Exploring Game Development and Soft Launch Strategy

This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #104. 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 Lancaric⁠ Youtube: https://youtu.be/orl7awTs5zc Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2ftcc85es-CesThaafn9k0BIFSVAV8FQ Agenda

00:00 Introduction and Recap of MAU Conference

02:13 Discussion on AFK Journey and Soft Launch

03:06 Overview of AFK Journey's Success and Revenue

05:49 Comparison with Other Games and Market Traction

07:55 Lilith Games' Portfolio and Revenue

09:03 Impact of Competing Games on Lilith's Revenue

10:10 Discussion on Lilith's Design and Product Quality

11:49 Exploration of Ad Placements and UA Videos

13:20 Overview of AFK Journey's Web Store and Real-World Rewards

15:33 Discussion on WhatsApp Groups and Web Store Trust

16:29 Comparison with Other Web Stores

18:23 Seamless and Streamlined Gameplay

22:20 Simplified Hero Collection and Equipment System

27:10 Difficulty Spikes and Honeymoon Period

28:10 Offers and In-Game Shop

29:49 Recruiting Heroes and Gacha System

34:02 Game Modes and Exploration

35:26 High Production Value and Engaging Storylines

37:50 Well-Developed Social Features

41:53 Improving in the Main Story Mode

43:25 Long Playtime and Endless Possibilities

46:01 Saving the Rating for the End

49:21 Engaging with TikTok and Social Media

52:14 Captivating Storytelling and High Production Value

58:28 Avoiding Cringy Ads and Focusing on Quality

01:01:29 High Innovation and Production Quality

--------------------------------------- Matej Lancaric User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant ⁠https://lancaric.me Felix Braberg Ad monetization consultant ⁠https://www.felixbraberg.com Jakub Remiar Game design consultant ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar --------------------------------------- Takeaways

AFK Journey is a continuation of AFK Arena and has seen significant success in terms of revenue and downloads.

The game features in-game mail, a web store, and real-world rewards, which contribute to its overall engagement and monetization.

Chinese companies like Lilith Games invest significant resources and manpower into their games, resulting in high-quality products.

The gameplay is seamless and streamlined, with auto-battle and idle rewards.

The hero collection and equipment system are simplified and easy to manage.

Social features, such as guilds and friend interactions, are well-developed.

The game offers a unique gameplay experience and a wide variety of heroes to collect and upgrade.

The UA strategy for AFK Journey focuses on high-quality creatives that showcase the game's narrative and gameplay, while avoiding fake or cringey ads.

Overall, AFK Journey is a standout game in the RPG genre and has the potential to attract a large player base. --------------------------------------- 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 Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-2024-my-top?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai