | Yodo1

Grumpyface Studios announces Castle Doombad: Free to Slay is available now on iOS and Android devices

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:39:00 +0000

Grumpyface Studios announces Castle Doombad:
Free to Slay is available now on iOS and Android devices

Published by Yodo1, Ltd., Castle Doombad: Free to Slay is free to download on iOS and Google Play. In addition to the Free to Slay version, a paid premium version called Castle Doombad Classic is set to launch next month on Steam (PC and Mac) on December 12, 2024. The Steam version is available for wishlisting here.

Indie developer Grumpyface Studios has announced their newest game release, Castle Doombad: Free to Slay, is now available to play on mobile devices!

Castle Doombad: Free to Slay is a tower defense puzzler that puts players in the sinister shoes of villain extraordinaire, Dr. Lord Evilstein. Armed with treacherous traps and monstrous minions, players must strategically defend their castle against waves of invading heroes seeking to rescue their captured. The villainous action takes place across over 70 campaign stages, multiple bonus gameplay modes, and with over 30 unique traps to unlock and upgrade and over 100 unlockable and equippable items to collect.

The original Castle Doombad was released back in 2014, developed by Grumpyface and published by Adult Swim Games, but years later became delisted from mobile app stores along with most of Adult Swims Games’ catalog. Since then, fans have been clamoring for its return. In response, Grumpyface has not only brought back the original hit Tower Defense gameplay, but also developed and added brand new never-before-seen content and features.

The new content includes an unlockable cosmetics system, called “spoils”, where the player can deck out their Dark Lord and his control room with various evil artifacts and stolen loot, each paired with their own equippable “Baddie Bonus” perks that make the player stronger. Also added is a robust new rougelite mode, “Dr. Lord Evilstein’s Roguevenge”. In Roguevenge, players must defend randomly-generated castle layouts and collect nefarious Nightmares that grant a range of villainous new powers and abilities.

Chris Graham, President and Creative Director of Grumpyface, shares his excitement: “Our small but passionate team has worked tirelessly to resurrect Castle Doombad, a game we’ve always been proud of and wanted to do more with. We’re so thrilled to finally have the opportunity to do just that, and I can’t wait for players to experience how much bigger and badder Castle Doombad has become!”

The team is also working on a Nintendo Switch release, expected to release next year, and a sequel titled Castle Doombad 2: Muahaha!

About Grumpyface Studios

Founded in 2010 by Chris Graham in Phoenix, Arizona, Grumpyface Studios has released 14 games across mobile, console, and desktop platforms that include Steven Universe: Save the Light, Steven Universe: Unleash the Light, Teeny Titans, Teen Titans: GO Figure!, and the original Castle Doombad.

Grumpyface has worked with numerous industry clients and publishers including Cartoon Network, Adult Swim Games, Warner Bros, DC, Mattel, and Nickelodeon, and has released products featuring both established IP and original IP creations. Their upcoming titles are set to expand the Castle Doombad strategy game IP, where players break bad and play the villain. Learn more at https://www.castledoombad.com

The post Grumpyface Studios announces Castle Doombad: Free to Slay is available now on iOS and Android devices first appeared on Yodo1.

5 Tips for Pitching Your Mobile Game to a Publisher

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 20:27:11 +0000

5 Tips for Pitching Your Mobile Game to a Publisher

Table of Contents

Showcase Your Team’s Experience
Micro-Innovation
Polish Your Core Game Loop
Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs)
Be Ready with Data that Matters

Getting a publisher is a big moment for any indie game developer. But since countless games are on the market today, making your pitch stand out may be the most important thing you can do. As both creators and indie mobile game publishers for over a decade now, we at Yodo1 have seen a lot of pitches, and we’ve noticed that the good ones have a few things in common.

In this article, we’ve summed up that knowledge into five essential tips to help you pitch your game and increase your chances of grabbing a publisher’s attention.

1. Showcase Your Team’s Experience

Publishers want to work with developers with a proven track record and specific expertise in game development. They want to see that your team has the strategic and tactical skills to consistently deliver over the long run.

Simply put, publishers are more likely to invest in teams that have proven the capability to execute their vision.

How can you show that you have what it takes? These three steps are a good place to begin:

Portfolio Presentation: Start by preparing a portfolio that highlights previous projects, emphasizing those that performed well or received positive feedback.
Team Bios: Include detailed biographies of key team members, showcasing their roles, experience, and contributions to past projects. Highlight any notable achievements or industry recognition.
Project History: Outline the history of your current project, explaining the development process, milestones achieved, and any challenges overcome.

2. Micro-Innovation

As humans, we tend to gravitate toward what we know and love, yet we also seek novelty. Micro-innovations—small but meaningful changes to well-known mechanics—can make your game unique, yet still familiar.

Identify core mechanics and start with those that have proven popular and engaging. Then, make it your own: introduce innovative elements that stem from the core mechanic. This could be a new art style, combining two mechanics, unique character abilities, or a fresh narrative approach.

