Newsletter

Candy Crush Soda Saga Newsletter

Candy Crush Soda Saga Newsletter

Contents

01

Executive Summary

  1. Fun Features
  2. Monetization
  3. Top Monetization Networks
  4. User Acquisition
  5. UA Strategy
  6. Creative Strategy

02

Game Overview

  1. Core Functionality
  2. Fun Features
  3. Monetization
  4. In-App Purchases

03

User Acquisition

  1. Revenue + Revenue in Top Tier-1 Countries
  2. Downloads + Downloads in Top Tier-1 Countries
  3. Monetization Networks

04

Top Creatives

05

Top Creatives (Competitors)

06

User Acquisition Strategy

07

Creative Strategy

08

Candy Crush Soda Saga Strategy

Executive Summary

Fun Features:

Rewarding Progression

Seasonal Quests

Competitive Gameplay

Sodalicious Combos

Collaborative Team Events

Monetization

Collaborative Team Events Level 8

Super Sweet Deal Level 20

Locked Treasures Level 37

Gumball Goodies Level 54

Special Offer Level 72

Winter Cup Deals Level 86

Milestone Offer Level 100

Top Monetization Networks

User Acquisition

Revenue of $2,703,206,960

Top five countries in revenue (Tier-1): USA, UK, Germany, France, Australia

Total downloads of 518,276,333

Top countries in download (Tier-1): USA, UK, France

UA Strategy

Downloads: Game downloads showed a 3.6% decrease in the last 14 to 30 days, and 8.64% increase in the last 30 to 60 days. However, the last 60 to 90 days saw a decline of 2.31% in downloads.

Revenue: The revenue dynamics have displayed varying trends over time. A drop of -0.07% in the last 14 to 30 days, a -0.21% decrease in the last 30 to 60 days. The last 60 to 90 days saw a -0.69% decrease in revenue.

Monetization Networks: YouTube saw an increase of 18.4% in the last 14 to 30 days. Unity showcased growth of a 9.2% increase in the last 14 to 30 days, +11% in the last 30 to 60 days, and +10.8% in the last 60 to 90 days.

Popular Markets: In the last 14 to 30 days, the USA saw an increase of 7.6%, while France experienced a growth of 8%. The USA continued to show a 6.2% rise in the last 30 to 60 days, alongside the UK, which also grew by 4.2% during this period.

Creative Strategy

Unique/New Creatives: Candy Crush Soda Saga experienced a surge in new creatives testing (+38.60%) in the last 14 to 30 days, and an increase of (+42.5%) in the last 30 to 60 days. However, a decline (-14.89%) was observed in the last 60 to 90 days.

Monetization Network: YouTube increased by 54% in the last 14 to 30 days, while Admob rose by 9.35%; Unity fell by 14%. In the last 30 to 60 days, Unity increased by 12.3% increase, Ironsource grew by 7.46%, and YouTube increased by 3.71%.

Popular Markets: The USA's market performance was mixed, with a decrease of -56% in the last 14 to 30 days. Conversely, the last 30 to 60 days marked a 13.2% growth and an increase of 6.1% in the last 60-90 days. France's market remained steady, showing no change in the last 30 to 60 days, while the UK experienced a 4.2% increase.

Candy Crush Soda Saga- App Overview

‘Candy Crush Soda Saga’ is an engaging match-three puzzle adventure where players mix and match colorful candies to achieve a series of challenging objectives. Built by King, the same creators behind the popular Candy Crush Saga, this game presents a sweet twist with special candies and plenty of exciting levels.

Gameplay

Candy Crush Soda Saga is a match-three puzzle game where players swipe and match candies to complete objectives.

The game features various elements such as special candies, blockers, boosters, and different level types like soda levels, frosting levels, bubble levels, chocolate levels, honey levels, and bubble gum levels.

Players can create special candies like Color Bombs, Striped Candies, and Wrapped Candies by matching more than three candies in a row.

The main objectives of the game include spreading the soda, popping bottles, releasing the bears, and reaching a target score to progress through the levels.

There are currently over 10,000 levels in the game, each with its unique challenges and goals.

The game also includes monthly season updates with unique quests, exciting gameplay, and competitive features like the Episode Race and the 4 in-a-Row game mode.

Fun Features:

Rewarding Progression

Seasonal Quests

Competitive Gameplay

Sodalicious Combos

Collaborative Team Events

Monetization

Monetization Strategy: Candy Crush Soda Saga

1. Golden Offer (Level 8)

The game offers the "Special Deal" at level 8. Players are given a limited-time offer to grab boosters and gold bars. This initial IAP creates a sense of urgency for players to purchase before time runs out.

The regular price is shown with the discounted price of $0.99, encouraging players to take advantage of the savings.

The offer includes in-game currency (gold bars) and various boosters. Some boosters (color candies and candy bombs) are made available for 2 hours.

2. Super Sweet Deal (Level 20)

‘Super Sweet Deal’ at level 20 offers infinite lives for 30 minutes and infinite boosters for 1 hour, encouraging players to play longer sessions immediately after purchase.

