Scaling Monetization in a Match Puzzle Game

Smartest techniques in the business.

Service: Monetization

Punchline Highlights

3.2× increase in ARPDAU (from $0.036 → $0.115) over 5 months
+89% boost in daily IAP transactions
120% growth in rewarded video engagement
‑33% drop in user churn between levels

1. About the Game

A Match Puzzle Game targeting casual players of all ages, combining familiar tile-matching mechanics with level-based progression, visual boosters, and in-game currency rewards. Launched globally with frequent seasonal events and light narrative elements.

Key launch metrics (Month 0):

DAU: ~82,000 (58% Android / 42% iOS)
D1 retention: 38%
D7 retention: 21%
ARPDAU: $0.036
IAP conversion: 1.8%

2. The Challenge (with Numbers)

Pain-Point	Baseline Data	Impact
Low IAP Engagement	Only 4% of payers made multiple purchases	Weak monetization loop and AOV
Ad Burnout	Interstitials triggered frustration post-level	Decrease in D7 retention by 9%
Soft Currency Inflation	Over-supply caused devaluation	Store abandonment and reward fatigue
Limited Feature Stickiness	Only 18% of users engaged with boosters	Missed monetization and UX potential

3. Strategy / Solution

3.1 Gameplay Structure Revamp

Level Clusters with Goals: Organized 10-level clusters tied to mini-events and badges to maintain session flow.
Progression Gates: Introduced optional premium keys to unlock side quest levels.

3.2 Monetization Model

Layer	Implementation Detail	KPI Uplift
First-Time Buyer Pack	$0.99 (includes 3 premium boosters, 1,000 coins, and ad-free 48h)	9.2% CVR among new users
Booster Store	Dynamic pricing by level completion rate and inventory usage	Boost use rose from 18% → 42%
Piggy Bank Feature	Soft currency accumulated per level until unlocked via IAP	Open rate: 62%, AOV: $2.87
Rewarded Ads	• “Retry with Extra Moves” (Unity Ads)
• “Double Daily Gift” (Bigo)
• “Instant Booster” (AdMob)	Engagement up by 120%, ad/user/day rose from 0.6 → 1.4
Event Pass	2-week rotating premium pass with exclusive puzzles & skins	2.9% conversion; 73% event return rate

3.3 UX and Flow Enhancements

Ad Timing Control: Ads served only at win/loss screens. None during gameplay.
Gacha Box Offers: Themed lucky boxes introduced post-level 50. Rotated monthly.
Loyalty Calendar: Monthly login rewards + multiplier for consecutive weeks.

4. Monetization Mix (Post-Optimization)

Revenue Source	Share	Networks / Tech
IAP (Boosters + Piggy Bank)	39%	Adjoy, Remote Config
Rewarded Video Ads	35%	AdMob, Unity, Bigo
Pass & Premium Events	22%	Firebase Dynamic Links, Stripe
Interstitial Ads	4%	Only post-level via Unity Mediation

5. Results (5-Month Trend)

Metric	Month 0	Month 3	Month 5	Δ %
ARPDAU	$0.036	$0.081	$0.115	+219%
IAP Conversion	1.8%	3.1%	4.5%	+150%
Rewarded Ads / User / Day	0.6	1.1	1.4	+133%
Booster Use Rate	18%	36%	42%	+133%
Daily Revenue	$2.8K	$5.2K	$7.4K	+164%

6. Conclusion

By restructuring the match puzzle game’s flow and offering highly contextual IAPs and ads, we boosted monetization while keeping retention stable. Piggy banks and booster shop segmentation significantly increased AOV, while well-placed ads avoided disrupting core gameplay. The result: a consistently high revenue-per-user experience across multiple player segments.