How “Last War: Survival” Raked in $1.6 Billion in a Mere 18 Months!

Last War: Survival Game Revenue on the Google Play

The record-breaking success was significantly bolstered by the game's explosive growth starting in Q3 of 2024.

Last War: Survival begins with an experience that aligns with the casual gameplay depicted in its advertisements—a straightforward, hyper-casual "run" game. This opening segment lasts approximately five minutes, providing players with a quick and satisfying burst of action reminiscent of the ad that captured their interest. However, this casual mode is only an introduction, as it soon gives way to the game's true depth.

Following the initial casual gameplay, players are seamlessly transitioned into the core experience of Last War: Survival—a strategic mission focused on fort building. As players progress, they complete various missions that introduce them to essential elements such as resource gathering, base construction, and managing a growing settlement. This onboarding process is designed to gradually increase player engagement, as they find themselves immersed in a mid-core strategy game with complex mechanics and long-term objectives.

By initially matching the visuals of its advertisements and then transitioning to more sophisticated gameplay, Last War: Survival successfully attracts casual players and retains their interest with its deeper strategic elements.

Powerful Brand Marketing Campaigns

"Last War: Survival" capitalized on its "misleading ads" concept and integrated it into innovative influencer marketing campaigns and celebrity brand partnerships. Influencers were seen playing math-based mini-games or shooting zombies, which helped drive engagement.

In Q4 of 2024, "Last War: Survival" partnered with actor Antony Starr, known for his role as Homelander in the popular TV series "The Boys," to launch a series of highly successful ads on TikTok and Snapchat. In these ads, Starr stated, "This game is called ‘Last War: Survival.' It's gone viral because the developers turned the fake games from the ads into a real game."

However, "Last War: Survival" took this approach a step further by implementing region-specific strategies.

According to Meta App Creatives, in the United States, the ads prominently featured Antony Starr, leveraging his fame from "The Boys." Meanwhile, in Japan, the marketing team tapped into the popularity of local comedians and YouTube influencers to infuse the ads with a sense of familiarity and entertainment.

This strategy fostered a sense of connection and trust, encouraging audiences to try the game.


👉 Click here to view the Last War: Survival ad materials and learn more!

Efficient Monetization of Operational Activities

Another key aspect of the success of "Last War: Survival" is the effectiveness of its operational activities.

According to FoxData-ASO Impact Analysis, this is evident from the game's regular and significant revenue peaks, a performance not seen in its closest competitors.

Key points in the operational activities of "Last War: Survival":

• The game effectively enhances players' sense of urgency to spend through limited-time currencies, bundles, time-limited shops, and significant discounts during events.

• Weekly events (such as Alliance Showdown VS) promote "cooperative competition" and create social pressure to drive spending.

• In addition to seasonal and holiday events (like Halloween and Christmas), the game's operational activities leverage cultural hotspots (such as the 2024 Summer Olympics) to engage the player community.

Effective Monetization Strategies for All Player Segments

Traditionally, 4X and competitive games with intricate progression systems have concentrated on monetizing "whales"—players who spend a lot. However, as these games draw more diverse audiences, developers have shifted their strategy to target all player segments, including smaller spenders like "minnows" and "dolphins."

Conversion and Sustained Purchases

The main thrust of this strategy is converting as many gamers as possible into spenders through low-cost initial offers. These offers are designed to deliver substantial value and encourage a habit of frequent, smaller transactions. This approach has been effectively implemented by titles such as "Last War."

"Last War" attracts first-time buyers with offers priced between $1 and $3. These packages often include significant benefits, such as additional construction lines and UR (Ultra Rare) heroes. Such compelling offers are crafted to entice new players into making their first purchase while still enabling them to perceive themselves as non-paying players.

Hero Acquisition and Premium Passes

In "Last War," hero acquisition and progression are crucial elements of monetization. Players collect and upgrade heroes through shards, complemented by a generous gacha system intended to heighten excitement. However, the game strategically limits UR heroes within this system, thereby encouraging purchases via in-app purchases (IAPs) where heroes are available earlier than through gacha.

The monetization strategy heavily incorporates premium passes, typically offering certain hero shards and unlocking additional purchase options for players, which strengthens regular investment.

Transition from Gacha to Direct Sales

Developers have gradually shifted focus from relying on gacha mechanics to selling heroes directly through IAPs. This pivot helps cater to a broader player segment, tapping into a preference for offers that guarantee specific outcomes over the probabilistic nature of gacha pulls.

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