The deal provides in-game currency (gold bars), which can be used for future purchases or to navigate difficult levels.

The price of $3.49 suggests a discount on the items if they are purchased in a bundle, offering a value deal for the player.

3. Locked Treasures (Level 37)

Upon reaching level 37, players unlock the IAP offer 'Locked Treasures,' which features bundles of boosters and gold bars at different price points.

The offers are time-sensitive, creating a sense of urgency with a countdown timer to encourage prompt purchases.

The offer is arranged at increasing price points (e.g., $4.99 and $6.99), providing options for different spending capacities and specifying more value at higher spend.

4. Gumball Goodies (Level 54)

“Gumball Goodies” at level 54 intrigues players with a free reward to engage with the feature, creating a habit-forming loop and encouraging regular interaction with the game.

The option to purchase additional turns at the gumball machine for 39 Gold bars serves as a microtransaction, directly contributing to the game's revenue.

The tiered rewards system, differentiating between ‘Free Goodies’ and ‘Premium Goodies’, creates a perceived value increase. The possible prizes motivate players to spend real money for potentially better in-game rewards and indulge in daily logins.

5. Special offer (Level 72)

The ‘Special offer’ at level 72 offer players to purchase in-game currency (gold bars) and boosters, allowing them to gain extra moves or lives.

Players can avail the in-game elements at different price points. From $0.99 for a smaller bundle to $4.99 for a larger bundle, the offer caters to different levels of spender willingness, from casual to more invested players.

6. Seasonal Sales Strategy: Winter Cup Deals (Level 86)

The “Winter Cup Deals” at level 86 indicate a seasonal promotion, tying in with an event or time of year. The offer creates a timely reason for players to make a purchase and tap into the holiday spirit of generosity.

Each tier has a collective offer combining gold bars and time-limited boosts. These are essential for progressing in the game. Moreover, the time restriction encourages players to stick to the game for a long time.

The offer includes pricing options of $1.99, $4.99, and $6.99, giving players choices for premium in-game items at different costs.

7. Milestone Offer (Level 100)

When players reach level 100, they unlock an exclusive IAP offer priced at $4.99.

The offer, available for a limited time, is highlighted by a countdown, urging players to seize the opportunity quickly.

The offer bundles 100 bars of gold with extra boosters, strategically leveraging the player's commitment and engagement at this significant milestone.

8. Social Integration

The game prompts players to join a team for events like ‘4 in a Row’ and ‘Bake a Cake’, fostering a sense of community and cooperation.

These team events encourage players to work together towards common objectives, offering shared rewards such as ‘awesome prizes’ and ‘tons of boosters’.

Social strategies enhance player retention and create opportunities for organic growth through players inviting friends.

Subscription Model of Candy Crush Soda Saga

Gold Bars

Primary and only in-game currency that is used to purchase in-game elements like extra lives, boosters, moves, tickets, and even unlock episodes.

A single gold bar costs $0.99. 7 packs of gold bars are available in quantities such as 10, 30, 60, 120, 250, 500 and 1200 with the price per bar generally decreasing as the pack size increases.

The range of packs starts from a pack of 10 for $0.99 and goes up to a pack of 1,200 for $8.99.

Bulk purchases offer the most significant discount, such as buying the S Gold Bar package at once, which costs $4.99.

Gold bars can be earned as rewards for completing certain levels or achieving high scores. Players can find gold bars in treasure chests.

Players have the option to exchange gold bars with friends who also play Candy Crush Soda Saga.

Top In-App Purchases

FeatureComparisonTable
logo

User Acquisition

Revenue: $2,703,206,960

analytics

Top Countries Tier:1

point

USA  

🇺🇸 (59%) : $1,589,258,237

point

UK  

🇬🇧 (6%) : $146,228,029

point

Germany  

🇩🇪 (5%) : $124,109,795

point

France  

🇫🇷 (4%) : $93,259,795

point

Australia  

🇦🇺 (3%) : $71,977,042

Downloads: 518,276,333

analytics

Top Countries Tier:1

point

USA 

🇺🇸 (13%) : 66,788,966

point

UK 

🇬🇧 (3%) : 12,632,083

point

France 

🇫🇷 (3%) : 16,921,215

Other Countries:

India 🇮🇳 (21%),

Brazil 🇧🇷 (7%)

Top Monetization Networks (Last 30 days)

RpD

Tier-1 West: $17.7

Tier-1 East: $7.25

Global: $5.2

Top Creatives

Creative 1

CREATED

Sep 29, 2023

IMPRESSION

1,522,564

Impressions by country

USA (93%) 

Other countries

N.A   

Creative tags

FoodCandySweetsPerson

COLORS

#B56BD1
#D8ABDB
#DCBB8A
#E3FBFE
#964BC9

Monetization Network:

100%

Creative 2

CREATED

Aug 30, 2023

IMPRESSION

1,167,455

Impressions by country

USA (100%) 

Other countries

N.A   

Creative tags

FoodHeadCandyPersonSweets

COLORS

#D385D2
#D8AADA
#181E6F
#DCBB8B
#E2FCFD

Monetization Network:

