In mid-2020, Pingvi Video games approached Azur Video games for publishing companies with two pre-made puzzle video games. Regardless of their robust growth background, it was their first foray working with a writer.
Throughout a number of years of working collectively, the studio expanded and produced six profitable puzzle tasks, producing over $14 million in whole income with their success due to their give attention to a particular area of interest and viewers.
Whereas creating a brilliant hit is all the time troublesome (and infrequently primarily based on luck) the studio’s gradual accumulation of experience has confirmed that success might be achieved in almost 100% of circumstances.
On this article Milana Gelmanova, Producer at Azur Video games takes a take a look at the highway to this success throughout these six titles (and new recreation Artwork Grasp 2), along with insights from Ildus Galiulin, Pingvi Video games’ Proprietor and CEO.
Ildus Galiulin: We began in 2010 with Flash and video games for social networks. We made profitable internet racing video games with on-line PvP components and ported them to Android and iOS and that is how we gained expertise in Unity.
Then we took on a large-scale hidden object recreation with a number of content material, nevertheless it took a really very long time to launch. We started to purchase site visitors solely after 3-4 years of growth however acquired border metrics that couldn’t be corrected.
Because of this, we switched to easier puzzles. We made two tasks and put them within the shops, and whereas natural site visitors was coming in, there was no funds for advertising. That’s once we began searching for a writer. We talked with totally different publishers, however discovered a reference to Azur Video games immediately. We have been launched to the producer, Milana, then examined each tasks, signed the deal and began working.”
Sport #1: Faucet Faucet Match, and Sport #2: Match Pairs
Milana Gelmanova: Our first tasks with the writer have been Faucet Faucet Match and Match Pairs.
Each tasks concerned discovering matching pairs, however the implementation of the mechanic differed between the 2. Faucet Faucet Match makes use of a set subject the place the playing cards have to be linked by a line, whereas Match Pairs options randomly scattered playing cards that have to be dragged on high of one another to make a match.
Each of the video games had well-developed core mechanics, which led to good retention charges proper from the beginning.
US market metrics:
Faucet Faucet Match:
• R1 50%, R7 17.5%, R30 11.7%
• LTV $0.88
Match Pairs:
• R1 41.6%, R7 18.0%, R30 8.7%
• LTV $1.39
In 2020, we managed to attain CPI in our area of interest with Faucet Faucet Match at $0.48 and Match Pairs at $0.90. Whereas a CPI of $0.50 to $1 was thought of good again then, the competitors out there has grown considerably. A CPI of $1.50 is now the norm. Nevertheless, success on this market requires experience within the style and a stable understanding of the way to enhance the product or offset the upper CPI charges.
Ildus Galiulin: Many video games on this style undergo from a standard downside and that is that gamers lose curiosity in them over time. Our aim was to create a recreation that will stay addictive even at stage 500.
Our aim was to create a recreation that will stay addictive even at stage 500
Ildus Galiulin
We knew that visuals in match puzzles may grow to be monotonous, so we added numerous skins in several kinds. To stop gamers from getting confused with the pictures in Faucet Faucet Match, we developed a booster that allowed them to alter skins throughout the recreation. This alteration was primarily based on the staff’s evaluation of participant behaviour, and it resulted in a big enhance in rewarded advert views.
We carried out numerous experiments with recreation complexity and stage design to optimise participant engagement and retention. To make the participant onboarding course of clean, it’s vital to hit the fitting rhythm and supply ranges that step by step enhance in issue. In essence, we take a look at the analytics to establish the place gamers are struggling probably the most, take a look at the win price, then alter issue ranges, stage order, timers and distinctive gadgets accordingly. Though we initially thought simplifying the sport can be the perfect method, it resulted in decreased participant curiosity, playtime, and retention.
For instance, we found that later ranges with a decrease win price (12-14%) and longer completion occasions (5-6 minutes) have been truly extra participating for gamers. When gamers struggled with these ranges, they might typically watch rewarded adverts for further time or boosters akin to hints, reshuffles, or pores and skin modifications.
We added hardcore components with bombs in Faucet Faucet Match and fireplace in Match Pairs — playing cards like that should be eliminated rapidly or the participant loses, which have been well-received by the respective audiences. We tried so as to add boosters to fight the problem of those components and even take away them altogether, nevertheless it negatively impacted the sport’s metrics. We additionally added a mechanic the place the playing cards shift after every transfer to some ranges, which improved participant engagement as effectively. Lastly, we discovered that the challenges in our video games have been significantly interesting to feminine gamers.
