Partnering with actors from popular shows and movies lets apps evoke valuable IP without securing a licensing agreement.

Go Go Muffin is an idle RPG that offers a unique upgrade system that encourages players to explore the app's gacha hero abilities. Players upgrade ability slots instead of abilities themselves, letting players freely experiment with different builds without being penalized.

Lilith Games’ Palmon: Survival departs from the developer's squad RPG roots in favor of a combination of survival, simulation, 4X strategy, and monster-collection mechanics—effectively offering a mobile adaptation of Palworld, the popular PC and console IP.

Garena Free Fire collaborates with the Naruto anime to offer several IP-themed skins that players earn from events and gacha draws. Plus, a market event with P2P mechanics in Rise of Kingdoms and a purchase event for legacy skins in Empires & Puzzles.

Garena Free Fire introduces an auction system for rare cosmetics with unique ID numbers—and winning players have spent up to $2,100.

VERTEX GAMES' Bingo Voyage stands out from other bingo apps by offering stage-based progression, collection mechanics, and a robust cosmetic system for avatars. From November to December 2024, the app's weekly revenue rose by an average of 70.5% WoW and downloads quintupled.

Cash Frenzy releases a Tetris-style mini-game where players add colored blocks to a grid to complete columns and rows. Plus, an innovative coin-pusher mini-game in Jackpot Master and a trending mini-game from the casual market in Jackpot Party.

Monopoly GO!'s Haunted Mansion expands on the successful trend of team events by using larger teams, a blackjack-style card game, and offering choices between individual and team goals.

In January’s Product Design Expert Panel, we discussed Brawl Stars’ Angels vs. Demons cannibalized revenue, player agency in competitive events, and event engagement tactics.

Adding physics-based intros to video ads and playables increases ad impressions and adds mechanical and visual variety to top-performing mini-game creatives.

Cash Tornado's Volcano Wheels turns respins into a progression that awards several jackpot wheel spins. By having players fill reels with symbols to trigger each wheel spin, the machine creates several waves of excitement within a single bonus.

Jackpot World introduces a machine that uses an unusual staircase reel structure and respins where players fill reels to earn prizes. Plus, two more unique respin innovations in Lotsa Slots and Cash Frenzy.