Benchmarks for hyper-casual creatives
Creatives for hyper-casual games have some of the highest in-ad data metrics in the industry. Like the gameplay, the creatives are snackable, easy to understand, and surprisingly fun to lose.
The average time-to-engage rate*The number of seconds it takes for users to first tap on the ad for hyper-casual creatives is the shortest of all genres.
3.5 seconds avg.
Designed for the masses and intended to attract the widest audience possible, hyper-casual creatives have extremely high engagement rates*The percentage of users who actively engage with ads in an app
51%
Midcore
58%
Match-3
85%
Hyper-casual
60%
Casual
The time-to-complete rate*The number of seconds it takes for users to complete the ad for hyper-casual creatives is super short. That’s because the gameplay is straightforward - there’s usually not even a need for extra text or hints to help the user understand the task.
12 seconds avg.
Out of all the genres, hyper-casual creatives have the highest completion rate*The percentage of users who complete the playable ad, likely because the gameplay experience of the creative is designed to be short and sweet.
39%
Midcore
34%
Match-3
73%
Hyper-casual
28%
Casual
Hyper-casual creatives have the highest click-to-store rate*The percentage of users who go to the app store from the ad by far.
52% avg.
out of completions
38% avg.
out of total impressions
Because hyper-casual creatives are made for mass appeal, a large audience of users are likely to click through, boosting the click-to-store rate.
The IPM* Installs per mille, the number of app installs per one thousand ad impressions range for hyper-casual is too large for an exact average. Depending on the geo, OS, or title, IPM can be as high as 100 and low as 15. But either way, IPM for hyper-casual is much higher than the other genres.
For your next A/B test, try to:
Experiment with the win/lose ratio. We usually see higher IPM for hyper-casual creatives when users lose the gameplay, since most gamers like a challenge.
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Benchmarks for casual creatives
The benchmarks for casual creatives, which includes puzzle, word, card, and coloring games, are on the low end of the spectrum. Metagames and a strong visual language make casual games more complex to wrap in a playable than other genres.
The average time-to-engage rate* The number of seconds it takes for users to first tap on the adfor casual games is quicker than match-3 but longer than hyper-casual.
4.2 seconds avg.
Because the genre is so varied, tutorials for casual creatives aren’t that intuitive and require more thinking from the user, which is why engagement rate*The percentage of users who actively engage with ads in an app is the most important metric for casual creatives to optimize.
51%
Midcore
58%
Match-3
85%
Hyper-casual
60%
Casual
The time-to-complete rate*The number of seconds it takes for users to complete the ad for casual creatives is slightly longer than hyper-casual because they’re more difficult to complete - like solving a puzzle or finding a missing word.
17 seconds avg.
The completion rate*The percentage of users who complete the playable ad for casual creatives is the lowest of all the genres. They aren’t that easy to complete in just 30 seconds - rather than swiping across the screen, users need to really think, and this complexity increases drop rates.
39%
Midcore
34%
Match-3
73%
Hyper-casual
28%
Casual
Casual creatives also have the lowest click-to-store rate*The percentage of users who go to the app store from the ad out of all the genres.
32% avg.
out of completions
9% avg.
out of total impressions
Not only is the market for casual creatives saturated and mature, but it also doesn’t have mass appeal, which is why the click-to-store rate is so low.
Casual games don’t appeal to everyone, but they do straddle across many demographics, keeping IPM* Installs per mille, the number of app installs per one thousand ad impressions middle range.
8-10 avg. IPM
For your next A/B test, try to:
Boost engagement rate by learning how often to give users a hint - is it every 4 seconds or 6?
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Benchmarks for match-3 creatives
Though a subcategory of casual, the in-ad data for match-3 creatives is quite unique. The gameplay is familiar and straightforward, but the market is saturated. This makes it harder for match-3 creatives to compete, generating lower engagement but higher completion rates than casual creatives.
The average time-to-engage rate* The number of seconds it takes for users to first tap on the ad for match-3 creatives is the longest out of all the genres.
7.4 seconds avg.
The saturated market and fierce competition for match-3 creatives makes it more difficult to rise above the noise and engage users, keeping engagement rate*The percentage of users who actively engage with ads in an app low.
51%
Midcore
58%
Match-3
85%
Hyper-casual
60%
Casual
The gameplay for match-3 creatives, while straightforward, still requires the user to scan and search for matches, which adds a few seconds to the time-to-complete rate*The number of seconds it takes for users to complete the ad.
19 seconds avg.
Match-3 gameplay is generally straightforward, familiar, and doesn’t stray from the genre, which is why completion rate*The percentage of users who complete the playable ad is on the high side.
39%
Midcore
34%
Match-3
73%
Hyper-casual
28%
Casual
Match-3 creatives have the second-highest click-to-store rate*The percentage of users who go to the app store from the ad, behind hyper-casual.
44% avg.
out of completions
15% avg.
Out of total impressions
Match-3 games are familiar to a wide range of players. Users who started, completed, and enjoyed the playable know what they’re getting when they head to the store, increasing click-to-store rates.
IPM* Installs per mille, the number of app installs per one thousand ad impressions for match-3 creatives is the lowest of all the genres, likely because of how saturated the match-3 market is.
2-4 avg. IPM
For your next A/B test, try to:
See how traditional match-3 gameplay performs against a playable that’s all about the meta, like home decor or a farm upgrade.
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Benchmarks for midcore creatives
Midcore games, which include RPG, shooter, and strategy, have a relatively niche following, but one which is dedicated and highly engaged. While their creatives don’t appeal to the masses, they remain quite high for engaged users - placing their benchmarks on the low end.
The average time-to-engage rate*The number of seconds it takes for users to first tap on the ad for midcore creatives is the same as other genres.
4.6 seconds avg.
Midcore creatives tend to be more complex with detailed tutorials, raising the barrier to entry. They also don’t generally appeal to the masses, which lowers their overall engagement rate*The percentage of users who actively engage with ads in an app.
51%
Midcore
58%
Match-3
85%
Hyper-casual
60%
Casual
The time-to-complete rate*The number of seconds it takes for users to complete the ad rate for midcore creatives is the longest of all the genres, since the gameplay is generally complex and requires focus and attention from the user.
26 seconds avg.
The completion rate*The percentage of users who complete the playable ad for midcore creatives is on the high end - with the completion rate out of engaged users being extremely high, at 77%. Because it’s such a niche market, those who do engage are likely fans of the genre and more likely to complete the playable.
39%
Midcore
34%
Match-3
73%
Hyper-casual
28%
Casual
click-to-store rate*The percentage of users who go to the app store from the ad for midcore creatives is on the low end.
33% avg.
out of completions
13% avg.
Out of total impressions
Midcore creatives are complex, and it’s more difficult to wrap such a deep gameplay experience in 30 seconds and give users a clear idea of what’s being advertised, lowering click-to-store rates.
IPM* Installs per mille, the number of app installs per one thousand ad impressions for midcore creatives is middle range. There’s not as big of a market for midcore games, however, users who do consider themselves hardcore or midcore, are generally willing to install a game that catches their attention.
5-7 avg. IPM
For your next A/B test, try to:
Highlight a unique in-game element, like characters or upgrades, and compare the performance against a creative that shows off the gameplay.
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