Beneath is a few Faucet Faucet Match gameplay:
Milana Gelmanova: We carried out a radical evaluation of feminine gamers enjoying Faucet Faucet Match and Match Pairs, which is relatively smaller than that of the hypercasual style. On the outset, our common CPI was increased, however the payoff was that we attracted extra devoted gamers. To take care of their loyalty, we centered on delivering seamless core gameplay, a handy UX, and placing steadiness in-game. Because of this, our viewers continued enjoying for an prolonged interval – usually, a puzzle recreation participant’s lifetime lasts for greater than a yr, and ranges from one to a few years for Match-3.
Subsequently, we analyzed the information for these tasks and found that greater than 15% of our income got here from gamers that have been greater than a yr outdated – an outstanding achievement when it comes to advert monetisation and the particular nature of the puzzle style. Remarkably, we didn’t alter the sport mechanics however as an alternative enriched them with various skins, occasions, and every day challenges. Two and a half years because the launch, the metrics of the tasks are as follows.
Faucet Faucet Match:
• CPI $1.11
• R1 24%, R7 8.7%, R30 6.2%
• LTV $1.6
• Playtime: quarter-hour
Match Pairs:
• CPI $1.55
• R1 25%, R7 7.2%, R30 5%
• LTV $1.84
• Playtime: 12 minutes
The profitability of the video games stays regular, as we’ve spent over $4 million on buying site visitors and proceed to actively assist them. For example, in Faucet Faucet Match, we’re planning to introduce extra options akin to a background changer, which incorporates animated choices, together with extra skins and achievements.
Sport #3: What’s Improper
Our subsequent venture was What’s Improper. It departed from the basic idea of evaluating two footage, and as an alternative centered on logic greater than attentiveness. Gamers have been offered with an image and needed to spot what was unsuitable with it, akin to a policeman sporting a saucepan on his head as an alternative of a cap or a lady speaking on a shampoo bottle as an alternative of a smartphone.
Regardless of having little content material, the prototype had good metrics:
• CPI $0.50
• R1 31.5%, R7 8.7%, R30 1.6%
• LTV $0.51
Creating new ranges was our primary focus, as every part was hand-drawn by simply a few artists. We additionally examined the steadiness, the beginning funnel of ranges, timers, and advert cooldown when CPI started to rise. We tried to convey it down through the use of totally different advert creatives to no avail.
In the end, we found that the gameplay itself wanted to be reworked. Gamers discovered the objects they wanted to identify too sophisticated and far-fetched, so we simplified them and made them very apparent, leading to a rise in retention within the first few days. Mainly, we managed to discover a low-cost answer to make the venture extra promising, however we’d should utterly overhaul the idea for it to work. Because of this, we deserted the thought and moved on to a different prototype.
Sport #4: Dice Match 3D
Our return to match puzzles concerned a unique approach. Firstly, we determined to make it in 3D to maintain up with present traits, whereas the viewers’s gradual shift in the direction of three-dimensional puzzles like Faucet Faucet Match and Match Pairs strengthened our resolution. Secondly, we wished to discover one thing extra hybrid than simply trying to find two equivalent gadgets. Though the shift to 3D didn’t convey any important change, we gave the gamers what they wished, and that’s all that issues on this state of affairs.
Dice Match 3D requires gamers to rotate the sphere and acquire three equivalent cubes on the underside panel. If gamers add a dice, they will take away it by gathering two extra of the identical, or through the use of a booster to cancel the transfer.
Our first metrics within the US have been:
• CPI $1.58
• R1 36.2%, R7 12.8%, R30 4.3%
• LTV $2.226
• Playtime: 25 minutes
The venture was completed inside 1.5 weeks, due to the reuse of many components from earlier video games akin to skins, UI components, pop-ups, and numerous screens. Because of this, we had a totally purposeful venture on the prototype stage. Nevertheless, since our experience in 3D was restricted, not every part turned out completely.
Ildus Galiulin: We spent a number of time on 3D optimisation and steadiness and we struggled to search out the fitting steadiness for some time. We tried quite a lot of approaches together with including a tutorial and making it interactive, displaying gamers after they have been near dropping, adjusting the timers and the variety of cubes, and extra.
One profitable addition was the dice with a query mark, which opens an image solely after it is added to the underside panel. Gamers loved this function, so we stored it. We additionally included the shifting cubes function from Faucet Faucet Match.
