two & a half gamers

Grand Games is back with another puzzler and it’s a monster. Car Match has hit $120K/day, combining bench mechanics, Pixar-style cars, and a polished Royal Match meta. On paper, it’s a textbook case of how to scale a puzzle game.Product, amazing. UA? Not so much.Here’s why:The product is a 9/10. Meta depth, endless events, and a proven template.Monetization is efficient. ~30% of revenue comes from ads, bundles are cleverly layered in, and interstitials start at different levels for different players.But the UA machine is broken. Grand Games has only 5-7 creatives live. For a game printing $2M in 30 days, that’s a scaling disaster waiting to happen.Jakub nailed it: “If they stop producing new creatives, they die immediately.”Felix added: “It’s an easy fix — upscale creative production.”But Matej countered: “Not that easy. You need concepts, not spaghetti on the wall.”$5M/month with Magic Sword + Car Match combinedThe takeaway: Car Match proves that you can copy, paste, and polish your way to $120K/day. But without a creative firehose, momentum will stall.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Car Match and Hosts02:16 Overview of Game Mechanics and Comparisons04:12 Gameplay Experience and Difficulty Levels07:11 Meta Mechanics and Game Events10:16 Monetization Strategies and Player Engagement13:25 Discussion on Customization and Player Preferences16:13 Game Performance and Market Insights20:34 The Financial Landscape of Game Development22:08 Understanding User Acquisition Challenges24:59 Creative Strategies for Game Marketing27:13 The Importance of Scaling Creative Production31:19 Analyzing Revenue and User Acquisition Costs36:08 The Role of Data in Game Marketing Success---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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

This solo Two & a Half Gamers episode dives deep into Clash Royale’s shocking revenue revival in 2025. Once seen as a declining nine-year-old title, Supercell’s classic has quadrupled revenue, hitting its best month since 2017 with ~$57M in July 2025.Jakub unpacks the timeline of monetization and economy tweaks that fueled this comeback:2018–2022: Decline after failed battle pass integration.2023: Introduction of Evolutions (new progression layer).2024: Lucky Drops introduced (gacha system, adapted from Brawl Stars).Late 2024: Cosmetics added to deepen gacha.March 2025: Game-changing update – chest timers removed, season shop killed, all progression funneled into Lucky Drops.June 2025: Merge Tactics mode added (fun engagement feature, but not a revenue driver).The real driver: tightening the economy and pushing players toward monetized progression. Despite community backlash, revenue skyrocketed. Clash Royale is now Supercell’s biggest earner again, overtaking Brawl Stars.Jakub stresses the core lesson: “Fixing your economy makes your game make much more money.”Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------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,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 The Resurgence of Clash Royale06:12 Economic Changes and Revenue Growth11:39 The Impact of Lucky Drops16:12 Merge Tactics and Game Integration21:04 Community Reactions and Future Outlook---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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 LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

This episode of Two and a Half Gamers dives deep into UA financing with Jeff Cohen from PVX Partners, unpacking how mobile game studios can scale without giving up equity. Jeff breaks down the mechanics of non-dilutive funding, explains why not all financing partners are created equal, and reveals the traps founders fall into when choosing a lender.Founders' guide: How to choose the right UA financing partnerhttps://pvxpartners.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-ua-financing-partner-a-founders-guideKey insights include:UA financing ≠ publishing — best for post-product market fit games with proven ROAS curves.Funding scale: PVX clients receive between $500K and $2M/month, with the largest hitting $4M/month.Market potential: UA financing is projected to hit $2.5B by 2027.Flexibility matters — some lenders force you to take capital every month, even when you don’t need it, which burns cash.Hidden costs: setup fees, legal fees, bundled SaaS tools you don’t need.Risk management: Understand secured vs unsecured loans. With PVX, the risk is on them if funded cohorts don’t pay back.Alignment is key — avoid lenders whose primary business isn’t lending (publishers, VCs, SaaS providers with side financing).Scalability: Choose a partner who can grow your facility with you so you don’t stall at scale.Main takeaway: Treat UA financing like raising equity — vet the partner’s reputation, structure, and incentives as if your studio’s future depends on it… because it does.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Special Guest: Jeff Cohen https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-cohen-29930455/Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to UA Financing04:09 Understanding UA Financing06:57 The Need for UA Financing09:53 Choosing the Right UA Financing Partner12:30 The Business Model of UA Financing15:29 Pricing and Interest Rates in UA Financing18:36 Flexibility and Facility Size in UA Financing22:58 Understanding Risk Management in Lending25:32 The Importance of Counterparty Risk29:10 Aligning Incentives Between Lenders and Borrowers32:46 Navigating Secured vs Unsecured Loans39:06 Evaluating Lenders: Key Considerations and Red Flags---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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

