The Insidious World of Fake Mobile Game Ads

Summary

The video dissects the deceptive marketing tactics used by mobile game developers, specifically in *Evony: The King's Return*. It highlights how these games rely on exaggerated ads featuring fake gameplay to trick users into downloading, despite offering a different experience. The focus shifts to 'whales'—players who spend significant sums of money on free-to-play games, fueling the industry's revenue. The video reveals the manipulative design strategies behind these games, which aim to addict players and pressure them into constant spending. Despite backlash, companies continue to thrive by exploiting human psychology and creating addictive gaming environments.

Takeaways

• 😀 The mobile game 'Evony: The King's Return' uses deceptive advertising, showing a game that doesn't exist, but still manages to attract millions of downloads.
• 😀 The primary strategy behind this deceptive advertising is to hook players into downloading the game, even though most will uninstall it after a short time.
• 😀 The success of such marketing campaigns relies heavily on attracting 'whales'—the small percentage of players who spend large amounts of money on in-game purchases.
• 😀 Only about 2% of mobile game players are considered 'whales,' but they contribute to the majority of a game's revenue, often spending tens of thousands of dollars.
• 😀 False advertising is technically not illegal in these cases because the fake game shown in the ad exists within the app itself, although it's only a small part of the game and not the main gameplay.
• 😀 Mobile game companies use 'A/B testing' to experiment with different ads, track their effectiveness, and continually refine the most successful ones to maximize downloads.
• 😀 Once an ad campaign with a fake mini-game starts to lose effectiveness, companies quickly roll out a new ad with a different fake game to maintain interest.
• 😀 The core game often differs greatly from the version shown in the ad, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and negative reviews, but these are easily ignored due to the high volume of downloads.
• 😀 Game developers prefer base-building mechanics in their games because they are highly effective at monetizing players, utilizing manipulative tactics to encourage spending.
• 😀 Even if players recognize the manipulation, the addiction mechanics in these games can be difficult to resist, especially for 'whales' who are already deep into the game.
• 😀 The deceptive tactics in these games aren't about tricking players into spending immediately, but rather creating an environment that makes spending feel almost inevitable over time.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the video regarding mobile game advertisements?

The main issue discussed is how mobile game advertisements, specifically for *Evony: The King's Return*, often misrepresent the actual gameplay experience, creating false expectations for players. The ad shows a game that doesn’t exist, which leads to disingenuous advertising practices.

What is a 'whale' in the context of mobile gaming, and why are they important for game developers?

A 'whale' is a player who spends large sums of money on a mobile game. They are crucial for game developers because although they make up a small percentage of players, they are responsible for the vast majority of the revenue, often spending tens of thousands of dollars.

Why do mobile game developers use deceptive advertisements, despite the fact that the ads do not reflect the actual game?

Mobile game developers use deceptive advertisements because they are highly effective at convincing users to download the game. Even though most players will uninstall the game shortly after discovering the truth, a small percentage, the 'whales', will spend large amounts of money, making the marketing strategy profitable.

What percentage of mobile game players typically qualify as 'whales', and how does this affect a game's revenue?

Only about 2% of mobile game players are considered 'whales'. Despite this small percentage, these players account for the overwhelming majority of a game's revenue, which is why targeting them is essential for the success of free-to-play mobile games.

How does *Evony: The King's Return* use AB testing to optimize its advertisements?

The game developers create multiple variations of ads and roll them out to measure their performance. They analyze which ads result in the most downloads and then refine the successful ads through iterations, continuously testing and optimizing until they find the most effective campaign.

What is the significance of mini-games in *Evony: The King's Return* advertisements?

The mini-games shown in advertisements are designed to attract players by appearing fun and engaging. However, they are not representative of the actual game, which is primarily focused on base building. These mini-games are intended to convince users to download the game, but they often only last for a short time before players realize the game's true nature.

What does the video suggest about the ethical concerns surrounding the mobile game industry's advertising strategies?

The video suggests that while these advertising strategies may not technically be illegal, they are disingenuous and manipulative. The industry uses psychological tricks to exploit players, particularly the 'whales', who become addicted to the game and spend large amounts of money, often without realizing the extent of the manipulation.

How do mobile games like *Evony: The King's Return* keep players engaged and spending money?

Mobile games use several psychological tactics to keep players hooked, such as slowing down progression to encourage purchases that speed up progress, offering limited-time deals, and using loot box mechanics to make desirable in-game items inaccessible without spending money.

Why do some players continue to spend large sums of money on mobile games, even after realizing they are being manipulated?

These players, referred to as 'whales', become addicted to the game due to the design choices that make the game addictive. The pressure to progress and obtain rare items through in-game purchases can lead to players spending large sums of money, even if they are aware of the manipulation.

What is the underlying reason why mobile game companies do not simply make their games resemble the ads shown in advertisements?

The reason mobile game companies do not make their games resemble the ads is because the game in the ad, which might be more fun, is not designed to be as effective at monetization. Base-building games and RPGs are more effective at encouraging in-game purchases due to their addictive progression mechanics, whereas mini-games are harder to monetize.