When you pitch a publisher, highlight your innovations. Use comparisons to existing games so they know what to expect and what makes your game unique.

What you’re aiming for is a balance between novelty and familiarity. That’s the sweet spot.

Sun Ke, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Yodo1, explains it like this: “Examples of micro-innovations are two games we have published, Crossy Road and Rodeo Stampede. Crossy Road uses familiar game elements, building on the classic Frogger mechanic, but adds different characters and environments, and players love it. Rodeo Stampede is a running game with a cowboy catching animals. It combines this with a simulation system to raise and collect the animals, creating a unique experience that has also proven very popular. Familiarity and novelty!”

3. Polish Your Core Game Loop

The core gameplay loop is the essence of your game—the primary mechanic that players will engage with again and again. It needs to be polished, engaging, and fun so that players will want to keep coming back. A strong core gameplay loop is the foundation for everything that follows.

Start by focusing on the basics: are your fundamental gameplay mechanics smooth, intuitive, and bug-free? If not, keep at it until they are. Do a lot of playtesting. A publisher certainly will when they are evaluating your pitch! Don’t forget that publishers are gamers too.

Get as much feedback as you can, and use it to continuously iterate and enhance the core loop. Prioritize playability and user experience over adding new features. From the publisher’s perspective, a solid core game loop means better retention, and with a solid game economy built around it, that means a good ROI. At the end of the day, a publisher is making a business decision.

Ready to get your game published?

Submit your game to our review team.

4. Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs)

We talked about uniqueness, but in the pitch itself, your USP is more than how unique the game is. This is about the pitch itself.

What is your special sauce? Is it the experience of your team? Is it how your game uses player data to iterate gameplay? Is it the strength of your player community? You need to identify your USP and tie it into the pitch as a “wow” moment.

Via Paradigmid

To create that “wow” moment, you need to become a storyteller. Work on this skill! You may consider a framework like The Hero’s Journey for structuring your pitch, with your USP being that one special thing that has helped you slay all the dragons your team has faced so far.

To reiterate: If you don’t already know how to pitch, learn.

5. Be Ready with Data that Matters

Metrics provide publishers with a clear understanding of the game’s viability and market fit, and they will look at everything as part of their due diligence.

Metrics they will want to see may include, but not be limited to:

Retention Data: Rolling retention rates (D1, D7, D30) show player engagement and satisfaction over time.
Daily Active Users (DAU) and Monthly Active Users (MAU): Indicate the size and frequency of your active player base.
Average Session Length: Measures how much time players spend in each session, reflecting game engagement.
Lifetime Value (LTV): Revenue generated per user over their lifetime, indicating game profitability and a solid mobile game monetization strategy.
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and Average Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU): Show the earning potential from all users and paying users specifically.
In-App Purchase (IAP) Conversion Rate: Percentage of players making purchases, indicating monetization effectiveness.

They may also want to see churn rate, cost per install (CPI), virality metrics, user acquisition metrics, user feedback and reviews, feature engagement, ad monetization metrics, demographic data, and technical performance metrics.

As for benchmarks, it depends on the publisher. But…better is better, so keep working to improve them (especially retention).

Final Thoughts

Your mobile game publisher pitch is not something to throw together. Remember, you are not just pitching a game; you are pitching a team that built a game, and what makes the whole package unique.

For the game itself, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Find that beautiful place where familiarity meets novelty and an addictively fun core game loop. And, from the very beginning, measure everything.

Tie all that together into a well-structured pitch, and your chances of standing out among the crowd go way up.

We hope you’ve found something useful in these tips. Happy pitching!

Ready to get your game published?

Submit your game to our review team.

The post 5 Tips for Pitching Your Mobile Game to a Publisher first appeared on Yodo1.

Expert Tips for Simplifying the Core Loop in Game Design

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:56:57 +0000

Expert Tips for Simplifying the Core Loop in Game Design

Andrew Woodruff, Head of Product and Publishing | Yodo1 Games

Core loops in games are broken; there, I said it.

Most visualizations of gameplay shunt us through a tangled web of progression, actions, rewards, arbitrary features, and currencies that, let’s be honest here, nobody fully understands. This complex spider web can hurt retention, limit revenue, and make life hard for everyone involved.

My math teacher in high school had the answer – KISS (‘Keep It Simple Stupid’). It’s time to hit reset and build a simple loop that aligns the whole team, from designer to artist to programmer, and keeps players deeply engaged, without all the tangled mess.

A Simple Core Loop

What is the core loop? It’s the set of actions the player takes to get rewards that can be reinvested. This forms the beating heart of your game! Think of it as an engagement engine, which, when properly built, is the driving force behind revenue and long-term retention. The most important takeaway is that a well-built core loop should be simple. Simplicity means no confusion and no misdirected motivations. Simplicity means a self-sustaining cycle, actually shaped like a loop, driven by your players’ desire to progress.

