Podcasts about user acquisition

This episode is a tour through the wildest creative trends dominating mobile games in June 2025. We break down why two- and three-minute video ads are everywhere, how AI hooks and long-form ASMR are pre-qualifying high-value users, and why the best-performing creatives this month are often stitched together from hits of the past. What's inside:Long-Form Video SurgeCopy-Paste ManiaASMR and Satisfying LoopsAI-Driven InnovationClone Wars and IP TheftReal Life and UGCKey Takeaway:If you are not testing long-form videos, iterating ASMR or AI hooks, and watching what your competitors are copying, you are missing out. Quality and innovation are moving at warp speed, and copy-paste is the new default.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Creative Trends in Mobile Gaming04:24 Analyzing Recent Creative Campaigns07:32 The Impact of Video Length on User Engagement10:27 Innovations in Game Advertising13:23 Exploring AI in Game Marketing16:25 Case Studies: Successful Game Creatives19:16 Conclusion and Future Trends20:26 Understanding Player Perception22:34 Innovative Ad Strategies26:15 Analyzing Game Trends30:08 Marketing Strategies for Game Growth35:22 Emerging Trends in ASMR and Casual Gaming37:32 Innovations in Game Development and User Engagement39:22 The Role of User-Generated Content in Gaming41:07 The Impact of AI on Game Creatives44:46 AI Developments and Their Influence on Game Marketing53:08 Conclusion and Future Insights in Gaming---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric

We unpack KnitOut by Rollic, a surprising hit blending simple, relaxing puzzle mechanics with clever monetization and UA execution. Underneath the soothing yarn is a sophisticated, scalable system that echoes the Turkish studio's proven blueprint. KnitOut is already generating $ 60,000 daily revenue and 20,000 downloads a day, with the US accounting for sixty percent of revenue and CPIs exceeding $10. What's inside:Core Gameplay: Addictive bench mechanic, yarn “block jam” puzzle core, and highly satisfying ASMR touches. Monetization: Interstitials start after level sixteen or eighteen. First rewarded ad comes with an upsell to “remove ads” IAP. No banners. Creative StrategyBlueprint for Hits: Rollic's process is all about finding a sticky core, tuning every curve, scaling hard, and only adding events or meta once retention and monetization benchmarks are proven. Hundreds of prototypes feed the pipeline, but only a handful get to scale.Key Takeaway:KnitOut looks simple, but it is a masterclass in “build core first, polish to perfection, then scale with data.” The Turkish blueprint continues to win, even as clones flood the market.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor, FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/o22Ky7sGWqsJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Game Overview04:27 Gameplay Mechanics and Strategy07:25 Game Difficulty and Progression10:27 Monetization Strategies and User Engagement13:23 Comparative Analysis with Other Games16:33 Development Insights and Future Prospects21:45 Understanding Game Monetization Strategies25:30 Analyzing Game Performance Metrics29:25 The Shift in Ad Revenue Dynamics33:46 Creative Strategies in Game Marketing38:06 The Importance of Creative Length in Ads---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

In this solo episode, Felix Braberg walks through the six most effective ad placements he's tested and rolled out across top ad-monetized mobile games and client portfolios in 2024 and 2025. Drawing from live examples in games like Woodoku, Happy Color, Screwmaster 3D, Subway Surfers, and more, Felix details exactly how to engineer ad placements that boost ARPDAU, drive first purchases, and turn non-payers into rewarded ad whales.What's inside:Step Offer Chains: Build offers as a chain of steps—first offering free items, then a rewarded ad, then paid, and finally more free, creating a mental ladder that nudges first-time purchases and ad engagement. Use notification buttons to highlight available rewarded ads.Recency Effect Monetization: Use mediation hacks to always serve the highest eCPM ad unit. Supersonic's tactic: on app open, cache both rewarded and interstitial ads, then dynamically check which one pays more at every impression. Serve interstitials in rewarded slots if they outpay, but never the reverse.Convert-or-Die Placements: At every natural gameplay break, offer a rewarded ad first—if skipped, immediately serve an interstitial. Users quickly learn there is always an ad coming and will shift to rewarded for better value.Store Exit Rewarded Ads: Instead of putting rewarded ads inside the store, show them as a standalone pop-up only if a user leaves the store without buying. This boosts conversion among non-payers and is now rolling out across portfolios at scale.Unlockable Skins and Paint Jobs: Rewarded ads are used to unlock new skins, paint jobs, or game modes—sometimes requiring up to five ads for a single unlock. Use first cached ad eCPM to decide if a rewarded placement should show, especially for likely non-payers.Meta Rewards for Ad Whales: Give users bonus rewards for hitting high ad-watch thresholds (ten ads a day unlocks a speed buff, for example). This turns high-volume ad viewers into meta progression junkies, boosting both ad ARPDAU and retention.Key Takeaway:Test these placements, track them against the best ad-monetized games in the market, and always iterate. Small changes in placement, sequence, and creative lead to big jumps in revenue—especially for non-payers and ad whales.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shopVibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix BrabergYoutube: https://youtu.be/blw0JNMcfh8Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Ad Placements04:09 Exploring Effective Ad Strategies10:20 Innovative Ad Placement Techniques15:06 Meta Rewards and Long-Term EngagementFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.com---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

We go deep on Uma Musume Pretty Derby, Japan's gacha horse girl sensation, and a masterclass in roguelite meta complexity. With real horse DNA, multi-layered training runs, six gacha layers, and a live ops cadence that powers up to 72 million dollars per launch month, Uma Musume is a unicorn in the global market—an RPG sim that's too Japanese for most of the West, but a billion-dollar franchise at home.What's inside:Japan-First, World-Second: Ninety-five percent of all revenue still comes from Japan.Insane Revenue Per DownloadTrue Roguelite Progression: Training runs carry over legacy stats, traits, and inspiration from previous “parents.” Every decision in a run matters. Social features like friend-run inheritance and deep support card gacha fuel endless replay.Authentic Horse Girl DNAToo Complex for the West: The English launch saw a brief spike (three hundred thousand dollars in a day) but quickly dropped. Complexity, visual style, and waifu focus make it a core product for otaku and hardcore sim fans.Key Takeaway:Uma Musume Pretty Derby is proof that deep, highly local games with real social and meta layers can still print billions, if you own your niche and deliver unmatched complexity.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/HmKZaCWlDBIJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Uma Musume Pretty Derby06:02 Understanding the Game's Popularity and Mechanics09:11 The Unique Design and Gameplay of Uma Musume12:02 The Evolution of Horse Racing Games15:10 Rogue-lite Mechanics in Uma Musume17:58 Character Selection and Training Strategies21:06 The Role of Support Cards and Skills27:03 Final Thoughts on Gameplay and Complexity37:19 Racing Mechanics and Strategies42:13 Game Progression and Challenges55:22 Monetization and Gacha Mechanics01:01:24 Marketing Strategies and Community EngagementMatej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

