Pocket Champs live review: Exceptional growth, Clever game design, Ads playbook w/Arthur Michel (94)
two & a half gamers - A podcast by Lancaric.me
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #94. 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, Arthur Michel Youtube: https://youtu.be/4yhTGKmL3Ds Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-29stniv6f-oLJzhx2U_mRB_ppXnJ9hvQ Madbox is recruiting in Live Games, New Games, Data and Automation: madbox.io/jobs Agenda 00:00 Epic Intro 02:04 Discovery and Initial Impressions of Pocket Champs 04:09 Game Design and Core Gameplay Mechanics 09:52 Progression Systems and Collection Building 16:47 Matchmaking and Player Experience 23:49 Evolution of the Game and Key Features 28:20 Improvements and Challenges in Progression Systems 32:52 Interstitial Ads and Ad Monetization 33:52 Rewarded Placements and Clever Design Features 35:20 No Banner Ads and Focus on In-App Purchases 37:25 Controlling Interstitial Ad Frequency and Bid Floors 39:19 Estimated Ad Revenue and ECPMs 40:57 Experimenting with Interstitial Ads 47:05 Indirect Integration of Ad-Related Missions 49:03 Positive Feedback on Creatives and Innovations 50:28 Gates Creatives and Unique Icons 53:28 Exploring Deeper Progression System 56:06 Ad Networks and Spend Estimates 57:41 Long-Term Retention and Future Plans 01:02:59 Overall Assessment and Room for Improvement 01:06:51 Game Production Philosophy and Purposeful Feature Integration 01:07:27 Finding Features that Enhance Player Experience 01:08:14 Passion and Creativity in Game Design --------------------------------------- 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 --------------------------------------- Takeaways Pocket Champs features strategic decision-making in gear selection and offers a balance between player input and automated gameplay. The game's progression systems, such as the trophy road and events, provide short and midterm objectives for players. Matchmaking in Pocket Champs is challenging due to the low skill involvement, but efforts are made to create a meaningful player experience. The game's monetization strategies, including offers and battle passes, are designed to provide value and maintain a robust economy. Continuous iteration and risk-taking are essential for game updates to keep the player base engaged and the game fun for the long term. Game development teams should have ownership and control over their games. When adding new features, it is crucial to consider their purpose and how they connect with the existing game. Finding features that make sense and enhance the player experience requires time, iteration, and creative work. Passion is essential in game design and development. --------------------------------------- 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 - [email protected] --------------------------------------- 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 Latest article - https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/stay-ahead-in-ua-for-2024-my-top?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=web&showWelcome=true Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai
