Tapjoy Blog http://blog.tapjoy.com Rewarding App Discovery Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:01:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Over $200 Million Earned by Developers Through Tapjoy from 2010 to 2012 http://blog.tapjoy.com/companyupdates/over-200-million-earned-by-developers-through-tapjoy-from-2010-to-2012/ http://blog.tapjoy.com/companyupdates/over-200-million-earned-by-developers-through-tapjoy-from-2010-to-2012/#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:01:15 +0000 Brian Sapp http://blog.tapjoy.com/?p=12695 This July marks the 5th anniversary of the mobile app marketplace. In that time, over 50 billion apps have been downloaded on iOS and another 48 billion apps on Android – astonishing numbers that may have seemed unfathomable just a few short years ago. Considering current projections for the next few years, there still remains a tremendous opportunity to earn and make a big splash as an app developer.

We wanted to share a breakdown of some strong data highlighting this huge opportunity, and a closer look at the success of some developers taking advantage of our monetization solutions.

Developers on Tapjoy’s network earned more than $200 million through Tapjoy’s monetization solution between 2010 and 2012. In fact, in 2012 alone, 35 publishers leveraging our model earned more than $500K, and 18 publishers earned more than $1 million through Tapjoy’s monetization solutions.

Among Tapjoy’s top 50 app developers (based on revenue earned via Tapjoy monetization solutions) in 2012:

  • 29 are based in the U.S., nine in Asia, six in Canada, and five in Europe
  • Seven developers were a year old or less; for these developers combined, Tapjoy monetization solutions generated more than $6.5 million for them. Twelve developers were more than a decade old; for them, Tapjoy monetization solutions generated nearly $30 million.
  • Tapjoy generated nearly $5 million for studios currently under 20 people and nearly $25 million to developers outside the U.S.
  • Developers that integrated our monetization solutions for two consecutive years grew their Tapjoy alternative payment revenue an average of more than 350% year over year.

Among Tapjoy’s top 50 app developers in 2012, 29 are based in the U.S., nine in Asia, six in Canada, and five in Europe
Seven developers were a year old or less; for these developers combined, Tapjoy monetization solutions generated more than $6.5 million for them. Twelve developers were more than a decade old; for them, Tapjoy monetization solutions generated nearly $30 million.

Revenue, while impressive and important, is only part of the story here. The revenue opportunity combined with an increase in retention makes for the best of both worlds, and that intersection is where the best apps stand out.

]]> http://blog.tapjoy.com/companyupdates/over-200-million-earned-by-developers-through-tapjoy-from-2010-to-2012/feed/ 1 Mobile Games on the Rise at E3 http://blog.tapjoy.com/events/mobile-games-on-the-rise-at-e3/ http://blog.tapjoy.com/events/mobile-games-on-the-rise-at-e3/#comments Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:32:30 +0000 Jeff Rubenstein http://blog.tapjoy.com/?p=12659 The Electronic Entertainment Expo – better known as E3 – is the single most influential, well-publicized videogame conference in the world. Traditionally dominated by console developers and manufacturers, mobile games and devices played an increased role at this year’s conference. Let’s take a look.

Before attendees could enter the Los Angeles Convention Center’s South Hall, they needed to pass around – or through – Qualcomm®’s huge, tiki-themed mobile pavilion. Dozens of mobile devices were available for demonstrations, showcasing their Snapdragon processor found in many Android phones and tablets.

Once inside the LACC, a Mobile Game Pavilion was erected just off the main concourse. Fifteen firms demonstrated mobile games, from small publishers like Natsume, to Tapjoy partner 505 Games and publishing juggernauts like Sega®, Disney®, and PlayStation®. Of note, Sega is adapting Double Fine-developed comical puzzle platformer The Cave for iPad, which felt like a natural fit.

SONY DSC SONY DSC SONY DSC

A noticeable trend emerged this year in the main hall exhibits – a number of large publishers set up dedicated mobile areas in their booths alongside console offerings. No mobile game at E3 received a bigger push than Halo Spartan Assault, coming this summer to Windows Phone 8. Set between Halo 3 and Halo 4, Spartan Assault is a mobile twin-stick shooter take on one of Microsoft’s most important gaming franchise. Its footprint in the busy Xbox booth – a few dozen Surface tablets demoed the title – was significant.

Halo Spartan Assault Screenshot - Focus Rifle Defense

Square Enix’s Deus Ex: The Fall also carved out a notable space on the show floor. The publisher of the Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider® franchises set up a half dozen iPads right next to its 30-foot cinema display. As far as the game itself is concerned, Deus Ex: The Fall isn’t making any compromises in its first mobile outing; all of the hacking, cybernetic augmentations, and stealth action the series is known for were present in the playable demo.

Konami® set up a whole mobile section as well, with Slot Revolution, Casino League Texas Hold ‘em, MLB Live Challenge, and Domo Jump rubbing elbows with its flagship title, Metal Gear Solid V.

But no publisher showed off more mobile games at E3 than EA – no surprise, given the size of the publisher’s mobile portfolio. EA’s mobile showcase featured half a dozen titles, highlighted by the greatly-anticipated Plants vs Zombies 2, coming to iOS devices this July.

PvZ

Fightback, another title at EA’s mobile showcase, is indicative of another trend: console developers making forays into the mobile space. A side-scrolling combo/rhythm beat ‘em up, Fightback is being developed by Ninja Theory. This is the first mobile offering from the team best known for console titles Heavenly Sword, Enslaved, and this year’s DmC.

If that trend continues, expect even more mobile at E3 2014.

]]> http://blog.tapjoy.com/events/mobile-games-on-the-rise-at-e3/feed/ 0 This Week’s Launches, News and Deals from Tapjoy http://blog.tapjoy.com/games/this-weeks-launches-news-and-deals-from-tapjoy-29/ http://blog.tapjoy.com/games/this-weeks-launches-news-and-deals-from-tapjoy-29/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:22:41 +0000 Jeff Rubenstein http://blog.tapjoy.com/?p=12639 Happy Friday! With Fathers Day coming up this weekend in the US, and graduations taking place every weekend, there are a lot of new mobile devices out there. Why not load them up with new apps? We’ve got some top selections for you here, as well as details on a huge currency sale on now!

Don’t forget: to take advantage of any Tapjoy offer, you’ll need to be a registered Tapjoy.com user. Not registered? Sign up here!

What’s New


UNO™ & Friends

Playing UNO with friends, family, and the millions of fans worldwide has never been easier! Join one of the largest free online mobile gaming communities and enjoy an all-new free multiplayer experience, competitive leaderboards and fun customization options that let you shout “UNO!” on a whole new level!

uno

Download UNO™ & Friends from Google Play™

Despicable Me: Minion Rush

Gru’s loyal, yellow, gibberish-speaking Minions are ready for their toughest challenge in Despicable Me: Minion Rush. Play as a Minion and compete with others in hilarious, fast-paced challenges in order to impress your boss, (former?) super-villain Gru! Jump, fly, dodge obstacles, collect bananas, be mischievous, and defeat villains to earn the title of Minion of the Year!

Download Despicable Me: Minion Rush from Google Play™

Freestyle Baseball

Brace yourself for an unforgettable baseball battlefield. Freestyle Baseball pits street smart pitchers against mean-street batters in a 3D freestyle score-a-thon. Set in a detailed, realistic 3D urban environment, player customize characters face off against NPCs or one another in real-time.
Download Freestyle Baseball from the Apple App Store℠

Weekend Currency Deals


In celebration of Father’s Day and graduation season, many of our partners are offering bonus currency across dozens of apps and games. Click here to see the full list of participating apps!

FathersDay

Have a great weekend!

]]> http://blog.tapjoy.com/games/this-weeks-launches-news-and-deals-from-tapjoy-29/feed/ 0 Celebrate Dads and Grads With A Currency Sale This Weekend http://blog.tapjoy.com/games/celebrate-dads-and-grads-with-a-currency-sale-this-weekend/ http://blog.tapjoy.com/games/celebrate-dads-and-grads-with-a-currency-sale-this-weekend/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:22:28 +0000 Jeff Rubenstein http://blog.tapjoy.com/?p=12614 In celebration of Father’s Day and graduation season, many of our partners are offering bonus currency in the apps below when you complete offers on Tapjoy.com this weekend. So if you’re a father, recent graduate, or maybe just know one, enjoy the following bonuses:

FathersDay_FB_677x260

These bonus offers will be live from Friday, 14 June 2013 @ 12:00am Pacific and end on Sunday, 16 June 2013 @ 11:59pm Pacific unless otherwise noted.