We dissect the phenomenon of FPS Strike, a low-poly, Counter-Strike-inspired mobile shooter racking up more than 4 million DAU, mostly across India, Pakistan, Brazil, Egypt, and Southeast Asia. Despite its massive scale, nearly everything about the game is stuck in the “admon nightmare” zone—zero iOS presence, almost no user acquisition, unoptimized ad stack, endless rewarded ads, and zero LiveOps. Yet, even with all those gaps, it is still a money-printing machine, generating $30,000 to $50,000 a day, primarily from video ads and interstitials.What's inside:Ad Stack TrainwreckAds Everywhere, Little MonetizationCreative and UA FailFake Counter-Strike, Real Results: The “nostalgia” is more about experiencing a shooter for the first time on mobile, not actual Counter-Strike memories. Simple graphics, bots for everyone, and a skin shop that barely matters.Key Takeaway:You do not need next-gen graphics or live PVP to win in Tier 3. But if you do not optimize your ad stack, creatives, and UA, you are burning money every day. FPS Strike is a case study in “good enough” that could be so much more.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to the Game Landscape04:42 Analyzing Game Metrics and User Engagement07:38 Gameplay Mechanics and User Experience10:38 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration13:36 Game Features and User Retention Strategies18:27 The Importance of Monetization Strategies21:08 Ad Revenue Insights and Optimization24:51 Maximizing Ad Stack Efficiency27:37 User Engagement and Retention Strategies31:38 Influencer Marketing and Organic Growth35:34 Game Mechanics and Player Experience38:42 Future of FPS Games and Industry Trends---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

Paul West, founder of Fumb Games, joins Two and a Half Gamers to share the real growth story behind the studio's breakout year. From Bitcoin Miner's $10 million run to the launch of Idle Mine and a creative rebrand that hit $1 million in sixty days, Paul explains how ruthless UA strategy, creative expansion, and a “cut what doesn't work” mindset allowed a lean team to scale tenfold—right in the middle of the industry's hardest year.What's inside:UA: Bigger Risks, Smarter FocusFumb Games ditched the “three-day payback only” mindset, stretched paybacks, and invested in UA even when it was scary. They ran tons of networks, then cut to the four that moved the needle.Creative Volume and ExperimentationAI tools, influencer gigs on Fiverr, and a nonstop creative testing culture delivered more winning ads and allowed for higher spend. The team tested everything—static, video, and even reskinned gameplay for new themes.LiveOps and Community as Retention FuelWeekend and midweek events, Discord and Reddit codes, and direct player rewards kept ARPDAU and DAU rising together—unusual for a scaling idle studio.Monetization UpgradesSubscriptions became 80 percent of purchase revenue in new titles. Side revenue from play gap (offline ad fill), Zebedee (crypto microtransactions), and Discord monetization all helped lift margins.Market Read and Thematic FocusWhen Bitcoin Miner started to plateau, they rebranded a casual project into Idle Mine, doubled down on the Bitcoin theme, and saw instant traction and monetization in a proven niche.Key Takeaway:You do not 10x by playing it safe. Cut what doesn't work, invest big in what does, and let your UA and creative testing do the heavy lifting. If the theme and the community are hot, pour fuel on that fire.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Host: Paul Westhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkwest/Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Fum Games and Growth Strategy03:35 Challenges in the Gaming Industry06:41 Core Pillars for Future Growth09:33 Innovative Monetization Strategies13:13 User Acquisition and Community Engagement15:59 Rebranding and New Game Launch18:11 Key Takeaways and Future Outlook---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

We break down Wittle Defender, Habby's latest departure from the mass market, blending deep meta, squad RPG mechanics, and a relentless gacha system. This is not another Survivor IO. It is a meta monster built for hardcore RPG fans, multi-layered progression, gear grind, rune systems, and dozens of monetization hooks. But is it too deep for global scale?What's inside:Meta Gone WildGacha and ProgressionMore Modes, More MonetizationDeep automation and idle mechanics Ad Revenue ShrinksUA and Creative: Focused on Asia, with heavy use of fake gameplay, static images, and Rush Royale or Top Heroes clones for Facebook and TikTok ads. Playable ads exist but are rare.Key Takeaway:Wittle Defender marks Habby's pivot away from broad hybrid monetization. The focus now is on deep spend, multi-layered progression, and gacha depth for a smaller, more hardcore player base. Ad revenue is down, IAP is up, and the US is no longer the top target.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/lg023xHkCUkJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Host Dynamics02:49 Sailing Adventures and Job Interviews04:06 Whittle Defender Game Overview07:19 Game Mechanics and Progression Systems11:22 Monetization Strategies and User Experience14:22 Gameplay Modes and Challenges18:17 Character Skills and Randomization Mechanics25:18 Final Thoughts and Game Depth25:42 Character Dynamics and Game Mechanics28:36 Game Depth and Player Engagement29:52 Market Positioning and Audience Targeting34:15 Revenue Insights and Market Performance40:15 Monetization Strategies and Future Directions44:06 Game Mechanics and Trends46:13 Marketing Strategies in Gaming51:18 Investment and Development in the Gaming Industry56:14 Future Directions for Game Studios---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiarPlease share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

Today, we deep-dive into Raid Rush, the Turkish-made tower defense game that is bringing roguelike deck-building, build-your-own-path mechanics, and IP crossovers to the top of the mobile charts. The crew unpacks why this game feels so deep, why Korean and US players are eating it up, and how the game balances heavy progression, smart ad placements, and old-school strategy with real modern LiveOps.What's inside:A Real Tower Defense for 2025: Raid Rush lets you build your own road, place towers with real strategy, and merge and upgrade through a deck and gacha system. Every run is different thanks to randomization, new land placement, and a menu packed with modes, heroes, and skills.IP Collabs Done RightKorea and the US Lead the PackCreative and UA Trends: The team breaks down a wild mix of real-life, static AI, and hyper-casual video hooks, plus some truly creative (and not-so-creative) uses of IP.Key Takeaway:Raid Rush shows you can still win by mixing deep strategy, roguelite randomness, smart ad and IAP segmentation, and just enough IP muscle. In a world of copycats, this one actually innovates.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/9rDyKoe58b0Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Game Overview04:16 Game Metrics and Performance Analysis07:15 Gameplay Mechanics and Unique Features10:13 Strategic Depth and Replayability13:30 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration16:26 Collaboration with Terminator IP and Content Expansion19:25 Final Thoughts and Future Prospects27:30 Monetization Strategies in Mobile Games30:40 Dynamic Monetization and User Engagement32:15 Creative Advertising and User Acquisition37:25 Trends in Tower Defense Games42:58 The Role of AI in Game DevelopmentMatej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiarPlease share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

