two & a half gamers

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.co

https://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 monetization

How they approach hit creation, series testing, and expanding to global demographics

The challenge of staying fresh in a sea of apps chasing the same TikTok tropes

Why interactive content and AI may define the next wave of short drama apps

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 Lancaric⁠

Special guests: Sefa & Burkay

https://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~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Drama Pops and Codeway

05:34 Overview of Codeway's Success and Growth

07:15 Exploring the Short Drama Market

10:25 The Journey of Creating Drama Pops

11:59 Content Strategy and Launching the App

13:23 User Experience and App Features

18:32 Monetization Strategies and Ad Integration

28:58 Content Production and Originality

30:10 Trends and Audience Engagement in Content Creation

32:39 Exploring Interactive Storytelling

36:11 Monetization Strategies in Interactive Content

37:20 The Impact of Hit Content on User Acquisition

39:51 The Short Drama Industry Landscape

42:00 User Acquisition and Content Decisions

44:22 The Role of AI in Content Creation

47:42 Playable Ads and User Engagement

49:23 Long-Form Content in User Acquisition

52:21 Expanding User Acquisition Channels

54:52 The Future of Short Dramas and Audience Engagement

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

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 Lancaric⁠

Podcast:

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Public Service Announcement

04:08 Exploring Creative Trends in Gaming

06:59 AI in Game Creatives

10:06 Analyzing Successful Game Strategies

13:05 The Role of Creatives in User Acquisition

16:09 Current Trends in Game Development

19:07 Deep Dive into Royal Kingdom's Success

23:10 User Acquisition and Video Content

26:09 The Role of AI in Creative Development

29:08 Game Mechanics and User Engagement

32:10 Trends in Mobile Gaming and User Acquisition

36:27 Exploring Royal Match and Game Mechanics

38:55 Analyzing User Engagement and Revenue Trends

39:30 AI in Game Development and Animation

40:55 Creative Strategies in Game Marketing

41:41 The Role of AI in Creative Processes

43:59 AI's Impact on Visual Design and Branding

45:47 The Evolution of Game Ads and User Experience

47:56 Innovative Concepts in Game Creatives

52:01 Future Trends in Game Marketing and AI Integration

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

Do 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 Gacha

Why deck size and collection drivers are make-or-break

The truth behind duplicate value, token pacing, and gacha depth

How games like Monster Strike, Puzzle & Dragons, and Survivor.io manage their meta and scale content

The trade-offs between luck, grind, and progression friction

Why Asia and the West design gacha systems so differently

This 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 Lancaric⁠

Podcast:

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Gacha Systems

02:21 Understanding Gacha and Loot Boxes

04:10 Core Components of Gacha Systems

15:17 Exploring Solid Token Gacha

27:39 Understanding Shard Token Gacha

40:53 Exploring Merge Token Gacha

48:21 Future of Gacha Systems

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

Do 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/919nx0pq

May 21, Wednesday brunch 11am PT https://lu.ma/krnfc16q

May 2,1 Wednesday Gaming Soiree 4pm PT https://lu.ma/il21m7r7

Disney 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 monetization

Smart use of Disney IP: Frozen, Moana, and Cinderella wrapped in Royal Match-style visuals

How scene-based progression and album mechanics drive retention

Comparison with Candy Crush Solitaire — and why Disney’s version feels 10x better

Performance so far: up to 900K DAU, scaling downloads, and massive UA investment

Why this may be the best iteration in the genre since Solitaire Grand Harvest

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 Lancaric⁠

Podcast:

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

Chapters

00:00 The Danish Pilgrimage: A Slovakian Perspective

02:36 Game Talk: Disney Solitaire and Its Potential

04:29 Game Mechanics: Analyzing Disney Solitaire

11:32 Market Dynamics: Playtica and the Solitaire Genre

16:35 Nostalgia and Target Audience in Gaming

21:29 Gameplay Insights: Monetization and User Experience

23:17 The Rise of Matiej

25:33 Game Mechanics and Offers

27:44 Epic Mode and Level Design

31:29 High Production Value in Casual Games

34:24 Revenue Insights and Market Dynamics

39:56 Puzzle Completion and Haptic Feedback

41:01 Introduction of New Sponsor: Vibe.co

42:29 Disney IPs and Gameplay Insights

45:15 Analyzing Download Metrics and CPI

47:37 Profitability Discussion of Disney Solitaire

50:53 Creative Strategies in Mobile Gaming

53:42 Predictions for the Solitaire Genre

57:12 Upcoming Events and Closing Remarks

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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]