Simplicity is as critical on the development side as it is for players. Often, the “core loop”, when diagrammed out accurately, is a confusing tangle. How is a dev team, artist, investor, or stakeholder supposed to unify behind something that looks like a bramble bush? On the other hand, an oversimplified diagram can misrepresent the real picture, leading to further confusion.

I propose we cut the Gordian Knot. Simplify the game’s core loop, full stop. As a result, everything (including the diagram) gets simpler. Devs understand what they are working on so players know what they are working toward.

Here’s the simplified core loop:

Action: The player takes a meaningful action – completing a quest, crafting an item, defeating a boss, etc.
Reward: They receive a reward that acknowledges their action. This could be tangible, like loot or experience points, or intangible, such as the satisfaction of overcoming a tough challenge or unlocking the next chapter of an amazing story.
Investment: The reward is reinvested back into the game, giving the player new tools, abilities, or resources, enhancing their future gameplay.

This cycle creates a constant dynamic of motivation and gratification. Each reward instills the drive to reinvest, grow stronger, and perpetually work toward the next big thing. Build in a game economy that offers options for progressing more quickly, and you have all the tools in place for a world-class game.

Fine-tuning the Core Loop Over Time

Simplicity is key, but the real magic happens when we balance the game properly. How? By perfect timing when players act, earn, and invest.

Early in the game, keep it simple. Let’s say that means one action gives one reward, which buys one upgrade. This teaches players the ropes without throwing them in the deep end too soon.

Early wins are easy and engaging, but as the game progresses, rewards should get tougher to earn. This may mean ten actions for one reward, effectively making each action worth just 0.1 of a reward. This scale-up, if tuned properly, keeps players engaged as their skills improve and makes those hard-earned rewards feel even more special.

Tuning the core loop should not be a guessing game. Use real gameplay data to strike the right balance. A/B test different action-reward ratios at various progression points, focusing on key metrics like player retention, LTV, IAP conversion rates, session length, and DAU.

Armed with such feedback loops, make ongoing adjustments, such as:

Rebalancing overpowered or underbaked character abilities
Tweaking resource economies and loot tables
Re-tuning the difficulty curves of specific encounters

Tuning the core loop in real-time with actual player data ensures that players feel their time and efforts are well-invested, optimizing for engagement, retention, and ultimately, the game’s financial success.

The Final Word

A well-designed core loop is simple yet dynamic, keeping players engaged and invested. When diagrammed, it should also be easy to avoid the tangled spider web and focus on creating a clear, motivating, and rewarding experience for your players. The result? Better retention, higher revenue, and happier players.

To recap what we’ve covered, here are some actionable takeaways to help you get the ball rolling:

Build a clear, balanced core loop (action-reward-investment) that feels satisfying.
Integrate monetization thoughtfully, making it feel like a natural part of the game.
Monitor key metrics and gather player feedback to guide your decisions.
Iterate constantly, tweaking difficulty, loot drops, and mechanics for optimal balance.

Get all these right, and you’ve got something truly special on your hands. But the journey will have just begun. Then you need to think about how to reach new players and scale your game globally. Check out Yodo1’s Game Growth Accelerator Program to learn how.

Author Bio:

Andrew Woodruff

Head of Product and Publishing at Yodo1 Games

With over 16 years of global experience across top-grossing titles, Andrew has brought his expertise to bear across free-to-play gaming models, game design and production, marketing, operations, and business development. His resume spans Gameloft, IGG, R2Games, Mechanist Games, and NetDragon.

Now, at Yodo1, Andrew brings his full-scope approach to hit games like Rodeo Stampede, Transformers: Earth Wars, and Ski Safari.

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The post Expert Tips for Simplifying the Core Loop in Game Design first appeared on Yodo1.

Influencer Marketing Has Matured… Now What?

Wed, 22 May 2024 10:49:37 +0000

Influencer Marketing Has Matured… Now What?

Sandy Smith, Game Marketing Lead | Yodo1

Table of Contents

The Authenticity Factor
Finding Overlap
Putting It Into Practice
Diversifying Your Strategy
Key Metrics

I get it – as game marketers and developers, we’re all fighting for those precious eyeballs and downloads. And sometimes marketing campaigns (i.e., traditional UA) can feel like dropping a pebble in the ocean…and an expensive pebble at that.

But influencer marketing? It’s a big opportunity! It has become an important pillar of marketing, and in 2024, influencer marketing is projected to become a $24 billion industry with gaming as the second largest sector.

Yet, there are nuances, and many questions:

How do I avoid overpaying?
Should I work with macro or micro-influencers, or both?
Which platforms and formats work best?
What about cultural differences?

Patience! All will be answered. Let’s dive in.

The Authenticity Factor

I’ve seen too many big-budget campaigns with huge influencers that completely flop. Why? Because if the creator doesn’t genuinely love your game, their audience can tell. Genuine enthusiasm draws people in like gravity. Remember the time your friend couldn’t stop raving about an amazing game they found? That’s the kind of word-of-mouth magic you want to replicate. It’s the force that drove the massive success of Palworld in early 2024. Lightning in a bottle.

