Designing Cutting-Edge Launch Overview

Strategies for Casual Games –

Gardenscapes - New Acres
by Playrix
Game:
Gardenscapes -
About the developer: Playrix is the leading mobile game developer in the
New Acres by Playrix
CIS region and the #2 top-grossing game publisher in Europe. As of now,
the company has released 3 mobile free-to-play hits - Township, Fishdom
Campaign Launch Date:
and Gardenscapes.
August, 25th 2016

About the game: Gardenscapes is the newest mobile free-to-play game

Platforms:
released by Playrix in 2016. The game offers a unique gameplay inviting
iOS and Android
users to beat match-3 levels and restore different areas of an old garden.

Target Markets:
Challenge:
Worlwide
1. SCALE - Hitting top 10 Overall Games in Tier I markets.
2. COST - Meet the cost-per-payer target. Challenge:
3. QUALITY – Reach a benchmark of 40% at in-game tutorial completion Scale, Cost, Quality
4. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS - find reliable acquisition partners that Distribution Channels
can ensure the above macro targets.
Optimization:
Campaign Management:
1. Launch - GEO-targeted RON
Launch - Started testing Appnext-wide campaign in US, JP, FR, DE, KR, campaign on Aug 25th
AU, UK, CA, NZ, SG, NO, SE, TW, HK, MO, NL, BE for both Android & iOS
2. Learning Stage - 48-hours
campaign runs to aggregate
performance data per publisher.
3. Optimization Round I -
Exclude under-par publishers
create Direct-Buy campaigns,
raising bids for top performing
partners.
4. Optimization Round II -
Optimize creative assets to
determine the top performing
ones per campaign, per GEO.
Optimization: 5. Optimization Review with
Appnext Client Success Team -
The Playrix team leverages Self-Serve capabilities of the Appnext Platform
Hand-picking top publishers, and
to manage campaigns and have full control over campaign optimization -
testing high potential sources in
Tutorial Finished was set as a post-install KPI to assess user quality. The
designated campaign
self-serve nature of the platform allowed the Playrix team to have a 360°
view over every campaign aspect, and instantly introduce data-driven
optimization tactics.
(Optimization)

Creative:
The Playrix used video and static creative formats featuring the game play and
state-of-the-art gamers experience.

“We performed extensive A/B tests for the creative formats at the soft launch stage to
determine the best performing match for the targeted markets, and ran the ultimate
champions to present the game at its official release” – Nikolay Sitnov of Playrix.

Results:
Paid user acquisition was one of the pillars of the title launch along with additional
channels, including cross promotion in other Playrix games, PR, ASO, etc.

Following the initial goal of hitting top charts of overall games category, Gardenscapes
scored top 10 in US, DE, FR, NL, KR, RU, IT.

Average Tutorial Finished success rate with Appnext acquired users - 62%.

The Appnext platform has been among top 10 ad partners for Gardenscapes – New
Acres global launch, demonstrating consistent user quality and desired global scale.

“The Appnext Platform provides unmatched transparency over campaign performance,

giving us full control to optimize instantly as we see the optimal fit. Appnext offers
robust, yet easy-to-use campaign management tools that can easily serve as an industry
benchmark”. says Nikolay Sitnov, Head of UA, Playrix.