In this episode, Two and a Half Gamers sit down with Shobeir Shobeiri, Director of Publisher Sales at Moloco, to give the industry's most practical, no-BS crash course on the history, mechanics, and real money in mobile ad monetization. From the origins of banners to today's machine-learning DSPs, the crew demystifies ad tech jargon, reveals the margins and secrets behind every middleman, and lays out what every publisher needs to know about maximizing revenue in 2025.What's inside:The Evolution of Ad Monetization: How mobile moved from premium, paid apps to ad-funded juggernauts, and why rewarded video is now the fastest-growing segment.DSP, SSP, and Mediation 101: How ad stacks work, what makes a DSP different, and where the money really goes between advertisers, publishers, and ad tech middlemen.Margin Math: Ad networks and exchanges quietly take cuts of 20 to 30 percent or more, but the right direct SDK can boost your ad ARPDAU by 8 to 20 percent instantly.Real-World History: From early Mad Men deals and waterfall hacks to today's real-time bidding, learn the origin stories that shaped the $262 billion mobile ad market.Creative Ad Unit Tips: Where to put banners, how to maximize rewarded ads, why playables are a must for UA, and the new rules for ad placement segmentation.Moloco's SDK Advantage: Why plugging in the Moloco SDK gives you priority, boosts ARPDAU, and connects you to two billion dollars in annual spend—backed by real results from the field.Key Takeaway:Understanding your ad stack, choosing the right partners, and owning your data is the real moat in 2025. Get your ad monetization right, and you'll be printing money—get it wrong, and you'll be just feeding middlemen.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Special Guest: Shobeir ShobeiriYoutube: https://youtu.be/T3OQzk0ldIYJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Mobile Advertising and Maloko04:16 The Evolution of Advertising: From Ancient Times to Mobile06:45 The Rise of Mobile Apps and Monetization Strategies09:23 Challenges in the Mobile Advertising Landscape12:29 Understanding Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and Supply-Side Platforms (SSPs)15:27 The Mechanics of Mediation and Ad Stacks18:06 The Transition from Waterfall Auctions to Bidding Systems21:29 The Evolution of Ad Serving and Bidding23:48 Understanding Ad Networks and Revenue Models25:44 Ad Units: Types and Their Effectiveness30:25 Pricing Models in Advertising35:03 The Role of SDKs in Ad Revenue40:11 Future of Ad Monetization---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric

מה זה בעצם User Acquisition,למה זה לא רק “לשים מודעה בפייסבוק” ומאיזה טעויות כדאי להימנע? *הפרק הוקלט לפני תחילת המערכה עם איראן* בפרק השבוע אדוה שיסגל מדברת עם שירלי קרליבך, Growth Marketing Team Lead במאנדיי, על אחת מאבני היסוד של מרקטינג – רכישת לקוחות (User Acquisition). יוזר אקוויזישן הוא התהליך שבו סטארטאפים מושכים משתמשים חדשים למוצר שלהם, והוא קריטי לצמיחה ולהצלחה בשוק התחרותי. בפרק שירלי מסבירה למה חשוב להתמקד ברכישת לקוחות כבר מהשלבים הראשונים, איך להתאים את השיטות לשלב שבו הסטארטאפ נמצא ומהם ההבדלים בין ערוצי “פוש” ו“פול” ברכישה. בנוסף, היא מדברת על כלים למדידת האפקטיביות של האקוויזישן וכיצד להיערך לשינויים שהביאה כניסת ה-AI לעולם השיווק. קישורים רלוונטים שדוברו בפרק: 246: איך להבין תוך יומיים אם קמפיין מרקטינג מביא משתמשים משלמים? וידאו - אפטום מרקטינג באמצעות מנועי חיפוש מבוססי AISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we break down Carnival Tycoon: the “idle” game that's really a Trojan Horse for social casino and slot machine mechanics. We compare every feature, monetization trick, and creative strategy to Coin Master, Monopoly Go, and the social casino giants. Find out how Carnival Tycoon hit five million dollars a month, why rewarded ads are hidden everywhere, and what makes this copycat succeed where others flop.You will learn:Why Carnival Tycoon is more social casino than idle, and how it fakes the early gameHow copy-paste UI, offers, and creative trends shape modern casino gamesThe secrets behind rewarded ad segmentation and thirty to forty-five percent ad watchersWhat separates the titans (Coin Master, Monopoly Go) from the fast followersWhy LiveOps and ruthless economy balance are the real keys to scaleHow AI, asset flipping, and creative theft drive UA in the social casino wild westGet our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Game Overview04:15 Gameplay Mechanics and Revenue Insights07:14 Comparative Analysis with Social Casino Games09:42 Visual Progression and User Engagement13:15 Monetization Strategies and User Retention16:18 Advertising Dynamics and User Segmentation19:13 Session Length and User Experience22:10 Final Thoughts and Future of Carnival Tycoon28:52 The State of LiveOps in Gaming29:39 Engagement Mechanics in Mobile Games30:21 Analyzing Game Release Timelines31:46 The Role of Marketing Partners in Game Scaling32:35 Creative Strategies in Game Advertising33:54 The Impact of AI on Game Creatives35:35 IP Infringement and Creative Theft in Gaming37:25 The Wild West of Mobile Game Marketing40:46 Trends in Game Development and Marketing44:02 Future of Onboarding in Mobile Games---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiarPlease share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

We tackle the legacy and latest iteration of Puzzle & Dragons, the game that defined Japanese mobile gaming and reached a mind-blowing five billion dollars in lifetime revenue. From wild metagame depth and monster collection to why Western players just never clicked with the formula, the crew unpacks the hits, misses, and museum-piece vibes of a true industry legend.What's inside:No Gacha in the Gacha Game? Cultural Roots Run DeepMuseum Piece, Not Modern HitGame Design DNAAds, UA, and ProfitKey Takeaway:Sometimes, the most influential games are the least exportable. Puzzle & Dragons is a legend in Japan, a footnote in the West, and a masterclass in knowing and owning your audience.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/nPidjalbujgJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Puzzle and Dragons02:53 The Evolution of Mobile Gaming05:53 Gameplay Mechanics and Features08:48 Cultural Differences in Gaming11:41 Monetization Strategies and Ads14:42 Comparative Analysis with Other Games19:21 The State of Gaming in Japan22:46 Cultural Differences in Gaming Preferences25:35 Revenue Insights and Market Dynamics28:00 User Acquisition Challenges31:05 Reflections on Mobile Gaming History---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