Via Streamelements

Finding Overlap

A massive following means nothing if the influencer’s audience isn’t the right fit for your game. It’s like trying to sell Pokémon cards at a nursing home—not a good match. Dig deeper than surface-level follower counts. What genres and playstyles does a given influencer’s audience gravitate towards? Do their demographics overlap with your target players? Think of this as a Venn diagram, and do your homework on each influencer. Don’t just look at view counts. Look at engagement across an influencer’s content.

It’s also worth noting that many micro-influencers have dedicated, highly engaged audiences. Recent data shows that micro-influencers have up to 60% higher engagement rates compared to macro-influencers, making them a valuable asset in niche markets.

Tip: You can sometimes use an influencer’s previous paid content as a benchmark to decide if they will be a good fit. With videos, for example, look at the difference in likes and comments between sponsored content vs. non-sponsored content.

Putting It Into Practice

I work with a game called Idle Slayer, a seriously fun incremental platformer on mobile and Steam. Going in, we knew a one-size-fits-all global influencer strategy wouldn’t work. For example, the Japanese influencer scene is its own beast—creators like detailed scripts, and explicit directions, and tend to appreciate structure. Different, say, from how an American streamer may prefer to just wing it. Both can work, but you need to know why you’re doing things one way, rather than another.

In the case of the Japanese influencers, I also looked at how previous content with similar game mechanics and art styles had performed, as a proxy, and was very selective. Precision, as opposed to spray and pray. Also, doing my homework on the audience, likely outcome, and previous performance gave me a lot of clarity and negotiating power during the pricing discussions.

The Idle Slayer campaign in Japan resulted in a remarkable 3X spike in new installs over a single weekend, moving Japan from the 5th percentile to the 70th percentile in total installs! You can’t argue with results like that. The takeaway here is to be strategic, to never get blinded by views alone, and to find the influencers who are going to love the game and want to share it–with passion.

Tip: While there is no magic shortcut to avoid overspending on an influencer marketing campaign, the most important thing is to do your due diligence. Evaluate potential ROI, and establish a clear budget going into any negotiation. Research market rates, negotiate based on data, and look into performance-based compensation.

Diversifying Your Strategy

As a marketer, never sit still and assume you’ve finally figured it out. It can be easy to sink into a fixed way of thinking, but as soon as you do, you’re stuck in a status quo. Instead, develop a mindset of constant experimentation, constantly trying new things. This is also a fantastic way to diversify your influencer marketing strategy.

An example of such extermination may including something like seeding campaigns, which have emerged as a trending approach in response to the rising costs of traditional influencer marketing. The upside of these is that you’re generally working with micro-influencers, and offering them in-game benefits, rather than money. A big advantage is that it has a built-in authenticity mechanism. For an influencer to find your offer of in-game currency/items interesting, they need to actually enjoy the game. Otherwise, what you’re offering has no value.

I had a great conversation about this with Callan Saurma-Jeltsch on Behind the Game Podcast recently. Feel free to check it out.

While this approach is generally more time-consuming, it is a great way to round out your overall influencer marketing strategy, providing a hedge against a single big-budget influencer campaign that underperforms.

Again, the best way to get the most bang for your influencer marketing buck is to have more than one approach to lean on.

You Cannot Improve What You Don’t Measure

Track these crucial metrics to understand your campaigns’ effectiveness:

LTV (Lifetime Value): Focus on the long game. How much revenue do players generate over time?
UAC (User Acquisition Cost): How much is each acquired player costing you?
ROI (Return on Investment): Are you making more than you spend?
Retention: A high install count is meaningless if players leave after a day. Analyze retention rates to uncover what truly resonates with your audience.
Conversion Rate: While not always the end-all-be-all, tracking conversion rates for tracked links can help you iterate messaging and offers.

Collectively, these provide a comprehensive view of your campaign’s performance, allowing you to adjust strategies and optimize results.

Toss the Playbook; Stay Scrappy

Influencer marketing is a fantastic tool, but the landscape is always changing. The key to success? Stay curious, experiment fearlessly, and measure everything. Always be ready to adapt your strategies and get creative. When you combine authenticity with audience overlap and sprinkle in some out-of-the-box thinking, you unlock the true benefits of influencer marketing for your game.

If you’re interested in game marketing conversations like these, check out the podcast, and let me know what other topics you would like to learn more about on LinkedIn!

The post Influencer Marketing Has Matured… Now What? first appeared on Yodo1.

Reviews Are the Biggest Missed Opportunity for Game Growth–It’s Time to Change That

Wed, 08 May 2024 10:20:06 +0000

Reviews Are the Biggest Missed Opportunity for Game Growth–It’s Time to Change That

Downloads and retention. If a game is going to be successful over the long term, it all comes down to downloads and retention. The next obvious conclusion for any game developer is to do whatever you can to increase downloads, and maximize retention.

But of course, it’s easier said than done…

Reviews play a key role in both. Good reviews make more players decide to download a game. On the other hand, bad reviews scare away potential players. Reviews are a very important factor in both the discoverability of your game in the app stores and the conversion rate. That’s a fact.

