“David worked with us on a 2 month project to build a mobile game. He has shown throughout his thorough knowledge of Unity and C#. Communication was clear. And he has made himself available when we needed him most. We continue to work with him on ad hoc basis.”
Building and Monetising a Mobile Merge Game
A two-month build of Mojo Games' factory merge game for iOS and Android, from core gameplay and offline earnings to ad mediation, in-app purchases and post-launch updates.
Summary
- The challenge
- Mojo Games had a concept for a casual merge game and needed it built, monetised and launched on iOS and Android.
- What we did
- David built the game in two months, from the merge loop and offline earnings to interstitial ads, in-app purchases, ad mediation and analytics.
- The result
- Launched on both platforms from one Unity project, with later updates guided by where the analytics showed players dropping off.
In brief
Client
Mojo Games
Overview
- Timeline
- 2020 (2-month build, then ongoing updates)
- Platform
- iOS, Android
- Genre
- Mobile
- Engagement
- Monetisation
Built with
- Unity
- C#
Pocket Factory was a casual merge game from Mojo Games for iOS and Android. Machines generate items, players merge those items into bigger and better ones, and upgrading the machines unlocks higher tiers to merge.
Mojo Games brought the concept and asked Ocean View Games to build it. David Edgecombe developed the game in two months: the core merge gameplay, the progression and save systems, offline earnings, and the full monetisation stack of interstitial ads, in-app purchases (IAP), ad mediation and analytics.
After launch, Mojo Games kept working with us on an ad hoc basis, adding new content, fixing bugs and smoothing out problem areas in the player flow that showed up in the analytics data.
| Area | What we built |
|---|---|
| Core gameplay | Machines that generate items, merging into higher tiers and machine upgrades |
| Progression | Save systems and offline earnings, so the factory keeps producing while the game is closed |
| Monetisation | Interstitial ads and in-app purchases |
| Ad mediation | A mediation software development kit (SDK) serving ads from multiple networks across iOS and Android |
| Analytics | Event tracking to show where players progressed and where they dropped off |
| After launch | New content, bug fixes and flow improvements based on analytics data |
The Merge Loop
Merge games live or die on one loop: generate, merge, upgrade, repeat. It has to feel satisfying from the first tap.
Item-Generating Machines
Machines produce items on the board. Matching items merge into bigger, more valuable ones.
Upgrades That Open the Game Up
Upgrading machines unlocks higher item tiers, giving players a steady sense of progress and a reason to come back.
Offline Earnings
The factory keeps producing while the game is closed, so returning players are rewarded with progress waiting for them.
Monetisation and Mediation
Getting ads and purchases working is one job. Getting every SDK to work together on two platforms is another.
Interstitials and IAP
Interstitial ads and in-app purchases were built into the game's flow at natural pauses, rather than interrupting active play.
Ad Mediation Across Networks
A mediation SDK served ads from multiple ad networks. At the time, before today's more consolidated SDKs, getting every network adapter, platform and SDK version to work together reliably was the hardest part of the project.
Analytics From Day One
Event tracking was built in from the start, so Mojo Games could see how players moved through the game once it launched.
Improving the Game After Launch
Launch was the start of the work, not the end.
Analytics-Driven Fixes
The analytics data showed where players got stuck or dropped out of the flow, and we fixed those points in later updates.
New Content
We added new content after launch to give players more to work towards.
Ongoing Support
Mojo Games continued to bring us in on an ad hoc basis for updates and bug fixes.
The Results
Built in Two Months
The complete game, including monetisation, mediation and analytics, was built in a two-month development window.
Launched on iOS and Android
Pocket Factory launched on both platforms from a single Unity project.
Continued Partnership
Mojo Games kept working with us after launch, using analytics data to guide content and flow improvements.
What the Client Said
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