two & a half gamers 🎮 How to build playables that actually convert by Matej Lancaric
I also built a playable during the recording! Playables are no longer optional. If you're running on AppLovin, Unity, ironSource, or any SDK network and you don’t have playables, you’re leaving scale on the table.
https://playablemaker.com/25gamers/ build your playables now!
In this solo episode, I break down:
• Why top games produce 60 playables per month
• The real playable testing structure
• Why “just wrapping your tutorial” doesn’t work
• Template strategy vs gameplay fidelity
• How to iterate instead of building from scratch every time
• And I built a playable live on camera
This episode is a teaser for the upcoming Playable Bible.
If you want to scale outside Meta/Google/TikTok in 2026, this is mandatory.
🧠 Key Takeaway
Playables are not a creative asset. They are a system these days. If you build one playable and stop, you lose. If you build a pipeline that outputs 5+ per month, you scale.
Recent playable trends: https://open.substack.com/pub/lancaric/p/playable-ads-trends-in-mobile-games-127?r=7qqaf&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
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This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Matej Lancaric
Podcast:
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg
Chapters
00:00 – Why Playables Are Mandatory in 2026
02:20 – The Shift to SDK Networks (AppLovin, Unity, etc.)
05:00 – Why Longer Ad Units Convert Better
07:30 – Build Playables as a System, Not One-Offs
10:00 – What’s Working Now (4X, Merge, 3x3, Gates)
13:00 – Templates vs Real Gameplay Debate
16:00 – Anatomy of a Converting Playable
19:00 – Testing Structure (Video + Playable Combinations)
22:30 – Iteration Framework & Monthly Cadence
25:00 – Case Study: 3x3 Puzzle That Scaled
27:30 – Building a Playable Live (Quick Walkthrough)
29:00 – Final Advice + Playable Bible Teaser
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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