In this brutally honest episode, Matej interviews Zino Rost Van Tonningen, CEO of Tyr Ads, live from MAU (with zero construction noise this time). The focus is on running rewarded UA without getting burned by fraud, bad partners, or weak setups. Zino shares knowledge from his journey through agency work, the wild world of offer walls, and leading Tyr Ads from rewards app to global SDK powerhouse.What's inside:The Fraud Playbook: How faked events, cheat engines, and emulator hackers can drain $20,000 from your budget in minutes if your setup is not rock solid.How to Bulletproof Your Attribution: Why server-to-server (S2S) events, signature V5 for Adjust, and secure MMP integrations are non-negotiable. If you are not set up right, your numbers are toast.Reward Structures 101: Single reward, multi-reward, playtime offers, and daily re-engagement, the real impact on UA and long-term player progression.Choosing the Right Platform: How to interrogate your reward partner, avoid lazy multi-reward copycats, and demand daily re-engagement, data-driven nudges, and flexible KPIs.Scaling and Surviving: Why will most offerwall partners disappear in the next year unless they build better engagement and retention features? If your partner cannot adapt, you are the next victim.iOS is Heating Up: Why Apple's rules are loosening, the offerwall boom is just starting, and iOS users behave differently from Android.Key Takeaway:Rewarded UA is at a turning point: trust your numbers, interrogate your partners, demand retention and scale, or get left behind in the coming wave of consolidation.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej Lancaric⁠Special guest: Zino Rost Van Tonningenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rovato/https://tyrads.com/Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.me---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

We break down BitLife, a simulation game that proves you do not need flashy graphics or complex meta to print money. With an aggressive monetization model, evergreen retention, and a loyal fanbase, BitLife has been going strong for over seven years, now pulling in more than $110,000 a day, with ad revenue making up half of its total income.What's inside:Ad Monetization on Steroids: Interstitial ads hit you right from the tutorial, with a cooldown of 70 seconds, banners refresh every five seconds, and rewarded ads are expertly placed on emotional player moments.BitLife monetizes player choices through a web of IAPs, subscriptions, and one-time offers.Smart UA and Creative Strategy: Originally fueled by organics, Stillfront's acquisition kicked off heavy user acquisition with strong creative hooks, unique AI and UGC blends, and consistent iteration across every channel.Key Takeaway:You do not need the best graphics to win in mobile. If your product is unique, your ad monetization is ruthless, and your UA is dialed in, you can scale forever.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/--JFbHlo3E8Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Bit Life and Hosts04:27 The Growth and Acquisition of Bit Life07:36 Gameplay Mechanics and Life Choices10:18 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration13:22 Life Events and Their Impact on Gameplay16:26 The Role of Ads in Player Experience19:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Bit Life23:09 Game Mechanics and Monetization Strategies26:24 Ad Revenue Insights and User Engagement31:26 User Acquisition and Marketing Strategies38:18 Game Performance and Future Growth44:21 Final Thoughts and Ratings---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

We just dropped our latest episode, and it is a must-watch for anyone building or buying mobile game ads. We break down the biggest trends ripping through the creative market:AI hooks and seamless transitions: five art styles in five minutes, and the line between real and fake is now a blur.Celebrities everywhere: Monica, Phoebe, LeBron, Christina Aguilera, even C-tier cameos nobody asked forSatisfying gold bars, drowning waifus, and cruelty hooks: Virality still rules the creative graveyard.Copy-paste chaos: King Shot mechanics, snakes, resource overload, and every trend recycled at warp speedIP infringement? Nobody cares. Elsa and Moana show up in more ads than their own movies.Here is the brutal truth: The mobile creative game is faster, weirder, and less original than ever. AI is now your intern, celebrity ads are squeezing out innovation, and anyone who is not remixing, testing, and scaling daily is already behind.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/xbOwszmQ6tgJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Event Highlights02:58 Creative Trends Overview05:50 Golden Goblin Creatives08:42 Celebrity Influences in Gaming Ads11:44 Contractual Dynamics in Celebrity Endorsements14:42 Trends in Game Creatives17:37 AI and Animation in Game Marketing20:04 Exploring Game Mechanics and Design Flaws22:42 The Evolution of Game Concepts and AI Integration25:41 Analyzing Coin Master's Consistent Revenue Stream28:43 The Impact of AI on Game Development31:43 Trends in Mobile Gaming Revenue and Performance37:10 Introduction to SuperScent and Game Comparisons37:47 Exploring Game Mechanics and Creative Concepts39:27 Discussion on Whiteout Survival and Game Trends40:29 Advertising Strategies for CTV Campaigns41:36 Analyzing Pokemon Go's New Developments44:18 AI in Game Creatives and Advertising48:42 Trends in AI-Generated Content and IP Infringement---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

Legend alert. In this episode, we sit down with Jane Whittaker, a developer, executive, and innovator whose career spans from coding 8-bit chart toppers and Atari's biggest hits to shaping the DNA of open-world, survival, and RPGs. Jane shares candid stories from the 1980s video game crash, building Alien vs. Predator with just two programmers, working with Sid Meier and Mike Singleton, and steering giants like EA and MGM.What's inside:Real Video Game HistoryIndie Roots and All-In Dev: From writing sound drivers without knowing music to doing design, code, and art in a single project, Jane did it all before “indie” was a thing.Survival Games Before They Were CoolOpen World Royalty: From Mike Singleton's Midwinter to World of Warcraft landscape architecture and Microsoft Flight Simulator expansions, Jane's fingerprints are all over gaming's biggest virtual worlds.Modding and Crafting PhilosophyNo AI Shortcuts, Pure CraftWhy Fun Beats TechKey Takeaway:Game design that stands the test of time is about creative risk, pure craft, and relentless focus on fun, not just graphics or tech. Jane's story is a masterclass for anyone building or dreaming of building games.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/RyDJ88zRVwoJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to a Gaming Legend02:42 The Evolution of Gaming: A Personal Journey05:45 The Impact of the 1983 Video Game Crash08:32 The Making of Alien vs. Predator11:12 Transitioning to MGM and GoldenEye14:22 The Legacy of Survival Games17:24 Behind the Scenes of Dungeon Keeper and Marvel Games20:00 Contributions to World of Warcraft22:10 Crafting Immersive Game Worlds25:50 Innovations in Game Mechanics29:10 Creating Tension and Fear in Gameplay32:55 The Role of AI in Game Development38:12 Crafting Immersive Game Worlds41:13 The Importance of Effort in Game Development43:53 Balancing Budget and Creativity46:02 The Role of Modding in Gaming50:13 Lessons from Past Projects54:35 Building a Passionate Gaming Community---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

Today, we sit down with Supersonic's Samantha Benjamin and Guy Agiv to discuss the hit game Screw Master 3D. From adapting trends out of China to hybrid monetization tricks and creative secrets, this episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone in mobile gaming.What you'll learn:How Screwmaster 3D's physics-puzzle and meta layers drive insane engagementThe models and tactics behind maximizing eCPMs and LTV in ad-heavy gamesThe secret to rapid adaptation, culturalization, and scaling trends globallyA-B testing, skip-its, and boosters—hybrid casual best practices for monetization without killing UXCreative production at Supersonic: data-driven, AI-boosted, always iteratingThe new era of hybrid casual is ruthless: if you want to compete, you need to move fast, master ad monetization, and out-iterate everyone on creative and product. Screwmaster 3D is proof that the real money is in the details.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/OmGzUDUiPsQJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Screw Master 3D02:37 Game Mechanics and Design Insights05:39 Adapting for Global Markets08:38 User Engagement and Retention Strategies11:50 Monetization Strategies and Challenges14:33 Future Developments and Game Evolution26:56 Balancing Game Difficulty and User Engagement27:50 Analyzing User Metrics and Revenue Streams29:09 Retention Rates and User Engagement Strategies31:09 Ad Monetization Strategies and User Experience35:34 Optimizing Ad Experience and User Segmentation40:14 ECPM Management and Ad Impression Strategies45:26 Implementing Skip It Feature in Game Design49:19 User Acquisition Strategies and Channel Mix52:44 Channel Mix and Budget Allocation55:43 The Power of Playable Ads01:00:21 Creative Testing and Iteration Strategies01:01:53 Balancing Playable Lengths for User Engagement01:05:00 Testing New Channels and Creative Strategies01:12:19 Exploring New Channels for Growth---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

