two & a half gamers

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 championWhy rewarded ads on store exit might be the best placement we’ve seenThe power of fake difficulty and soft urgency pacingWhy sessions are long, sticky, and filled with natural ad gapsHow PlaySimple (owned by MTG) has perfected the casual word game formulaThe value of no fail states, no IAP hard stops, and deep passive flowWhat 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--------------------------------------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/---------------------------------------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 Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/_PmjvYai0XYJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Word Games04:02 The Popularity of Word Games07:02 Market Dynamics and Revenue Models10:03 Game Mechanics and User Engagement13:03 Monetization Strategies in Word Games16:00 Future Trends and Innovations in Word Games20:25 Monetization Strategies in Word Games23:23 Ad Revenue Insights and Game Performance27:52 Retention vs. Monetization: A Balancing Act31:16 Creative Strategies and User Engagement40:32 Final Thoughts and Ratings---------------------------------------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 Lancaric

🎙️ This might be the most dangerous podcast episode we’ve ever released.An anonymous insider, voice-modulated for protection, joins us to expose the truth about mobile UA, ad network manipulation, and how millions are spent with zero payback logic. With voice modulation in place, our guest “Dr. Doom” reveals what happens behind the dashboards, network sales decks, and investor slides.You’ll hear :Dream Games' $50M brand campaign: brilliant market takeover or the dumbest ROI play of 2025?Why are most UA managers glorified spreadsheet jockeys, and why can’t founders tell the difference?The smoke-and-mirrors of cohort data, fake growth stories, and shady LTV curve manipulation.Chinese game studios' 300-person creative teams, outworking and outspending the West with terrifying efficiency.Rewarded traffic, fake installs, App Store gaming, everything still happens. We pretend it doesn’t.Ad network manipulation — how early numbers are fluffed, forecasts are gamed, and management eats it up.This episode is a gloves-off, bullshit-free reality check. No brand-safe talking points. Just raw, uncomfortable truth from someone who’s spent millions and seen the industry from every dirty angle.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/---------------------------------------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 Lancaric, Joseph KimSpecial guest: Dr. Doom (anonymous gaming industry legend)Youtube: https://youtu.be/1Rb3L6gBK9EJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest04:57 The Overrated Studios in Mobile Gaming06:40 Analyzing Dream Games' Strategy12:39 Understanding User Acquisition Challenges18:44 The Role of UA Managers and Internal Metrics25:46 Understanding User Acquisition Campaigns28:16 The Evolution of User Acquisition Strategies30:15 The Importance of Community in User Acquisition31:56 Creative Teams and Competitive Advantage33:09 The Role of Chinese Studios in the Market37:57 Challenges for Western Developers in Forex Games42:00 The Impact of AI on Creative Processes45:22 The Viability of Bot Downloads Today---------------------------------------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 Lancaric

Want real ROAS benchmarks from 300+ games and $200 M+ in spend?This episode of 2.5 Gamers goes deep with ZJ from PVX Partners, who brings an insane dataset from UA financing across puzzle, casual, strategy, and 4X games.We cover what’s really happening in 2025:📉 Payback windows stretching to 12–24 months📈 Ad revenue up 15%, but not fast enough to catch CAC inflation🧠 M1 ROAS is the best early predictor of long-term success🔥 Payer retention is dropping, and revenue is clustering around whales🧠 What You’ll Learn:What’s a good M1 ROAS? (40% = 6-month payback, less than 25% = 12+ months)Why puzzle games are surprisingly strong in M2/M6 payer retentionHow hybrid monetization is now the norm, even in 4X and RPGsReal ROAS curves by genre, by cohort, and by channelChannel dominance: AppLovin still leads spend, but Google/Unity outperform in ROAS (really?) Why most UA teams underestimate revenue concentration risksGet 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/---------------------------------------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: Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric⁠Special guest: Zhen Jie (ZJ) Simhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/zhenjiesim/Youtube: https://youtu.be/Kh8JkeXCH54Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to PVX Partners and the Gaming Industry03:19 Analyzing ROAS Benchmarks and Trends06:31 User Acquisition Costs and Market Dynamics12:10 Monetization Strategies and Trends13:44 Payback Periods and Profitability Insights17:38 Retention Metrics and Revenue Concentration Risks22:30 Predictive Analysis and Future Trends24:46 Introduction to Lambda and ROAS Projections27:00 Funding Eligibility and Cohort Scoring28:25 Spending Trends in Casual Gaming Channels30:44 Attribution Challenges in Marketing34:30 Benchmarking Performance Across Channels36:51 Insights on Casual Puzzle Games Performance40:37 Future of Game Marketing and Community Support---------------------------------------Matej LancaricUser Acquisition & Creatives Consultant⁠https://lancaric.meFelix BrabergAd monetization consultant⁠https://www.felixbraberg.com---------------------------------------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#ROAS #MobileGames #UserAcquisition #GameMonetization #PuzzleGames #PVXPartners #PaybackPeriod #HybridMonetization #2.5Gamers #GameBenchmarks #MobileMarketing #AdSpend #GameGrowth #RevenueRetention

