Why most games fail
It is almost never the graphics. It is these four.
The loop does not hook
The game looks good, the first session is pleasant, and nobody comes back the next day. The core loop was never tested on its own, without dressing.
The economy was never modelled
Prices, currencies and rewards get set on instinct at the end of the project. Result: either it earns nothing, or it breaks the game balance.
Nothing after launch
No events, no seasonal content, no measurement. The retention curve collapses within three weeks and the acquisition budget burns.
Tech blocks the content
Adding a level needs a release. Changing a price needs a developer. The game can no longer move at the pace of its community.
Our approach
Four phases. A Go/No-Go decision at the end of each.
Scoping & core loop
2 to 3 weeksWe define the audience, the promise and the core loop. We model the economy in a spreadsheet before writing a line of code, and set the retention target and acceptable acquisition cost.
- Short, operational game design document
- Simulated economic model (currencies, prices, rewards)
- D1 / D7 / D30 retention targets
- Production budget and schedule
Playable prototype
3 to 5 weeksA real build, on a phone, without final art. The only goal: verify the loop is fun. We test with real players and measure. If the loop does not hold, we iterate or stop — before production.
- Playable iOS and Android build
- Moderated playtests and findings
- Measured session metrics
- Evidence-based Go / No-Go decision
Production
3 to 6 monthsArt direction, content, meta-game, in-app purchases, cloud saves, offline mode. Automated build pipeline and internal tools so your team can add content without a developer.
- Complete iOS and Android game
- Content and configuration back-office
- Instrumented in-app purchases and analytics
- CI/CD pipeline to the stores
Launch & LiveOps
OngoingStore listings and ASO, soft launch in a test market, then operations: events, challenges, seasons, A/B testing. We steer retention and revenue per player from a dashboard, week after week.
- Optimised store listings and trailers
- 6-month LiveOps calendar
- Retention and revenue dashboard
- A/B testing cycles and iterations
What you get
Everything is delivered, documented and yours.
The game, iOS and Android
Signed builds, published to the App Store and Google Play under your publisher account.
The source code
Complete, documented repository with no vendor lock-in. You own it.
A back-office
Levels, prices, events and settings editable without a release or a developer.
The instrumentation
Analytics, funnels and retention dashboards wired in from the very first build.
The assets
Source files for the visual identity, illustrations, animations and soundtrack.
The documentation
Game design document, technical architecture, operations runbook and LiveOps calendar.
The proof: Awale Flow
Our first title, designed and built in-house.
Awale Flow takes an African seed-sowing game thousands of years old and turns it into a modern puzzle: 7 seed types, 4 kingdoms, sanctuaries to restore, daily challenges and duels. No advertising, no data collection, fully playable offline. It is exactly the method described above, applied to our own product.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a mobile game cost?
Entirely dependent on scope. A playable prototype that validates the loop is a matter of weeks. A complete game with meta-game, economy and LiveOps runs into months. That is precisely why we split the work into four phases with a Go/No-Go decision at each step: you only commit to the next phase once the previous one has proven something.
Why start with a prototype without final art?
Because a beautiful game that is not fun is still a game that is not fun. Testing the loop without dressing avoids confusing gameplay enjoyment with visual enjoyment. If the loop holds in grey boxes, it will hold in colour.
Unity, Godot or web — how do you choose?
By the game, not by fashion. Unity for 3D, ecosystem requirements and classic publishing. Godot for lightweight 2D and open-source independence. Web when viral distribution and zero-install matter most, as with Awale Flow.
Can you build a branded game or a serious game?
Yes, and the method does not change. A branded game simply carries one extra constraint: serving a measurable business objective — awareness, qualified lead capture, training, in-store engagement. We define that metric during scoping, alongside retention.
Who owns the game at the end?
You do. Source code, assets, store accounts and player data are yours. We deliver the documentation your team or another vendor needs to take over operations.
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