State of Gaming report: https://tinyurl.com/5eyye63dIn this episode, Mishka Katkoff sits down with Sensor Tower gaming insights analyst Sam Aune to dissect the state of mobile gaming in 2025. They unpack download trends, the evolving UA playbook, the hybrid casual boom, and shifting genre engagement. The conversation dives into emerging markets, how ads really impact player behavior, and what Gen Z expects from modern mobile games. Backed by fresh Sensor Tower data, Aune breaks down where the biggest opportunities—and pitfalls—lie for today's game makers.02:10 Current Trends in Mobile Gaming Downloads05:12 User Acquisition and Monetization Strategies07:45 Engagement Trends in Game Genres11:31 The Rise of Hybrid Casual Games16:49 Emerging Markets and Growth Opportunities23:39 Revenue Trends Across Game Genres27:36 Balancing Niche and Audience Size30:59 The Decline of New Game Releases31:56 Understanding Gen Z Players35:38 Gender Targeting in Game Development41:55 The Role of IP in Game Success45:04 Market Concentration and Expansion Strategies

We just dropped a new Review Radar episode in which we examined every major mobile game from the last three months. Some are breaking the ‘podcast curse' and scaling up, others are stuck in stable dinosaur mode, and a few are just… lost.Highlights:Triple Match City and Color Block Jam are stacking revenue with surprising ARPU and ad mixesRoyal Kingdom and Pokémon Sleep show that audience and IP still trump any new featureCloning is the new normal, but most ‘copy-paste' games never hit the KPIs of their genre leadersMonetization is where dreams die, great engines, weak revenueUA and creative discipline are still the biggest differentiatorsOur verdict? Build fast, adapt faster, and don't be afraid to kill what isn't scaling. In mobile gaming, the only thing worse than a failed experiment is a boring one.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/vaa1d1Evif0Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to the Review Radar04:39 Game Performance Insights: Triple Match City07:16 Core Survival and Its Revenue Growth10:32 Acero 2: Launch and Revenue Analysis13:37 Top Girl: User Engagement and Revenue Trends16:37 Royal Kingdom: Celebrity Campaign Impact19:36 Path of Exile 2: Community Reactions and Revenue22:40 Dark and Darker: Soft Launch Insights25:34 Magic Sword: Future Potential and Market Position27:06 Revenue Insights: Comparing Game Performance28:48 Block Blast: The Unexpected Contender29:42 Project Rise: Anticipation and Delays33:27 ColorBlockJam: A Rising Star in Mobile Gaming36:35 Hi-Sees Hero: Challenges in Game Development39:48 Candy Crush Solitaire: Stagnation in a Competitive Market41:50 Goods Puzzle: A New Player in the Market---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

In this special episode recorded LIVE at MAU, Matej Lančarič sits down with Noa Gutterman (VP UA, Misplay) and Brett (Senior Manager, UA, Misplay) for a no-BS deep dive into the business and creative secrets powering Misplay's explosive growth, and their high-stakes launch on iOS.Brutally honest breakdown:How Misplay overcame App Store hurdles to launch on iOSIncrementality testing, the “always-on” strategy that's blowing up the myth of last-touch attributionBuilding a predictive PLTV signal stack for maximum partner valueWhy culturalization, not just localization, is driving insane ROI in APAC marketsCreative strategies that actually convert: negative hooks, modular iteration, and next-gen UGCReal talk on AI in UA, where it works, where it fails, and what's nextMisplay's playbook is a wake-up call for UA and product teams: “Question every channel. Obsess over incrementality. Creative is king, but speed and structure are the emperor. And don't just localize, culturalize, or leave millions on the table.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/xUCAnvTHcYQJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Misplay and the Team03:24 Challenges and Opportunities in iOS Gaming06:51 User Acquisition Strategies for iOS09:31 Incrementality Testing in User Acquisition12:38 Measurement and Data Strategies15:40 Signals and Optimization in Campaigns18:48 User Segmentation and Geo Strategies23:31 Culturalized Marketing Strategies in Korea25:43 Creative Strategies and User-Generated Content29:47 Innovative Brainstorming and Team Collaboration32:43 Creative Testing and Iteration36:38 The Role of AI in Creative Development42:19 Future Directions for Misplay---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

Growing pains are an inevitable part of any organization's journey, whether you're a nonprofit or a tech startup. In this episode, I sit down with Deirdre Tshien, co-founder and CEO of Capsho, to explore the challenges and triumphs of scaling a business in the ever-evolving AI landscape. Navigating the Ups and Downs of Growth Deirdre shares her candid experiences of: - Pivoting and refining Capsho's focus in response to market changes - Balancing innovation with staying true to the company's core mission - Overcoming the temptation to please everyone and learning to say “no” The Power of Listening to Your Audience Discover why tuning into your community's needs is crucial for sustainable growth: - How Capsho uses customer feedback to guide product development - The importance of validating ideas before investing resources - Strategies for prioritizing features that truly serve your audience Staying Focused in a Competitive Landscape Deirdre offers insights on: - Managing imposter syndrome when faced with new competitors - The value of “staying in your own lane” and focusing on your unique strengths - Cultivating an abundance mindset in a crowded market Lessons for Nonprofits While Capsho isn't a nonprofit, Deirdre's experiences offer valuable takeaways for mission-driven organizations: - The importance of setting clear priorities and avoiding mission drift - How to approach growth opportunities with a critical eye - Balancing innovation with staying true to your core purpose Whether you're considering a new initiative, struggling with decision-making, or feeling overwhelmed by competition, this conversation will inspire you to approach growth with intention and confidence. Want to Skip Ahead? Here are Some Key Takeaways. 04:40 Mindset for Growth and Scalability Explore the mindset needed for business growth, focusing on setting immediate, achievable goals rather than long-term projections. It is import to stay adaptable in rapidly changing industries and maintain focus on core objectives while managing growth. 09:20 Focusing on Core Mission and Adapting to Market Changes Capsho when through a journey of refining its product and target audience. It's always important to stay true to the company's mission while being responsive to market changes and customer needs. Discusses strategies for prioritizing development and expansion decisions. 17:57 Validating Ideas and Prioritizing Resources It's Important to validate new ideas through customer willingness to pay. Explore strategies for prioritizing limited resources and the challenges of saying no to seemingly good opportunities that don't align with core objectives. 24:09 Listening to Users and Managing Competition Listen to paying customers for product development decisions. Manage imposter syndrome and stay focused on your own goals in a competitive market. Tune out the noise and stay true to your mission. Deirdre Tshien Deirdre Tshien is the Co-founder & CEO of Capsho, the fastest way to get clients from your content! Capsho is an AI-Powered Content Marketer that helps entrepreneurs who podcast, vlog and livestream create repurposed content that converts. From one audio or video upload, Capsho helps create title & description, social media posts, blog post, lead magnet checklist, LinkedIn Newsletters, images and short video clips. She is the creator of The Honey Trap Method, author of Honey Trap Marketing and host of the Win the Content Game. She is a 2023 Honoree of the 100 Women to KNOW in America. Learn more at capsho.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-first-click Learn more about The First Click: https://thefirstclick.net Schedule a Digital Marketing Therapy Session: https://thefirstclick.net/officehours

