Aimee Baller’s Post

A decade ago, I penned an op-ed advocating for a shift in mindset towards game development, empowering modders, and embracing user-generated content. Today, this is already a reality. Major IP owners like Rockstar or Epic Games are welcoming creators, enhancing their games’ quality and longevity, while providing monetization options for creators. We have always believed that these in-game creators, whether individuals or studios, deserve to be compensated for their time. This is our company’s single North Star KPI, and in 2023 we’ve helped creators earn $201M. Premium/DLC Level mods have the potential to be a significant engagement driver & revenue source for creators and studios alike. Having a clear business model, will help attract talented studios and teams to focus on creating content for games that enable in-game creation & monetization, just like ARK:SA. Read my thoughts on this evolution in @GameDeveloper: https://lnkd.in/eDjpqMUt (Link to the article from 10 years ago in the first comment) #gamedev #modding #ugc #gamingindustry #gamesindustry

🛠️ DLCs and Expansions: How to Keep Players Engaged and Generate Ongoing Revenue Post-Launch 🎮 DLCs and expansions are powerful tools to maintain player interest and create additional revenue after your game’s launch. This article from Wardrome explains how to develop meaningful post-launch content that keeps your community engaged and drives long-term success. Learn how to strategically design and release DLCs that provide value while extending your game's lifecycle. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dXrcsmzw #IndieGameDev #DLC #PostLaunchContent #PlayerEngagement #GameDevelopment #IndieGames

Launching a mobile game is a huge accomplishment, but scaling it successfully? That’s a whole new game. After speaking to developers across genres, I’ve seen first-hand what it takes to scale and monetize a game effectively in today’s market. Here are some insights I’ve gathered that can help game studios boost their chances for success: 🔸Start with Monetization in Mind: Many studio focus on reach first and revenue second, but at Ciao Games, we encourage a dual approach. Through our unique publishing method, our partners start generating revenue from day one. Monetization shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be part of your strategy from the start. 🔸Leverage Data to Refine Gameplay: Real user data is a goldmine, and understanding player behavior is key to improving retention. With our partnerships across analytics platforms, we help studios see what players love and where they drop off, guiding improvements that keep them coming back. 🔸Reach a Global Audience Early: Your game’s potential is limitless, but only if it reaches the right audience. Ciao Games taps into players globally, bringing quality exposure to every game we publish, whether hybrid or casual. 🔸Work with Experts Who Understand Your Vision: Choosing a #publishing partner means choosing a team that values your work. We collaborate closely with each studio, helping with integrations, data-driven recommendations to make sure your game gets the best shot at success. If you’re a developer with a game you’re ready to scale, let’s connect. I’m always happy to discuss what makes a publishing partnership work and how we can support your vision. Feel free to DM me. #mobilegames #games #gamepublishing

⚠️ The Risks of Pay-to-Win: Why Indie Developers Should Avoid This Monetization Model 🎮 Pay-to-win models can be tempting, but they often come at the cost of player trust and long-term success. This article from Wardrome explains the risks associated with pay-to-win mechanics and why indie developers should steer clear of this controversial monetization strategy. Learn how to build games that prioritize fairness and player enjoyment over short-term gains. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dGww4ntt #IndieGameDev #PayToWin #GameMonetization #PlayerTrust #IndieGames

Webcomics and anime are booming—what’s the next frontier for comics creators? The webcomics is a $7Bn market that is forecasted to double by 2033. 🚀 And with Webtoon’s recent $2.7 billion IPO, it’s clear that this industry is growing and reaching new frontiers. That said, as someone who's been lucky to experience the incredible growth of the games industry first hand, I've been on a mission to enable easy access to game-making and helping comic creators tap into the $184 billion games market with 3.4 billion gamers worldwide. As you can see in the video we're succeeding and I want to share how. At Dorian we’re enabling webcomic creators to turn their stories into games easily. By integrating game mechanics, creators can offer fans agency and replay value that multiplies the impact of their stories. Unlike linear mediums, games enable fans choose their love interests and customize their adventures, making each experience uniquely personal. And here’s the best part: this can be achieved by small teams of just 1-2 people, without the need for engineers or massive budgets. Every day, I witness small teams on Dorian crafting characters and stories that captivate fans and outcompete many professional studios in terms of traction. These creators are making impact by diving deep into subcultures, embracing risk and learning faster than a big studios can. And this speed of learning and direct collaboration with fans enables small teams to innovate BIG. I’m incredibly grateful to these creators and fans for trusting Dorian and producing games beyond any of my dreams when I started Dorian. To achieve this we've been focusing on what matters: empowering creators to build their worlds and characters without distractions. Our platform is coding-free and free to use, allowing creators to concentrate on storytelling. Only the content fans love makes money, so creators get fast & clear signals on what their audience wants. This results in culturally impactful and financially successful products tuned to fans’ tastes. Discover new worlds on Dorian Want to support emerging game creators? Dive into ValerieOS’ queer pirate romance adventure, ROMANCING THE PIRATE! With iconic love interests and stunning seafaring settings, this adventure is just one of the three games Valerie has launched on Dorian in the past year. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gBp6DX6i

