4X (R)evolution part2. Last War: The biggest 4X in 2024! Crucial UA integration into core-loop
Episode description
This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session #101. 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/rlwg4d2Y3as Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-29stniv6f-oLJzhx2U_mRB_ppXnJ9hvQ
Agenda
01:04 Introducing the Topic: 4X Games
03:06 Last War: Revenue and Downloads
04:12 The Conspiracy Behind First Fun
05:13 The Gameplay Mechanics of Last War
06:02 The Challenging Boss Battles
07:10 The Onboarding Process
08:19 Exploring the 4X Gameplay
09:44 Saving Monica from the Bomb
10:53 The Advanced Gameplay Mechanics
14:26 The Raider and Track Mechanics
18:05 Importance of Onboarding and Gacha Mechanics
20:06 Expanding the Addressable Market
21:05 Incorporating Hypercasual Elements
22:32 Connecting and Integrating Games
23:13 Low Ad Revenue in 4X Games
24:13 Building a Community
25:12 Why Last War is More Successful than Top Heroes
26:08 Factors Contributing to Last War's Success
27:38 Expertise in the 4X Genre
28:00 Connections Between Chinese Companies
28:56 The Dominance of Asian Companies in the 4X Genre
29:54 Scaling and Revenue Comparison
30:18 Improved Onboarding and Gameplay in Last War
32:08 Success of Last War's Marketing Campaign
33:37 TV Commercial and Offline Branding
37:06 Creative Marketing Strategies
39:27 Different Visual Styles and Gameplay
40:07 Creative Trends and Hooks
41:07 Heavy Iteration in Creative World
42:12 Different Versions and Upgrades
43:09 Making Fun of Yourself in Creatives
44:08 Hyper-Casual Concepts from Different Angles
45:33 Ball of Zombies and Epic Battles
46:19 Similarities with Age of Origins
47:38 Similar Creatives from Different Companies
48:42 Integration of Onboarding Game into Main Game
50:15 Hidden Portfolios and Future Trends
53:36 Introduction of a New Game
56:50 Proliferation of Onboarding Game Trend
59:06 Integration of Onboarding Game in Top Heroes Category
59:44 Game from China with Onboarding Mechanics
01:00:12 Teaser for Next Week's Game --------------------------------------- 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 --------------------------------------- TakeawaysThe 4X genre in mobile gaming utilizes similar creative trends and gameplay mechanics across different companies.
The integration of onboarding games into the main game is becoming a popular trend in the mobile gaming industry.
Creatives in the mobile gaming industry heavily iterate on successful concepts and mechanics. --------------------------------------- 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 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 Felix Latest Article - https://www.felixbraberg.com/post/the-end-of-gam-and-admob-placement-refreshes