In this brutally honest episode, the 2.5 Gamers crew and puzzle expert Laura Taranto dive into Century Games' match-3 ambitions, dissecting new titles like Family Farm Match, Party Match, and Truckstar. Once a 4X and farming powerhouse, Century is now flooding the puzzle genre with games and wild creative tests, but is there any real strategy?We break down:The copy-paste engine and meta behind Party Match and Family Farm MatchTruckstar's unique angle and why it's struggling to scaleUA and creative strategy: random, borrowed, or just desperate?Why failing to use rewarded ads and proper player segmentation is costing millionsPolished engines but way-too-easy level design, can this team ever push players to pay?What's next? Will slow and safe ever beat bold and brilliant in match-3?Key TakeawayCentury Games has the tech, the team, and the budget, but without a killer UA and creative strategy and the guts to actually experiment, segment, and scale, they'll keep missing out on match-3's billion-dollar club. “Spray and pray” isn't a strategy!Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Special Guest: Laura TarantoYoutube: https://youtu.be/LV1FK7kqLJcJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Epic intro03:07 Exploring Century Games' Portfolio and Revenue Streams08:54 Casual Gaming Strategy and Market Positioning11:55 Discussion on Match-Three Games and Their Performance18:47 Evolution of Match Games20:28 Engaging Male Audiences in Gaming22:24 Revenue Strategies and User Acquisition29:39 Core Mechanics and Level Balancing35:29 Challenges in Game Differentiation45:23 Analyzing User Acquisition Tactics49:34 Understanding Creative Strategies in Marketing51:45 Evaluating Game Engine Performance56:57 Final Thoughts on Game Strategy and Development---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

Running UA on AppLovin in 2025? Don't waste another dollar until you hear this.In this episode, we sit down with Alexis Lejeune (ex-AppLovin, now UA advisor) to dive deep into how AppLovin's UA stack really works — including how to scale, when to use D28 ROAS, how to test creatives, and how Axon 2 finds your payers before you do.What we cover:Axon 2: How AppLovin's black box blends mediation + advertiser dataD0 vs. D7 vs. D28: Which ROAS model works best and whenWhy $500 budgets won't calibrate for IAP gamesCampaign caps, crashes, and recovery strategiesWhy campaign goals should be set per geo & not touched every 2 daysWhy playables matter more than ever and how they qualify usersHow to refresh creatives based on spend volume (5–10/week at $10K/day)Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Special guest: Alexis Lejeunehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-lejeune/Youtube: https://youtu.be/V3TJwkPBXOMJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction05:03 Alexis Lejeune's Journey in Gaming07:45 Understanding Applovin and Its Reputation11:28 Exploring Axon 2 and Its Functionality14:17 Campaign Strategies: D0, D7, and D28 Models22:43 Common Mistakes in User Acquisition27:22 Optimizing Campaigns on Applovin32:40 Data-Driven Campaign Strategies34:50 The Importance of Playable Ads38:09 Creative Optimization and User Engagement39:51 Creative Refresh Strategies44:45 Aplovin and TikTok: A Strategic Merge47:12 Facebook's Advertising Ambitions48:03 Maximizing ECPMs for Publishers54:51 Ad Formats: Length and User Experience56:34 Banner Refresh Rates and Optimization---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

In this live-recorded episode from MAU Vegas, Matej sits down with Damon Marshall and Berkley Egenes of Xsolla's mobile leadership team to discuss how the April 30 court ruling opened the floodgates for direct-to-consumer monetization.We unpack:How mobile devs can now promote web shops directly inside iOS appsWhy this moment is the “William Wallace freedom moment” for game publishersHow Xsolla is helping everyone from indie devs to AAA publishers go directKey monetization tactics: segmented whale offers, welcome packs, Discord-driven promos, and loyalty systemsWhy capture rates are already rising from 10% to 30–50%What the future of Apple, attribution, and platform power looks like from hereThis is not theoretical. It's already happening. And it could mean 50% higher margins for mobile devs who act now.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------Xsolla Web Shop #gamedev #mobilegames #XsollaWebshopMaximize your game's revenue with Xsolla Web Shop. Sell in-game goods directly to players, reduce platform fees, and unlock 1,000+ global payment options.:rocket: Learn how to set up your Web Shop: https://xsolla.com/mobile-web-shop?utm_source=content-syndication&utm_medium=infuencer&utm_campaign=webshop2025&utm_content=25gamers---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/aTuKkrKfvfUJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to MAU and Xsolla02:07 Roles and Responsibilities at Xsolla04:11 Impact of Recent Rulings on Mobile Gaming09:59 Direct-to-Consumer Strategies for Developers12:54 Leveraging Web Shops Post-Ruling17:18 Best Practices for Web Shop Implementation20:47 Innovations in Web Shop Features24:06 Revenue Growth and Market Trends27:13 Future of Mobile Gaming and Xsolla's Role---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

Today, we take on Lands of Jail, a Chinese-built 4X survival-sim mashup that combines Frozen City onboarding, Whiteout Survival progression, and King Shot-style map layering, all dressed in prison jumpsuits, toy factories, and riot suppression mechanics.Lands of Jail is one of the weirdest, deepest, and most well-executed SLG hybrids we've seen in 2025. Built by Chinese studio eWorld, it mixes:Frozen City-style idle onboardingHardcore 4X warfareSaga events, riots, gacha, and Discord-forced alliance spamA prison toy factory (yes, really)And some of the most absurd AI-generated creatives on mobileIn this episode of 2.5 Gamers, we go deep on:What's working in monetization, pacing, and theme alignmentWhy King Shot might be its closest cousinWhere the game borrows from Whiteout Survival, and where it improvesHow creative strategy blends GTA, toilet humor, AI anime, and frozen family failsWhy this might be the next 4X template other Chinese devs will clone

We go “Full Steam Ahead” with a special guest, Adam Telfer, unpacking how Steam hits influence mobile game development in 2025: from Dreamdale-ified Palworld clones to digging simulators, idle RPG mashups, and more.The crew explores:Why some Steam-inspired mobile games (like Repo Online) hit 10M+ downloads and $1.3M in adsWhy others (like Lilith's Palworld clone) flop despite a powerful IP remixWhich genres (like Plinko roguelites and digging sims) are best suited for mobileThe risks of literal copy-paste ports — and what actually works insteadThe role of TikTok trends, Steam reviews, and organic play patterns in predicting successWhy execution, not inspiration, is the differentiatorIf you're scouting Steam hits for mobile adaptation, this episode is your blueprint for what works and what crashes.

