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It’s nothing new that the post-corona period introduced extreme modifications to cellular video games and their advertising and marketing. Development is slowing down for many, and profitably scaling UA has develop into a critical problem.
Now could be the time to shake off previous habits and begin to go searching for brand spanking new playgrounds the place to hunt new gamers. And my recommendation is to not solely look “west” on the traditional suspects. Attempt to set your eyes firmly on the East and get snug with adapting your UA for Japan and South Korea as properly.
Why are most of us combating taking our UA to the subsequent degree in these markets? Sure, there are variations from the western a part of tier one and several other issues and questions come to thoughts. Can solely RPGs achieve Japan and South Korea? What are the obstacles, methods to overcome them, and methods to begin a worthwhile UA within the third and fourth greatest cellular markets on this planet? Let’s take it step-by-step.
Can solely RPGs achieve APAC?
The dominance of RPG video games is apparent, however the reply is a particular NO. On Sensor Tower’s listing of the highest 100 highest-grossing video games in each Japan and South Korea, you may as well discover “the standard suspects”, like Conflict Royal, Conflict of Clans, Homescapes, Gardenscapes, Roblox, et cetera. The affect of non-Japanese video games on the Japanese market is rising yr by yr based on most trade studies.
Nonetheless, the non-RPG video games’ income from these markets is mostly decrease than what they will obtain within the US. My level is that, despite the fact that you may be very profitable, don’t enter these markets with the expectation that they might develop into your major income, particularly not straight away.
To start with, spend money on translating your recreation
English proficiency in Japan is sort of low. Based on the 2022 English Proficiency Index, they’re within the eightieth place out of 111 nations. I strongly advocate investing in translating your recreation to Japanese and Korean, particularly if it depends on story or explanations.
At Pixel Federation, after we translated our recreation TrainStation 2 for the Japanese and, extra just lately, the Korean market, we have now seen an immense enhance in retention. After a month of gameplay, we have been capable of retain greater than a staggering 75% extra of our Japanese gamers than we used to.
TrainStation 2 is an off-the-cuff simulation transport tycoon cellular recreation, the place you full varied duties to construct a practice empire. We now have made no modifications in precise gameplay and the identical person expertise awaits gamers from Japan, the US, or Brazil. One factor which will work in its favor is gacha, which has at all times been part of the sport. Plus, we have now added a Japanese practice area within the recreation for variety, however it’s reachable solely after weeks (and even months) of avidly sending trains on errands.
The impression in Korea is rather less spectacular, however it gave us further motivation to experiment extra with our person acquisition, and we ended up with a substantial improve in revenues.
Our actions and a focus have introduced modifications to our person acquisition technique and long-term budgets as properly. Since translation, Japan has develop into our third highest spending nation, and in 2023 to date we have now invested extra into UA in Korea as properly. Truly, much more.
Furthermore, our revenues from these geos replicate our efforts, and we have now been profitable in scaling up. As you possibly can see via, it didn’t occur in a single day.
Unfathomable advertising and marketing?
The day-to-day actuality of doing advertising and marketing in Japan and South Korea is a standard concern that daunts lots of people. This needs to be in your thoughts. Based mostly on our expertise these nations carry to the desk excessive retention and stable return on funding, however at a excessive price.
When you resolve to check the waters although, the next suggestions ought to get you off the bottom properly:
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Begin together with your current creatives, and localize solely the message or name to motion that’s already there. Nobody is aware of your gamers and artistic insights higher than you, belief that the identical USPs can appeal to individuals, who would get pleasure from your recreation in Japan and South Korea as properly. That is one thing that the majority video games do day by day (Gardenscapes, Royal Match, Merge Mansion, and so on.), and never simply at the beginning. You possibly can simply discover examples on information.ai.
Certainly one of TrainStation 2’s most profitable creatives, no particular localization utilized
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Iterate the profitable creatives, take a look at what your competitors is doing in a different way, and begin with localized experiments designed in-house primarily based on what you assume may fit higher primarily based in your outcomes.
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Experiment with app retailer optimization – these nations are identified for appreciating localized retailer experiences
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When you see success and proof that these markets certainly do work in your recreation, and you’re able to scale up, consider cooperation with a neighborhood company. They will help you attain new, country-specific networks (there are a variety of them), and create extra localized creatives to attain even higher outcomes.
With TrainStation 2 we began with a powerful give attention to ASO, and we maintain experimenting with creatives. We now have additionally just lately reached out to an exterior company, to assist scale our person acquisition.
The advertising and marketing staff has even examined creatives with a particular character designed only for the Japanese market, because it popped up as a beneficial observe as properly. The “furthest” we have now gone down the rabbit gap to date are in all probability creatives like the next video. Kawaii, desu ne?
An instance of TrainStation 2’s closely localized creatives
We want to stress although, that we do use a variety of creatives, and our normal ones are capable of take the cake.
What else to concentrate to?
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Consider customer support. Your gamers from Japan and Korea have excessive requirements and are used to receiving assist in their native language. Even when these conversations happen in your case in English as an alternative, ensure to be well mannered, affected person, and really useful.
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Whenever you see potential and good outcomes out of your UA, attempt creating particular in-game content material that your gamers would respect.
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Be conscious of the tradition and attempt to react to their holidays – with dwell OPS or a minimum of particular provides.
To sum it up although, not solely RPGs can achieve Japan and South Korea, however language is certainly a difficulty. Advertising does look intimidating, however it’s not unfathomable on the subject of gaming, and you’re good to start out together with your current creatives.
Get right down to scaling your UA in Japan and Korea as quickly as doable. As our instance reveals, it’s properly well worth the effort. Experiment together with your app retailer optimization as a lot as you possibly can, and extra importantly, take heed to your gamers, attempt to get to know them, and assume loads about their suggestions. If you’re not heading in the right direction, they are going to let .
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