Lisbon-based Original Games created Merge Inn, a Merge-2 title that generated millions and has maintained its relevance in an increasingly competitive genre over the years.
The game is a huge success, but optimizing live operations requires a different approach—one that Monetization Intelligence was designed to provide.
At the end of 2024, AppMagic and Original Games worked closely to explore new monetization opportunities for Merge Inn using AppMagic tools. The goal was to drive revenue growth without disrupting the game’s formula, and the team quickly found out the best way to do that was to optimize in-game offers.
Using Monetization Intelligence, a tool designed to analyze the most effective IAP offers in mobile games, the team identified subtle yet impactful ways to increase players’ LTV—and the results exceeded expectations:
- Double Offer redesign translated into a 9.3% higher transaction price—a quick yet effective tweak that delivered immediate results.
- 1+1 Offers boosted conversion rates by 40% compared to single offers of the same value.
- New Triple Offers encouraged users to purchase at a 43% higher price, leading to an 11% increase in ATV (Average Transaction Value).
Achieve more by doing less
The AppMagic analysis revealed that Travel Town, Gossip Harbor, Seaside Escape, and Merge Mansion all Double Offers, a very common pricing strategy with two offers presented on the screen alongside each other, that relies on the decoy effect. This psychological trick is commonly leveraged across the genre to guide players toward higher-value purchases.
How the decoy effect works in Double and Triple offers:
- These offers typically have a one-time purchase limit, sometimes with a “Buy All” option to encourage higher spending.
- The most expensive option contains the same items as the lower-priced one but in larger quantities.
- Cheaper options never offer exclusive items that the more expensive ones do.
1+1 Offer to Drive +40% to Conversion Rate
Using Monetization Intelligence, the team spotted another recurring pattern among top-performing Merge-2 games: the 1+1 Offers. These provide players with a bonus of equal or similar value when making a purchase, greatly enhancing the perceived deal value.
- Visually distinct bundles: The free portion of the offer is distinctly separated from the paid bundle, reinforcing the feeling of getting something extra and tapping into players’ motivation to optimize spending.
- FREE claim button: After the purchase, players must actively claim their bonus by tapping a big, shiny FREE button, making the reward feel more satisfying and reinforcing future spending behavior.
- Limited item variety: Offers feature only four item types, preventing information overload and making it easier for players to evaluate the deal at a glance.
- Attention-grabbing titles: The increased value is emphasized with clear promotional messaging, such as “1+1” in the title and the “BUY 1 & GET 1 FREE!” communication, which ensures the offer stands out.
Our collaboration with AppMagic gave us a fresh perspective on IAP offers. Monetization Intelligence helped us implement subtle yet effective changes, increasing conversion rates and ARPDAU. These insights will have a lasting impact, shaping our approach to monetization moving forward as we continue to chase ROAS.
Arseny Lebedev, CEO & founder of Original Games
The collaboration with Original Games came at a pivotal moment for Merge Inn. At the end of 2024, developers began reworking their monetization strategy and IAP offers, rolling out major seasonal promotions like the Halloween Sale and Christmas Sale. All this helped drive a x2.5 increase in monthly revenue in just four months.
The US, the primary region for the experiment, showed great results for Original Games:
- ATV: +1.74%
- ARPDAU (IAP): +13.3%
- Conversion: +9.28%
For additional details and the final results, check out the AppMagic article available on their website.
