In 2021, IGN published a list ranking the best-selling games of all time, with the pioneer of puzzle games, Tetris, claiming the top spot. Without accounting for pirated copies, Tetris led the pack with a staggering 520 million copies sold, surpassing "Minecraft" with its 238 million copies in sales. Even today, gamers worldwide continue to celebrate "Tetris," and game developers are dedicated to exploring new dimensions within this classic.

Recently, a game named "Block Blast Adventure Master" (hereafter referred to as "Block Blast") caught my attention. In just three months, this pure IAA (Incremental App Advertising) game has seen an eight-fold increase in downloads, amassing nearly 70 million downloads on both platforms. It has consistently ranked among the top 10 iOS games in the United States for almost half a year. What's even more surprising is that since its launch in April last year, "Block Blast" has deployed over 290,000 advertisements.

It's safe to say that "Block Blast" is a game-changer, whether in terms of rankings or user acquisition, making it a dark horse in the IAA game circuit this year.

Part 1 Unconventional Yet Engaging Gameplay Backed by Aggressive User Acquisition

Let's delve into the gameplay of "Block Blast." It's a Tetris-style puzzle elimination game with three distinct modes: Classic, Adventure, and More Modes (Drop Elimination Mode).

The Classic mode offers an endless, time-free gameplay loop. Players are free to position various shaped blocks to achieve complete row/column eliminations. There's no time constraint, and the game encourages players to challenge themselves, aiming to accumulate higher scores and create a satisfying flow experience.

The Adventure mode follows a level-based structure, creatively merging the gameplay of Tetris with gem-matching mechanics. For example, some levels feature blocks containing one or more types of gems, and the level objectives require collecting a specific quantity of these gems. Players need to strategically arrange and combine blocks to collect as many gems as possible in a single move to complete the level. This mode operates with a system similar to a "championship," displaying time-limited events and a specific number of levels. Based on the information available, Adventure mode has introduced levels centered around animal-themed storylines. Therefore, it's reasonable to assume that this mode periodically introduces new levels and adventure themes to provide players with a fresh experience. It's worth noting that as the levels progress, additional elements like move limits are introduced, adding more strategic depth to the gameplay.

In addition to these two core modes, there is also a hidden drop-and-match gameplay mode accessible from the settings menu. This mode is quite classic, where you move blocks to make them drop to the next row for elimination.

In summary, these three modes are all very classic and traditional gameplay styles. Among them, the Adventure mode is the one that can bring the most novelty and excitement to players. The Drop-and-Match mode is the most challenging, while the Classic mode offers the simplest and most primal elimination pleasure. However, it's worth noting that there are many similar games on the market with these gameplay styles. If you search with keywords like "Jewel" and "Blast," you'll find games like "Block Puzzle Jewel" and "Jewel Blast," which combine Tetris with gem matching gameplay.

Image source: Guangdadadata

"Block Blast" has also put a lot of effort into the "gem" element. In addition to these three complementary game modes, "Block Blast" has made significant efforts in terms of visual presentation, elimination effects, and sound effects. For instance, the colors of the blocks are more vibrant but not overwhelming, aligning with the characteristics of gems and providing players with a visually pleasing experience. During the elimination of entire rows or columns, the game incorporates a combo counter, showcasing magnificent light effects and crisp gem collision sound effects, once again reinforcing the concept of "gems" and leaving a deep impression on players.

It can be said that a large number of creative levels, gradually increasing difficulty, and stunning visual effects have given "Block Blast" the confidence to compete with other well-established Tetris-style elimination games. However, the core element that propelled "Block Blast" to fame lies in its aggressive promotion efforts.

Currently, "Block Blast" is a purely IAA-monetized game. As such, advertising plays a pivotal role in its promotion. According to extensive data, in the more than one year since its launch in April last year, "Block Blast" has run over 290,000 advertisements on mainstream platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads, TikTok, etc., with around 110,000 of them being unique. The game has particularly targeted markets in the United States, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and other regions with substantial advertising campaigns.

Image source: Guangdada, advertising spending in the past 360 days

When considering data from the past 90 days, "Block Blast" ranks 7th on the overall iOS advertising spending chart and 9th on the Android platform.