With retention, players often leave reviews because they want to be heard. One reason they may leave the game is that…well, they don’t feel the developer is listening, or cares. That is why responding to reviews is so important. It can have a big impact on retention, and turn bad reviews into good reviews.

The problem is that responding to reviews and engaging with players takes a lot of work. Community managers do it as a full-time job, after all!

At Yodo1, we get it. We live it every day with the games we publish. And with over 10 years of experience engaging over 3 billion players, we have become very good at it. But one day, we asked ourselves if there was a way to make responding to reviews and engaging with players less time-consuming, more scalable, and more efficient.

We decided that, yes, there was a way. We built it for our games, tested it extensively, and have now released it to the world. We call it FanCraft.

Reviews Made Easy

Knowing how important it is to respond to reviews, how does it feel to see them piling up because you have so many things on your plate and you just can’t fully catch up? It’s probably not a good feeling.

But remember, reviews can make or break the long-term success of your game. Responding to them can mean the difference between a highly profitable game, and a game that becomes a total flop. Discoverability. Downloads. Retention. These depend on you responding to reviews and engaging with your players!

This is where FanCraft comes in. FanCraft is a groundbreaking product developed in-house by Yodo1 and uses generative AI to make responding to reviews easy. FanCraft streamlines the management process, allowing developers and community managers to maintain a genuine connection with their players—effortlessly. Oh, and there is no SDK to download.

What You Can Do with FanCraft

Automate review replies: FanCraft analyzes reviews across various app stores and generates personalized replies that take seconds to approve. It allows you to stay connected with your players while saving work hours and ensuring no feedback goes unnoticed.

Turn 1-star reviews into 5-star reviews: Negative reviews are inevitable but they don’t have to hurt your game. FanCraft recommends the best way to handle an unhappy player, giving you peace of mind at the push of a button.

Monitor player sentiment: FanCraft empowers you to find key areas for improvement across your community, then recommends steps based on Yodo1’s 10+ years of experience publishing hit games for billions of players. It means you can monitor your whole community in real time.

On top of the main features, FanCraft:

Provides valuable insights into player behavior, preferences, and demographics that can help inform future development decisions.
Allows you to tailor replies to align with your game’s tone and style, ensuring a consistent brand voice across all communication channels.
Notifies you when new players leave new reviews, allowing you to engage in real-time.

Engage Your Community in Minutes, Not Hours

If you are feeling overwhelmed with all the reviews you haven’t responded to, knowing how critical it is to the long-term success of your game, it’s time to do something about it.

Your game’s reviews could be the biggest untapped resource you have. It’s time to give them the importance they deserve without all the blood, sweat, and tears.

Gain back countless hours of your precious time and join leading developers already leveraging cutting-edge AI to make deeper connections with their players and grow their games. Experience FanCraft today with a free trial.

The post Reviews Are the Biggest Missed Opportunity for Game Growth–It’s Time to Change That first appeared on Yodo1.

AI is Changing the Game

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:13:32 +0000

AI is Changing the Game

While still in its early days, generative AI has already begun to change the gaming landscape. Today, that means early implementations of AI NPCs, procedural content generation, and a new era of tools for building and managing games and player communities, among other things. But this is only the first flush of a gaming future that’s hard to fully wrap our heads around.

Yet, as exciting as limitless possibilities sound, they also present a whole new set of challenges to tackle. Let’s explore both edges of this particular sword.

The Future is Near

As generative AI capabilities accelerate, the frontiers of what’s possible in gaming will expand exponentially. We’re not just talking about dynamic narratives that adapt to player actions – the core gameplay mechanics and rules themselves could fluidly adapt and evolve based on player behaviors, and AI characters may soon improvise tactics and decisions that surprise even the developers. An early indication of this is AI NPC mods for games like Skyrim. Streamers CodeMiko and GingasVR make full use of such mods for their streams.

Developers are using today’s AI tools to build assets and in-game experiences. While this must be recognized as a fraught issue in many creative communities, for justifiable reasons, the trend toward AI-generated games is difficult to deny, potentially moving gaming into a very different world where game developers set parameters, build narratives, and become curators for a nearly infinite set of player-driven experiences, much like the holodeck from Star Trek. As AI systems advance to become true creative collaborators with human designers, the meeting of machine intelligence and human creativity may bring about entirely new genres and gameplay concepts we can’t yet imagine.

An interesting example of how AI can empower players in this way is the Roblox Assistant, which allows creators to quickly and simply bring their ideas to life.

These developments could even realize the long-promised concept of the metaverse – massive virtual worlds that continue evolving autonomously with their own AI-driven communities, stories, and economies whether players are present or not. The boundaries of crafting transportive alternate realities will be blown wide open.

Yet while all this may seem exciting from the big-picture view, it’s important to consider the implications and potential challenges, which carry with them uncertainty and even fear of just how different the future could be. Which jobs and skill sets will be replaced in the coming years is an open question, and the copyright debate continues to rage.

