ASO tests and results on midcore projects
Kingdom Clash. Screenshots and video
For Kingdom Clash screenshots, we tested a hypothesis involving a bridge level, considering adding it to the game. The results were intriguing.
“Initially, it was our typical workflow for working with ASO for midcore. We placed a new screenshot in the middle of the old ones and compared the metrics. They grew, and then we moved it to the first place. The metrics grew again and there is nothing surprising about this, but then we started getting feedback from players that it was this screenshot that interested them and led to them downloading the game,”
Daniil Ovcharov, ASO Manager
The dev team conducted a small survey and received the same feedback. It’s unclear what exactly sparked the interest, but one hypothesis is that the screenshot resembles old RTS games from the 2000s, where single-player campaigns often included a battle on a bridge, requiring strategic defense.
Even players who didn’t make this connection still saw a dramatic plot in the image, understanding that the game involves challenging other players. This challenge aspect and leaderboards are key for retention and monetization in the game.
For the video, Kingdom Clash already had a stable audience and income, making it worthwhile to invest resources into creating a video. We produced a minimalistic video based on the first bridge screenshot, which increased conversion to installs by up to 10% in tier-1 countries. The video production took about a month.
In contrast, videos don’t play as significant a role in hyper-casual and often don’t affect conversion, so ASO approaches differ. In midcore, which can weigh up to several gigabytes, players need assurance of the project’s quality before downloading, making every detail on the page important.
Railroad Empire. Screenshots and icon
Railroad Empire, a relatively new midcore tycoon game, features a highly realistic setting. Every train in the game is modeled after real prototypes, using actual photographs and blueprints.
This approach was deliberate, a result of in-depth audience research, revealing a demand for realism not met by other games in the genre. After this hypothesis has proved to be true, it became the project’s USP and was integrated into our ASO strategy.
In the new screenshot set, we focused on close-ups of trains passing industrial facilities. The core audience appreciates detailed models, so emphasizing train authenticity resonated well with train enthusiasts.
We manually refined the screenshots, highlighting key technical details like steam emissions and recognizable elements of famous train models. These scenes were highly engaging for our target audience, attracting many new players.
Conversion to install on the main store listing increased by about 50%.
For the icon, we aimed for a fresh look and tested a more modern EMC EA/EB train, which resulted in excellent growth across all countries, including the USA and Tier-1 regions. The main store listing saw a 40% increase.
World War Heroes. Icon and video
A well-established project with a dedicated audience, World War Heroes saw consistent performance with its existing icon leading the charts for a long time. However, we decided to leverage Midjourney for a new version, followed by manual refinements.
“The new icon clearly references iconic images from famous World War II shooters. The soldier’s silhouette is distinct, and the minimalistic background avoids unnecessary details, making the icon easily recognizable on mobile devices,”
Daniil Ovcharov, ASO Manager
Like Railroad Empire, we focused on realism, unlike some competitors who incorporate fantasy elements. We also referenced old PC first-person shooters, possibly evoking the same nostalgia seen with the Kingdom Clash screenshots. Few titles have such a serious historical setting, making the icon appealing to our target audience.
Further experiments involved adapting the WWH icon for different countries and nationalities. This visual localization increased conversion in Asian regions by an additional 10%.
We also produced a new promo video for World War Heroes, which improved conversion in the App Store by an impressive 15% compared to the previous video.
The video script and scene selection were meticulously crafted over six months. It’s a long time, but for a long-lived game that continues to earn and grow, this investment was worthwhile.
We are now heavily focused on long-lived projects, a trend dictated by the market. Mobile games can — and should — be developed and scaled over years rather than aiming for quick hits. This is why we pay so much attention to midcore projects, among other things, and meticulous polishing at all stages.