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 immediately

What Apple is now legally required to allow inside your app

Why this ruling could unlock 50%+ of iOS revenue via web

What tools, compliance, and merchant of record solutions do you need to get started

Lessons from studios already monetizing 40–50% via web

Why 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 placement

Let 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 Lancaric⁠

Special Guest: Chip Thurston

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thurstonchip/

FastSpring: https://fastspring.gg/

Our Yacht party: https://go.fastspring.com/D2Sea_Laser_Yacht_Party_dm_rg.html

Youtube: https://youtu.be/6jk-mDnia3Y

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

04:22 Apple's Court Ruling and Its Significance

08:44 Impact of Anti-Steering Policies

12:27 Apple's Response and Future Implications

16:22 Choosing a Merchant of Record

19:18 Risk Management and Market Expectations

21:03 Revenue Shifts in Gaming

23:31 Promoting Web Stores Effectively

26:20 Choosing the Right Merchant of Record

28:32 FastSpring's Unique Value Proposition

31:08 Navigating Apple's Response

33:40 Future of Web Stores in Gaming

38:12 Beneficiaries of Increased Profitability

40:02 Looking Ahead: Regulatory Changes

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

Do 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 ads

Why 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 placement

How boosters, piggy banks, and star chests support monetization without ruining flow

UA strategy: scaling on AppLovin & Mintegral — no heavy Facebook spend (yet)

How they’re using Capybara fail states and quirky playables to lower CPIs

Why 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 Lancaric⁠

Podcast:

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Game Overview

04:25 Game Mechanics and Monetization

07:22 Gameplay Experience and Challenges

09:46 Deterministic Puzzler Explained

13:27 Level Design and Progression

16:27 User Experience and Feedback

19:07 The Puzzle Game Experience

23:05 Game Mechanics and Player Engagement

24:17 Monetization Strategies in Mobile Gaming

30:27 Creative Strategies for User Acquisition

34:15 The Future of Mobile Gaming

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

Do 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 Manager

Best practices to hit thresholds: 15+ ad impression events with distinct values

When and how to split campaigns for IAP vs. Ad Revenue targeting

Pitfalls: incorrect event mapping, currency mismatches, and learning phase stalling

The 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 Lancaric⁠

Youtube: https://youtu.be/vsjIGV_w2m4

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Meta Address Optimization

03:39 Understanding AdRas and Its Importance

08:02 Setting Up AdRas Optimization

15:04 Best Practices for AdRas Implementation

21:29 Live Demonstration of AdRas Campaign Setup

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

Do 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

$400M/year from all apps? 40M downloads for a 15-minute book summary?

In this 2.5 Gamers episode, we explore how Genesis became one of the biggest non-game mobile app publishers in the world, with over $35M/month in revenue, and 400 M+ total downloads.

Forget games for a minute. This is the app industry’s secret playbook, and it’s scaling like crazy.

🧠 What’s Inside:

How Cleaner Guru hit $4M/month by cleaning iPhones — with subscriptions

The rise of Headway, a micro-learning app with 40M+ downloads, beating Blinkist

Why BetterMe is pulling in $157M lifetime revenue as a fitness app juggernaut

The shady brilliance of their subscription models and cancel friction

How Genesis uses web + mobile to double their revenue (50–60% off-app stores)

Their creative strategy: fake TED talks, micro-learning memes, and Duolingo clones

Why their venture builder model (like Voodoo but for apps) scales faster than games

💡 Genesis isn’t just an app company. They’re a growth machine — blending utility, entertainment, and ruthless monetization into an empire

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 Lancaric⁠

Youtube: https://youtu.be/LCuvVzO7VmQ

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Topic Shift

02:36 Exploring the App Industry vs. Gaming Industry

04:32 Genesis: A Major Player in the App Market

07:34 Business Models and Revenue Streams of Genesis

10:44 Analyzing Popular Apps in Genesis's Portfolio

13:35 The Impact of Subscription Models on App Revenue

16:21 Micro Learning and the Rise of Educational Apps

19:34 Gamification in Apps and User Engagement

22:35 Conclusion and Future Trends in the App Industry

29:06 Exploring Subscription Models in Apps

30:38 User Acquisition Strategies and Revenue Tracking

32:28 Genesis: A Venture Builder Model

34:08 The Role of Shared Services in App Development

36:02 Financial Performance and Market Positioning

36:59 Creative Strategies in User Acquisition

38:52 Trends in App Marketing and Advertising

42:14 Analyzing Competitor Marketing Tactics

45:17 The Impact of User Experience on Retention

47:52 Concluding Thoughts on App Business Dynamics

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

In this episode, we sit down with the team behind Airflux, the AI-powered ad optimizer from Airbridge, and unpack how it’s quietly changing the rules of mobile game monetization.📈 Whether you're optimizing for ad whales, tweaking interstitial frequency, or just tired of playing A/B test roulette, this conversation will change how you think about monetization.🧠 What You’ll Learn:How Airflux delivers +26% LTV uplift with zero manual testingWhy interstitial timing is more impactful than raising eCPMsHow Airflux dynamically segments whales, dolphins, and F2P playersThe difference between Firebase and true AI-based optimizationReal success stories from games with 10M+ MAUWhy casual and hybrid-casual games benefit the most from smart automationHow Airflux plugs into your mediation stack (MAX, AdMob, Unity) in days, not weeks💡 "Airflux is like hiring a full data science team to run monetization A/B tests — except it's automated, AI-driven, and never sleeps."Get our MERCH NOW: 25gamers.com/shop--------------------------------------Airflux bloghttps://airflux.ai/blog/ai-ad-monetization-for-mobile-games---------------------------------------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: Roi Namhttps://www.airflux.ai/Youtube: https://youtu.be/SIsQBrp2608

Chapters00:00 Introduction to Airflux and Roy Nam03:12 Understanding Airflux: The AI Monetization Platform05:05 The Importance of Ad Timing and Personalization10:57 Implementation Process for Airflux16:23 Real-World Success Stories and Case Studies21:24 Future Developments and Integration with UA Campaigns23:15 A/B Testing: How Airflux Innovates the Process26:02 A/B Testing and Reinforcement Learning in Ad Optimization32:12 Understanding LTV Uplift and Its Impact40:10 Pricing Models and API Calls in Ad Mediation43:06 Engagement and Future Connections---------------------------------------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 - [email protected] 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

In this episode, we dive deep into the wild world of ad monetization trends in mobile gaming for 2025. From Vietnamese studios like ABI Games printing money daily to hypercasual reskins and even mobile rip-offs of popular Steam games, we break it all down.

🎮 Games Discussed:

Cooking Dom by ABI Games 🇻🇳

Merge Sticker Playbook by Lion Studios

Hamster Escape by Sunday Games

REPO Mobile (Steam-inspired horror)

Dreamy Rooms (IAP-driven ultra-casual)

Word Search Explorer by PlaySimple Games 💥

💰 Discover:

How some games are pulling $70K+ per day in ad revenue

Why Vietnam is crushing it in ad monetization

The rise of hybrid casual and reskin templates

How fake gameplay is being replaced with real engagement loops

Why retention is still king, and creative fatigue is deadly

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 Lancaric⁠

Podcast:

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

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Setup

04:23 Ad Monetization Trends Overview

06:05 Introduction and Game Overview

08:28 Deep Dive into Cooking Them by ABI Game Studios

11:27 Exploring Merge Sticker Playbook by Lion Studios

14:34 Hamster Escape: A New Puzzle Adventure

17:29 Repo Mobile: The Horror Co-op Game

19:26 The Rise of Little Company

22:26 Exploring Dreamy Rooms and Premium Models

25:28 Ad Revenue Insights and Game Monetization

29:20 Word Search Explorer's Success Story

32:30 Future Trends in Gaming and Monetization

---------------------------------------

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

---------------------------------------

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

Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matej AI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai