Voodoo, a mobile games publisher has successfully pivoted its model to making hybrid games, which combine stickier gameplay mechanics with improved monetization opportunities. With this strategy, Voodoo has already built a portfolio of 10 mature and resilient games generating USD 20m to USD 100m revenue each per year. The publisher is now building a portfolio of games with even stronger potential, some of which are expected to exceed USD 100m in annual revenue in the coming years.
Voodoo has shifted its whole organisation and ways of working from hyper-casual to hybrid since 2022, focusing on strong gameplays within the battle and puzzle genres, to reach higher playtime and retention. The shift includes setting up a Casual team that works on the games with the strongest potential of the portfolio, to increase retention and monetization opportunities of the games. Voodoo casual games VP Alvaro Duarte said, “The Casual team within Voodoo was built among experts in the area. They are in charge of ensuring that today’s batch of hybrid games remain successful and relevant for the next five or 10 years to come.”
Voodoo’s hybrid approach is supported by a pool of best-in-class studios, both internal and external to Voodoo, with an excellent track record and a high level of execution, to work on new gameplays. After games are launched, teams with expertise and a background in casual gaming work on the meta-features to reach higher levels of margin per user. Meta features are additional in-game content that supports or complements the core gameplay. The approach is also supported by a different strategy for user acquisition and monetization of the games, one that fits better with these kinds of games.
Voodoo’s mega-hits include Mob Control and Collect’em All, casual titles from the acquired studio Beach Bum, and early hyper-casual successes with very strong gameplay that have benefited from the hybrid approach.
With a portfolio of successful titles and a strategy that is optimized for making resilient games with massive revenue potential, Voodoo is poised to become the go-to partner for game development studios looking to create the next big hit.
Voodoo core VP Charles Andréani said, “With this new approach and Voodoo’s unique capacity to make mega-hits that are resilient over time, we believe there are huge success opportunities for mobile game development studios that are partnering with us.”
Voodoo is looking for experienced and talented game development teams that are dedicated to creating the next USD 100m hit game.