We talk with the Drama Pops team from Codeway — one of Turkey’s top mobile app publishers — about how they scaled a short drama app from scratch into one of the most promising products in the entertainment app space.www.codeway.cohttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deepvision.shortdrama&hl=en🧠 What You’ll Learn:Why they chose to avoid ad breaks during cliffhangers (and how it helps retention)The economics of short-form drama production (yes, it's cheaper in Turkey than LA)The role of VIP subs, daily tickets, and ad slots in monetizationHow they approach hit creation, series testing, and expanding to global demographicsThe challenge of staying fresh in a sea of apps chasing the same TikTok tropesWhy interactive content and AI may define the next wave of short drama appsGet 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/---------------------------------------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 guests: Sefa & Burkayhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sefakoca/https://www.linkedin.com/in/burkay-cagilti/Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Drama Pops and Codeway05:34 Overview of Codeway's Success and Growth07:15 Exploring the Short Drama Market10:25 The Journey of Creating Drama Pops11:59 Content Strategy and Launching the App13:23 User Experience and App Features18:32 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration28:58 Content Production and Originality30:10 Trends and Audience Engagement in Content Creation32:39 Exploring Interactive Storytelling36:11 Monetization Strategies in Interactive Content37:20 The Impact of Hit Content on User Acquisition39:51 The Short Drama Industry Landscape42:00 User Acquisition and Content Decisions44:22 The Role of AI in Content Creation47:42 Playable Ads and User Engagement49:23 Long-Form Content in User Acquisition52:21 Expanding User Acquisition Channels54:52 The Future of Short Dramas and Audience Engagement---------------------------------------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 Lancaric

In this episode, the 2.5 Gamers crew — Matej, Felix, and Jakub — dissect the top mobile ad creative trends spotted across platforms in April 2025.From AI-generated hooks dominating 5-second ad intros, to IP-mirroring creatives, TikTok-style POV playables, and Freezing Families never going away — this is a masterclass in what’s hot (and not) in mobile game UA right now.You’ll see:⚙️ The rise of AI-generated 5-second hooks — and how top studios use them👑 Royal Kingdom going full Hollywood with celebs and social-first video🔄 Playable ad chaos: POVs, vacuuming goblins, and "Freezing Shakira" memes📉 Games with declining revenue but surging DAU — what’s behind it?If you work in UA, game marketing, or mobile design, this is your creative radar check.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/---------------------------------------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 Public Service Announcement04:08 Exploring Creative Trends in Gaming06:59 AI in Game Creatives10:06 Analyzing Successful Game Strategies13:05 The Role of Creatives in User Acquisition16:09 Current Trends in Game Development19:07 Deep Dive into Royal Kingdom's Success23:10 User Acquisition and Video Content26:09 The Role of AI in Creative Development29:08 Game Mechanics and User Engagement32:10 Trends in Mobile Gaming and User Acquisition36:27 Exploring Royal Match and Game Mechanics38:55 Analyzing User Engagement and Revenue Trends39:30 AI in Game Development and Animation40:55 Creative Strategies in Game Marketing41:41 The Role of AI in Creative Processes43:59 AI's Impact on Visual Design and Branding45:47 The Evolution of Game Ads and User Experience47:56 Innovative Concepts in Game Creatives52:01 Future Trends in Game Marketing and AI Integration---------------------------------------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

