two & a half gamers 🧩 Word Search Explorer Review: $168K/Day From Ads Alone. No IAPs Needed
How do you build a mobile game that does $168K/day in ad revenue… with no fail states, no IAP pressure, and a monetization wall that doesn’t even kick in until level 24?
You study Word Search Explorer, the latest word game from the Lands of Jail studio (PlaySimple/MTG), and a masterclass in calm, deliberate ad monetization.
In this episode, we break down the ad placement strategy, retention metrics, and soft pacing systems that power one of the most deceptively profitable games on the App Store in 2025.
🧠 What if you could make $56M/year with a game that doesn’t push a single IAP until after level 24?
Word Search Explorer is doing just that — blending ultra-calm crossword mechanics with a surgical ad monetization strategy that’s pure efficiency.
How this game delays monetization but still retains like a champion
Why rewarded ads on store exit might be the best placement we’ve seen
The power of fake difficulty and soft urgency pacing
Why sessions are long, sticky, and filled with natural ad gaps
How PlaySimple (owned by MTG) has perfected the casual word game formula
The value of no fail states, no IAP hard stops, and deep passive flow
What other casual games can learn from this patient, profitable model
📈 This is the quiet money machine no one is talking about.
Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop
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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
Youtube: https://youtu.be/_PmjvYai0XY
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Word Games
04:02 The Popularity of Word Games
07:02 Market Dynamics and Revenue Models
10:03 Game Mechanics and User Engagement
13:03 Monetization Strategies in Word Games
16:00 Future Trends and Innovations in Word Games
20:25 Monetization Strategies in Word Games
23:23 Ad Revenue Insights and Game Performance
27:52 Retention vs. Monetization: A Balancing Act
31:16 Creative Strategies and User Engagement
40:32 Final Thoughts and Ratings
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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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