In the SLG mobile game market, First Fun's Last War: Survival Game has become one of the most noteworthy flagship titles. Launched in June 2023, the game has captivated attention and made a strong impact over the past year.
Following the shifts in the mobile gaming landscape, casualization has emerged as a new trend for SLGs, with hits like Whiteout Survival and Puzzles & Survival. However, compared to these two titles, Last War has seen even more remarkable revenue growth, especially after entering 2024.
According to data provided by FoxData, the game’s total revenue for 2024 exceeded $1.31 billion, with $600 million from the Apple App Store and $710 million from Google Play, making it one of the top five highest-grossing games of the year. The three markets generating the most revenue are the United States (around 30%), South Korea (around 20%), and Japan (around 17%), which aligns with the global market share distribution for SLGs.
In January 2025, the estimated revenue for Last War hit approximately $130 million for the month, with around $64.45 million from the App Store and $64.66 million from Google Play—an astonishing figure.
You may recall that we previously analyzed why this game, despite having so many 1-star ratings, continues to rake in huge profits. To learn more, read our article: How Does Last War: Survival Game Make Huge Profits Despite Half of Its Ratings Being 1-Star? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What exactly fueled the explosive growth of this game in such a short time? Is this growth built to last, or are we seeing a temporary spike at the expense of other key metrics?
To understand the full picture, let’s first take a look at the team behind the game.
A quick search on First Fun might make you think it's just another obscure Chinese mobile developer. However, a deeper look reveals its true significance.
Founded by Xie Xian Lin, former CTO of Tencent-backed Elex Technology, First Fun has strong roots in the Chinese gaming ecosystem. Elex’s notable success includes Clash of Kings, a billion-dollar title, and after its 2014 acquisition, Xie co-founded Challenjers Capital, a VC firm with over $1B in assets. The firm invested in several gaming companies, including Moonton, which was acquired by Bytedance for $4B in 2021.
Tencent also recognized First Fun’s potential, acquiring a 10% stake when it was founded in 2020.
Though First Fun’s early efforts with RPGs and idle games didn’t find success, they eventually hit the mark with Build Master: Bridge Race in 2022, earning ~$3M in monthly revenue. This success paved the way for Last War: Survival Game, built with the lessons from Build Master and a refined strategy.
Misleading advertising isn’t new in mobile gaming, and the introduction of ATT only accelerated its use. Last War: Survival Game stands out by fully embracing "bait and switch" tactics while skillfully incorporating advertised mechanics into its gameplay. The game uses this hook to pull players into a much deeper core experience.
The first-time user experience begins with a strong alignment to the ads, but with two subtle twists. After about 5 minutes, base-building mechanics are introduced, with clearing stages tied to base expansion. 10 minutes in, the random units used for clearing stages are replaced by collectible heroes. Despite these changes, the game continues to emphasize the hypercasual mechanic while keeping base-building and hero-collecting elements secondary.
To further engage players, developers add an urgent cutscene where a hero, Monica, is trapped with a bomb at the player's town hall. A false sense of urgency is created as players are told they must defuse the bomb within eight hours, driving them through stages to collect wire cutters. The vague consequences push players to dive deeper into the game, gradually introducing more complex features like resource production and the shard system for leveling up heroes.
Once players complete the onboarding process, the hypercasual gameplay begins to fade as the game’s core mechanics take center stage. Progression in base building and heroes unlocks daily tasks and events tied to the main gameplay. Generous rewards further encourage participation, and as players start forming a regular habit of logging in, they unknowingly become immersed in a 4x game.
As players grow more invested, the game presents irresistible offers, such as $0.99 for powerful heroes and $1.99 for key builders. These deals allow players to advance quickly, keeping them engaged while making small purchases. Over time, the game reveals its true depth, blending hero collection with 4x gameplay. Heroes become essential for advancing in both PvE and PvP battles.
For those willing to spend, Last War offers many monetization avenues. Players can speed up almost every aspect of gameplay, from progression to resource generation. High-value daily packs at $4.99 further incentivize spending, while a separate survivor gacha system boosts resource production. Additionally, the VIP system rewards spenders and encourages repeat purchases.
Last War has effectively leaned into its reputation for misleading advertising, turning it into a powerful tool for its influencer and celebrity-driven campaigns. By embracing the viral nature of these ads, the game has partnered with influencers showcasing engaging gameplay elements like the math-based mini-games and zombie-shooting action.
In Q4 2024, Last War teamed up with actor Antony Starr, best known for his role as Homelander in the hit series The Boys, to launch a series of ads on TikTok and Snapchat. In these ads, Starr introduces the game with the line, “It’s called Last War. It’s going viral because the developers made a real game based off the fake game in the ads.” The collaboration tapped into popular culture, generating significant buzz and further boosting the game’s user acquisition efforts.
While these celebrity endorsements didn’t achieve the same impression share as the hypercasual ads mentioned earlier, the campaigns undeniably leveraged Starr’s fame to amplify Last War's visibility and solidify its place in the gaming landscape.
Last War: Survival exemplifies the power of smart marketing and game design to achieve global success. From viral campaigns to precise user acquisition strategies, it’s a blueprint for effective gaming marketing.
At FoxAdvert, we specialize in crafting tailored strategies that drive growth and player retention. If you’re ready to take your game to the next level, reach out for a free consultation or schedule an online meeting with our experts.
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