Self-publishing a hyper-casual game? How to spend $1,000,000 on UA with a $50,000 budget #Hypercasual #selfpublishing #mobilegames #useracquisition

"Ever wonder what gamers love even more?" Attention everyone! Give me your few minutes! I wanted to talk about something. Like, What?? The Gamers, Let's Go.... We all know what gamers like, right? "Good games!" Am I right? Obviously, without any doubt. But wait, Let me tell you a secret: But you know what gamers love even more? "FREE good games!" Is there anyone who doesn't like free things? Absolutely no one. Shhhhh.... (If anyone says I didn't, then that person is specifically lying.) So, here's the thing: In the gaming industry, we have the power to make gaming experiences even more exciting and accessible for everyone. Imagine diving into an immersive world of adventure, strategy, or mystery without worrying about breaking the bank. That's the magic of free games with low-cost in-app purchases. But it doesn't stop there. By offering affordable options, we're not only delighting players but also fostering a stronger sense of community and inclusivity within the gaming world. Because we already put a lot of ads in our game. (For revenue) <And I notice that the game has no story, just a basic one, but with high-level in-app purchases.> That needs to stop. No one is gonna buy it. Everyone knows! So, To all the innovators and creators out there: 1. Let's keep pushing the boundaries. 2. Let's keep leveling up. 3. And let's keep making gaming a place where everyone can play, thrive, and share unforgettable experiences. Your ideas, your creativity, and your dedication have the power to shape the future of gaming. Let's make it a future where fun knows no bounds. What do you think? How can we continue to make gaming even more enjoyable and accessible for everyone? P.S. What's your favorite game nowadays? #gaming #companies #gamers #esports #fun #workplace #gamedev #creators #content #innovation #management #future #money #play #creativity #story #pakesports #linkedlnfamily #aso #gamedesign #designers #games #cfbr #startups #developers #software #idea #gamingcommunity #branding #marketing #game #management #qa #corporate #employees

Checkout how MindYourLogic hit #3 on Puzzle Games top charts using ByteBrew in our latest case study with their game, Detective IQ! 🔥 MindYourLogic Case Study 🔗: https://lnkd.in/gCvp2XZt ______ #gamedev #gamedevelopers #unity3d #unitydevelopers #unitygames #unrealengine5 #hypercasual #hybridcasual #casualgames #gamenews #gamesindustry #analytics #attribution #pushnotifications #liveops #monetization #news #startup #casestudy

It's so refreshing to have access to in-depth stats to every single game on the HypeHype Inc. platform. It's a hard and fast goodbye from me to the days of blackbox slow paced guesswork and getting feedback to developers :) Working with my small group of devs is so satisfying to see the efforts of our iterations nudging the needle upwards. Whilst there's a lot of crossover with typical mobile stats, UGC platform are different beasts with players often jumping around from experience to experience. We encourage and reward playtime and repeated sessions and our developers earn by creating cool games that players love to play, y'know, like games :D No pesky annoying, immersion breaking ad interruptions that force you to try and close a million little x's around the screen that more often than not lasts longer than actually playing the game itself, I'm just so over that! Being able to monitor results super fast and on platform, along with comparison tables on everything that really matters, makes bridging the gap between creativity and data so satisfying. It's just so refreshing! A huge shout out to our talented and passionate creators who continue to push their creativity and always being open to experiment. I still have 1 or 2 slots left if you wanna team up and create epic stuff together so be sure to hit me up and if you just want to have a play around and see what the future of gaming looks like, be sure to use the link below to have a poke around at our world class game editor. 2025 is gonna be Epic and we're just getting started, you coming? > Link in the first comment and we'll fast track you in :) #gamedev #hypehype #gamedesign #mobilegamedev

🚀 Archero 2: Habby’s Latest Hybrid-Casual Monster 🏹 Archero 2 by Habby is already generating $500K/day in IAP revenue—even without a global launch. That’s nearly double what the original Archero achieved in 2019 during its peak. So, what’s changed? 🤔 ⭐ Habby has perfected its hybrid-casual template, building on its 5+ years of expertise. With metagame systems inspired by Capybara GO and Legend of Mushroom, they’ve created a robust, scalable design. Each release sharpens this template, reducing development time and creating a nearly unbeatable competitive edge. 🤙 This isn’t just a template rehash—the core gameplay has evolved and rewarded ads are currently no longer as core to the game as they are in Suviror.io or SSSnaker. Currently Rewarded Ads are only found in Store Gold, Quick Hunt Speed Up, Event Entry Ticket, and Revival Rewarded ad. Archero 2 also has the most generous ad-related IAP which lets users remove all ads (a permanent skip it) for $9.49. In my experience, it’s never a good idea to give away all rewarded ads for a fixed cost and I’d be surprised if Archero 2 global launches with this IAP enabled. 💸 Right now I estimate that Archero 2 is earning about $36-45k/day in ad revenue which is about 18-22% of overall revenue. I’d expect this to rise once it launches globally on the 22nd of January 2025. For more UA and Game Design insights check out our latest episode! 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ePsGm_4W 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eS-r2__w For more Ad Monetization Insights try my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eRWRFiGf Jakub Matej 🦩