Starlight X-2, a puzzle game released on Google Play and iOS in June 2020, has been a significant undertaking for mobile game development. After six months, it's essential to evaluate its success or failure.

As a developer specializing in puzzle games, I've gained valuable experience through my work with Frozax Games. Starlight X-2 is my eighth mobile game, and seventh puzzle game. The game's unique features include lighting, space, and planets, making it an engaging and challenging experience for players.

The development process took around 6-8 months, from November 2019 to June 2020. I initially created a working prototype in December, followed by testing with friends and family. After refining the tutorial and working with an artist during France's first lockdown, the game was released in mid-June. Despite its promising start, Starlight X-2 has struggled to gain traction, with only 9,970 downloads on Google Play and 920 on iTunes.

Expenses

  • Art: €1,200 - a relatively low price due to my relationship with the artist
  • Translations/Proof-reading: €1,600 - necessary for localizing the game in 16 languages and incorporating features like "Did You Know?" that provide fun facts about space
  • Advertising (Facebook): €2,100 - an unsuccessful attempt to acquire players through advertising
  • ASO: €630 ($750) - a company was hired to improve App Store Optimization, but no noticeable changes were seen

Total expenses: 5,530 €

Revenue

The game's business model is straightforward:

  • Free download
  • Interstitial video ads at the end of levels
  • Rewarded video ads for unlocking new levels or hints
  • In-app purchases for packs, hints, and removing interstitials
  • Subscription options for weekly, monthly, or semi-annual access to premium content

Revenue breakdown: €1,852 from ads, €423 from in-app purchases, and €279 from subscriptions. The data also shows the revenue split by platform, country, and subscription duration.

Challenges in User Acquisition

As expected, the biggest challenge was obtaining downloads. Despite this, the revenue per download is not bad at €0.23. My ad campaign, targeting French, German, and English-speaking audiences, unfortunately failed to produce profitable user acquisition.

ASO Experience

Regrettably, my experience with ASO companies was underwhelming. It's unclear if there are efficient and serious ASO companies out there. If you have any insights or work in this field, please reach out!

Conclusion

Starlight X-2 is still not profitable, and download numbers remain low. In hindsight, releasing the game earlier with fewer features might have been a better approach. The "Did You Know?" feature, while engaging, might have been cut for the initial release to reduce localization costs and complexity.

The game itself is complex, but I'm convinced that there's an audience for this type of puzzle game. I hope you've enjoyed seeing these numbers and statistics. Feel free to reach out on social media or comment below with any questions or insights!