Nevertheless, we had an unsuccessful experiment with adverts. In some unspecified time in the future throughout lengthy ranges, gamers are proven an advert, and we wished to make this course of extra clear by including a progress bar earlier than the video performed, so the gamers can be prepared for it. This function did not work out, and we rolled it again.
Milana Gelmanova: Basically, there was optimistic development in our metrics, however we have been nonetheless combating the core mechanics issue. We wished to check one other speculation, so we created a separate venture with the identical mechanics, however lowered the variety of cubes to 2. It was a lot simpler for the gamers, and we had respectable R1, however the metrics worsened in the long run. We may have continued to iterate, however we noticed much less potential on this venture in comparison with our different ones.
Presently, Dice Match 3D is growing slowly since we have now different, increased precedence tasks. We nonetheless have natural site visitors, good LTV, and concepts on the way to enhance retention and cut back CPI and we run assessments on it each six months to discover totally different hypotheses.
Sport #5: Artwork Grasp
Usually, property and options from earlier tasks are carried over to new ones, however with Artwork Grasp, the method was barely totally different. Artwork Grasp is a colouring puzzle recreation the place the target is for gamers to decide on components from the underside panel and place them within the black and white areas to “full” the image.
Ildus Galiulin: The sport was impressed by some puzzle we noticed within the retailer, nevertheless it was too darkish and too troublesome, and we wished so as to add colours, use vibrant vector graphics, and simplify the gameplay for our venture.
To cut back prices and velocity up growth, we reused a few of the artwork and primary modules (akin to settings and advert tabs) from earlier tasks. For example, we’re at the moment engaged on achievements that we’re going so as to add concurrently to all present and future tasks.”
Milana Gelmanova: On the similar time, a number of issues needed to be carried out from scratch – in any case, it is a utterly totally different mechanic, which meant that the discharge model solely had round 20 ranges. Creating them was our major focus, because it took up the vast majority of our assets.
The outcomes? Gamers preferred Artwork Grasp:
• CPI $1.15
• R1 55.8%, R7 16.4%, R30 6.9%
• LTV $1.49
Beneath is a few Artwork Grasp gameplay:
Initially, the sport had a excessive churn price with roughly 30% of gamers leaving throughout the first three days. Nevertheless, implementing an interactive tutorial helped to deal with the problem. We rapidly added new content material and began experimenting with the sport’s steadiness and gameplay by analysing funnels, detecting anomalies, and rectifying them.
We encountered an issue with the interface the place the highlighted areas that wanted to be stuffed in didn’t disappear after putting the sprite, which confused gamers. Eradicating the highlights resulted in improved metrics.
Artwork Grasp was the primary venture the place we launched every day distinctive ranges. This function contributed positively to the sport’s efficiency, with a rise in retention of 0.5% on all days, two minutes added to common playtime, and an LTV enhance of seven to eight p.c. We plan to incorporate every day ranges in virtually all our tasks and are at the moment conducting A/B assessments in some.
Presently, we’re actively growing Artwork Grasp and creating new content material. The whole spend has exceeded $2 million.
Present metrics:
• CPI $1.11
• R1 26%
• LTV $2.35
Playtime is about 20 minutes, folks play for months, however our aim is to make them keep for six months to a yr.
Sport #6: Spot The Hidden Variations
With Spot the Hidden Variations, our new venture that featured the basic “spot the distinction” mechanics, we determined to stay to the type of Artwork Grasp. The graphics overlap rather a lot, and we will add them to each tasks concurrently with minimal assets wanted.
If there’s a useful resource scarcity, we generally use outsourcing. We’ve well-developed pointers and virtually full automation of graphics meeting, so we will rapidly scale the velocity of latest content material manufacturing for any venture.
The primary model of the sport was launched again in 2021, and we step by step collected product and advertising knowledge whereas iterating. The metrics have been as follows:
• CPI $0.98
• R1 49.7%, R7 18.8%, R30 6.2%
• LTV $1.2
Beneath is a few Spot The Hidden Variations gameplay:
In December 2022, the sport turned primary by downloads within the ‘spot the distinction’ style. Luck had nothing to do with this. Like different tasks, we created Spot The Hidden Variations primarily based on accrued experience, so we knew what it will appear to be, how it will differ from different tasks, and the way to develop it immediately.
As standard, we began with steadiness – we do that for each venture, since getting it proper the primary time is nearly not possible. We labored with the problem of the preliminary ranges, in addition to adverts and timers. For instance, our recreation provides 150 seconds to finish a stage, and virtually all opponents within the style have 120 seconds. We tried to cut back this, nevertheless it resulted in a big drop in metrics.
