Hyper-casual games have had a massive following since its popularity surged after Voodoo raked in millions of downloads when it offered such format. It is inevitable, then, for brands to eventually find ways to capitalize on the trend. Given how the format has successfully maintained its popularity several years after it first surged, monetizing it is a must. This post will provide you with a guide on what you should know about hyper-casual games and the tools of the trade to help you benefit from it.
What are Hyper-Casual Games?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of monetizing hyper-casual games, let us first understand what they are. A hyper-casual game is a mobile gaming application that provides users with instant gameplay. It follows pretty straightforward game mechanics. Players can choose from a variety of simple game formats, such as stacking, falling, turning, swerving, and growing. Its simplicity has attracted many players because onboarding is fuss-free. They can download the app and play instantly. When done right, they can be pretty addictive.
The success of these hyper-casual games depends on their target audience. They do not cater to the hardcore gamers that would spend thousands on becoming successful in a game. Hyper-casual games cater to the mass market looking for a game with easily understandable mechanics, a highly engaging progression model, and a minimalistic interface.
What Makes Hyper Casual Games Popular?
Many are surprised by the fact that these hyper-casual games are not a new game genre. In fact, they have similarities with arcade games that were popular during the 70s. However, they were only sensationalized a few years back. Perhaps one of the critical factors why these games have maintained its popularity is because they have implemented deeper and more meaningful core features. This alone increases its number of daily active users (DAU), with some games having as much as 94,000 DAU.
Which Ad Formats Work for Hyper-Casual Games?
Hyper-casual games do not have highly sophisticated in-app platforms that can allow them to monetize using in-app purchases. As such, the only way to monetize is to run in-game advertisements. The best way to monetize hyper-casual games is by choosing the best ad format that would work and bring in money. Based on our experience, these three ad formats work best:
1. Rewarded Video Ads
Rewarded video ads are hailed as the hottest generator of ad revenue in the gaming market. This ad format provides players in-game rewards for watching ads. For example, a player can only use up 10 energy instead of the usual 15 or 20 energy after watching a 30-second video of an advertisement. The reward they get would allow them to progress quickly through their game – a win-win situation, not only for the advertiser and publisher but also for the player as well.
2. Banner Ads
Some advertisers may not be too willing to use banner ads because of the so-called banner blindness. However, the proper use of mobile banner ads can help rake in ad revenue. A study shows that banner ads are more effective than irrelevant video ads. It is even far more superior than native ads when compared to Android post-installation engagement.
3. Interstitial Ads
When using interstitial ads to monetize, these two main factors should be considered: the ads shown per second and the interstitial type. Developers should also decide if the video will incorporate a skip button and when it will appear on the screen. The success of using interstitial ads also depends on how native it is to the game. When done right, interstitial ads can bring in tons of ad revenue.
With the way things are going now, hyper-casual games would change the landscape of gaming monetization. To stand out from the rest of the pack, developers must get to work on improving and implementing deeper features that would help them attract more advertisers.
For more information about how AlgoriX’s different ad formats can help you monetize your hyper-casual game, contact us.
