Level Devil (solo dev) proves that level design is a UA channel. The game’s “troll but fair” traps create clips that people have to share, fueling TikTok/YouTube reach with essentially zero paid spend.

Monetization is light: interstitials triggered by deaths on a cooldown, occasional rewarded skip, one ad network (Unity), no mediation.

We est.: $5–7K/day; with mediation + a couple of safe placements, $11–14K/day looks realistic.

What we cover

• How the level-design craft creates infinite hooks (rage → laughs → shares)

• The actual ad logic (death-based interstitials; rewarded skip after streak)

• Why copycats fail (it’s the hours-per-trap polish, not the theme)

• Monetization gaps (no mediation; limited placements) and easy wins

• Viral geos & creator angles (Brazil/ES longform shout-casts = IPM rocket fuel)

When the product manufactures shareable moments, you don’t need paid UA to grow - just enough monetization hygiene (mediation + safe placements) to convert all that free attention.

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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

Podcast:

Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg

00:00 — Cold open: product-led growth in a troll platformer

01:20 — The solo-dev story and why it resonates

03:10 — Virality loop: die → laugh → share → install

06:15 — Core monetization today: death-based interstitials + rewarded skip

09:40 — What’s missing: no mediation, limited placements

12:05 — Safe add-ons: menu banner, app-open, regional “remove banners” IAP

15:10 — Creator/geography angles (why BR/ES clips pop)

18:30 — Retention pattern and how level craft sustains it

22:10 — Why copycats fail: the craft, not the theme

34:00 — Wrap-up: ops to turn virality into $$$

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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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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