Scaling Profitability and Volume in a HyperCasual Game

Key Performance Highlights

• 210%
  increase in d7 ROAS
  
  
• 400k+
  installs across key geos
  
  
• 180%
  growth in monthly ad spend with profitable returns

The Challenge:

A leading HyperCasual game with intuitive tap-and-play mechanics had plateaued in performance after its initial burst of organic downloads. Despite consistently high install volumes, the monetization metrics—particularly day 7 return on ad spend (ROAS) and retention—remained volatile.

The publisher needed to transform the UA pipeline from volume-first to profitability-first without stalling scale. Complicating matters, the game operated in a highly saturated genre where copycat titles often diluted creative effectiveness within weeks.

The Strategy / Solution:

To counter stagnation and rising CPI pressures, the UA team implemented a layered approach across three pillars: geo expansion, creative diversification, and mid-funnel user qualification.

1. Creative Velocity at Scale:
   • Launched a rigorous creative cadence testing 12–15 new assets per month.
   • Focused on quick, clear gameplay loops, ASMR-style elements, and strong visual contrast to break through ad fatigue.
   • Leveraged top-performing competitor deconstructions to extract viral hooks.
2. Tiered Market Expansion:
   • Instead of traditional Tier 1 focus, Tier 2 and Tier 3 geos (Brazil, Mexico, Southeast Asia) were prioritized based on early profitability models.
   • CPI benchmarks were 40–60% lower, unlocking greater room for learning and optimization.
3. Event-Based Optimization:
   • Shifted optimization goal from install to post-install in-app events tied to monetization triggers (e.g., reaching level 5 or triggering rewarded video).
   • This ensured higher-quality users with better LTV potential, feeding back into the model for better prediction.

Monetization Strategy:

• Ad Monetization First: Focused on interstitial and rewarded video balancing, ensuring maximum impressions without hurting retention.
• Early Exit Funnel Optimization: Improved exit click-throughs by A/B testing end-of-run placement overlays with soft calls-to-action, which drove 2.2x lift in ad revenue per user.
• Partner Mix: Utilized a multi-network approach across Unity Ads, AdMob, and Mintegral, leveraging different eCPM zones for retargeting and acquisition loops.

Results:

Conclusion:

By moving from a one-size-fits-all UA strategy to a precision-engineered, market-specific approach, the HyperCasual title moved beyond its plateau. It became not only a scalable install machine but also a profit center—proving that even in saturated genres, smart testing and monetization loops can deliver sustained growth.