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#Marketing & Publishing
Everything You Need to Know About Social Media Marketing Memes
Editor’s note: This article was originally published by Tiahn Wetzler, Senior Content Marketing Editor at Adjust. You can check out the original here. Social media memes are a smart way to engage your audience, create stronger brand recognition and acquire new followers. As a form of native social media content, they can create a positive brand image through humor and relatability. However, there are several pitfalls to avoid and essential practices marketers need to follow to successfully leverage the format’s popularity with younger audiences. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about social media marketing memes and how to incorporate memes into your social media strategy. Where to begin: What is a meme? The term ‘meme’ was coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book, The Selfish Gene. This was defined as a behavioral or stylistic trend...
#Guides
6 Tips for Running a Game Jam: a Guide from AudioMob
Editor’s Note: AudioMob, an advertising platform dedicated to non-interrupting audio ads, recently ran their first (of many) game jams. Here’s what they learned from the experience. As 2020 came to a close, we ran a game jam that encouraged highly creative development teams to explore integrating a new audio ad format into mobile games. The jam was an amazing experience for us, one in which we learned a lot. Hosting certainly took a significant investment of effort and time. But it was worth it, bringing us and something we’d recommend any game tech, service, or publishing company consider doing. With that in mind, we wanted to share what we learned, in case you were curious about what happens behind the scenes (or were thinking of running one yourself!). Running a game jam was hugely rewarding, of course. We got to...
#Ads & Monetization
The Metrics That Make for a Great Match 3 Game – And How to Reach Them
The match 3 genre has given us some of the most successful, long-running games of all time. With Benchmarks+ we can see what metrics make the best match 3 games successful. We recently updated our Benchmarks+ tool to include 25 sub-genres – one of which is ‘match 3 puzzle’. So now that we can see this classic, much-loved sub-genre in all its multi-metric magnificence, let’s take a look at what a successful match 3 game looks like. To start with: what is a match 3 game? Pretty much any game that challenges you to put matching objects together can be classified as a match 3 game. They started back in the eighties, with games like Tetris, Chain Shot! and Puzznic. In the 2000s, there was Candy Crush and Bejeweled Blitz. And more recently, there are popular titles like Ticket to...
#Ads & Monetization
Part 2: How to Land a Licensed IP for Your Mobile Game
If you had a chance to read part 1 of our licensed IP series, you should be pretty familiar with the basics when it comes to licensed IPs (if you’re not, we recommend navigating back to part 1 before reading on). With the fundamentals of IP law out of the way, we can start reaching out to IP holders. It’s actually pretty straightforward, though you should probably make sure you’ve got a lawyer to check over any contracts. So, what do you need to do first? Find the right fit Before you rush off and start hitting up every huge franchise for a chance to use their IP, you’ll want to make sure you’re the right fit. There are three questions to ask yourself: Do my mechanics work with this IP? If you’re making a racing game, will it really...
#Data & Analytics
iOS14 and IDFA Changes: What It Means for Mobile Developers
We recently held a webinar to discuss the changes we can expect from iOS14 and rule changes to IDFA that are due in early 2021. It was an interesting, lively discussion with GameAnalytics and Tenjin, answering some of the developers’ and publishers’ most pressing questions. We’ve had some time to reflect on all the topics we discussed. Here are our takeaways: So what is IDFA? IDFA stands for ‘identifier for advertisers. It allows advertisers to follow users through the experience – from seeing the ad in another app and then actually ending up in your app. Apple first introduced it and it’s exclusive to iOS Devices. But there’s a similar system on Android. Users do have the option to disable IDFA, but it’s always on by default. And what’s changing? From some point in early 2021, the default for IDFA...
#Ads & Monetization
Part 1: The Pros and Cons of Using a licensed IP
There are a lot of reasons to use a licensed IP. You could have made a game and now want to reskin and update it to reach a new audience, like Reigns: Game of Thrones or the new Angry Birds: Star Wars. You might be making a music game and need the rights to use a few songs, like Guitar Hero. Or perhaps you just want to include a single character in your brawler, like Super Smash Bros. Whenever you’re using another creator’s content, you’ll need permission. A license. But what are the pros and cons of doing that? Does it really help? The short answer is: maybe. But it’s a lot of work. We can’t get into all the nitty-gritty here, but we can cover the basics and give you a few tips to make sure you don’t fall...
#GameAnalytics Updates
More Hyper-Casual Sub-Genres Have Landed to Benchmarks+
Product update: Benchmarks+ is now a part of GameIntel (25th May 2021) We’ve launched GameIntel, a new and improved mobile intelligence offering which from today will be the new home for Benchmarks+. There’s a ton of new features, functions, and capabilities you can dig into here. You can find all of the details about it here. And if you missed it, we now have trending games in our tool. ************************************************** Update from 9th Dec 2020: Clear the runway, as we’ve just rolled out an exciting new bundle of sub-genres to Benchmarks+. In our last update, we added new filtering options and more shooter genres. But for this one, the hyper-casual (HC) genre takes the stage with seven new mechanic-focused options now available. Read on to find out just what they are. Hyper-casual games are simple and often rely on just...
#Data & Analytics
Why Painted Door Tests are a Secret Weapon in Game Development
Have you ever launched a new feature that you were confident would succeed and be game-changing? Not only did your gut tell you it was a good idea, but you were able to back it up with user research? Then, when you finally launched, you found the new feature made very little difference. Perhaps users didn’t notice it, or they just didn’t care about it in actual game play. All the time, money, and resources you put into it could have been spent elsewhere. This has happened to me countless times, and it’s why we at Solitaired now take a data-driven approach towards understanding what new features we should work on. A $1M mistake I learned the hard way that both my instinct and consumer research could be wrong. Before getting into the gaming space, I had run an educational...
#Data & Analytics
Making Casual Games in a COVID19 World – Post Webinar
If you’ve missed our webinar, have a question for the speakers, or want to find the videos or links to the resources that our speakers mentioned, you’re in the right place. If you fancy the TL:DR version, head to our blog here. Below you can find the webinar recordings and links to related resources and if you have any questions for the speakers or any feedback on our next webinars, use the form to the right and we will get your query to the right people. Here are the recordings: 2020 Gaming KPIs in Review – GameAnalytics GameAnalytics Ioana Hreninciuc, CEO at GameAnalytics, presents insights on key metrics, including retention, ARPDAU, Session Length, CPI, and more. Watch the recording Quarantined World: Reaching the At-Home Mobile Gamer Adjust Stephanie Pilon, Global Director of Product & Field Marketing at Adjust, explains...
#GameAnalytics Updates
New Shooter Genres & S/E Asia Filter in Benchmarks+
If you’ve been keeping up with the latest Benchmarks+ buzz, then you’ll know that we recently added a huge batch of sub-genres into our tool just a few weeks ago. Now, following popular demand, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve included more shooter genres to this growing roster: ‘snipers’ and ‘tactical shooters’ (and we’re not stopping there). More details on this below 👇 A few of our users also asked for insights on Southeast Asia, which we’ve slipped in with this release, too. (The data is available from the beginning of the month, for the App Store genres only.) Again more details below. But if you’re a paying user, you can dive straight in and check the data here: This is just the start of many changes to come (with a big update coming soon). But for now, here are...
#Game Design
Storytelling in Blockbuster Casual Games: The Effect of Data and UX-Driven Trends
Editor’s note: This article is written in collaboration by Om Tandon of UXreviewer and Lisa Brunette, founder & owner of Brunette Games, a narrative design and storytelling powerhouse working with development teams at publishers and studios such as Jam City, Redemption Games, Uken Games, etc., on blockbuster top-100 grossing casual games: Sweet Escapes, Lily’s Garden, Matchington Mansion, & many others. You can find the original article on LinkedIn. But without further ado, let’s get started: How is modern-day storytelling in casual games evolving? What data & UX-driven trends are emerging in the narrative of blockbuster casual games? Let’s find out. Size of the Pie: Casual Puzzle Games Source: Deconstructor of Fun Casual games are the second-largest genre on mobile after strategy games. They generated a revenue of a whopping $8.1Bn in 2019, the lion’s share of which was raked in by the Match 3...
#Ads & Monetization
Why AdOps and LTV are Essential to Your Softlaunch
The term ‘live ops’ is an industry-standard. Most large and mid-sized studios and publishers have a department that remotely configure their games, whether that’s localization, in-game events like flash sales, or daily bonuses. So what is ad ops? And where does it fit in? Well, before we can explain that, we need to explain Lifetime Value (LTV). Optimize your LTV at softlaunch In games that rely on ads to make money, it’s usually the user acquisition and monetization teams who are fighting to increase LTV. They’ll make the Cost Per Install (CPI) 1 cent cheaper or get the player to watch one more teeny tiny ad. All to creep up their profit, cent by cent. But developers almost always optimize their ads after they launch their game – it’s already live and getting thousands of downloads a day. Leaving it...
#Case study
How the devs behind Crossy Road and Shooty Skies became mobile masters
Never spend too long creating a game “For Crossy Road, we made it in 12 weeks, but we actually set out to make it in six,” says Sum. “That all meant that, if it didn’t go well, we hadn’t wasted all that much time. You just don’t know what’s going to happen on mobile. If you take six months to make a game, everything might have changed by the time it comes out.” Finding a team that gels “Every member of the team has their own skills that complement each other,” Sum is keen to note. “Matt Ditton handles a lot of the business side, but he’s a technical programmer too. Whereas Ben is really technically awesome and led the development of Shooty Skies.” Even though they now have a bigger team, Sum said his goal was to create “something...
#Editor's pick
Game data pipeline: Building vs buying
As a large number of studios, publishers, and game developers are heavily relying on data to guide their decisions, they need to decide between building or buying. But which one is more efficient? To assist you in understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), we broke down the following key considerations: Setup requirements Cost calculation Team needs and recruitment
#Editor's pick
Mobile gaming benchmarks for Q1 2024
Uncover the industry’s performance with Q1 2024 benchmarks. Explore key metrics like retention rates and session engagement to benchmark your games against industry standards. What’s inside? Retention benchmarks for casual, classic, and mid-core games Session length benchmarks for games launched in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Session count benchmarks across 15 game genres
#Editor's pick
Grow your revenue with Xsolla Web Shop for Mobile Games
“Xsolla anticipated this seismic shift earlier this year, when we launched multiple products that are being actively used by some of the world’s largest game companies to increase profit and build closer relationships with their mobile and pc players. We’ve now combined these products and learnings into an elegant new solution called Xsolla Web Shop for Mobile Games,” said Chris Hewish, President of Xsolla. Through Xsolla Web Shop for Mobile Games, developers can expect significant revenue growth and can reach new players in new geographies previously unavailable to them. This solution solves many challenges developers face; such as discoverability, declining profit margins, lack of control over the user experience, access to localized payment methods, cross game marketing, more efficient user acquisition, effective collaboration with creators and influencers, and much more. Three industry-changing announcements make this opportunity more timely than ever:...
#Editor's pick
2023 Roblox report: Behind the data with GameAnalytics
Download a comprehensive report of Roblox player behavior and game performance based on GameAnalytics data from 2023. This report highlights critical benchmarks and insights to help Roblox creators optimize their games. What’s inside? Devices analysis Players’ daily session frequency Average revenue spent per user Session length and count benchmarks Retention benchmarks Revenue benchmarks
#Editor's pick
The Game Developer’s Handbook to Mastering Data Solutions
Data is the key to success in the ever-evolving landscape of game development. Explore this guide to transform your data into insights using our turn-key data solutions. What’s inside? Our comprehensive guide explores cost-saving strategies and real-world applications for advanced use cases. Learn how to seamlessly integrate data sources, unlock detailed player insights with Player Warehouse, access real-time data with Raw Export, and ensure data privacy compliance.
#Case study
Developing a #1 VR MMO: Ramen VR’s Journey with GameAnalytics
Discover how Ramen VR used data-driven game development to launch "Zenith: The Last City", which became the #1 bestselling game all major VR platforms—including Meta Quest/Rift, Steam and PlayStation VR.
#Editor's pick
Using AI to Supercharge Your Game Art Design
Discover how tweaking AI tool settings can help you generate varied art styles, produce better concepts, and speed up the process from prototype to final design. With AI on your team, creating unique game art has never been easier or faster.
#Editor's pick
Event Design & Tracking Guide for GameAnalytics
Learn how to create an adaptable tracking plan, enabling you to unlock richer insights and maximize the value of your data within GameAnalytics.
#Editor's pick
How studios use DataSuite to find hit games
Learn how successful publishers evaluate hundreds of games per month, to find the next hit game.
#Editor's pick
Among Us VR dev talks about how to create immersive worlds
VR is all about immersion. It’s about allowing players to lose themselves in more than just a game, but a new world. You have to build VR experiences the right way to make this happen. This goal is always top-of-mind for Schell Games. In this interview, we spoke to Schell Games’ Vice President of Product, Charlie Amis, to learn their story. “For VR, you want to make the player feel like they’re actually in the world you’ve created. This isn’t as true or a high priority in PC and console games. If people start to lose that sense of presence and immersion, then a lot of the reason they put the headset on is hurt. They want to go to another world or be someone new. So you need to help them feel like they’re really there and really that...
#Editor's pick
GameAnalytics H1 Update: New Product Improvements!
It’s been a busy time since February, when the largest update in GameAnalytics history was launched. Read on for more information about what’s changed recently, and new functionality coming to the platform very soon.
#Case study
How TapNation uses DataSuite to increase the LTV of 19 hit games by 50% in only 6 months
Smashing obstacles with Giant Rush While they’ve seen huge improvements using DataSuite across their portfolio, one game stands out in particular: Giant Rush. (And not just because the character is huge.) The title has now reached over 140 million downloads. And, through a series of A/B tests and insights from the data they collected, they’ve been able to increase the LTV by a whopping 200% over six months for this specific title. “It’s because we A/B test every day,” Philippe Grazina from TapNation says. “We ask questions like: When are players leaving the game? For example, the boss in Giant Rush. If we spot that they’re leaving at the same point every time, we know we need to make a change. Small details like that really help.” Through these granular insights, TapNation can iterate and improve on their game step...
#Editor's pick
How to Build a Data Warehouse for Games from Scratch
Over our last couple of blogs around data warehouses, we’ve explained how they let you analyze data from across your portfolio and look at what insights you can gather from them. Now, we’ll dive into how to build a data warehouse. What steps do you need to take and what resources will you need? To figure this out, we’ve rounded up the costs, steps, and tools we think you’ll need to get started. Please note, that we haven’t included the cost of running an engineering department (which you’ll need), which can end up being a lot of $$$. What do I need to get started? Before you start, you’ll need to ensure you have the right people. You’ll likely need a software or data engineer, and perhaps an architect or DevOps engineer. You’ll also need to budget for tools like...