PixelForge Games: Cut Install Spend by 60 Percent, Boosted Retention Worldwide
A hybrid-casual developer rewired their mobile user acquisition strategy around D7 ROAS instead of D1 install CPA. One decision. Complete transformation.
The Problem
PixelForge had gone through five agencies in two years. The approach was always the same: D1 install CPA as the main target, installs as the optimization goal, and chasing install volume on day one at the cost of everything else.
What mattered to the team was D7 ROAS, installs that stuck around, engaged, and brought in money through ads and in-app spending. Their product was solid. The player quality was the issue. The solution lay not in better creative. It required fixing how they bought users, starting from the SDK configuration and rebuilding the entire user acquisition framework.
Our Method
SDK plus measurement redesigned around day-7 events
We restructured the AppsFlyer configuration to transmit more granular in-app events, session progression, level milestones, ad serving signals, and in-app purchases back to Meta, TikTok and Google App as targeting inputs. The bidding strategy shifted away from install events and towards day-7 retention indicators.
Creative allocation based on retention behaviour
We sorted the user base by what drove their engagement. Players returning for the meta-game received one creative approach; those drawn to the core mechanics got another. We ran two parallel creative streams tailored to each type, and the proportion of retained players increased month on month.
Soft-launch markets as your testing ground
We leveraged PH, ID and TH to validate fresh creative approaches before rolling out to NA and EU. Acquisition costs in soft-launch run significantly lower than NA, and the retention signal is clear enough even at modest spend to identify winning concepts quickly.
Hybrid-casual monetisation through ads
We collaborated with the LiveOps team to calibrate rewarded video and interstitial frequency so the game remained engaging despite ad presence. Whilst the buying team cannot remedy poor monetisation choices by the developer, it can flag when ad volume is damaging player retention.
Timeline
Outcomes
- ✓Cost per install dropped 60% across markets, predominantly from shifting spend towards day-7-retaining users rather than straight CPI reduction.
- ✓Day-7 retention improved by 38% versus the original baseline. The game itself remained unchanged. The calibre of player acquired improved.
- ✓Active markets grew from 3 to 7 during the campaign window. Each new market followed the same soft-launch validation process before spending increased.
- ✓The studio found that ad-driven ARPU from retained cohorts was roughly 2.1 times the historical average, meaning each user was worth double whilst costing less to bring in.
"We've partnered with five agencies previously, and none possessed the mobile gaming UA expertise this team brings. Our install costs fell 60% and retention improved globally.
Mark DavenportMarketing Director, PixelForge Games
Key Lessons From This Project
- ›Targeting install volume in 2026 represents poor practice for titles relying on ad revenue or in-app purchases. Target a post-install retention signal instead.
- ›Soft-launch markets offer the most cost-effective creative testing environment in mobile UA. Make them part of your strategy.
- ›UA cannot remedy poor LiveOps design, yet it serves as the early warning system alerting the studio when ad frequency damages retention.
Further Client Examples
Bring a Real Account to Us
Share your figures. We will outline what we would change and confirm whether your account is something we can manage. No presentation, no sales pitch.