At Yodo1, we think the best implementations of AI are those that make the existing and time-consuming work of game developers a lot easier, freeing them up to focus on being creative and making great games. We believe generative AI is at its best when it is minimizing the busy work, and maximizing the creative process.

Leveraging Generative AI to Engage Players

Developers, especially those in smaller teams or working solo, face the constant challenge of building and then managing their games, often wearing many hats, from marketing to customer support, community management, and more.

A key part of this work is engaging with your community—a critical yet time-consuming task. If your players feel that their voice is being heard, they are less likely to churn out of the game.

Enter FanCraft by Yodo1, an implementation of generative AI in the gaming industry that makes life definitively easier for even the most overwhelmed and overworked game developer. FanCraft responds naturally to player feedback, adapting over time to take on a voice that is unique to each game. FanCraft not only streamlines review management but also offers a way of engaging in a meaningful way with players, without the major time commitment, ensuring that each response feels personal and genuine, reflective of the developer’s intent.

By using FanCraft, developers can more effectively manage their workload, dedicating more energy to creative aspects of game development while maintaining robust communication with their players. It represents a step forward in how developers interact with their communities, offering them the freedom to focus on creative expansion without losing touch with their audience.

Navigating Uncharted Waters

We’re entering an era where the boundaries of creativity and interaction are being redefined. The possibilities are as exciting as they are daunting.

At Yodo1, we believe that today’s AI is best used to enhance, not replace, the human element in game development. By streamlining repetitive tasks and fostering deeper player engagement through tools like FanCraft, we empower developers to focus on the creative aspects that truly matter—crafting unique, memorable experiences that resonate on a human level.

The human element is, and will remain, the essence of great games—human ingenuity and connection. Let’s move forward with a mindful approach to innovation, embracing the exciting possibilities of AI with an awareness of its impact on society and the industry alike.

Click the button below to learn more about FanCraft, by Yodo1.

The post AI is Changing the Game first appeared on Yodo1.

How a 59% Boost in Revenue Provided Breathing Room to Scale

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 11:36:46 +0000

How a 59% Boost in Revenue Provided Breathing Room to Scale

We talk a lot about mobile games here at Yodo1—it’s our passion, after all—but did you know that apps can also benefit from tailored ad optimization and monetization strategies?

Last year, we began working with Kenpasoft, a Brazilian app developer, on their ad monetization performance, which led to a remarkable revenue surge for them. Read on to learn more about how ad optimization can lead to next-level growth and change your roadmap.

Problem: UA ROAS Wasn’t Hitting the Mark

Kenpasoft is the parent company of Brasileiro Apps, an Android-based developer that creates practical, accessible applications to meet the daily life needs of Brazilians. Their portfolio of apps includes financial, health, transport, and other tools that provide efficient and innovative solutions to enrich the lives of their users. Since their inception in 2022, Brasileiro Apps has gained popularity throughout Brazil; their most popular apps have over a million downloads.

Despite this, the company had struggled to scale as quickly as they would have liked, in large part due to narrow profit margins from the ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) of their User Acquisition (UA) campaigns. Another way to say this is that revenue from monetized users wasn’t generating enough profit to reinvest into ambitious UA campaigns. A profit problem. Aside from this, they were not very happy with the level of support they were getting from their existing solution, Google Admob.

Specialized Ad Monetization to the Rescue

In June of 2023, Yodo1 connected with them and suggested they try MAS (Yodo1’s monetization solution).

A major benefit for them was that instead of the single ad network they were using, MAS gave them access to over 15 ad networks, and crucially, without the need to get involved with the nuts and bolts of ad optimization themselves–this is all taken care of by Yodo1’s experienced growth team. So, better performance and less hassle.

Kahyam, the founder of Brasileiro Apps, says,
I found you at a time when it was becoming very unproductive working with Google AdMob (at the time this platform was so well known for monetizing apps) and we were having recurring problems, either due to account deactivation that no one could figure out the reason for, with appeals going in vain, or due to monetization getting worse and worse.

Results to Fuel Growth

In Yodo1, Brasileiro Apps saw the potential for a partner who could fully understand the issues they were facing, and do something about it. Not only would Yodo1 take a major load off their shoulders by fully handling ad management and the waterful setup, but there was also the potential for a long-term partnership with an empathetic team of experts in game growth with a track record of amazing customer support. We always look at the bigger picture and bring all our resources to bear on the unique growth challenges our partners face. In this case, it was a growth bottleneck due to underwhelming ad performance. Things started with an initial test using one of their smaller apps.

Kahyam says,
When I discovered Yodo1, I tested it on my first application and saw the results, I was surprised, it was above my expectations, and both that and all the help I received in implementation and direct suggestions for my applications, convinced me even more that working with Yodo1 would be the future for my business to progress further. I hope we have a long-lasting partnership.

With great initial results, by September of 2023, Brasileiro Apps began onboarding the rest of their portfolio to MAS, including their largest app, Consulta Auxílios e Benefícios, which uses React Native. MAS was one of the first monetization solutions to support React Native, a fact that was crucial to them.