Chip Thurston, Head of Gaming at FastSpring, returns to Two and a Half Gamers with explosive updates on the Apple and Google rulings that are blowing open the direct-to-consumer (D2C) floodgates. Since Apple’s April ruling unlocked steering — legally directing players from your game to an off-platform payment page — publishers have shifted millions in revenue from Apple and Google to their own web shops, keeping the 30% cut and boosting player value.Key insights from the episode:Steering Levels: From conservative in-game banners to aggressive side-by-side pricing and direct-to-checkout flows, publishers are experimenting with how far they can push players to web shops.Impact Numbers: Playtika reports 25% of revenue now comes from D2C, equating to $667M/year not tracked by Sensor Tower or AppMagic.Friction Is Dead: New checkout flows get players from game to web payment and back in under 10 seconds.Global Domino Effect: US first, Japan’s ruling hits Dec 18, 2025, with Brazil, Spain, and Korea exploring similar laws.Google Twist: Upcoming ruling could allow in-app third-party payments, not just web-based — potentially game-changing.Why Not Everyone Jumps: 43% of studios still have no web shop — mostly due to fear of Apple/Google retaliation (with zero confirmed cases).Optimization Endgame: Big publishers now mediate between multiple payment providers, routing by region, payment method, or even pricing for maximum margin.Bottom line: The payments landscape is shifting fast. Studios that delay web shop adoption are literally leaving money on the table — and their competitors are scooping it upGet our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Special guest: Chip Thurstonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thurstonchip/ Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Context of Payment Rulings04:18 Shifts in Payment Strategies Post-Ruling07:05 Exploring Steering Techniques in Mobile Games09:39 Direct-to-Consumer Revenue Insights12:35 Examples of Successful Web Store Implementations15:25 Incentivizing Players to Use Web Stores18:27 The Impact of Unaccounted Revenue21:12 Future of Payment Regulations Globally23:58 The Role of Multiple Payment Providers26:47 The Evolution of Direct-to-Consumer Strategies29:38 Anticipating Future Rulings and Changes32:12 Conclusion and Future Outlook---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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

In this solo episode of Two and a Half Gamers, Matej Lancaric reveals his full Soft Launch Framework: the exact 40-page playbook he uses to validate retention, monetize effectively, and decide whether to scale or shut down a game before global launch.From three critical stages — Tech Test, Retention, Monetization — to precise KPIs, country targeting, creative iteration, and UA channel sequencing, Matej walks through the step-by-step process he’s used across dozens of successful launches. This isn’t theory, it’s built from real campaign data, retention curves, LTV models, and monetization funnels from midcore, puzzle, and RPG hits.Key insights from the episode:Why a soft launch should run 3–6 months (not one) to capture real LTV and retention curves.The 3-stage framework: Tech stability, Retention validation, Monetization scaling.Exact geo picks for each stage (Philippines, Mexico → Poland, Brazil, Netherlands → UK, Germany, Canada).UA sequencing: Facebook → Google → TikTok/Unity, shifting from MAI to event-optimized to purchase campaigns.Retention benchmarks (ideal 40/20/10) and what “healthy” ratios actually look like.Creative strategy: 10–15 videos per month, 3–5 playables, gameplay-first to avoid misleading retention data.How to kill a game quickly if it can’t meet KPIs — and save your studio in the process.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej Lancaric⁠Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Soft Launch Framework04:06 Key Performance Indicators for Soft Launch07:17 Stages of Soft Launch Testing09:55 Retention and Monetization Strategies12:21 Understanding Game Metrics and KPIs14:48 Technical Testing and Data Evaluation18:54 Retention Strategies and User Acquisition21:36 Pre-Launch Strategies and Market Selection25:07 Monetization Strategies and Campaign Optimization27:58 Creative Approaches and User Engagement37:34 Preparing for Global Launch and Final ThoughtsMatej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.mePlease 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 LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