100%

Creative 3

CREATED

Oct 06, 2023

IMPRESSION

1,158,276

Impressions by country

USA (87%), 

France (1%), 

Canada (1%) 

Other countries

N.A   

Creative tags

AnimalHeadMammalFace

COLORS

#000000
#E3FBFE
#EE7A51
#FFFFFF
#B7E5ED

Monetization Network:

74%
26%

Top Creatives (Competitors)

1. Gardenscapes

CREATED

Sept 19, 2023

IMPRESSION

51,738,169

Impressions by country

USA (89%), 

Germany (4%), 

UK (2%) 

Other countries

N.A   

Creative tags

GameHeadFaceSuper MarioPerson

COLORS

#808080
#463D86
#364E4F
#7A8797
#19196B

Monetization Network:

100%

2. Royal Match

CREATED

Sep 27, 2023

IMPRESSION

11,569,363

Impressions by country

USA (29%), 

UK (19%), 

Germany (9%), 

France (6%), 

Australia (4%) 

Other countries

N.A.   

Creative tags

GamePersonIndoorsFood

COLORS

#000000
#74AF7C
#90C7AD
#3C4D4F
#BA3F46

Monetization Network:

99%
1%

3. Fishdom

CREATED

Nov 09, 2023

IMPRESSION

742,021

Impressions by country

Canada (4%), 

Australia (3%) 

Other countries

N.A.   

Creative tags

AnimalGameHeadFace

COLORS

#74DDD0
#000000
#71CECB
#5DCBCF
#75FBFD

Monetization Network:

98%
2%

User Acquisition Strategy

Change in %

% change = ((new value - old value) / old value) * 100

How is Strategy changing?

1. Change in Downloads

arrow

There was a 3.6% decrease in game downloads in the last 14 to 30 days..

arrow

Downloads increased by 8.64% during the last 30 to 60 days.

arrow

The last 60 to 90 days witnessed a downturn of 2.31% in downloads.

2. Change in Revenue

arrow

Revenue decreased by -0.07% in the last 14 to 30 days.

arrow

The last 30 to 60 days saw a decrease of -0.21%.

arrow

The last 60 to 90 days experienced a reduction in revenue of -0.69%.

3. Change in Monetization Networks

arrow

YouTube showed an increase of 18.4% in the last 14 to 30 days.

arrow

Unity maintained consistency and experienced positive changes in the last 14 to 30 days (+9.2%), 30 to 60 days (+11%), and 60 to 90 days (+10.8%).

arrow

In the last 30 to 60 days, the growth of Vungle was 8%.

arrow

Google Admob showed a growth of 6.4% in the last 60 to 90 days.

4. Change in Popular Markets

arrow

In the last 14 to 30 days, the USA experienced an increase of 7.6%, and France saw an increase of 8%.

arrow

The USA showed a rise of 6.2% in the last 30 to 60 days. Besides, the UK also contributed positively, with a growth of 4.2% during the same period.

arrow

Over the last 60 to 90 days, the USA continued its positive trend with an increase of 6.4%. UK showed a modest growth of 2.5%, and France also had a positive change, though smaller, at 1.3%.

Creative Strategy

Change in %

% change = ((new value - old value) / old value) * 100

How is Strategy changing?

1. Change in Unique/New Creatives

arrow

In the last 14 to 30 days, there was a notable increase of 38.60% in the number of unique/new creatives tested.

arrow

The last 30 to 60 days saw a raise of 42.5% in testing unique creatives.

arrow

During the last 60 to 90 days, there was a decrease of -14.89% in the number of new creatives tested.

2. Change in Monetization Networks

arrow

In the last 14 to 30 days, YouTube showed an increase of 54%, while Admob experienced a rise of 9.35%. However, during the period, Unity experienced a fall of 14% in monetization networks.

arrow

During the last 30 to 60 days, Unity’s growth was 12.3%, and Ironsource saw an increase of 7.46%. The growth of YouTube was 3.71%.

arrow

Unity showed a surge of 6.35% in the last 60 to 90 days, while Fyber saw an increase of 4.5%.

3. Change in Popular Markets

arrow

The prominence of the USA as a popular market was evident in the last 30 to 60 days (+13.2%) and the last 60 to 90 days (+6.1%). However, in the last 14 to 30 days, the USA experienced a decrease of -56%.

arrow

During the last 30 to 60 days, France remained equal, with the UK’s growth evident at 4.2%.

arrow

In the last 60 to 90 days, the growth of France and the UK was 6%.

Push Notifications

User Retention: Candy Crush Soda Saga sends 3-4 push notifications, strategically employing rewards, competition, and community participation to enhance player retention and daily activity.

Competition: Messages like "Someone just passed you. Strike back and keep racing!" leverage players' competitive spirit, urging them to return and reclaim their position in the game.

Team Play: Alerts such as "Your teammate ticked a tile on the board!" emphasize the social aspect, encouraging players to contribute to ongoing team activities.

Engagement: Notifications like "Your team made a line or a column! Enjoy your prize!" celebrate player achievements, motivating them to re-engage with the game for rewards.