Spades Masters is a real-time multiplayer card game developed by YallaPlay. With millions of downloads and strong performance in the US market, the game combines competitive PvP gameplay with social features that keep players engaged over the long term.
YallaPlay had achieved strong initial traction with Spades Masters in the US market and was ready to scale to the next level. To unlock their full growth potential, they sought a strategic partner with specialized expertise across the entire UA ecosystem.
Specifically, they wanted support in several key areas:
• Optimizing for predictable scale by refining their approach to maintain stable performance as budgets increased
• Platform-specific strategies to navigate the unique challenges of iOS and Android, from attribution to optimization methodologies
• Systematizing creative testing to identify and scale winning concepts more efficiently in the competitive US market
• Establishing clear KPIs and decision frameworks to enable faster, more confident scaling decisions
They were looking for a partner who could provide hands-on expertise across measurement, channel strategy, creative development, and daily campaign management to help them break through their current growth ceiling.
The GameBiz team conducted a thorough analysis of Spades Masters to understand the current state and identify growth opportunities. We combined this analysis with industry best practices and benchmarks to create a clear roadmap.
1. Establishing Clear Measurement & KPIs
We aligned the team on what success looks like by defining key performance indicators and expected payback timelines. This created a shared understanding of when to scale and when to optimize, removing guesswork from decision-making.
2. iOS Strategy Shift for Scalability
We restructured the iOS approach to improve signal quality and reduce volatility. This included changes to the optimization structure and testing methodology, specifically designed for the US market, resulting in more consistent performance as budgets increased.
3. Android Optimization for Profitable Growth
On Android, we refined our strategy to maintain healthy margins as we scaled. By tightening the feedback loop between creative performance, bidding, and user quality, we enabled growth without sacrificing profitability.
4. Channel Diversification
We expanded beyond the current channel setup by identifying and testing new scalable acquisition sources. This reduced dependency on any single platform and unlocked additional growth potential.
5. Structured Creative Testing System
We built a systematic creative testing process with clear hypotheses, faster iteration cycles, and better classification of winning concepts. This transformed creative from a bottleneck into a growth driver, with a repeatable process for scaling successful concepts specifically for the US audience.
Changes were implemented gradually and systematically. Each significant change was tested separately before being rolled out, ensuring stable performance throughout the growth phase.
YallaPlay achieved:
• 5x scale increase on iOS, unlocking the platform's full growth potential
• 3x overall scale growth across all channels in the US market
• 2.5x revenue increase
These results were achieved while maintaining healthy unit economics, demonstrating that aggressive growth and profitability can go hand in hand with the right strategy and execution.
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YallaPlay is a pioneering mobile gaming company based in Abu Dhabi, founded by gaming industry veterans passionate about bringing cutting-edge technology to mobile games. The studio specializes in real-time multiplayer, long-life PvP games, using advanced AI to create immersive, interactive experiences with global appeal.
Their flagship game, Spades Masters, was developed using YallaPlay's proprietary gaming engine. With millions of downloads, it has become a major success in the US market, demonstrating YallaPlay's ability to create and scale competitive multiplayer experiences.