How a Chinese Survivor.io Clone Is Printing $170K/Day in a Brutal Category?We tear into Mech Assemble: Zombie Swarm, a high-performing “shoot ‘em up” that’s managing to out-earn Survivor.io in a red-ocean market. With nearly $4M monthly revenue, $170K/day at peak, and only ~12K daily downloads, the game is proof you can win with ruthless monetization, creative overload, and a mix of East + West appeal.Key takeaways:Category Killer: In a genre where most titles die after launch month, Mech Assemble is holding and scaling revenue.Revenue Mix: 85%+ IAP with whales from the US, Japan (20%), South Korea, Taiwan, and Tier 1 EU. Ads add ~$14K/day.Customization Hook: Fully movable, functional weapon placement on mechs — a novelty in the subgenre.Onboarding Power Move: Classic “Asian onboarding” — start overpowered, then strip it away.Aggressive Monetization: 200-pull pity timers, daily ad boosts, limited waifu offers, and multiple battle passes.Creative Strategy: 500+ pages of creatives across TikTok, Google, and Facebook. Mix of AI-generated, meme-driven (Skibidi Toilet, Gundam knockoffs), and misleading playables.UA Reality: CPIs hitting $30+ in US, mitigated by whale-heavy spending and blended campaigns. Downloads modest, but ARPDAU sky-high.Why It Works: Strong East + West monetization, relentless creative testing, genre familiarity + novelty in mech customization.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to the Episode04:21 Exploring the Game: Make Assemble07:16 Gameplay Mechanics and Features10:10 Monetization Strategies and Revenue Insights13:14 Customization and Player Engagement16:08 Creative Marketing and User Acquisition19:22 Comparative Analysis with Other Games22:09 Future Predictions and Closing Thoughts---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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

We dissect Miniclip’s War Drone 3D, a surprise hit blending realistic drone fantasy, hypercasual onboarding, and ruthless gacha with relentless ad monetization. With over 50 percent organic downloads, scaling past 300,000 installs per day at peak, and daily revenues topping $65,000, War Drone 3D proves you can go viral with core gameplay, slick visuals, and a smart (but sometimes broken) upgrade loop. What’s inside:Viral Organics: Over half of all downloads are organic, driven by gameplay that looks and feels like real drone footage. Younger demographics are hooked on the “news media” aesthetic and immersive perspective.Tower Defense, Shooter, Hypercasual: Fast onboarding, no menu bloat, and you’re shooting in seconds. The core loop is classic tower defense, layered with shooter upgrades and skill cards—instantly accessible, but with depth for longer-term play.Rewarded Ads and Gacha MonetizationProgression and Pain PointsCreative UA and Organic Blend: Ads leverage real drone footage aesthetics, survival hooks, and “breaking news” memes. Vertical and story formats are underused—big opportunity for TikTok and Instagram growth.Key Takeaway:War Drone 3D proves you can scale to millions without heavy UA if you nail fantasy, onboarding, and reward loops. Add better gacha balancing, creative iteration, and the sky’s the limit.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Technical Issues02:04 Overview of War Drone 3D04:00 Gameplay Mechanics and Balancing07:03 Game Design and User Experience12:02 Monetization Strategies and Ads19:09 User Engagement and Replayability22:58 Market Performance and Future Prospects25:21 Ad Revenue Insights and Gameplay Mechanics28:03 Game Design and User Experience30:59 Improving Game Mechanics and Progression Systems35:00 Marketing Strategies and Audience Engagement39:57 Creative Approaches in Game Advertising---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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

In this solo episode, Felix Braberg cuts through the hype and breaks down what’s actually happening in mobile ad monetization networks in 2025. The real mediation market is cornered by AppLovin MAX, Unity LevelPlay, and Google AdMob—with upstarts like Amazon Publisher Services and Moloco making surprise moves. But even the biggest ad-revenue studios (Rollic, Habi) are running from ads to IAP-first strategies. ECPMs are down 20 percent from pandemic peaks, networks are harder to work with, and the “walled garden” is stronger than ever.What’s inside:Mediation Monopoly: AppLovin MAX now dominates mediation market share, with exclusive features like AdROAS and BlendedROAS campaigns locking in publishers. Unity and Google still matter, but the stack is closed and hostile to new entrants.Amazon’s Banner Play: Amazon Publisher Services quietly became the top banner revenue source in the US and Europe, beating Google—but getting on the platform is a lottery. Last month, Amazon kicked 100 publishers off with no warning. TAM (Transparent Ad Marketplace) deals are lucrative, but rare.Moloco’s Rise: Moloco, a DSP, is exploding with rumored $2.2B in 2025 spend, going direct to top publishers with its SDK. Publishers see 8–15 percent ARPDAU boosts on video and 20 percent or more on banners after adding Moloco. The secret? Once DSPs get big enough, they need direct supply, not just reselling.Ad Monetization Shift: The biggest ad studios are pivoting hard—Habby’s Whittle Defender and Rollic’s latest puzzle hits (Whole People, KnitOut) now get as little as 11–20 percent of revenue from ads, compared to 50–50 splits just two years ago. IAPs are the future, and “remove ads forever” packages are everywhere.Why ECPMs Are Down: ECPMs are 20 percent below 2021. Reasons include: post-pandemic demand crash, privacy updates (especially iOS), the loss of waterfall calls in mediation (bidding is the default), and “walled garden” platform control. It’s harder than ever to keep prices up or diversify your stack.Key Takeaway:If you’re not building your stack around AppLovin, Amazon, and Moloco, you’re missing where the real money flows. But even the best ad ops can’t beat macro headwinds—hybrid monetization is dying, and you need more IAP or you’ll be left behind.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Ad Monetization Trends02:31 Shift from Ad Revenue to IAPs05:07 ECPM Trends and Market Dynamics07:22 Mediation Platforms Overview09:42 Amazon Publisher Services: A New Player13:30 Moloco: The Rising DSP Star---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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

