Every strategy and RPG playable we hold
The creatives AppLovin filed under strategy, simulation and RPG, the second largest group in its showcase. All playable here.
PlayableSupremacy“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Stillfront Supremacy GmbH”Strategy compressed to one decision
PlayableShadow Legends“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Plarium Global Ltd”RPG: one combat exchange stands in for the game
PlayableGrand Mafia“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Phantix Games”Crime sim, one action and a lot of implied depth
PlayableFarmville 3“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Zynga Inc.”Simulation: a single harvest loop
PlayableFarmville 2“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Zynga Inc.”The earlier title, same one-action approach
PlayableSunshine Island“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Goodgame Studio”Island sim, one placement
PlayableLucky Heroes“Strategy / simulation / RPG”Progress as the hook
PlayableOMFG Lucky Me“Strategy / simulation / RPG”A reward loop on one screen
Playable聖霊伝説：最強への道“Strategy / simulation / RPG, published by Joy Net Games”A Japanese-language RPG build
The four ways studios solve it
Nobody demos a strategy game in five seconds. These playables all pick something else to demo instead.
- 1
One fight
Strip the RPG to a single combat exchange with one tap to attack. The depth is implied by the art and the numbers, not by the interaction.
- 2
One build action
Simulation titles hand the viewer one placement or one harvest. The loop is legible and the promise is that there is a lot more of it.
- 3
The wrong choice
Let the player lose or nearly lose on purpose, then offer the rematch on the end card. This genre uses the failure ending more than any other.
- 4
A borrowed mechanic
The most common and most criticised: a puzzle or pull-the-pin minigame that is not in the game at all. It converts, and it churns, which is why it shows as a strong install rate and a weak day-7 return.
Whether to build one at all
The borrowed-mechanic playable is the real decision in this genre, and it is a trade rather than a mistake.
It works on the way in. A minigame that is not in your game will win the tap and the install, because it is a better ad than your game is a demo. What it buys is a player who expected something else.
So judge it on retention, not installs. If your day-1 and day-7 numbers from playable traffic sit far below your video traffic, the playable is selling a different game and the install volume is flattering you.
The honest version is harder and holds up better: demo the one real action your game opens on, and let the art carry the depth. Several of the simulation playables here do exactly that, with a single harvest or placement.
Either way, this is the genre where a playable is a bespoke build rather than a template, because the mechanic is the thing being designed. Expect studio pricing rather than a builder subscription, which what a playable ad costs sets out.
The video ads around them
Strategy and RPG accounts are carried by video, with playables as the in-app layer.
Director by Sprites is a full creative team for your startup, in private beta. Every Monday you get finished, on-brand video ads, reviewed by a human.
Strategy, hooks, scripts, shooting and editing, end to end. You never write a prompt. You pick the winners. Sprites ships the campaigns.
Every video is checked by a person before it reaches your inbox. No endless revisions.
Questions
Do playable ads work for RPG and strategy games?
Yes, but not by demonstrating the game. They demo one fight, one build action or a borrowed minigame, and the depth is carried by the art and the end card instead.
Should a strategy playable use a minigame that is not in the game?
It converts well and retains badly. Judge it on day-1 and day-7 numbers from playable traffic rather than on install volume, because it sells a different game than the one installed.
Why do these playables let you lose?
A near-loss makes the rematch the reason to install. Strategy and RPG playables use the deliberate failure ending more than any other genre.
Keep going
Need video ads for your strategy game?
Every Monday you get finished, on-brand video ads, reviewed by a human. You never write a prompt. You pick the winners. Sprites ships the campaigns.