The mobile gaming market has seen immense growth in recent years with mid-core and hardcore gaming apps taking the industry by a storm. Over 60% of hardcore and mid-core paying users generate 97% of revenue for mobile games. The combination of accessibility, engaging gameplay, and emerging preferences has contributed to the increasing popularity of midcore games. The loyalty of hard-core gaming app users accounts for the highest conversion rates of any mobile game at 1.6%.
These apps thrive when they have a core group of engaged and invested users. Gaming app marketers trying to hit their growth goals should work to retain and retarget any lapsed or dormant users in these categories. Read our best practices for segmenting and targeting your brand’s highly valuable mid-core and hard-core players.
What are Hard-core and Mid-core Games?
Hard-core Gaming Apps
Hardcore games tend to require players to invest a lot of time to learn gameplay and as a result, have the highest engagement among game genres. These mobile games feature long sessions and in-depth storytelling or battles that can’t be easily paused and picked up later. Hard-core gamers are driven by the desire to test their skills, win against other players or obtain in-game achievements. They also usually want to complete each game to its entirety, rather than pausing and stopping constantly.
Mid-core Gaming Apps
Mid-core games often distill a hard-core game down to simpler elements to have a broader appeal. These games are more complex than hyper-casual and casual games and require players to make time to play. Mid-core games require skill and strategy to progress and as a result, require players to be more invested than a typical casual game.
Audience Segmentation for Hard-core and Mid-core Gaming Apps
The audience for hard-core and mid-core gaming apps can differ in terms of their gaming preferences, level of engagement, and commitment to gameplay. Defining the key differences between apps in these verticals before jumping into a retargeting campaign is the first step in maintaining these valuable players. When app marketers understand these differences they can tailor their marketing strategies to the specific needs and preferences of each audience segment.
Gaming Preferences
Hard-core game players are typically highly committed to gaming and often prioritize challenging and competitive gameplay. They enjoy complex game mechanics, deep storylines, and may spend several hours a day playing games. They are more likely to engage in competitive multiplayer games, role-playing games or strategy games.
Mid-core gamers, on the other hand, may not dedicate as much time as hard-core gamers. Mid-core gamers enjoy a balance between challenging gameplay and accessibility. They are drawn to games that provide a moderate level of depth, strategy, and progression, such as action-adventure games, tower defense, or collectible card games.
Level of Engagement
When it comes to user engagement, hard-core players tend to spend a significant amount of time playing these games. They are also highly engaged with their gaming community and enjoy chat rooms and other forms of communication during their gameplay. They may participate in forums, watch gaming streams, or follow esports events related to their favorite games.
While not as intensely dedicated as hard-core gamers, mid-core gamers still show substantial interest and engagement in gaming. They are willing to invest time and effort into progressing in games but may have other commitments that limit their gaming time. These users may not be as interested in chatting with other gamers.
Time and Monetization
Hardcore gamers are more likely to invest both time and money in gaming. They may be willing to spend on in-app purchases, expansions, or subscriptions to enhance their gaming experience or gain a competitive edge. Since these users have invested so much time into these games and are in it until the end, they will be much more likely to resonate with rewards and in-app purchases.
Mid-core gaming app users may spend some money on in-app purchases or game-related items, they may be more cautious about their spending. They are likely to balance their gaming expenses with other commitments and prioritize value for money. These users may be more willing to sit through a rewarded video ad than utilize in-app purchases.
Retargeting Strategies for Hard-core Gaming Apps
Looking back at the differences in segmentation between hard-core and mid-core gamers helps marketers understand how best to target these specific users. Hard-core gamers invest their time and money into these games. Therefore, when re-engaging these users, marketers should keep in mind that these players take these games seriously.
Loyalty Rewards
Leveraging loyalty rewards and milestones is one great way to retain and keep the loyalty of hard-core gaming app users. Acknowledge and reward users who have reached significant milestones, played for a certain duration, or achieved high-ranking positions within your game. Retarget them with personalized messages congratulating their achievements and offering exclusive rewards, recognition, or in-game advantages to further motivate their ongoing engagement.
Challenge Completion Incentives
Another way marketers can re-engage hard-core game users is by leveraging their love for challenges. Identify users who have started but not completed challenging levels, quests, or missions within a specific game. Create retargeting campaigns that remind them of their unfinished challenges and highlight the rewards or recognition they can gain by completing them. Offer incentives, such as exclusive in-game items or access to advanced levels, to motivate them to return and conquer the challenge.
VIP Treatment
Because hard-core gamers are more committed to their games than any other demographic of gamers, highlighting their VIP status is a quick way of re-engaging these players. Segment the audience to identify high-value users or those who have shown a strong commitment to the game. Then app marketers can retarget these players with exclusive offers or access to VIP features, events, or in-game content. By providing these hardcore gamers with special perks, early access to updates, or exclusive in-game rewards there will be a reinforced sense of loyalty and value. This in-turn leads to a higher level of lifetime value in that user.
Retargeting Strategies for Mid-core Gaming Apps
While mid-core gamers are not as invested as hard-core ones, they still are interested in a competitive level of gameplay. They are willing to invest their time but might be more timid when it comes to completing purchases. App marketers can get creative in their re-engagement tactics when it comes to mid-core gamers.
Cross-Promotion
If there are multiple mid-core gaming apps under one portfolio, leveraging cross-promotion can be a beneficial way to win the attention of lapsed users. Companies that implement cross-promotion strategies have reported an increase in revenue of up to 30%. Identify users who have engaged with one app and retarget them with ads promoting your other relevant mid-core games. Highlight the unique features, gameplay mechanics, or rewards of the new game to pique their interest and encourage them to try it out.
Upgrades
App marketers can also utilize upgrades as a way to win the attention of dormant users. If a mid-core game offers upgrades, expansions, or additional content packs, retarget users who have completed the base game or reached a certain level. Show them ads highlighting the new content and emphasize the enhanced gameplay experiences they can enjoy by purchasing the upgrade or expansion. Provide incentives such as early access, exclusive rewards, or limited-time discounts to drive conversions.
Lack of Progress
Another way to engage lapsed players is by reminding them to complete levels or challenges. Marketers can do this by identifying users who have made progress in the game but haven't logged in or played for a while. Then they can create retargeting campaigns that remind them of their unfinished quests, unclaimed rewards, or levels they haven't completed. Offer incentives, such as bonus in-game currency or exclusive items, to encourage them to return and continue their progress. This will create a draw to the player to rejoin a specific game or complete a challenge.
Takeaways of App Marketing for Hard-core and Mid-core Gaming Apps
Hard-core and mid-core gaming apps thrive when they have a core group of engaged and invested users. Gaming app marketers trying to hit their growth goals should work to retain and retarget any lapsed or dormant users in these categories.
Retargeting Strategies for Hard-core and Mid-core Gaming Apps
- Hard-core: Leveraging loyalty rewards and milestones is one great way to retain and keep the loyalty of hard-core gaming app users. Marketers can also re-engage hardcore game users by leveraging their love for challenges. Identify users who have started but not completed challenging levels, quests, or missions within a specific game.
- Mid-core: If there are multiple mid-core gaming apps under one portfolio, leveraging cross-promotion can be a beneficial way to win the attention of lapsed users. Marketers can also utilize upgrades as a way to win the attention of dormant users. If a mid-core game offers upgrades, expansions, or additional content packs, retarget users who have completed the base game or reached a certain level.
