Brutally Honest #116 by Matej Lancaric

Hey, FAM! What’s up?

?? Drink talk

two & a half gamers had a great time in Hamburg this week. Just came back from Gamesforum. Becoming the must-attend event for UA & Admon people.

??Tip of the week

How do you utilize Google Ad Groups most effectively?

I usually separate ad groups by creative concepts, but there are also schools of thought for motivational segmentation and/or placement optimization.

With the absolute growth of Shorts, Google started pushing bumper ads, also known as short-form videos, to get more inventory on YouTube. Don’t forget to tick this box in the conversion tab!

So, how to think about different adgroups:

1. Text only (headline & description)
2. Text + statics
3. Short videos (vertical format)
4. Longform videos = 30+sec (ideally around 1 minute long)
5. Audiences (competitor games)
6. Audiences (broader mobile games interests)
7. Custom store listings

What works well for you?

?? Dr. Doom is not amused

One of my industry friends amused me with his direct and honest TL;DRs, so we agreed to share it here, too! My friend remains anonymous as Dr.Doom!

"I got lost this week." Sincerely, Doom (lostandfound.com)

??? “Ha-ha” moment

Because life is too short to be serious.

?? two & a half gamers - Total Battle review

Total Battle is a 4X strategy game developed by Score Warrior. It was launched in 2017 and has seen significant success, generating $600k per day in IAP revenues.

The game has experienced a surge in popularity, reaching a peak of $14 million in monthly revenues in May 2024. Total Battle stands out as one of the few non-Chinese companies making waves in the 4X genre.

The game features innovative onboarding mechanics, including a simulated 4X map within the city to prepare players for the main gameplay. The game also incorporates puzzle mechanics and a story mode to engage players. Total Battle is a 4X strategy game that has been successful in monetization, generating around $600k per day. The game features unique mechanics such as an onboarding tutorial within the game's map, a hospital system for resurrecting troops, and a notification system that differs from other 4X games.

Creatives and user acquisition strategies are highly effective, with a variety of concepts and playables used to attract and engage players. The game has a strong presence on YouTube and targets both iOS and Android platforms. Overall, Total Battle demonstrates the potential for success in the competitive 4X genre.

Tune in to watch it all:

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How to soft launch a mobile game in 2024? Benchmarks & Real data inside!

How to Soft launch your game in 2024? Did something change? Of course, YES! Although the soft launch framework, in general, has not changed much, some aspects of the process are done differently. Launching a mobile game takes loads of work. After months of development and production time, the soft launch period comes.

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Creative framework: How to win in 2024?

Let's just dive directly into the creative framework for 2024 without any fluff. This is what I am going to touch on in this article so you know why you should upgrade your subscription to paid: Creative Process Creative research How to test creatives?

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?? Diary of a Dancing Unicorn

Today was a good day.

Oh my god hey! I just wanted to say hi and say I am a big fan of the podcast and your content.

Thanks a lot. Really appreciate it.

Great stuff, keep rocking. We all appreciate the effort.

Kind words! love it. Thanks again, we have some new shit coming.. stay tuned

Today was a good day.

?? Quote of the week

“Hope isn’t a strategy” - Johnny, 1:1 call

Match Factory! Positive advertising FTW

?? Level up yourself

I launched a YouTube Channel. I'm putting a ton of energy into creating valuable content that I think you'll like. Check out the latest stuff, and give me a like and subscribe.

??? Gaming blast from the past

Do you remember this game? What did you play when you were young?

?? Before you go

Ask Matej AI a question. It’s actually quite good!

Also, we produced one more episode on our no-BS gaming show. Check it out!

?? Fun starts here

We are opening up a Slack channel for everybody. It is the most inclusive slack for all of the gaming industry. Female, male, non-binary, juniors, mid-level, seniors, vendors, developers = EVERYBODY! We are waiting for you ??

Feel free to join here!

??Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter!

Please do me a favor and share this with someone in your network who you think would benefit from the insights and brutal honesty. It would mean a lot to me!

Take care, everyone! See you next Thursday!

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