two & a half gamers Supercell's New "BOAT GAME" - First Impressions. Cool Idea or Dead on Arrival?
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
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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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