Brutally Honest #131 by Matej Lancaric
Matej ?? Lancaric
Helping Games Grow ??10+ years of experience ??52 global launched games ?? User Acquisition ?? Marketing Strategy
Hey, FAM! What’s up?
?? Drink talk
I really admire people who know absolute jackshit about UA. Their conversations about UA are always great “popcorn” material. Keep talking!
??Tip of the week
Diversification of your UA channel mix is crucial—we know that. This is one of my slides from last week’s Appfest presentation. The full deck, which is actually an article, will follow in the next few days.
While none of these channels are NEW, I see them climbing up the UA channel ranks in the games I manage or the games we review on our no BS podcast.
Diversification doesn’t always mean you have to run a million UA channels at once. It really starts with one channel. What am I talking about? What to diversify:
?? 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!
"What do you do when your playerbase thinks the game is dying and you are gonna squeeze every last penny out of them? You squeeze every last penny out of them, duh!. Like charging a mere skin for $60 (only for 2 classes btw, not even every class can use this, duh!, there will be obviously of this). This will show those sceptics, that the only thing dying is their wallet ??" Sincerely, Doom (https://www.pcgamer.com/games/card-games/blizzard-has-apparently-decided-the-best-way-to-combat-the-hearthstone-is-dying-narrative-is-by-releasing-a-dollar60-ragnaros-hero-skin/)
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??? “Ha-ha” moment
Because life is too short to be serious.
BEST.JOKE.EVER!
?? two & a half gamers - Elder Scrolls Castles
Elder Scrolls Castles is currently earning around $70k daily in revenue. In this episode, we discuss the global launch and performance of this mobile game from Bethesda. It's a big IP on PC but terrible on mobile.
What are the initial reception and performance metrics, and how does it compare to similar games in the genre?
Jakub discusses gameplay mechanics, innovative features, and monetization strategies, and I talk about the marketing approach.
Is this another Warcraft Rumble case? We are very concerned about the game's long-term viability and the lack of content updates, therefore drawing parallels to other mobile games like Warcraft Rumble.
The UA basically doesn’t exist, using only a few static images and 1 long video cut into pieces. Pretty sad!
?? Watch on Youtube
?? Listen on Spotify
??Paid subs only
Sneak peek at what you get for your support:
Creative trends in Mobile Games - August 2024
As the UA landscape evolves, so do the creative trends that shape how games communicate with their audiences.
How to conquer farming games market? Minigames FTW! Implement or die!
The farming games market presents both significant opportunities and formidable challenges. With a steadily growing audience over the past decade, this genre continues to captivate millions of players worldwide.
How to market a merge game? Top3 UA channels, trends & Winning creatives!
Merge games became the new match-3, full stop! What’s the secret behind this puzzle subgenre's popularity? Why do players like the merge mechanic? How should merge games be marketed?
Match 3D UA playbook - Real data inside!
Here we go again! Another paid newsletter filled with Tips & Tricks! Let's dive into the Match 3D UA Playbook. While match-3 games have been around for years, Match 3D adds a more recognizable dimension. The game takes the proven match-3 gameplay and pushes it into 3D. The difference is more than superficial, it profoundly affects gameplay and the strategies players need to conquer the gaming table.
?? Diary of a Dancing Unicorn
Today was a good day.
Hey hey! Thanks a lot for doing the review for us. Its great to see what we are doing wrong and what we are doing great.
Sure thing! Thats what the review is for.
Yeah, I think we are missing out on some things you pointed out.
Also, there are some activities that I would do differently, but that’s just my personal preference.
Understood. I also got some internal feedback. Work was great, but some of my colleagues misunderstood the purpose of this assignment.
What do you mean?
One mentioned lack of wow effect. But honestly, since everything is actionable and we have shit ton of stuff we need to do, I don’t really care.
Well, that’s great to hear. I am not doing reviews to wow anyone, but point out stuff that companies do well or don't. Simple as that.
I know! We have some work lined up for you after the review as well. So I guess, it served its purpose.
Great to hear, looking forward!
Today was a good day.
?? Quote of the week
"Monopoly Go is not a social casino game, it's a casual game with casino elements" - Kress, TWIG
Elder Scrolls Castles
?? 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!
We produced one more episode at 2.5gamers. Check it out now:
?? Fun starts in two & a half gamers Slack! Join now
We are opening up a Slack channel for everybody. It is the most inclusive slack for 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 Monday!
?? Reach out for feedback or questions, or say hi!
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?? PS: The latest UA & marketing jobs for you prepared by Gamigion :
Sr. Manager, Performance Marketing Scopely Marketing Manager, LATAM Supercell Live Operations & Monetization Lead Supercell Monetization Manager Supercell UA Marketing Producer Playrix Lead UA Manager Playrix Senior User Acquisition Manager Playrix Associate UA Manager Zynga Senior Performance Marketing Manager Zynga Mobile User Acquisition Manager Moon Active Monetization Manager SciPlay User Acquisition Manager SciPlay Senior Product Marketing Manager Outplay Performance Marketing Manager Space Ape Games User Acquisition Representative Tamatem Games Product Marketing Lead Gameloft User Acquisition Specialist Gameloft Product Marketing Manager Kwalee Senior Monetisation Manager Miniclip Product Marketing Lead Rovio Head of User Acquisition Huuuge Games Marketing Specialist Fugo Games Growth Manager Good Job Games Senior Influencer Marketing Specialist FRVR ASO Specialist Nordcurrent Growth Manager Moloco Marketing Manager, EMEA Moloco Senior User Acquisition Manager Gamelight Senior SEO & Growth Manager Braze Mobile Growth Manager Phiture
Find out more here!