Next in Media spoke with Conor McKenna, partner at Luma Partners, about what's held ad tech back from exploiting the creator economy, and why creators themselves - along with a new competitive dynamic among the tech platforms - may lead the industry in a whole new direction.

In this solo 2.5 Gamers Monologue, Felix walks you through a full setup and strategy guide for AppLovin MAX mediation, from the basics to advanced performance optimization.Whether you're new to MAX or want to stop leaving revenue on the table, this video covers:How to set up ad units correctlyWhich networks to start with in 2025How to manage fill rates, waterfall placements, and API syncingWhat to monitor daily (like ad ARPDAU, viewer rates, and impressions per DAU)Real-world benchmarks for rewarded, interstitial, and banner formatsWhat advanced reporting still matters now that placements are being deprecatedThis is your complete starter guide to Applovin MAX.Using AppLovin MAX for ad monetization?This video is your complete, updated walkthrough — from setup to optimization — based on years of real-world experience.Felix breaks down:✅ How to set up ad units without overcomplicating things✅ Which networks to prioritize for rewarded, interstitial, and banner✅ How to connect APIs for accurate reporting (and avoid surprise payout gaps)✅ What to track daily: ad ARPDAU, viewer rates, and revenue trends✅ How to run clean A/B tests on bidders and placement floors✅ What to look for in advanced reports before placements go awayIf you're building any ad-monetized game or app, this is the baseline you need.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/LtEJuyad7dYJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Max Mediation02:05 Understanding Max Mediation's Market Position05:37 Getting Started with Max Mediation09:24 Setting Up Ad Units and Networks12:46 Analyzing Performance Data18:16 A/B Testing Strategies20:36 Advanced Reporting Techniques24:14 Conclusion and Next Steps---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

How do you build a mobile game that does $168K/day in ad revenue… with no fail states, no IAP pressure, and a monetization wall that doesn't even kick in until level 24?You study Word Search Explorer, the latest word game from the Lands of Jail studio (PlaySimple/MTG), and a masterclass in calm, deliberate ad monetization.In this episode, we break down the ad placement strategy, retention metrics, and soft pacing systems that power one of the most deceptively profitable games on the App Store in 2025.

Mishka Katkoff interviews Aaron Thandi, Chief Commercial Officer at Mistplay, discussing the innovative approaches to loyalty-driven user acquisition and retention in the mobile gaming industry. They explore how Mistplay has established itself as a leader in rewarded engagement, the importance of personalized user experiences, and the strategic methods behind their global expansion. The conversation also delves into the role of AI in enhancing user engagement and the future opportunities for growth in emerging markets.Get the AppsFlyer Creative Report: https://shorturl.at/Mjaiz00:00 Introduction to Misplay and Its Market Position04:11 Understanding Loyalty and Reward Systems08:02 User Acquisition and Retention Strategies10:52 Game Catalog and User Engagement14:26 Geographic Expansion and Market Localization17:32 Future Roadmap and Innovations20:15 Building Strong Developer Relationships23:18 Rapid Fire Questions and Conclusion33:14 Work with DoF!

Want real ROAS benchmarks from 300+ games and $200 M+ in spend?This episode of 2.5 Gamers goes deep with ZJ from PVX Partners, who brings an insane dataset from UA financing across puzzle, casual, strategy, and 4X games.We cover what's really happening in 2025:

We talk with the Drama Pops team from Codeway — one of Turkey's top mobile app publishers — about how they scaled a short drama app from scratch into one of the most promising products in the entertainment app space.www.codeway.cohttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deepvision.shortdrama&hl=en

In this episode, the 2.5 Gamers crew — Matej, Felix, and Jakub — dissect the top mobile ad creative trends spotted across platforms in April 2025.From AI-generated hooks dominating 5-second ad intros, to IP-mirroring creatives, TikTok-style POV playables, and Freezing Families never going away — this is a masterclass in what's hot (and not) in mobile game UA right now.You'll see:⚙️ The rise of AI-generated 5-second hooks — and how top studios use them

Ever wonder why some gacha systems print money, while others crash in weeks?In this special solo deep-dive, Jakub from 2.5 Gamers breaks down everything you need to know about gacha system design, from token economies to deck-building, duplicate handling, meta shifts, and the subtle art of collection drivers.If you're building a game with gacha mechanics — or just want to understand why Genshin, AFK Arena, and Clash Royale all work so differently — this episode is essential viewing.What You'll Learn:The 3 core gacha models: Solid Token, Shard, and Merge GachaWhy deck size and collection drivers are make-or-breakThe truth behind duplicate value, token pacing, and gacha depthHow games like Monster Strike, Puzzle & Dragons, and Survivor.io manage their meta and scale contentThe trade-offs between luck, grind, and progression frictionWhy Asia and the West design gacha systems so differentlyThis is a GDC-level masterclass packed into one podcast.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let's not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.Panelists: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jakub Remia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Gacha Systems02:21 Understanding Gacha and Loot Boxes04:10 Core Components of Gacha Systems15:17 Exploring Solid Token Gacha27:39 Understanding Shard Token Gacha40:53 Exploring Merge Token Gacha48:21 Future of Gacha Systems---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------Please share the podcast with your industry friends, dogs & cats. Especially cats! They love it!Hit the Subscribe button on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple!Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me---------------------------------------If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠lancaric.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

MAU Events:May 20, Tuesday Pre-Game 4pm PT https://lu.ma/919nx0pqMay 21, Wednesday brunch 11am PT https://lu.ma/krnfc16qMay 2,1 Wednesday Gaming Soiree 4pm PT https://lu.ma/il21m7r7Disney Solitaire is scaling fast. Today, we break down how SuperPlay + Playtika + Disney IP = one of the smartest casual game executions in years.From a familiar Domino Dreams-style template to a scaling UA strategy (with estimated $1.5M/day in spend), Disney Solitaire targets nostalgia-rich audiences with high production polish, deep progression systems, and sneaky monetization.

On April 30th, 2025, a U.S. court ruled that Apple's anti-steering policies are anti-competitive and unenforceable.That single sentence could redefine the mobile app economy.For the first time ever, developers can now directly link to their own web stores from inside their iOS apps, promoting them, pricing them competitively, and funneling players off-platform without fear of being banned.We unpacked everything on a special emergency episode with Chip Thurston, Head of Gaming at FastSpring (and former Scopely product leader)

What if a cozy puzzle game could generate $80K/day — with 89% of that from ads? Dreamy Room is the breakout hit you didn't see coming. It's not Royal Match. It's not hypercasual. It's deterministic puzzling at its finest — and it's scaling fast.We break down why Dreamy Room is crushing downloads, how its simple-but-hard core loop drives ad revenue at scale, and why it's one of the most innovative ultra-casual games of 2025.

Meta just changed the game for ad monetized mobile apps — and if you're not testing AdROAS campaigns yet, you're already behind.In this 2.5 Gamers solo deep dive, Matej walks through exactly how to set up Meta's new AdROAS campaigns, how to unlock the hidden value in your ad impressions, and why this is a must-have in your UA strategy for Android in 2025.

$400M/year from all apps? 40M downloads for a 15-minute book summary?In this 2.5 Gamers episode, we explore how Genesis became one of the biggest non-game mobile app publishers in the world, with over $35M/month in revenue, and 400 M+ total downloads.Forget games for a minute. This is the app industry's secret playbook, and it's scaling like crazy.

In this episode, we sit down with the team behind Airflux, the AI-powered ad optimizer from Airbridge, and unpack how it's quietly changing the rules of mobile game monetization.

In this episode, we dive deep into the wild world of ad monetization trends in mobile gaming for 2025. From Vietnamese studios like ABI Games printing money daily to hypercasual reskins and even mobile rip-offs of popular Steam games, we break it all down.

No UA. No App Store tricks. Chess.com - just 650 remote workers, a Netflix show, a cat bot named Mittens, and a $500M/year business.We dive deep into one of the most fascinating growth stories in mobile: chess.com.From Queen's Gambit virality to Magnus Carlsen's meme-worthy genius, we explore how chess.com built a mobile app empire on subscriptions, community, and strategic chaos — all without running a single ad campaign.

What do you get when you mash Fallout Shelter, AFK Journey, and Batman?

30% of your revenue could be coming from a web shop, and you wouldn't even see it in your external IAP dashboards.In this exclusive episode of 2.5 Gamers, we sit down with David Stelzer, President of Xsolla (formerly Epic Games, SEGA, CAA), to discuss how top-grossing games are ditching App Store dependency and scaling through direct-to-consumer (D2C) models.This isn't theoretical.

On today's episode of The Goats of Growth, I'm joined by Christian Byza, CEO and Co-Founder of Learn.xyz, as he shares his journey from organizing conferences in high school to building an AI-powered B2B learning platform. Christian dives deep into the back story of Learn.xyx , pivoting from consumer to enterprise, and building effective go-to-market strategies. He also shares insights into personal branding, a growth hack you must hear, and how a positive mindset fuels his hustle. Tune in to hear insights on:

Building a great game is hard—but getting players to actually discover and play it? That's often harder. In this episode of Building Better Games, Ben sits down with user acquisition expert Matej Lančarič, whose decade of experience spans mobile, PC, Steam, and cross-platform launches. Together, they dive deep into the realities of user acquisition (UA), creative strategy, and why great games still fail without a clear plan to get players in the door. We break down: What “user acquisition” really means in 2024 Why CPI, LTV, ROAS, and retention all matter—but don't tell the whole story How studios waste UA budgets by skipping data health and onboarding funnels Why today's ads look nothing like the games—and why they still work The surprising metrics that matter most (and how to track them) What the best studios are doing to lower CPI and extend LTV curves The role of creative testing, paid channels, and landing page optimization Matej shares how mobile's UA evolution is coming to PC and console games, and why studio leaders must get hands-on with their marketing strategy before it's too late. Whether you're a game developer, producer, or studio lead, this episode is your tactical crash course on how to actually reach players in 2024's overcrowded game market. Connect with Matej Lančarič: Website: https://lancaric.me/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matejlancaric Twitter: https://twitter.com/matej_lancaric Join the Community Our Discord community is live! Join the conversation with game developers, producers, and industry leaders committed to improving the future of game development: https://discord.gg/ySCPS5aMcQ Looking to level up your game production skills? Explore our online course designed to help you become a more effective game producer: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/succeeding-in-game-production Stay ahead with game development insights delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/newsletter Connect with Us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/building-better-games Twitter: https://twitter.com/BBG_Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingbettergames Website: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/ Support the Show! Help us create more amazing content by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BBGOfficial

Marion Balinoff and Sara Guerola share data-driven strategies for maximizing influencer marketing in gaming. As CPIs rise and privacy regulations evolve, influencer marketing is becoming a key performance channel. Marion and Sara break down budget calculations, track organic uplift, and analyze campaign performance while highlighting tactics like QR codes, giveaways, and custom in-game assets to boost conversions. Whether you're testing with smaller creators or scaling with top-tier influencers, this episode provides a strategic framework for driving profitable results.00:00 Introduction to Influencer and Podcast Marketing02:56 Meet the Experts: Marion and Sarah04:33 Defining Influencer and Podcast Marketing08:16 Budgeting and Setting Objectives14:24 Measuring Campaign Performance23:58 Tracking Links and Performance Metrics24:35 Challenges in Getting Clicks25:08 Podcast Advertising Strategies27:21 Creative Performance Reports30:40 Influencer Integration in Games32:56 Effective Campaign Strategies34:45 Deep Integration Benefits38:11 Creative and Contract Tips42:57 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

This episode is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat's State of Subscription Apps report.On the podcast: The state of major acquisition channels in 2025, how improved measurement is boosting confidence in ad spend, and why Reddit might be your next top-performing user acquisition channel.Top Takeaways:

Summary   In this episode, Blockchain Wayne interviews Asaf, co-founder of Addressable, discussing the intersection of blockchain technology and marketing. They explore how Addressable helps companies understand and target users in the blockchain space by enriching wallet data with real-world insights. The conversation highlights the importance of data in marketing strategies, the challenges of user anonymity in blockchain, and the innovative solutions Addressable offers to enhance user acquisition and engagement.   Learn more about Addressable: https://www.addressable.io/    Takeaways   Asaf has a background in AI and military intelligence. Addressable addresses the challenge of user anonymity in blockchain. The company enriches wallet data to help businesses understand their audience. Data is crucial for effective marketing in the blockchain space. Cost per wallet is a new metric for evaluating marketing success. Privacy is a priority for Addressable's data practices. Companies can use Addressable to reach specific target audiences. The importance of community and tech in the success of crypto projects. User experience is impacted by the choice of login methods. Face-to-face interactions are valuable in building business relationships.   Chapters   00:00 Introduction to Blockchain and AI 02:06 Understanding Addressable's Mission 06:06 Targeting Users in the Blockchain Space 10:10 The Importance of Data in Marketing 13:58 Navigating User Experience with Wallets 17:47 Case Studies and Real-World Applications 21:56 Conclusion and Future Directions