Image source: Guangdada Left: Android channel Right: iOS channel

According to the survey, the majority of advertisements released by "Block Blast" are video ads, accounting for 97.15% of the total, while other types of ads have a much smaller share.

IAA games indeed align well with video advertisements. I observed some of the most popular advertisements for "Block Blast" and found that most of them are creative in nature. Many of these ads showcase the classic Tetris gameplay, highlighting the appeal of elimination by changing block colors, sound effects, or transforming blocks into various shapes for unique puzzles or rotations.

On TikTok, "Block Blast" offers even more creative possibilities. Many ads combine Tetris-style block elimination with real-life dramatic scenes, creating short drama vignettes.

Caption: I've included a video so you can hear the sound effects – they're really captivating.

In addition to these approaches, there are ads that anthropomorphize or objectify the blocks. These ads often feature animations or unusual scenarios like dating, emphasizing the satisfying and entertaining feeling of blocks disappearing suddenly.

Thanks to its creative approach and substantial advertising investments, "Block Blast" has accumulated nearly 70 million downloads on both Google Play and iOS platforms. In May alone, the game achieved over 12 million downloads. It has maintained a stable position in the TOP 10 of the overall game rankings in the United States and consistently ranks in the top 10 of puzzle game charts in countries like Japan, Canada, and Brazil.

Part 2 - Dominating the Charts: The Company Behind the Success

Given the impressive and attention-grabbing performance of "Block Blast," we are curious to know more about the developer behind it, Hungry Studio. According to publicly available data, Hungry Studio is located in Hong Kong, and its parent company is Beijing Yiyou Jiahe Network. Company records indicate that Beijing Yiyou Jiahe Network was established in 2017 and is a gaming company with a focus on mobile and H5 games. They operate an online mini-games platform called "Game 123."However, further investigation reveals a close relationship between Game 123 and 7k7k. In fact, on BOSS Zhi Pin (a job recruitment platform), the company profile of Beijing Yiyou Jiahe Network directly mentions Geyou Network, providing further confirmation of their affiliation.

Mentioning Beijing Geyou Network might not ring a bell with many players, but when you mention 7k7k.com, it's likely to evoke childhood memories for numerous Chinese gamers. Beijing Geyou Network is the operator behind 7k7k.com, one of China's most well-known gaming websites. Apart from the 7k7k platform, Beijing Geyou Network also manages several representative products such as "Happy Pairs," "The Strongest Sudoku," "Hot Blooded Clash," and many more. In line with the trend of going global, Beijing Geyou Network has entered this wave, gradually exploring the casual gaming category. It's worth noting that in 2020, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun invested in Beijing Geyou Network as an individual, with a subscribed capital of 89,947 RMB and a 5.84% stake, making him one of its top five shareholders.

Based on the job listings on BOSS Zhi Pin, Beijing Geyou Network currently offers numerous positions related to going global and casual gaming, including level design, story planning, overseas accounting, animation (Cocos engine direction), and overseas ad optimization specialist (IAA), among others. They also provide competitive salaries. From this, it's evident that Beijing Geyou Network's future development will likely focus on the casual gaming track with IAA monetization as the primary strategy, particularly in the puzzle and level-based gaming genres.

Image source: BOSS直聘 Beijing Geyou recruitment for some positions

Part 3 Conclusion

Beijing Geyou Network's strong entry into the global gaming market has created ripples in an already surging wave, breaking the trend of a lack of fresh blood in the casual gaming arena. Following the success of "Block Blast" overseas, it has also reignited interest in "Tetris," prompting numerous game developers worldwide to explore new possibilities for the classic game. One interesting game that caught my attention is "Jelly Field" by the overseas developer George Valentine. This jelly elimination mobile game is based on block gameplay and features jelly characters with unique elimination mechanics. It is currently in testing in the United States, Brazil, and other regions.

In summary, amidst the major gaming companies exploring hybrid monetization models and combining gameplay strategies, there are also players like "Block Blast Adventure Master" that delve into how to innovate within the pure IAA (In-App Advertising) model and leverage social media platforms to capture more users. This, perhaps, is an area that future casual gaming developers should deeply consider as well.