💀​ Review Radar #11: 80% of the games we covered are already dead!
two & a half gamers · 2026-04-30
💡 Quick Take
1. Most reviewed games (80%+) have failed to sustain growth or have died out.
2. Some games, like Level Devil and Mega Bonk, are considered successes despite not scaling massively, often due to being premium or having strong core mechanics.
3. The Forex genre continues to dominate, often "polluting" charts and overshadowing other game types.
4. Innovative or clever game design, like in "US mate" (Turtle game) and Level Devil, garners respect even if not a massive commercial hit.
5. Premium games on platforms like Steam can achieve significant revenue and sales, like Mega Bonk and Ball and Pit.
6. Games with strong art direction, like Acecraft, can be visually impressive but still fail commercially.
7. User acquisition (UA) is crucial, and games that rely heavily on it can show spiky, unsustainable growth, as seen with Coin Sword.
8. Some games, like Hantopia, are criticized for excessive UI and poor design, leading to their demise.
9. Sudoku Master is noted for doing well within its niche but not scaling significantly.
10. Monopoly Bingo showed a declining trend after its review.
11. House of Zero, despite a strong ad revenue, saw a significant drop in active users.
12. Legend of Elements, from the creators of Legend of Mushroom, also failed to perform well.
13. Supercell's recent releases (since 2018) have largely been unsuccessful, with Clash Mini being a potential long-term project.
14. Moco and Flood Rush were cancelled or failed to gain traction.
15. Level Devil is highly praised for its clever design and is considered one of the best games reviewed, maintaining a solid user base without aggressive UA.
16. Triple Dot Studios is actively releasing new games, including Forex titles and games similar to White Out Survival, with some showing high ad volume but not necessarily massive success.
17. Ball and Pit, a successful indie PC game, had a significantly underperforming mobile version.
18. Sunday City, a casino GPA game, is a standout success, showing massive growth and high revenue.
19. Jigsaw games, while still printing money, are seeing declining DAU and revenue compared to their peak, often masked within broader categories like Solitaire.
20. The "AI" game with controversial creatives (Adolf Hitler/Dolly) shows upward trends, indicating potential for success with aggressive UA, though its ethical implications are questionable.
21. The market is highly competitive, making it difficult for games to sustain large user bases.
22. Some "one-man wonders" can be profitable cash cows even if they don't scale massively.
23. The success of games like Sunday City and the continued presence of established casino GPA titles highlight the profitability of that genre.
24. The decline of many reviewed games suggests a challenging market where initial success doesn't guarantee longevity.
25. The discussion touches on the importance of web shops and direct-to-consumer (D2C) models for game developers.
26. Unity's divestment of its gaming portfolio is mentioned as a significant market shift.
📊 Detailed Explanation
1. Most reviewed games (80%+) have failed to sustain growth or have died out. This is a stark reality check from the review radar. The vast majority of games discussed, around 80% or more, simply didn't have "legs" – meaning they couldn't maintain their initial momentum or user base. This highlights the brutal nature of the mobile game market where quick wins are rare and sustained success is even rarer. Many games reviewed were already showing sharp declines shortly after their initial surge, indicating a lack of long-term viability.
2. Some games, like Level Devil and Mega Bonk, are considered successes despite not scaling massively, often due to being premium or having strong core mechanics. This is a crucial distinction! Success isn't always about hitting millions of downloads. Level Devil is lauded for its clever, troll-like design and is still played by developers. Mega Bonk is called a success because it's a premium game on Steam, achieving significant revenue and sales without needing massive UA. This shows that different business models and design philosophies can lead to success, even if it's not on the hyper-growth mobile scale.
3. The Forex genre continues to dominate, often "polluting" charts and overshadowing other game types. The transcript repeatedly mentions "Forex" games, often with a negative connotation. These games, like Exclash and Triple Dot's new releases, seem to rely heavily on aggressive UA and often have misleading creatives (like "Save the Dog" style). They flood the market, making it harder for other, potentially more innovative games, to get noticed and achieve organic growth. Their sheer volume and UA spend can distort the market perception.
4. Innovative or clever game design, like in "US mate" (Turtle game) and Level Devil, garners respect even if not a massive commercial hit. The hosts express genuine admiration for games that show cleverness in their design. "US mate," where the strategy was to build defenses rather than attack, is highlighted as brilliant. Level Devil is praised for its developer's respect and cleverness. This indicates that even in a market driven by trends and UA, true game design innovation is still valued and recognized.
5. Premium games on platforms like Steam can achieve significant revenue and sales, like Mega Bonk and Ball and Pit. The discussion contrasts mobile free-to-play with PC premium games. Mega Bonk and Ball and Pit are cited as examples of Steam games that have achieved substantial revenue (30 million for Mega Bonk, 16 million for Ball and Pit) and sales. This demonstrates that while mobile is a huge market, other platforms offer different avenues for success with different monetization strategies.
