The rise of ultra casual mobile games

Ultra casual games are emerging as a dominant force in the mobile gaming industry, captivating millions of users worldwide with their simple yet addictive gameplay. These games have opened new opportunities for cost-effective, high-reach marketing, especially in low-CPM markets like Vietnam. With their streamlined production and universal appeal, ultra casual games are driving huge download and user engagement numbers—and capturing the attention of major studios and publishers, as well as app marketers and advertisers. 

In this blog, we take a look at how ultra casual games are defined, share some popular examples, and dive into how they’re able to generate so much user engagement while using an entirely ad revenue based monetization model.

Ultra casuals are similar to hyper casuals, but as many hyper casuals have opted to diversify and head in the hybrid casual direction, ultra casuals have emerged as a return to, well, ultra casual gaming. In many cases, however, these games also differ from their hyper casual counterparts through their emphasis on zen-like experiences rather than quick, arcade-style challenges. 

Key characteristics of ultra casual games include: 

• Satisfying repetitive actions: Players engage in meditative tasks like slicing materials, mixing paints, manipulating textures, or tapping along to beats.
• Visual appeal: Physics simulations and colorful aesthetics create ASMR-like sensory experiences. There’s a lot of focus on the ‘cozy’ and ‘cute’ keywords in game titles.
• Low complexity: Even simpler than hyper casual games, requiring no tutorials or skill development.

Examples of popular ultra casual games are Perfect Knife Slice: Chop Chop by Pixit Labs, Duet Cats: Cute Cat Music by Amanotes, and Cozy Home: Dream Storage Box by ABl. These titles showcase the genre's focus on simple, satisfying mechanics like chopping, sorting, and rhythm based challenges, that players can enjoy in short bursts or (if they can handle all the ads) extended sessions.

Ultra casual games employ a distinctive monetization strategy that centers heavily on in-app advertising—a high turnover ad revenue model. This approach allows developers to offer their games for free, removing any barriers to entry for players while still generating significant revenue. To put this into perspective, many of these titles generate more than $30,000 a day. 

Key aspects of this model are: 

1. High-volume ad impressions: With millions of daily active users, these games can serve a massive number of ads.
2. Rewarded video ads: Players are incentivized to watch ads in exchange for in-game bonuses or progression boosts.
3. Interstitial ads: These full-screen ads appear between game sessions or levels, maximizing visibility.
4. Banner ads: Persistent ads displayed at the bottom or top of the screen provide constant monetization opportunities.

While individual ad impressions may have low CPMs, especially in markets like Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, the sheer volume of users and engagement makes this a lucrative model. For example, a game like Car Race by IKAME, with its 1.8 million daily active users (DAU), can generate an estimated $50,000 to $70,000 daily through ad revenue alone.

Ultra casual games have captured the attention of millions of users. This surge in popularity largely stems from the genre’s ability to resonate with diverse audiences. Ultra casuals provide instant accessibility, with a learning curve of mere seconds, making them immediately playable by anyone with a smartphone. Their universal appeal, rooted in simple mechanics and stress-relief positioning, also expands the potential user base by attracting non-traditional gamers.

Short session lengths allow players to enjoy the games in brief moments throughout their day, making them adaptable to busy lifestyles and the reality of diminishing attention spans. Aesthetically, they advertise pleasing visuals and satisfying interactions, often creating a sense of toy-like charm that encourages repeated play. Unlike more intricate games, these titles require no strategic thinking or skill progression—an ideal proposition for relaxation, casual play, and escapism.

Vietnam is becoming a hub for ultra casual mobile game development, with several studios already some of the most successful globally. Vietnamese studios have gained a competitive edge in the ultra casual game market thanks to their ability to develop high-quality games at lower costs compared to many counterparts in other gaming markets. The simplified nature of the games enables these publishers to iterate rapidly, with quick development cycles and frequent releases. 

Vietnamese developers have also honed their skills in data analysis, expertly optimizing games based on user behavior. This data-based approach makes monetization via high-volume ad revenue possible, as they’re able to find the exact line where it becomes “too much” as well as how this differs between cohorts and target audiences. The combination of cost-effectiveness, agility, data-driven decision-making, and a clear and straightforward monetization model is how these Vietnamese developers have managed to emerge at the forefront of this genre. 

Examples of successful Vietnamese studios that produce ultra casual games include:

• Amanotes: Known for their music-based games that have garnered millions of downloads. 
• IMBA: Their ultra casual games focus on aesthetically pleasing, kawaii-style unpacking and organising. 
• Funtap Games: A little close to hyper casuals, Funtap have puzzle and merge titles, alongside a ball drop game with a cute capybara and a painting game for world flags.
• ABI Global: Some of the most famous ultra casuals are from this studio, including Perfect Tidy, Cozy Home, Cat Choices, and TickTock Challenge.

To dominate app store downloads and engage new users successfully, working with a mobile measurement partner (MMP) like Adjust is crucial—for ultra casuals and beyond. MMPs provide essential attribution and measurement data, empowering developers with accurate, granular user acquisition and engagement insights. This can then be used to analyze performance across channels and optimize budget allocation and strategy accordingly.

Adjust’s holistic reporting gives full visibility into campaign performance, closes measurement gaps, identifies top performing campaigns and creatives, and brings all your data together with united analytics, powerful reporting, and intuitive visualizations. In highly data-driven business and monetization models, where a few percentage points can make a huge difference, accurate and unbiased attribution data and real-time analytics is game-changing.

To learn more about how Adjust can help maximize your ad revenue and grow your app business, request a demo today.