We break down Supercell’s new twin-stick “boat game” (second alpha): a PvE → PvPvE loop where we farm island quests, haul up to three chests on a fast boat, and can flip a “go bad” switch to steal other players’ chests - triggering bounties and protections for non-PK players (revenge respawns).

What works

Fast, readable boating and clear risk/reward moments when we carry 2–3 chests.

A theft moment (“go bad”) that can create highlight-reel clips for UA if tuned right.

What doesn’t (yet)

Flat progression (gear score + light passives/chips) limits long-term goals.

Ultra-light economy and shaky matchmaking make the loop feel aimless/punishing.

Audience fit feels unclear (Gen-Z, Fortnite-lite vibe vs. strategy/4X loyalists).

Market lens

Supercell’s portfolio still leans on legacy hits; competitors with genre focus + aggressive UA (e.g., strategy/4X) scale more reliably.

Without deeper economies, UA-product co-design, and a clearer genre thesis, this boat may never scale past alpha.

Key takeaway

Depth beats novelty. We need deeper economy + UA-ready moments or this won’t sail beyond alpha.

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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 Lancaric⁠

Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg

Chapters

00:00 Why this alpha matters

01:10 Core loop—quests → 3 chests → extract

05:00 Twin-stick feel & aiming on mobile

07:40 Progression—gear score, passives, chips

10:50 “Go bad” theft, bounties, anti-grief

15:30 Matchmaking & PvE→PvPvE tension

19:10 Economy depth vs. moment-to-moment fun

24:20 Portfolio & market reality checks

30:30 UA-product integration: what creatives need

36:30 What would actually ship (templates & seasons)

43:00 Verdict & 2025 predictions

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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

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Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me

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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

The Friday Forum looks back on the news stories of the week