🏆 Winning Mobile Gaming: From Ludo King’s India Domination to AI Experiments and Ad Revenue Hacks
Discover how Ludo King captured India’s hearts, why UGC and AI are reshaping games, Unity’s LevelPlay tips, Google’s ad shake-up, and boosting F2P re-engagement.
Welcome to the 22nd edition of The Kraken Weekly! 🎉
This week’s edition of The Kraken Weekly is packed with exciting stuff, but before you get into it - we had a thought, would you prefer to have this newsletter turn into a podcast? Something 10-15mins long, listen when you want and get an update on everything happening in the world of gaming!
1. Why Ludo King Dominates in India
Oindrila Mandal from Naavik Digest breaks down why Ludo King is ruling India’s mobile gaming scene with over a billion downloads. It’s no accident—Gametion’s hit game captures India’s love for Ludo with easy gameplay, strong social features, and savvy ad monetization. Ludo King focuses on engagement, offering low-cost IAPs and rewarded ads that resonate well with Indian players. Plus, deep localization and cultural events keep the game relevant. It’s a textbook example of how knowing your audience and adapting to local tastes can make all the difference in emerging markets. A must read for the detailed teardown!
2. Why UGC Cosmetics in Games Could be a Game Changer
In their latest chat, Anton Bernstein (Pocket Worlds) and Constantino Carrega (PlayMakers) dive deep into how UGC (user-generated content) is shaping up to be a game-changer for cosmetics in gaming with Joseph Kim. They highlight how AI and community-driven content are key, with AI assisting creators rather than replacing them. They also tackle the “cold start problem,” discussing strategies like contests, revenue sharing, and community incentives to kickstart UGC features. The big takeaway? Success in UGC isn’t just about content—it's about building strong creator ecosystems and using AI as a tool to amplify human creativity.
3. Getting Started with Ad Revenue: Unity Level Play
In his blog, Matej Lancaric dives deep into Unity's LevelPlay, a powerful ad mediation platform built by Ironsource and later acquired by Unity. Matej breaks down the pros (like its top-notch dashboard and great eCPM rates for video ads) and the cons (aggressive ad formats and weaker banner performance). He guides you step-by-step on setting up your app, creating ad units, and integrating top ad networks. Matej’s advice? Use LevelPlay’s advanced tools, set up thorough AB tests, and leverage the Creative Review feature for better ad optimization. If you’re serious about ad revenue, this blog is packed with practical tips to help you maximize earnings.
4. Three Viral Experiments With AI Powered Games
A16Z’s latest blog dives into three viral AI experiments that are shaking up the gaming world. First, there’s Oasis, an AI-generated Minecraft demo by Decart and Etched, which creates trippy, pixel-by-pixel landscapes that feel like an interactive dream. Next, YouTuber Peter Whidden trained an AI to play Pokémon, discovering unexpected behaviors that resembled real-life tactics and sparking a huge community interest. Lastly, a team of modders brought AI companions to Skyrim with Herika, turning NPCs into dynamic, chatty characters, pushing the boundaries of what AI can bring to classic games.
5. Google is launching “high-engagement” ads.
Božo Janković covers the latest from Google: rolling out “high-engagement” ads! This means longer, more aggressive ad formats are coming your way. By default, these changes will be applied to all apps unless you opt out (which might be tricky if you’re not using AdMob mediation). Here’s the scoop: rewarded videos can now run up to 60 seconds before becoming skippable, and interstitials up to 15 seconds. Google is finally catching up with Apple’s ad strategy, but how will this impact revenue and user experience? Buckle up—it’s about to get interesting!
Bonus: Step-by-Step Tutorial for Integrating Singular for Game Devs!
You know how integrating an MMP is always such a task? The documentation is always so scattered with too many embeds right? So at Segwise we’ve put together the simplest and most straightforward guide for setting up the Singular SDK in your Unity project—from adding your app to the Singular platform, all the way to tracking the revenue it earns with post-back events. Without any embedded pages or redirections! This guide is perfect for developers, marketing pros, and non-technical folks. This is your one-stop shop for integrating Singular in the easiest way possible.
One interesting thing this week!
Antti Kananen is dropping some gold on F2P games and how we’re all sleeping on re-engagement and retargeting strategies. The key? Tap into your players' “virtual equity”—all those characters, resources, and achievements they’ve invested time in. Antti suggests leveraging this by reminding players of their progress and nudging them towards that next milestone or challenge. It’s all about recognizing their in-game investment to keep them hooked. Start designing with player equity in mind, and you’ll boost engagement, loyalty, and the overall gaming experience. 💪🎮