Ever wonder why some gacha systems print money, while others crash in weeks?In this special solo deep-dive, Jakub from 2.5 Gamers breaks down everything you need to know about gacha system design, from token economies to deck-building, duplicate handling, meta shifts, and the subtle art of collection drivers.If you're building a game with gacha mechanics — or just want to understand why Genshin, AFK Arena, and Clash Royale all work so differently — this episode is essential viewing.What You’ll Learn:The 3 core gacha models: Solid Token, Shard, and Merge GachaWhy deck size and collection drivers are make-or-breakThe truth behind duplicate value, token pacing, and gacha depthHow games like Monster Strike, Puzzle & Dragons, and Survivor.io manage their meta and scale contentThe trade-offs between luck, grind, and progression frictionWhy Asia and the West design gacha systems so differentlyThis is a GDC-level masterclass packed into one podcast.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 Lancaric⁠Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Gacha Systems02:21 Understanding Gacha and Loot Boxes04:10 Core Components of Gacha Systems15:17 Exploring Solid Token Gacha27:39 Understanding Shard Token Gacha40:53 Exploring Merge Token Gacha48:21 Future of Gacha Systems---------------------------------------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

MAU Events:May 20, Tuesday Pre-Game 4pm PT https://lu.ma/919nx0pqMay 21, Wednesday brunch 11am PT https://lu.ma/krnfc16qMay 2,1 Wednesday Gaming Soiree 4pm PT https://lu.ma/il21m7r7Disney Solitaire is scaling fast. Today, we break down how SuperPlay + Playtika + Disney IP = one of the smartest casual game executions in years.From a familiar Domino Dreams-style template to a scaling UA strategy (with estimated $1.5M/day in spend), Disney Solitaire targets nostalgia-rich audiences with high production polish, deep progression systems, and sneaky monetization.🧠 What You’ll Learn:Why this isn’t really solitaire — it’s puzzle-level based monetizationSmart use of Disney IP: Frozen, Moana, and Cinderella wrapped in Royal Match-style visualsHow scene-based progression and album mechanics drive retentionComparison with Candy Crush Solitaire — and why Disney’s version feels 10x betterPerformance so far: up to 900K DAU, scaling downloads, and massive UA investmentWhy this may be the best iteration in the genre since Solitaire Grand HarvestGet 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/---------------------------------------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 The Danish Pilgrimage: A Slovakian Perspective02:36 Game Talk: Disney Solitaire and Its Potential04:29 Game Mechanics: Analyzing Disney Solitaire11:32 Market Dynamics: Playtica and the Solitaire Genre16:35 Nostalgia and Target Audience in Gaming21:29 Gameplay Insights: Monetization and User Experience23:17 The Rise of Matiej25:33 Game Mechanics and Offers27:44 Epic Mode and Level Design31:29 High Production Value in Casual Games34:24 Revenue Insights and Market Dynamics39:56 Puzzle Completion and Haptic Feedback41:01 Introduction of New Sponsor: Vibe.co42:29 Disney IPs and Gameplay Insights45:15 Analyzing Download Metrics and CPI47:37 Profitability Discussion of Disney Solitaire50:53 Creative Strategies in Mobile Gaming53:42 Predictions for the Solitaire Genre57:12 Upcoming Events and Closing Remarks---------------------------------------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

On April 30th, 2025, a U.S. court ruled that Apple’s anti-steering policies are anti-competitive and unenforceable.That single sentence could redefine the mobile app economy.For the first time ever, developers can now directly link to their own web stores from inside their iOS apps, promoting them, pricing them competitively, and funneling players off-platform without fear of being banned.We unpacked everything on a special emergency episode with Chip Thurston, Head of Gaming at FastSpring (and former Scopely product leader)🧠 What You’ll Learn:How the Epic v. Apple court ruling changes the rules immediatelyWhat Apple is now legally required to allow inside your appWhy this ruling could unlock 50%+ of iOS revenue via webWhat tools, compliance, and merchant of record solutions do you need to get startedLessons from studios already monetizing 40–50% via webWhy Apple’s retaliation is likely — and how to prepare📈 Whether you're a midcore dev, casual publisher, or indie studio, this is your moment to take back control of your margin, your funnel, and your future.According to Chip:- Before the ruling, best-in-class midcore games saw 40–50% of revenue via web after years of investment- Casual games managed 20–25% at best- Now, with direct promotion allowed, any game could hit 50% web revenue with proper messaging and value placementLet that sink in.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 Lancaric⁠Special Guest: Chip Thurstonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thurstonchip/FastSpring: https://fastspring.gg/Our Yacht party: https://go.fastspring.com/D2Sea_Laser_Yacht_Party_dm_rg.htmlYoutube: https://youtu.be/6jk-mDnia3YJoin our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest04:22 Apple's Court Ruling and Its Significance08:44 Impact of Anti-Steering Policies12:27 Apple's Response and Future Implications16:22 Choosing a Merchant of Record19:18 Risk Management and Market Expectations21:03 Revenue Shifts in Gaming23:31 Promoting Web Stores Effectively26:20 Choosing the Right Merchant of Record28:32 FastSpring's Unique Value Proposition31:08 Navigating Apple's Response33:40 Future of Web Stores in Gaming38:12 Beneficiaries of Increased Profitability40:02 Looking Ahead: Regulatory Changes---------------------------------------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

What if a cozy puzzle game could generate $80K/day — with 89% of that from ads? Dreamy Room is the breakout hit you didn’t see coming. It's not Royal Match. It's not hypercasual. It's deterministic puzzling at its finest — and it's scaling fast.We break down why Dreamy Room is crushing downloads, how its simple-but-hard core loop drives ad revenue at scale, and why it's one of the most innovative ultra-casual games of 2025.🧠 What You’ll Learn:How Dreamy Room hit $80K/day, mostly from interstitial adsWhy its deterministic puzzle design is addictively engaging (think Twisted Tangle meets cozy design)The level mechanics: snapping items, cleaning rooms, timers, and logic-based item placementHow boosters, piggy banks, and star chests support monetization without ruining flowUA strategy: scaling on AppLovin & Mintegral — no heavy Facebook spend (yet)How they’re using Capybara fail states and quirky playables to lower CPIsWhy this game might get "Royal Matched" with IP or deeper meta soon📈 This isn’t just another ultra-casual clone. Dreamy Room is creative, hard, and print money with ads.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 Lancaric⁠Podcast: Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction and Game Overview04:25 Game Mechanics and Monetization07:22 Gameplay Experience and Challenges09:46 Deterministic Puzzler Explained13:27 Level Design and Progression16:27 User Experience and Feedback19:07 The Puzzle Game Experience23:05 Game Mechanics and Player Engagement24:17 Monetization Strategies in Mobile Gaming30:27 Creative Strategies for User Acquisition34:15 The Future of Mobile Gaming---------------------------------------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#DreamyRoom #MobileGameDesign #PuzzleGames #Monetization #HybridCasual #UAstrategy #InterstitialAds #CapybaraCreatives #GameEconomy #2.5Gamers #MobileGamingTrends #AdMonetization

Meta just changed the game for ad monetized mobile apps — and if you’re not testing AdROAS campaigns yet, you’re already behind.In this 2.5 Gamers solo deep dive, Matej walks through exactly how to set up Meta’s new AdROAS campaigns, how to unlock the hidden value in your ad impressions, and why this is a must-have in your UA strategy for Android in 2025.🧠 What You’ll Learn:Step-by-step guide to setting up Meta AdROAS (with visuals!)Why AdROAS lets you optimize for ad revenue value directly (no more hacks!)How to unlock AdROAS if it’s grayed out in your Ads ManagerBest practices to hit thresholds: 15+ ad impression events with distinct valuesWhen and how to split campaigns for IAP vs. Ad Revenue targetingPitfalls: incorrect event mapping, currency mismatches, and learning phase stallingThe future of AdROAS for iOS — what’s coming next📊 Whether you’re scaling casual, hybrid-casual, or ad-driven apps, Meta AdROAS can boost LTV and unlock ROAS-based bidding for ad whales.💥 This episode is your ultimate guide to getting started — with real UA tips, meta setup walk-through, and the latest best practices from someone who’s run 50+ game launches.💬 Drop your questions or results in the comments — let’s push this feature together.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: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej Lancaric⁠Youtube: https://youtu.be/vsjIGV_w2m4Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipgChapters00:00 Introduction to Meta Address Optimization03:39 Understanding AdRas and Its Importance08:02 Setting Up AdRas Optimization15:04 Best Practices for AdRas Implementation21:29 Live Demonstration of AdRas Campaign Setup---------------------------------------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#MetaAdROAS #AdMonetization #MobileUA #UserAcquisition #AdRevenueOptimization #MobileGameGrowth #MetaAds #FacebookAds #HybridCasual #2.5Gamers #MobileMarketing #UASetup #MetaAdImpression