Mobile game publisher Panteon faced the challenge of scaling user acquisition while maintaining revenue growth for their new title Raid Rush. Initially using AppDiscovery for IAP-focused ROAS campaigns, they shifted to a hybrid model with MAX mediation and blended ROAS campaigns. This allowed them to target both high-value IAP users and ad-engaging users, leading to a 15% increase in D0 and D7 ROAS, a 220% rise in total campaign spend, and higher ARPDAU across all regions, especially T2 markets.
The dual-campaign approach ensured sustainable growth without cannibalizing existing IAP performance. Key takeaways for developers include leveraging MAX for blended ROAS campaigns to unlock new user segments and regions, balancing IAP and ad revenue streams, and achieving global scale more effectively.
You Might Also Like
UnityUnity Vector Expands D28 ROAS for Ad Revenue & Hybrid Models
Unity Vector expands its ROAS suite with D28 Ad Revenue ROAS and D28 Hybrid ROAS campaigns, enabling advertisers to optimize for long-term user value across ad-only and hybrid monetization models. Closed beta results show significant lifts in retention and ARPU compared to D7 campaigns: D28 Ad Revenue ROAS achieved up to +62% median D28 retention uplift and +68% ARPU uplift; D28 Hybrid ROAS saw +76% retention and +41% ARPU uplift. This completes Unity's D28 ROAS offering alongside existing IAP ROAS, allowing advertisers to target users whose value builds beyond the first week.
AppsFlyer2025 App Marketer Survey
The mobile advertising industry is optimistic heading into 2025, with 80% of marketers expecting the year to be as strong or stronger than 2024. Non-gaming apps are driving growth, with downloads up 12% YoY and IAP revenue increasing 20%+. Marketers are prioritizing profitability and ROAS, with over half reporting more aggressive KPIs. Generative AI is already benefiting creative production and optimization. iOS re-engagement remains underleveraged, and most marketers are still adapting to SKAN. Budgets are increasing, with a focus on ad networks and self-attributing networks.
AppLovin#SHIPPED: AppDiscovery Day 28 ROAS Campaigns
AppLovin's Day 28 ROAS campaigns target high-value users with longer monetization cycles, offering three types (IAP, Ad, Blended). They improve retention, optimize quickly via AI, and complement shorter-term campaigns. Case studies show significant gains in retention and ROAS for partners like iKame and Zynga.
MintegralScaling Non-Gaming Apps: Unlocking Hybrid Monetization for Maximum Growth
Hybrid monetization (IAP + IAA) is crucial for non-gaming apps, with 45.5% of hybrid app downloads coming from subscriptions+IAP+IAA combos. IAP-driven apps, like mini-series, saw IAA revenue increase 40x by adding rewarded ads. Best practices: segment users, design incentives, and use in-app bidding for higher efficiency (up to 60% revenue lift). AI-powered platforms optimize bids and placements, balancing user experience and monetization.
AdjustHow to launch and scale puzzle & match 3 games | Adjust
Puzzle and match 3 games remain a profitable segment, with 9.7 billion downloads in 2024 and 14% YoY IAP revenue growth. Key opportunities lie in LATAM and MENA, where session growth is high. Rising CPI and CPM emphasize the need for efficient UA. Incrementality testing and predictive LTV are critical for optimizing ad spend, ensuring budgets target high-value users. Adjust's tools—Measure, InSight, and Recommend—provide attribution, incrementality testing, and pLTV modeling to maximize ROI.
Unity2024 Roundup and Spotlight on Mobile Game Growth | Unity
This article notes that Unity, its logos, and trademarks belong to Unity Technologies. Other brands are trademarks of their respective owners. It's a legal disclaimer found in advertising contexts.
UnityExtend Your Holiday Success: Q5 Strategies for Mobile User Acquisition | Unity
Unity trademarks are owned by Unity Technologies. Other names and brands are trademarks of their respective owners. This notice clarifies trademark rights in advertising.
AppsFlyerWhat eCommerce brands get wrong about retail media measurement
Retail media networks report ROAS using different methodologies, causing up to 63% fluctuation across networks for the same campaign. This isn't a data quality issue but a structural one. Brands using multiple networks face a fragmentation tax where each network is its own source of truth, and budget decisions based on these irreconcilable figures are misleading. Independent measurement, applying the same attribution logic across all networks, is needed to reconcile data and enable confident cross-channel decisions. The signal infrastructure for this already exists from mobile measurement.
More from AppLovin
Why pursue TikTok? A vision for economic expansion
The blog highlights the strategic rationale for a TikTok merger, emphasizing the performance advertising gap where TikTo...
Examination of e-commerce data practices
The article examines how identifiers like those from Google and Facebook flow across e-commerce sites via standard integ...
Performance Advertising: How we drive value and handle data
AppLovin explains its AI-driven advertising platform, Axon 2, which has quadrupled ad spend to a ~$10B run rate. The eng...
A Note from Our CEO: Discussing Web Advertising Opportunity and Unpacking Pixels
AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi refutes a short report questioning its e-commerce ad business and pixel practices. He highlig...
10 tips for user acquisition on a budget
User acquisition on a budget is achievable through a mix of organic and low-cost paid strategies. Key tactics include op...
How app technical health impacts LTV—and what to do about it
Performance issues like crashes and slow load times directly reduce user retention and LTV. With 60% of users uninstalli...