Our recreation provides 150 seconds to finish a stage, and virtually all opponents within the style have 120 seconds. We tried to cut back this, nevertheless it resulted in a big drop in metrics
Milana Gelmanova
We additionally experimented with the variety of variations the gamers needed to discover on the extent. We tried 5, seven, ten, and even step by step elevated the quantity as the sport went on. Ten variations labored greatest, so we stored it this manner (we tried including extra, nevertheless it didn’t work out ultimately).
We’re step by step scaling Spot The Hidden Variations. There are a number of concepts and plans, each when it comes to options and content material, and we’ll introduce every day quests quickly.
Present metrics:
• CPI $1.11
• R1 26%, R7 10.1%, R30 3%
• LTV $2.42
• Playtime: 9 minutes
The venture is steadily approaching ROI, has spend (greater than $4.5 million thus far), and retains rising, which isn’t going to cease any time quickly.
Sport #7: Artwork Grasp 2
The thought for the Artwork Grasp sequel took place after we analyzed the ‘color by numbers’ area of interest, the place gamers want to color over a black and white image with the fitting colors from the palette. The competitors on this style may be very excessive and the site visitors is pricey, so when you go there, the possibilities of success are low. It’s essential search for distinctive options.
That is why we mixed two concepts: coloring by numbers and Artwork Grasp half one. The gamers are offered with a black-and-white picture to paint, however they’ve to make use of puzzle items as an alternative of a palette to do it. We took all of the paintings from the primary half and tailored it for the second. It became a mixture of the 2 mechanics and it labored.
After the primary assessments, Artwork Grasp 2 exhibited the next metrics:
• CPI $0.58
• R1 51.0%, R7 23.2%. R30 10.7%
• LTV $0.74
Ildus Galiulin: Our method is to discover concepts that merge a number of genres, and as well as, we have now a wealth of high-quality artwork property that may be repurposed. It is protected to say that with out this, the creation of Artwork Grasp 2 would have been unlikely.
Milana Gelmanova: The content material was not a difficulty at this level, and the variety of ranges within the sequel is now virtually equivalent to the unique. Presently, we’re increasing and integrating new advert networks, with the overall spend nearing $400,000.
Present metrics:
• CPI $1.11
• R1 27.1%, R7 8.4%, R30 3.2%
• LTV $1.9
• Playtime over 20 minutes
One other attention-grabbing factor: we have began incorporating advertising extra intently with our merchandise. We’re including advertising content material and paintings primarily based on trending themes like Wednesday or Home of the Dragon to our beginning funnels, and we have seen a optimistic influence on each retention and conversion to installs. This can be a technique we’re implementing throughout all of our tasks.
Guaranteeing success
By concentrating their experience and iterating growth inside a particular style, recreation builders can step by step enhance their outcomes. Whereas it is attainable to have a brilliant hit on the primary strive, luck is the important thing issue on this occurring. Nevertheless, you may virtually actually accumulate expertise in a single area of interest and create a number of profitable tasks that carry out as a brilliant hit collectively when you base your selections on metrics and the suggestions offered by the writer.
Ildus Galiulin: In some unspecified time in the future, we wished to strive our hand at hypercasual video games. We even made a prototype however realised that we lacked ready-made options for an attractive image. This can be a solvable challenge, however we didn’t need to undergo this course of once more and determined to give attention to the puzzle style since we have already got a number of expertise with it, a number of concepts within the backlog, and a longtime content material base.
In a few years, a staff of 5 folks has grown to twenty, with 11 members being the artists. Most of our tasks use high-quality paintings, one in all them additionally has every day ranges, and we will’t afford delays in new graphics launch, particularly since a part of the viewers performs every single day all year long.”
Milana Gelmanova: If you happen to take a look at all our joint tasks with Pingvi Video games from yr to yr, the expansion may be very important. For the time being, six tasks have introduced in additional than $14 million in income over 2.5 years, and the month-to-month spend has grown greater than 10 occasions and already reaches $1 million. All of this confirms that the choice to give attention to one thing narrower is finally extra advantageous and worthwhile than making an attempt to scale one venture primarily based on the hype round it.
From this yr shifting ahead, we need to launch two new tasks yearly. This suggests that we have already got a imaginative and prescient and roadmap for each tasks, in addition to an understanding of the required budgets and assets, together with the share devoted to scaling our present video games.
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