Five lessons from Dice Dreams’ successful growth strategy

• Dice Dreams’ success in multiplying its revenue is based on a comprehensive approach to game design and monetisation
• SuperPlay’s rapid growth has caught the eye of Playtika, which is set to acquire the studio in a deal worth up to $1.95 billion

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SuperPlay first released its multiplayer social dice game Dice Dreams back in 2019. Fast-forward to 2024, the title is currently having its best year to date. What’s more, as well as scaling Dice Dreams, the studio has launched a new and growing title Domino Dreams – which in today’s market is no easy feat.

This success hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Playtika is set to acquire SuperPlay in a deal that could be worth up to $1.95 billion. We also named SuperPlay in our Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 list.

In this feature, Gradient Universe founder Oxana Fomina takes a closer look at what SuperPlay has accomplished with Dice Dreams through its live ops strategy and shares five lessons on how the studio made it work.

In the dynamic world of mobile games, it’s rare to see such rapid growth, as demonstrated by Dice Dreams. Since its worldwide release on February 5th, 2020, this engaging board game from SuperPlay has made a real breakthrough, especially in 2023 to 2024.

According to Sensor Tower, since the beginning of 2023, Dice Dreams has shown phenomenal revenue growth of almost 400% and increased its number of downloads by 91.1%. This impressive result allowed the game to reach 9th place in the “Board Games” category in the App Store worldwide.

The success of Dice Dreams and Domino Dreams has not gone unnoticed.

Recently, gaming giant Playtika announced the acquisition of SuperPlay for an impressive $700 million, with the possibility of additional payments of up to $1.25 billion upon achieving certain financial targets over the next three years. This acquisition underscores the enormous potential and success achieved by the SuperPlay team.

A compelling live ops strategy has been key to achieving such phenomenal growth. Dice Dreams’ experience proves that for companies aiming for significant revenue growth and long-term success, creating a unified, well-thought-out live ops system is not just an advantage but a necessity.

The integration of various live events, seasonal offers, and constant interaction with the gaming community has created a dynamic ecosystem that retains existing players and attracts new ones.

This approach has allowed Dice Dreams to not just survive in the highly competitive mobile games market but to become one of the leaders in its category.

This article will examine how the SuperPlay team used the live ops strategy to achieve such impressive growth and what lessons other mobile game developers can learn from this success.

Dice Dreams offers players an exciting journey into a world of magical kingdoms, where they can roll dice, attack friends, steal coins, and build their magical kingdom. The game combines classic dice-rolling gameplay with quests, sticker collecting, and pet care, creating a unique and captivating gaming experience. 

In 2023, the game launched 19 events, while in 2024, this number increased to 24 events.

The increase in event types from 13 in 2023 to 15 in 2024 shows a commitment to diversifying gameplay. This variety keeps the game fresh and appealing to a wide range of players, contributing to long-term retention. 

The majority of events positively influenced both revenue and player engagement. Revenue increases ranged from 6% to over 43% for various events.

Dice Dreams uses diverse events to maintain player interest, with a strong emphasis on bonuses and goal achievement. The monetisation strategy appears balanced, focusing on regular offers and experimenting with various formats. The game seems to strive to create a multifaceted experience that retains players while providing numerous opportunities for monetisation.

Events Distribution by Mechanics

Bonus events (18) make up the largest share of all events. This indicates a strategy of frequently providing players with additional advantages, which can increase engagement and retention. Events with milestone rewards (9) are the second most frequent.

This mechanic encourages prolonged player participation and can increase time spent in the game. The inclusion of cooperative club events and tournaments demonstrates attention to social interaction. Such events can strengthen the sense of community and improve player retention.

The variety of monetisation events (9 types) indicates a multifaceted approach to monetisation. The highest number of regular offers means a stable sales strategy.

The large number of different types of offers indicates a strategy of creating a sense of urgency and uniqueness to stimulate purchases. It also shows a willingness to experiment with formats to increase conversion.

Calendar of Dice Dreams events from May to July 2024

The Pet Event emerged as the standout success story of 2023, captivating game developers to such an extent that it was adapted and integrated into games across multiple genres. I’ve broken down the key elements and shared insights in my article: ‘How to increase your game’s metrics with a single event’. 

Lesson one: Diversification of gaming experience through live events

Dice Dreams implemented a diverse system of live events, each addressing different aspects of gameplay and player psychology.

Various event types show an effort to diversify the gameplay (see events distribution by mechanics table below).

Short-term events dominate. With 54.2% of events lasting 1-3 days and 33.3% lasting 4-7 days, the focus is clearly on short-term engagement. Short-term intensive events, like “Pixie Rush,” with a 50% increase in the chance of rare resources, create a sense of urgency and encourage frequent app opens, boosting daily active users.

Source: Playliner

Long-term events, like the “Pet” event, lasting 34 days, create a long-term goal, motivating players to return to the game regularly. Events with social elements, like “Team Treasure,” show the best engagement results.

Leveraging social connections within the game creates a strong community and improves retention. The mix of short-term and long-term events caters to different player preferences. This balance helps maintain both daily active users and long-term player retention.

This variety ensures a constant influx of new experiences, maintaining player interest over the long term.

Lesson two: Integration and synergy between events

The company has expertly interwoven various events to create a dynamic, multi-layered engagement system:

• Cross-event synergy. Rewards from one event, such as pet food, can be utilised in another, forming a cohesive ecosystem that enhances the overall player experience.
• Integrated game features: Events like “Deep Dive Journey” and “Honey Road” are seamlessly connected to other game elements, driving activity across multiple facets of the game. The strategic design of “Honey Road” not only enhances player engagement but also leverages progression and choice mechanics to maximise monetisation potential.

This strategy boosts engagement and unlocks multiple monetisation opportunities. 

Lesson three: Innovative Approach to Monetisation

Dice Dreams developed a multifaceted monetisation strategy:

• Seasonal passes: “Dream Pass” for $4.99 provides access to exclusive rewards, creating a constant revenue stream.
• Choice system: In events like “Honey Road,” players choose their reward path, stimulating purchases due to FOMO.
• Exclusive offers: Special offers related to events create additional incentives for purchases.
• Events featuring popular game mechanics (such as pets or puzzles) often generate significant revenue.