Delivered at Casual Connect USA 2017. Idle clicker games are a young genre that has seen explosive growth in the last few years thanks to the popularity of games such as Clicker Heroes and AdVenture Capitalist. This session will explore the evolution of the idle genre from simple indie projects to games with major licensed IPs and celebrities (Chuck Norris, WWE). We will also share best practices for improving retention and monetization (both IAP and ads).

1. IDLE CLICKER GAMES
WHY ARE THEY SO POPULAR AND HOW CAN I GET IN ON THE ACTION?
David P. Chiu
DC Games Consulting LLC

2. • 12+ years in games industry
• Intel in Gaming Developer Relations & Business Development, US Gaming Marketing &
Campaign Strategy
• Head of Business Development and Developer Relations at Kongregate
• Vice President of R2 Games USA
• Worked on hit games such as Clicker Heroes, Politicats, Game of Thrones Ascent
• Now at DC Games Consulting LLC
WHO AM I?
DC Games Consulting LLC

3. HOW DID IDLE CLICKER GAMES GET STARTED?

4. WHAT IS A
CLICKER GAME?
• AKA tapper, idle, or incremental
games
• Relatively new genre
• Recently gained massive popularity
• For a deep-dive into the genre:
www.gdcvault.com/play/1022066/Idl
e-Games-The-Mechanics-and
(Kongregate, Anthony Pecorella)
DC Games Consulting LLC

5. ORIGINATED ON PC
DC Games Consulting LLC

6. GAINED MASSIVE POPULARITY ON MOBILE
DC Games Consulting LLC

7. BIG BRANDS GETTING INTO ON THE ACTION
DC Games Consulting, LLCDC Games Consulting LLC

8. MANY IDLE
CLICKERS IN THE
TOP CHARTS
DC Games Consulting LLC

9. TRAILER PARK BOYS
• Launched April 20, 2017
• Highest peak grossing ranking for idle
clickers
• iOS Top Grossing 72 Game in the US
• Consistently in Top 100-200 Grossing
(US) in first month
• Currently iOS Top Grossing #165 Game
(US)

10. WHY ARE THEY SO POPULAR?

11. POPULAR
WITH PLAYERS
• Easy to pick up and play
• Short sessions are perfect
for mobile
• Constant cycle of positive
reinforcement and
progression
DC Games Consulting LLC

12. POPULAR WITH
DEVELOPERS AND
PUBLISHERS
• Incredibly strong retention
• Top games have:
• D1: 50-70%+
• D7: 30-40%+
• D30: 15-20%+
DC Games Consulting LLC

13. POPULAR WITH
DEVELOPERS AND
PUBLISHERS
• High retention + multiple
sessions a day = Ad $$$
• Idle clicker games in Top 200
grossing based only on IAP
• Rewarded videos can double
game monetization
• Advertisers love them
• CPMs are high
DC Games Consulting LLC
Source:
AdVenture
Capitalist,
Kongregate,
The Rise and Rise
of Idle Games

14. POPULAR WITH
DEVELOPERS AND
PUBLISHERS
• App stores love them!
• Regularly featured and re-
featured
• Many received Editors’ Choice

15. POPULAR WITH
DEVELOPERS AND
PUBLISHERS
• Top idle clicker games have millions
of downloads
• Top games generated 8-figures in
revenue
DC Games Consulting LLC

16. POPULAR WITH
DEVELOPERS
• Ideal for self-publishing
• Low production cost
• Short dev cycle
DC Games Consulting LLC

17. Leverage Existing Assets
• Many popular clicker games are spinoffs of other
games
Cloudstone  Clicker Heroes
Time Rifters  Time Clickers
Best Fiends  Best Fiends Forever
Bush Whacker  Crusaders of the Lost Idol
• Even lower cost and faster dev time

18. EVOLUTION AND BEST PRACTICES

19. IDLE CLICKER
EVOLUTION
• Genre keeps evolving
• More features
• IP/ brands
• Combining genres
• Deeper monetization
DC Games Consulting LLC

20. IDLE CLICKER GAME MONETIZATION

21. IDLE CLICKER GAMES:
IAP MONETIZATION
Typically feature 3 types of currency:
• Soft currency
• Earned through gameplay
• Hard currency
• Bought from IAP or slowly accumulated through
gameplay
• Prestige/ Ascension currency
• Earned when you reset the game in exchange for
this currency that grants bonus stat boosts
• Can be used to buy certain
characters/items/artifacts that can only be
purchased using prestige/ ascension currency