In this episode, we break down Tile Survive! FunPlus’s biggest 4X pivot yet and their boldest copy of Century Games’ “Dark War” playbook. From idle meta and scripted roads to resource overload creatives and meme awards, Tile Survive is showing that copying the leaders is now the fastest path to $50,000 a day. Find out what’s new, what’s missing, and why FunPlus may finally scale back into the 4X top tier.You’ll learn:The real gameplay and meta changes—what’s new, what’s just Dark War with cartoon paintThe evolution of 4X ad creatives—Golden Goblins, AI memes, Minecraft hooks, and fake UGCWhy simplifying onboarding, events, and gacha is now the winning moveKey Takeaway:Tile Survive is proof that the new 4X playbook is copy, simplify, and scale—then innovate only once you’re printing money. FunPlus finally stopped reinventing, and the numbers are speaking for themselves.How to master the template and what FunPlus might do nextGet our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Revisiting Forex: A Nostalgic Dive04:05 Game Review: Tile Survive Unpacked06:53 Game Mechanics: Simplification and Comparison10:03 Market Trends: Analyzing Downloads and Revenue13:06 Creative Strategies: Marketing and User Engagement16:05 Future Predictions: The Path Ahead for Games25:00 Emerging Trends in Game Development27:05 Creative Strategies and Marketing Insights30:25 Game Mechanics and User Engagement34:00 Benchmarking and Performance Metrics37:55 Final Thoughts and Future Directions---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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 LancaricDo you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai

This episode, Two and a Half Gamers sit down with analytics legend Russell Ovans—the mind behind Professor ARPDAU and the author of game analytics’ “bible.” Learn the brutal truth about retention, ARPDAU, LTV, and the “golden cohort” trap. If you want to scale your game profitably in 2025, you need these formulas, tools, and lessons - no hype, no BS, just results.You’ll learn:Why retention is the only metric that matters (until ARPDAU takes over)How to model and predict your LTV, player days, and payback window using real retention curvesThe difference between analytics and data science, and why cohorts are your best friendHow to avoid burning your UA budget chasing “golden cohorts” or missing your D7 ROAS targetFree tools at arpdow.com to plug in your data and get real answersKey Takeaway:Retention plus ARPDAU equals real growth. Track cohorts, model your curve, and never fall for the golden cohort trap or ad network happy talk. If you want more, arpdow.com has the tools.Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------PVX Partners offers non-dilutive funding for game developers.Go to: https://pvxpartners.com/They can help you access the most effective form of growth capital once you have the metrics to back it.- Scale fast- Keep your shares- Drawdown only as needed- Have PvX take downside risk alongside you+ Work with a team entirely made up of ex-gaming operators and investors---------------------------------------Vibe. Vibe is the leading Streaming TV ad platform for small and medium-sized businesses looking for actionable advertising campaign performance.https://www.vibe.co/---------------------------------------For an ever-growing number of game developers, this means that now is the perfect time to invest in monetizing direct-to-consumer at scale.Our sponsor FastSpring:Has delivered D2C at scale for over 20 yearsThey power top mobile publishers around the worldLaunch a new webstore, replace an existing D2C vendor, or add a redundant D2C vendor at fastspring.gg.---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Special Guest: Russel Ovanshttps://arpdau.com/https://arpdau.com/ltvJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Analytics in Gaming05:38 Russell Owens' Journey in Game Analytics08:29 Understanding Analytics vs. Data Science11:37 The Importance of Cohorts in Game Analytics14:43 Retention Metrics and Their Significance18:44 Key Performance Indicators for Game Success21:39 The Relationship Between LTV and CPI24:37 Predicting Retention and Its Impact on Game Design30:41 Understanding Retention Metrics33:42 The Importance of Retention in Monetization36:31 Expected Player Days and LTV Calculation43:43 Tools for Predicting LTV and ROAS50:41 Final Thoughts and Homework for Game Developers---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.comJakub RemiarGame design consultant⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar---------------------------------------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