Midcore games—strategy, RPG, simulation—require a fundamentally different UA approach than casual or hypercasual. Longer payback windows, higher CPIs, and complex player journeys demand sophisticated targeting and optimization strategies.
Understanding Midcore Economics
Key Differences from Casual
- CPI range: $5-50+ (vs $0.20-2 casual)
- LTV timeline: 90-365 days to materialize
- Revenue source: 80%+ from IAP
- Whale dependency: Top 1% = 50%+ revenue
🎯 Midcore Reality
Midcore games can't optimize to D1 or even D7 ROAS like casual games. You need predictive LTV models and confidence in your D30-D90 projections to make profitable UA decisions.
Targeting High-Value Players
Whale Identification Signals
- Device type (iPhone Pro, high-end Android)
- Previous game spending behavior
- Engagement patterns in similar titles
- Response to premium content previews
Value-Based Lookalikes
- Seed with payers, not just installers
- Create tiered seeds by spend level
- Refresh seeds monthly with recent data
- Test top 1% vs top 5% vs top 10% seeds
Creative Strategies
What Works for Midcore
- Character showcases: Premium character designs
- Progression fantasy: Show end-game power
- Social proof: Community, guilds, competitive
- Story hooks: Narrative-driven engagement
"Midcore creatives should sell the fantasy of mastery. Players want to see the powerful character they could become, not the grind to get there."
Event-Driven UA
Scaling Around Events
- Launch campaigns 1-2 days before major events
- Create event-specific creatives
- Increase budgets 30-50% during events
- Use event urgency in messaging
Event Types to Leverage
- Anniversary celebrations
- New character/content releases
- Seasonal events
- Collaboration events
Channel Strategy
Platform Mix
- Meta (40-50%): Best for lookalike targeting
- Google (20-30%): YouTube for visual-heavy games
- Unity/ironSource (15-25%): Cross-promotion
- TikTok (10-15%): Growing for younger audiences
LTV Prediction
Predictive Signals
- D1-D3 engagement depth
- Early progression milestones
- First purchase timing
- Social feature usage
Scale Your Midcore Game
ClicksFlyer helps midcore publishers reach high-value players through premium targeting and quality traffic.
Learn MoreRetention Integration
- Coordinate UA with LiveOps calendar
- Re-engage lapsed users before new UA
- Use CRM data to inform acquisition targeting
- Build lookalikes from retained, not just acquired users
Midcore UA is a long game. Build robust LTV models, focus on quality over quantity, and align acquisition with retention strategies for sustainable growth.