Pre-Launch Success: Mobile Puzzle-RPG Surpasses 100K Sign-Ups

The Challenge

The mobile game developer aimed to secure 100,000 pre-registrations for their new puzzle-RPG hybrid within three months. They also needed to ensure low acquisition costs, build community excitement, and create strong visibility on both Google Play and the App Store.

Our Solution

The marketing team launched a multi-phase strategy over three months, combining influencer outreach, targeted paid campaigns, and community initiatives.

Phase 1 (Month 1).

• Teaser trailer and landing page: released a short teaser highlighting puzzle-RPG mechanics and set up a landing page with clear pre-registration CTAs.
• Influencer outreach: partnered with mid-tier gaming influencers on YouTube and Twitch to showcase concept art and tease gameplay.
• Email marketing and community building: announced bonus in-game currency for pre-registrants and launched a private Discord server for early adopters.
• Organic social push: revealed character designs, lore snippets, and dev insights on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram to drive initial buzz.

End of Month 1: 25,000 pre-registrations at a $2.50 CPR (higher than target, prompting refined targeting and ad creative testing).

Phase 2 (Month 2).

• Targeted paid user acquisition: ran short-form ads on Meta, TikTok, and Google UAC, leveraging lookalike audiences and past user data.
• Cross-promotion: traded banner placements with partner studios for mutual exposure.
• Influencer live streams and beta access: provided select influencers with beta builds, prompting live streams and first-look content.
• ASO and localization: optimized store listings (screenshots, descriptions, keywords) and localized the landing page in multiple languages.

End of Month 2: 65,000 pre-registrations at a $1.80 CPR (a significant cost improvement thanks to better targeting).

Phase 3 (Month 3).

• Countdown campaign and retargeting: created a 10-day countdown on social media and ran retargeting ads for previous landing-page visitors.
• Press outreach and media coverage: sent press kits to gaming outlets and tech blogs, securing coverage with links to the pre-registration page.
• Community events and contests: hosted daily quizzes and puzzle challenges on Discord, awarding exclusive digital items.
• User-generated content: encouraged fans to submit artwork, memes, and videos; top submissions were shared on official channels.

End of Month 3: 120,000 pre-registrations (20% above goal) at a $1.50 CPR, with a Discord community of 10,000 members.

Results

• Surpassed the 100,000 target with a final count of 120,000 pre-registrations.
• Maintained a $1.50 cost per registration, well below the $2 goal.
• Garnered 60,000 installs on launch day, driven by enthusiastic pre-registrants, influencer coverage, and press mentions.

“They not only met our ambitious pre-registration target, they exceeded our expectations. The entire strategy, working with influencers, targeted ads, and community-building, was essential to our launch success.”

Lead Producer, Puzzle-RPG Mobile Game

Conclusion

Through careful planning, iterative optimization, and robust community engagement, the campaign exceeded expectations. Early ASO work, influencer partnerships, and a well-managed Discord community fostered organic buzz that translated into strong launch-day performance and a high-quality user base.