The results were incredible. The app’s ARPDAU increased by 59% after a 7-day optimization period! This was driven by a few different factors:

Interstitials eCPM: up 35%
App Open Ads IMPDAU: up 70%
The integration of banners

About the boost in eCPM, Kahyam also adds:
After the partnership with Yodo1 I had impressive results, my main application had an average eCPM that was falling month by month, it was US$5, then it dropped to US$4 and was heading to US$3. After migrating to Yodo1, this app’s eCPM hit around $7 and is stable, making my earnings more predictable and scalable.

The massive boost proved to be a complete game-changer for the company and its business strategies.

Just think about it: what would a jump in revenue that huge mean to you? Whereas before it might have been a struggle just to stay afloat, such a significant increase would mean a windfall of resources to reinvest in growth and scale, which is exactly what Kenpasoft did.

With a higher ROAS, they can now focus on UA campaigns that they know will be more successful. And while before they might have been a bit cautious with their ad campaign choices, only running them for special events or holidays, for example, they can now make these decisions with more confidence in the results. It unlocked a cycle of winning and growth that continues to fuel increased growth for a massive win.

Strategically, getting help with their app monetization ensures that, with earnings on the rise, Brasileiro Apps has more time for strategic development and creative focus. On top of this, QuickPay with MAS means they can be paid quicker every month, and thus reinvest into UA campaigns faster.

What Made the Difference?

Yodo1’s monetization solution and Growth Accelerator Program are tailored to the needs of each developer, whether they produce lifestyle solutions, games, or other apps. After installation, our world-class customer service is always on hand to answer questions, brainstorm solutions, and resolve issues as and when they arise.

Teaming up with an experienced ad monetization partner meant that Brasileiro Apps could focus their time, effort, and resources on making their apps the best they can be—and creating new ones to enhance people’s lives.

Again, from Kahyam:
So far working with Yodo1 has been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my business, you perfectly meet my demands, which are quality and especially support.

At Yodo1, we love to see people making a living from their creativity, and we use our wide-ranging experience to make that a reality. Whatever kind of apps you create, if your user base is growing without a corresponding revenue increase, get in touch today: we can help you take it to the next level and create a growing, dynamic, sustainable business.

The post How a 59% Boost in Revenue Provided Breathing Room to Scale first appeared on Yodo1.

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid During Your ASO Metadata Optimization Process

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:07:42 +0000

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid During Your ASO Metadata Optimization Process

Anna Frangogianni, Game Growth BD Manager | Yodo1

For game developers, a clear and properly implemented ASO strategy can make or break a game’s organic success. I would go further and say that ASO is integral to any well-planned, comprehensive user acquisition strategy. While many factors can contribute to a winning ASO strategy, metadata optimization stands out for its direct impact on app visibility and discoverability.

Here are the top five mistakes to avoid during your metadata optimization process:

1. Keyword Duplication in Metadata Fields on the Apple App Store

One of the most common mistakes is duplicating keywords across metadata fields, such as the title, subtitle, and keywords field on the Apple App Store. Duplications in these fields will do nothing for your app’s visibility; rather, they waste precious space that could be used to incorporate additional, high-volume keywords.

On the other hand, duplicating keywords in your long description on Google Play can boost discoverability, if done correctly.

Tip: For the long description in Google Play, aim for a keyword density of between 2-3%. This is calculated by taking the number of times a focus keyword is used in the long description divided by the total number of keywords in the long description x 100.

Example: Look at the keyword density of Idle Miner Tycoon: Gold & Cash. Strategic keywords like “idle” and “tycoon” fall within the ideal range within the long description.

2. Underutilizing Your Metadata Fields

You get 30 characters for your title and subtitle fields and 100 characters in the hidden metadata field on the Apple App Store. Use them! Otherwise, you’re missing the chance to use valuable keywords in the fields that are visible in search and browse pages, as well as discoverable by users casually searching the stores for games similar to yours. It is also important to be aware that visible metadata fields carry more weight in the Apple App Store’s algorithm than the hidden metadata field.

Things are a little different on the Google Play side, as the algorithm is centered around keyword densities. What does that mean? Developers need to strategically use keywords across all their metadata fields (Title – 30 characters, Short Description – 80 characters, and Long Description – 4,000 characters) by finding a balance between the keywords they want to target and messaging that makes sense. Concise sentences/statements, especially in the short and long description fields, can actually perform better than longer entries—so be strategic and A/B test with Google’s native tools, and by all means, avoid keyword stuffing!

Note: A newer game might benefit from a more focused keyword strategy so that it can gain more weight in the algorithms. Expanding keyword usage to capture a broader audience becomes more important as the game gains traction.

3. Using Low-performing Keywords

Targeting the right keywords is a balancing act between search volume, difficulty scores, and relevance. Opting for keywords solely based on your brand or those with low search popularity can cause you to miss out on significant traffic. Aiming for a mix of short and long-tail keywords that promise high traffic and relevance to your game’s content is important.