6. Games with strong art direction, like Acecraft, can be visually impressive but still fail commercially. Acecraft is remembered for its "revolutionary visual of these like golden era of American animation." Despite having one of the best artworks reviewed, the game itself didn't have "legs" and ultimately failed to sustain its initial impact. This shows that while aesthetics matter and can attract initial attention, they aren't enough to guarantee long-term success if the core gameplay or monetization isn't solid.
7. User acquisition (UA) is crucial, and games that rely heavily on it can show spiky, unsustainable growth, as seen with Coin Sword. Coin Sword is described as coming in "like a wrecking ball and then it went away." Its chart shows a very spiky pattern, indicative of heavy UA spending that leads to a rapid rise and then an equally rapid fall. This pattern is a red flag for unsustainable growth, suggesting the game's appeal was driven by paid acquisition rather than organic player interest.
8. Some games, like Hantopia, are criticized for excessive UI and poor design, leading to their demise. Hantopia is remembered negatively for its "UI over UI over UI, like three layers of UI." The hosts express hope that the game is dead, and indeed, its UA stopped, leading to its demise. This highlights how poor user experience and overly complex interfaces can actively drive players away and doom a game.
9. Sudoku Master is noted for doing well within its niche but not scaling significantly. Sudoku Master is described as "doing great" with high daily revenue (600k DAO initially, though later revised to 150-200k). However, the key point is that it "didn't scale." It remained within its existing user base and didn't explode into a massive hit, which is presented as a common outcome for many games.
10. Monopoly Bingo showed a declining trend after its review. The game's chart clearly shows a downward trend after its review date in November last year. While there's a brief debate about whether it's "going down" or "still going up" in the very short term, the overall trajectory is presented as negative.
11. House of Zero, despite a strong ad revenue, saw a significant drop in active users. House of Zero is highlighted as having a strong ad revenue (36 million compared to others making 14 million plus). However, its active user base plummeted from 1 million to 2 million down to just 42k users. This is a classic case of a game that might be monetizing its remaining players very effectively but is losing its player base rapidly.
12. Legend of Elements, from the creators of Legend of Mushroom, also failed to perform well. This game, reviewed on November 10th, is another example of a "broken dream and hope." It had thousands of downloads a day initially but ultimately didn't sustain any significant traction, reinforcing the theme of widespread failure.
13. Supercell's recent releases (since 2018) have largely been unsuccessful, with Clash Mini being a potential long-term project. The transcript shows a timeline of Supercell's releases since 2018, and it's noted that almost all of them have been "killed." Only Clash Mini is mentioned as potentially being a "long-term project," suggesting a slow, painful death rather than a resounding success. This is a significant observation from a major player in the industry.
14. Moco and Flood Rush were cancelled or failed to gain traction. Moco is described as being in the "tumbleweed category" with very low revenue, and Flood Rush was cancelled shortly after its review. These examples further illustrate the high failure rate, even for games that might have had some initial promise or strategic backing.
15. Level Devil is highly praised for its clever design and is considered one of the best games reviewed, maintaining a solid user base without aggressive UA. This is a recurring positive note. Level Devil is not just "okayish"; it's considered one of the best games ever covered. Its success is attributed to its clever, troll-like gameplay and its ability to maintain a million active users without significant UA spending. This is a benchmark for good game design and sustainable growth.
16. Triple Dot Studios is actively releasing new games, including Forex titles and games similar to White Out Survival, with some showing high ad volume but not necessarily massive success. Triple Dot is a prolific publisher, and their new releases like "Frost something" and "Last Fury" are mentioned. While they are seeing a lot of ads for these games, the revenue and download numbers (e.g., 10k downloads a day, 5k revenue) suggest they are not yet massive hits, though they are testing the market and potentially looking for the next big thing.
17. Ball and Pit, a successful indie PC game, had a significantly underperforming mobile version. This is a fascinating comparison. Ball and Pit, a successful premium PC game with 16 million revenue, only managed 10k downloads and 5k revenue on mobile. This highlights the challenges of porting games and adapting them to different platforms and monetization models.
18. Sunday City, a casino GPA game, is a standout success, showing massive growth and high revenue. Sunday City is explicitly called the "winner of this series." It's a casino GPA game that is "going through the [ __ ] moon," with 100k downloads a day and significant revenue potential, aiming for the same market as Slot Mania. This genre appears to be a reliable cash cow.
19. Jigsaw games, while still printing money, are seeing declining DAU and revenue compared to their peak, often masked within broader categories like Solitaire. Jigsaw games, like the one reviewed in December, are still profitable ("printing money") but have seen their daily active users (DAU) drop significantly from their peak. The category itself is seen as a way to mask simpler mechanics like Solitaire, indicating a trend of repackaging established game types.
20. The "AI" game with controversial creatives (Adolf Hitler/Dolly) shows upward trends, indicating potential for success with aggressive UA, though its ethical implications are questionable. This game is noted for its controversial, AI-generated creatives. Despite the ethical concerns, it's showing upward trends, suggesting that aggressive and provocative UA can still drive growth, even if the content itself is problematic. This raises questions about the long-term sustainability and brand perception of such strategies.