22. IDLE CLICKER GAMES: IAP MONETIZATION
Hard currency is typically used for:
Fast Forward/ Time Warp
• Earn X hours of soft currency at the current rate
• Can offer multiple time spans (1 hour, 4 hours, 1 day, 3 days, etc)
Speed Multiplier
• Buy a permanent multiplier boost
• Can be for soft currency accumulation (3x gold), damage per second, damage per tap,
etc.
Temporary Boosts
• 2x gold boost for X hours or days
Instant Prestiging/ Quick Ascension
• Pay hard currency to earn the prestige/ascension currency or bonuses without having
to reset your game and restart from level 1

23. IDLE CLICKER GAMES:
GACHA MECHANIC
• Random draw for a valuable item in the game
• Incorporate CCG elements like varying rarity levels
(common, uncommon, rare, legendary)
• Simple and repeatable sink for hard currency for
users to chase desired reward

24. CCG MONETIZATION IN IDLE CLICKERS

25. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
• CCG mechanics in idle games popularized by Clicker
Heroes, Taps to Riches and Crusaders of the Lost Idols
• Most recently by Trailer Park Boys and Office Space
• CCG mechanics greatly improve IAP monetization

26. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
• Previously, the CCG mechanics were ancillary
• Pets in Tap Titans and Nonstop Knights
• Now integrated into core loop
• Office Space, Trailer Park Boys
• Effective appointment mechanic
• Offer free pack or card draw every 4-6 hours

27. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
• Office Space follows Taps to Riches model of gachafied managers that provide bonuses for currency
generators

28. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
• Shop Tutorial introduces Medium Pack and gives player a free one
• Gives player an Epic card and then shows him/her how to use the cards

29. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
Trailer Park Boys
• Upgrading characters (biz managers) and businesses (soft currency generator requires cards AND liquor (pseudo-hard
currency)
• No direct prestige currency in the game (replaced by liquor and cards which gate progress)

30. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
Trailer Park Boys
• Shop refreshes 5 hours with 3 cards that you can buy directly with liquor
• Cards obtained from prestiging/ finishing seasons, season/business milestones or 3 gachas draws (hard
currency sink)

31. CCG MECHANICS IN IDLE CLICKERS
Trailer Park Boys
• Repeating prestiging (ending and starting new seasons) will unlock new cards
• Trade unwanted cards for liquor
• Use hard currency to buy gacha draws

32. AD MONETIZATION IN IDLE CLICKERS

33. AD MONETIZATION
DC Games Consulting LLC
• Consider adding rewarded video to increase your LTV
• Good for high retaining casual games with low monetization
• Integrate mediation platform and multiple ad networks
• Negotiate superior deal terms

34. AD MONETIZATION
DC Games Consulting LLC
• Integrate ads into gameplay (core loop or regularly repeating screen)
• Prominent surfacing/ placements
• Offer meaningful rewards
• Incorporate ads into new content or/and limited timed events
• Limit video pre-caching to minimize OTA data usage
• Avoid long ads and “bad ads”

35. IDLE CLICKER GAMES: AD MONETIZATION
• Short burst of soft currency
• Small amount of hard currency
• Temporary boost (e.g. 2x gold for X
time)
• Spin in a wheel of fortune or mini-game
• Double the amount of offline gains
upon returning to the game

36. LIMITED TIME EVENTS IN IDLE CLICKERS

37. LIMITED TIME EVENT
• Great for improving long term retention and monetization
• Weekly, biweekly or monthly events to drive retention up
• Can be tied to seasonal events/ holidays
• Progress is separate from main game
• Events lead to increased IAP and ad revenue by keeping
players engaged and drives up retention as well

38. LIMITED TIME EVENTS IN ADCAP INCREASES
IAP AND AD MONETIZATION

39. LIMITED TIME EVENTS:
OFFICE SPACE - IDLE PROFITS

40. LIMITED TIME EVENTS:
OFFICE SPACE - IDLE PROFITS

41. MONETIZATION: EVENT SPECIFIC
BUNDLES/SALES

42. LEADERBOARDS AND EVENTS
• In addition to Event Loot Boxes, Office Space also has an Event Corp Leaderboard with tiered prizes
• Drives engagement, competition and purchasing

43. • Dungeon Inc has weekly Tournaments with Tier Prizes
LEADERBOARDS AND PVP TOURNAMENT

44. • Tournament is based on async PvP instead of single player progression
LEADERBOARDS AND PVP TOURNAMENT

45. • Prizes are based on tiers
• Drives engagement, competition and potentially purchasing
LEADERBOARDS AND PVP TOURNAMENT

46. WHY AN IDLE
CLICKER GAME?
• Love by app stores and players
• Potential for millions of downloads
and revenue
• Short dev cycle
• Room for innovation
DC Games Consulting LLC

47. QUESTIONS?
DC Games Consulting LLC
David P. Chiu
DC Games Consulting LLC
david.p.chiu@gmail.com