4. Discrepancy Between Metadata and Visual Assets

People scrolling through app stores tend to have a very short attention span. Usually, if they land on your game’s page, they have a purpose: to decide if the game is worth downloading! So, your visual metadata (the CTAs in your screenshots) must be clear, easy to read, and aligned with the search terms and keywords they used to find your game in the first place.

Example: Look at Idle Mafia’s use of “idle” in the second screenshot.

5. Neglecting Market and Competitor Research

Any solid ASO strategy should be grounded in comprehensive market and competitor analysis. Without this foundation, you risk overlooking key opportunities and challenges within your game’s niche.

Do what the top developers and publishers do: collect an exhaustive list of keywords that represent the core and marginal users you want to target, and then prioritize them based on the following scores:

Difficulty
Popularity
Relevance to the game
Search ads conversion

Note: It is common for newer games to get less traffic using keywords with high popularity scores since larger games with bigger audiences (that are also promoted by the algorithm) tend to aim for these keywords as well. This is where strategic UA comes in to support your organic strategy once you start getting more traffic.

Final Thoughts

Avoiding these common mistakes in metadata optimization can dramatically improve your game’s overall ASO performance. By strategically selecting and applying keywords, aligning your visual and text metadata, and grounding your efforts in thorough research, you can improve your app’s discoverability and appeal to a wider audience, driving downloads and engagement.

To learn more about how your game can bring in more players, more revenue, and scale faster, apply for Yodo1’s Growth Accelerator Program.

The post Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid During Your ASO Metadata Optimization Process first appeared on Yodo1.

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

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.

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

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.

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

Game Growth | Yodo1

Grumpyface Studios announces Castle Doombad: Free to Slay is available now on iOS and Android devices

Grumpyface Studios announces Castle Doombad: Free to Slay is available now on iOS and Android devices

About Grumpyface Studios

Latest Blog Posts

5 Tips for Pitching Your Mobile Game to a Publisher

5 Tips for Pitching Your Mobile Game to a Publisher

2. Micro-Innovation

3. Polish Your Core Game Loop

Submit your game to our review team.

4. Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs)

Submit your game to our review team.

Latest Blog Posts

Expert Tips for Simplifying the Core Loop in Game Design

Expert Tips for Simplifying the Core Loop in Game Design

A Simple Core Loop

Here’s the simplified core loop:

Fine-tuning the Core Loop Over Time

The Final Word

Author Bio:

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Epic Dragonheir x Dungeons & Dragons crossover continues in China’s mobile market​

Raid Rush x Terminator 2: Judgment Day: A Sci-Fi Crossover Powered by Yodo1

Dungeons & Dragons comes to Dragonheir: Silent Gods’ player base in China on April 3rd

How To Get Started With IP Partnerships And Why Crossover Events Will Triumph In 2025

Bumblebee joins the battle for a second Puzzles & Survival x Transformers event

Viking Rise x Vikings: Valhalla Event 4 – The Grand Finale of an Epic IP Saga

Influencer Marketing Has Matured… Now What?

Influencer Marketing Has Matured… Now What?

The Authenticity Factor

Finding Overlap

Putting It Into Practice

Diversifying Your Strategy

You Cannot Improve What You Don’t Measure

Toss the Playbook; Stay Scrappy

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Reviews Are the Biggest Missed Opportunity for Game Growth–It’s Time to Change That

Reviews Are the Biggest Missed Opportunity for Game Growth–It’s Time to Change That

Reviews Made Easy

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Engage Your Community in Minutes, Not Hours

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AI is Changing the Game

AI is Changing the Game

The Future is Near

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How a 59% Boost in Revenue Provided Breathing Room to Scale

How a 59% Boost in Revenue Provided Breathing Room to Scale

Problem: UA ROAS Wasn’t Hitting the Mark

Specialized Ad Monetization to the Rescue

Results to Fuel Growth

What Made the Difference?

Latest Blog Posts

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid During Your ASO Metadata Optimization Process

Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid During Your ASO Metadata Optimization Process

Table of Contents:

1. Keyword Duplication in Metadata Fields on the Apple App Store

2. Underutilizing Your Metadata Fields

3. Using Low-performing Keywords

4. Discrepancy Between Metadata and Visual Assets

5. Neglecting Market and Competitor Research

Final Thoughts

Latest Blog Posts

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

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

First Contact: Testing the Waters

The Turning Point

Stepping Stones to Big Things

Latest Blog Posts

How Clash of Clans Makes Hundreds of Millions from IAPs

How Clash of Clans Makes Hundreds of Millions from IAPs

Metrics that Matter:

Player Motivation:

Consumables vs. Non-Consumables:

Clash of Clans: A Playbook for IAPs

1. Balancing Consumables and Non-Consumables:

Grumpyface Studios announces Castle Doombad:
Free to Slay is available now on iOS and Android devices

Epic Dragonheir x Dungeons & Dragons crossover continues in China’s mobile market