21. The market is highly competitive, making it difficult for games to sustain large user bases. The sheer number of games reviewed and the rapid decline of many of them underscore the intense competition. Players have endless choices, and developers struggle to capture and retain attention, especially with the constant influx of new titles.
22. Some "one-man wonders" can be profitable cash cows even if they don't scale massively. The example of Ball and Pit is brought up again, noting that it was made by a single developer. While it didn't scale on mobile, its PC success shows that individual creators can achieve significant financial success with well-crafted games, even without a massive team or global domination.
23. The success of games like Sunday City and the continued presence of established casino GPA titles highlight the profitability of that genre. Sunday City's explosive growth and the comparison to established giants like Slot Mania strongly indicate that the social casino genre is a highly lucrative and stable market, capable of generating substantial ongoing revenue.
24. The decline of many reviewed games suggests a challenging market where initial success doesn't guarantee longevity. This is a recurring theme. Many games that looked promising at the time of review quickly faded. This emphasizes that the initial hype or a successful launch is just the beginning, and maintaining that success requires continuous effort, adaptation, and a strong understanding of player retention and monetization.
25. The discussion touches on the importance of web shops and direct-to-consumer (D2C) models for game developers. The mention of FastSpring for web shops and the comparison of premium games on Steam suggest that developers are exploring and benefiting from D2C strategies. This allows for more control over monetization and a direct relationship with players, potentially bypassing some of the challenges of traditional app store models.
26. Unity's divestment of its gaming portfolio is mentioned as a significant market shift. The brief mention of Unity selling off parts of its business signifies broader changes in the game development ecosystem. This could impact the tools and services available to developers, potentially influencing future game creation and distribution strategies.
🎯 Expert Opinion
Wow, this review radar is a brutal but incredibly insightful look into the trenches of mobile game development and publishing. What strikes me immediately is the sheer volume of games that just *don't* make it. We're talking about an 80%+ failure rate for games that even get reviewed, which implies that the number of games that never even reach that stage is astronomically higher. This isn't just a tough market; it's a bloodbath.
The recurring theme of "Forex" games is a massive red flag for the industry. These titles, often characterized by misleading creatives and aggressive UA, are essentially gaming the system. They might generate short-term revenue, but they contribute to a polluted ecosystem, making it harder for genuine innovation to shine. As an expert, I see this as a race to the bottom. While they might be making money *now*, the long-term brand damage and player fatigue with these tactics are inevitable. We need to push for more ethical UA and transparent game design.
The praise for games like Level Devil and "US mate" is music to my ears. It proves that clever, innovative, and respectful game design still resonates. These aren't necessarily the games with the highest download numbers, but they have lasting impact and developer respect. This is where the future of engaging games lies – not in replicating successful formulas with slightly different skins, but in pushing creative boundaries. I predict we'll see a growing appreciation for these "indie darlings" and a potential shift towards more premium or hybrid models that reward this type of creativity.
The contrast between mobile and PC premium success is also telling. Mega Bonk and Ball and Pit on Steam show that there's a significant appetite for well-crafted, paid experiences. The challenge for developers is bridging that gap. Why does a game like Ball and Pit underperform on mobile? It's likely a combination of monetization expectations, discovery issues on mobile, and the sheer difficulty of adapting a premium PC experience to a free-to-play, ad-driven mobile market. I believe we'll see more developers experimenting with cross-platform strategies and exploring hybrid monetization models to capture both audiences.
Sunday City's success in the casino GPA genre is a testament to its enduring profitability. This genre, when executed well with strong live ops and consistent UA, is a cash cow. The fact that it's scaling aggressively and aiming for the top spots in a mature market like Slot Mania is impressive. This isn't necessarily groundbreaking innovation, but it's a masterclass in understanding a lucrative niche and executing flawlessly. For developers looking for stable revenue, this genre, despite its potential for player addiction, remains a very attractive option.
The mention of Supercell's recent struggles is particularly noteworthy. A company that has defined mobile gaming for years is now facing significant challenges with new releases. This signals a market evolution. What worked a decade ago doesn't necessarily work today. The game design, monetization, and UA strategies need constant re-evaluation. I suspect Supercell, like many others, is grappling with the increasing cost of UA and the difficulty of breaking through the noise. They'll need to innovate, perhaps even more radically than before, to reclaim their dominance.
Finally, the "AI" game with controversial creatives is a prime example of how the UA arms race can lead to ethically questionable territory. While it might be succeeding in the short term due to shock value, this is a dangerous path. It risks alienating players, regulators, and platforms. My prediction is that such tactics will eventually backfire. The industry needs to find a balance between effective marketing and responsible content creation. The future belongs to games that build loyal communities through genuine engagement, not through controversy.
Kanal: two & a half gamers