Don’t forget: to take advantage of any Tapjoy offer, you’ll need to be a registered Tapjoy.com user. Not registered? Sign up here!

*PBA Bowling Challenge currency bonus valid from Friday, 14 June 2013 @ 8:00am Pacific and end on Monday, 17 June 2013 @ 8:00am Pacific

]]> http://blog.tapjoy.com/games/celebrate-dads-and-grads-with-a-currency-sale-this-weekend/feed/ 0 From Massive to Mobile: Spacetime Studios http://blog.tapjoy.com/events/from-massive-to-mobile-spacetime-studios/ http://blog.tapjoy.com/events/from-massive-to-mobile-spacetime-studios/#comments Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:01:31 +0000 Jeff Rubenstein http://blog.tapjoy.com/?p=12598 At a recent Tapjoy Developer Meetup in Austin, Spacetime Studios CEO Gary Gattis shared his experiences creating Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs (MMORPGs) first for the web, then mobile devices. Spacetime’s Pocket Legends launched alongside the first generation iPad, and they’ve since honed the genre for mobile through titles such as Dark Legends and Arcane Legends.

Here, Gattis dives a bit deeper into Spacetime’s strategy for serving up a deep experience in bite-sized portions.

Tapjoy: Spacetime focuses on MMO games – which typically are played in sessions much longer than typical mobile gaming sessions. How did you adapt the gameplay for these much shorter sessions?

Gary Gattis, Spacetime Studios: We took the core MMO loop: kill-loot-equip, and shortened it to about 15 seconds. We then put it in a level that can be complete in about 5 minutes, so it is possible to get in and out of the game and have a powerful experience while you are in line at the movies. Finally, we chained these together so it was very easy to stay and play if you were so inclined.

Tapjoy: Starting with Pocket Legends, you’ve scaled the “M” in MMO from “massive” down to “manageable.” How were you able to keep the game world feeling alive?

Spacetime Studios: Our game is a synchronous, real-time experience with people popping in and out all the time. We had to instance towns and levels to account for the limitations of the mobile platform, but we match-make players based on guilds, friends, levels, quests, etc. This leads to you being instanced with similar type folk doing similar things. We then connected all these instanced areas together so if you wanted to you could run from one end of the world to the other.

pocket legends

Tapjoy: You launched first on iOS, then Android – how did the results differ between the platforms?

Spacetime Studios: We launched Pocket Legends first on iOS. We launched Star, Dark, and Arcane Legends first on Android. We have a broader user base on Android, and we convert and retain a bit better on iOS. Both platforms are essential to our overall strategy.

Tapjoy: Spacetime’s titles have gained penetration around the world. As MMOs need to retain a connection, how did your titles manage to achieve popularity in countries that don’t have 4G LTE or other high speed cellular infrastructure?

Spacetime Studios: We manage to maintain a synchronous user experience all the way down to EDGE connections, so we have gained deep penetration in markets with high-latency connections. Although the monetization from some of these regions is not great, the volume is sometimes tremendous.

Tapjoy: With a wealth of experience, your longtime core team clearly knows how to make games. But talk about how things changed once you hired someone focused on analytics.

Spacetime Studios: It gave us some extreme clarity on what specific aspects of our games needed improving. It has been an amazing evolution for us. We look at acquisition, retention, conversion, and engagement all the time. We also look at the level spread, where players are monetizing, and what they are buying.

Tapjoy: What is Spacetime Studios working on presently?

Spacetime Studios: We’re working on a super-secret next game that will take our studio in a new direction. I can’t say any more about it yet but we are very excited!

dark legends

Tapjoy: Finally, what’s the Austin mobile development scene like now?

Spacetime Studios: The Austin mobile development scene is very hot. The prevalence and ease of publishing on mobile has been a perfect fit for our town!

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