Joseph Kim, Matej Lancaric, and Summer Liu discuss the profitability of Monopoly Go, exploring the controversy and lack of a widely accepted definition. The conversation covers data analysis, marketing strategies, CPIs, and achieving profitability in the mobile games business. They also touch on LTV curves, payback periods, and the need for a clear definition of profitability.
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insights INSIGHT
Geography Drives Blended Economics
Geographic mix matters: Monopoly Go derives a very large share of revenue from the US.
Heavy US concentration pushes blended CPI and unit economics higher than global averages.
insights INSIGHT
Third-Party Data Estimates Vary Widely
Data.ai and Sensor Tower show Monopoly Go has roughly 95–100M downloads and about $700–900M net revenue life-to-date.
Different intelligence platforms vary, so truth likely lies between their estimates.
insights INSIGHT
RPD Guides UA Profitability Thresholds
RPD (revenue per download) for Monopoly Go sits near top competitors but varies by title and country.
To be UA-profitable, CPIs must be below those RPD levels, which is challenging at scale.
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In this podcast episode, Joseph Kim, Matej Lancaric, and Summer Liu discuss the profitability of the game Monopoly Go. They explore the controversy surrounding the game and the lack of a widely accepted definition of profitability in the industry. The conversation covers data analysis, marketing strategies, and the use of different creatives.
The hosts also discuss the importance of understanding CPIs and the impact of scaling up advertising spend. The conversation delves into the topic of profitability in the mobile games business, exploring the nuances and challenges of defining and achieving profitability.
Discussing the importance of maintaining scale and KPIs in order to sustain profitability. The conversation also highlights the differences between operational profitability and UA modeled payback profitability.
Additionally, they touch on the LTV curves and payback periods in different game genres. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the profitability of Monopoly Go and the need for a clear definition of profitability.
Takeaways
The games industry lacks a widely accepted definition of profitability, leading to confusion and conflation of different issues.
Monopoly Go has achieved significant success, with high revenue and a large number of downloads.
The game utilizes various marketing strategies, including video and playable ads, to attract and engage players.
Understanding CPIs and the impact of scaling up advertising spend is crucial for evaluating the profitability of a game.
Maintaining scale and KPIs is crucial for sustaining profitability in the mobile games business.
Profitability in the mobile games industry can be defined differently, including operational profitability and UA modeled payback profitability.
LTV curves and payback periods vary across different game genres and can impact profitability.
There are nuances and tricks in-game profitability, including accounting practices and adjusting costs.
Agenda
00:00 Introduction and Background03:00 Defining Profitability in the Games Industry09:00 Data Analysis and Revenue23:00 Marketing Analysis32:00 Creative Strategies and CPIs43:04 Maintaining Scale and KPIs44:03 Defining Profitability in the Mobile Games Business45:57 Operational Profitability vs. UA Modeled Payback Profitability49:46 LTV Curves and Payback Periods53:56 Nuances and Tricks in Game Profitability59:46 Is Monopoly Go Profitable?
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