One of the most significant changes in the mobile gaming industry in recent years has been the rise in popularity of hybrid-casual games. This genre combines the simple, pick-up-and-play mechanics of hyper-casual games with deeper engagement and retention strategies typically seen in mid-core titles.
The result? A gaming experience that attracts both casual players and dedicated gamers seeking long-term progression.
What Defines a Hybrid-Casual Game?
Hybrid-casual games stand out due to their unique combination of:
- Easy-to-Learn Mechanics: Accessible gameplay that allows users to jump in quickly.
- Engaging Progression Elements: Deeper layers of content, including customisation, progression, and social features, to encourage long-term engagement.
- Diverse Monetisation Strategies: A balanced mix of in-app ads (IAA) and in-app purchases (IAP), maximising revenue potential while keeping players engaged
If you want to have a deep dive into the world of hybrid-casual games, don’t miss Gamelight’s Mastering UA report focused on them.
How Gamelight Supports Hybrid-Casual UA Growth
Gamelight, the largest rewarded mobile marketing platform, plays a crucial role in helping hybrid-casual publishers acquire high-quality users at scale. By leveraging AI-driven recommendations and a robust rewarded UA model, Gamelight ensures that hybrid-casual games reach engaged players who actively seek rewarding gaming experiences.
Through strategic media placement and targeted UA campaigns, Gamelight has successfully driven exceptional results for hybrid-casual publishers worldwide.
Success Stories: Gamelight Driving Growth for Hybrid-Casual Games
One of the biggest challenges for hybrid-casual game publishers is striking the right balance between scalability, retention, and profitability. Gamelight’s approach focuses on acquiring high-quality players who not only install a game but also remain engaged, helping developers maximise revenue over time.
Expanding into New Markets with Merge Sweets
Springcomes’ Merge Sweets aimed to break into highly competitive Western markets while maintaining a strong return on ad spend (ROAS). Through a carefully structured campaign, Gamelight delivered 500,000 installs across 13 key geographies, including the US, Japan, and several European markets.
The results spoke for themselves:
- D7 ROAS target exceeded by 158%, showing early profitability.
- 235% ROAS growth from D7 to D30, proving long-term engagement and value.
- Full profitability achieved in just 45 days.
By combining rewarded UA strategies with AI-driven targeting, Merge Sweets successfully scaled while maintaining a strong financial foundation.
Check out the full case study here.
Scaling Profitability for Phase 10
For Mattel163’s Phase 10 and UNO!, the goal was to efficiently scale across multiple geographies while optimising user quality. Gamelight implemented a data-driven approach that allowed Phase 10 to target high-value users in core markets.
Key achievements included:
- 151% over D7 ROAS target in Europe, showcasing rapid cost recovery
- 192% growth from D7 to D30 ROAS in Japan, indicating strong user retention.
- 284% ROAS growth in the US from D7 to D30, demonstrating outstanding scalability.
Through refined audience segmentation and tailored UA strategies, Mattel163’s titles were able to achieve sustainable growth without sacrificing profitability. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore this case study in depth.
Long-Term Success with Goods Sort™
Speelead’s hybrid-casual puzzle game, Goods Sort™, aimed to attract highly engaged players in the US while ensuring a positive return on investment. Using a blend of rewarded UA and precise targeting, Gamelight successfully drove high-quality traffic that monetised effectively.
Key campaign highlights:
- D7 ROAS surpassed expectations, reaching 55%.
- D30 ROAS doubled initial goals, reaching 115%.
- D60 ROAS climbed to 154%, ensuring sustained profitability
By leveraging rewarded UA and machine learning-driven audience insights, Goods Sort™ not only expanded its user base but also established itself as a sustainable, profitable title in the hybrid-casual space. If you want to explore the full case study, click here!
Sustaining Profitability with Cat Snack Bar
Treeplla’s hybrid-casual title Cat Snack Bar set out to achieve large-scale user acquisition while maintaining profitability across competitive Western and Asian markets. The campaign focused on Gamelight’s five strongest geos — US, Japan, UK, Germany, and France — and ran across both iOS and Android platforms.
Key achievements included:
- 2.78x increase in user acquisition volume, driving significant growth
- 97% rise in ARPU, reflecting high-value user acquisition
- 44% improvement in retention, boosting long-term engagement
- 52% ROAS uplift, exceeding campaign profitability targets
Gamelight’s strategy involved a competitive bidding model, increasing CPI by 30% to access premium traffic. By applying granular ROAS benchmarks from D0 to D120 and tracking 21 in-app events, including 3 recurring high-frequency events, the campaign captured and optimised for deeper engagement signals.
This data-driven, precision-focused approach enabled Cat Snack Bar to not only scale efficiently but also sustain long-term ROAS growth across all key markets, as it can be explored in the full case study.
The Future of Hybrid-Casual UA
Hybrid-casual games are set to dominate the mobile gaming industry in 2025 and beyond. Key trends shaping this space include:
- AI-driven UA strategies for better audience segmentation.
- Cross-platform expansion to reach PC and console audiences
- Social gaming elements to enhance retention and engagement.
Conclusion
Gamelight’s advanced AI-driven platform and rewarded UA model have positioned it as the go-to partner for hybrid-casual publishers looking to scale efficiently. With proven success in delivering high-quality users and maximising ROAS, Gamelight continues to lead the industry in rewarded user acquisition for hybrid-casual games.
Explore the Gamelight dashboard for more insights.
Get in touch with UA experts at [email protected].
