Why are sticker albums taking over? From Royal Match to Mid-Core by Jakub Remiar

Today, Jakub Remiar breaks down the Scopely-style “sticker album” collectible mechanic—popularized at scale by Monopoly Go (global April 2023)—and why it’s sweeping casual and now encroaching on mid-core. Hallmarks: time-limited albums, gacha booster packs, duplicate sinks → premium packs, and peer trading that drives massive social engagement (e.g., official trading groups). It adds perceived depth to shallow economies (soft currency + energy) without adding gameplay complexity, resets cleanly by season, and monetizes whales via “double bottom” albums (a second, higher-reward album with ~50% more rewards and exclusive cosmetics). Implementations span Royal Match (135 cards/≈60 days), Travel Town (162), Monopoly Go (~200), and mid-core experiments like Whiteout Survival and Acecraft (smaller sets, licensed collabs).

The open questions: optimal card counts, season length, and how mid-core will standardize the pattern.

What you’ll learn

How the Scopely/Monopoly Go sticker album works: time-limited albums, gacha packs, duplicate exchanges, trading, seasonal resets, and whale “double albums.”

Why this mechanic adds depth to shallow economies and boosts engagement, retention, and monetization—with examples from Royal Match, Travel Town, Monopoly Go and mid-core tests (Whiteout Survival, Acecraft).

Practical knobs: card counts (≈135–200), season length (30–60 days), guaranteed-missing pack, and social/trading ops.

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Chapters

00:00 — Cold open & why albums exploded

01:20 — The template: pages, rarities, grand prize, timebox

03:45 — Rewards & pressure: limited window, page bonuses, grand prize

06:10 — Gacha everywhere: pack sources & duplicate sink design

08:30 — Social engine: trading loops (in-clan & community)

10:20 — Seasonal resets & cosmetics: depth without UX bloat

12:10 — “Double/Grand Album” for whales (~50% more rewards)

14:00 — Case studies: Monopoly GO, Royal Match, Travel Town

17:00 — Mid-core spillover: Whiteout Survival, Acecraft experiments

19:00 — Tuning knobs: card counts (≈135–200), 30–60 day seasons, guarantees

20:30 — Actionable checklist & pitfalls

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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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