Launched globally on November 21, 2024, Royal Kingdom, the second casual match-3 game developed by Dream Games, quickly claimed a spot in the top 10 of the iOS Free Games chart across 82 countries.
As the official successor to Royal Match, a game that dominated the match-3 genre, Royal Kingdom attracted significant attention and anticipation due to its strong legacy. This connection to Royal Match brought with it high expectations from players and industry observers alike.
By the way, I previously explored Royal Match's success in an article, which you can revisit here: [What Makes Royal Match So Powerful? Success Secrets Explained]. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 
While Royal Match appealed to a broad user base, Royal Kingdom took a more targeted approach, focusing on male players. Initially emphasizing PvP gameplay, it combined elements from Royal Match and Coin Master. However, after extensive testing, the game made a strategic shift—removing PvP and Coin Master-like features, ultimately returning to a gameplay structure more akin to Royal Match, with a focus on PvE.
With such an impressive launch, what marketing strategies contributed to the success of Royal Kingdom? Let’s dive into the key strategies behind this game’s rise to prominence.
The marketing strategy behind Royal Kingdom effectively leverages its legacy as the successor to Dream Games’ wildly successful Royal Match, taps into player expectations, and aligns itself with evolving gaming trends. The strategy revolves around three key highlights:
Royal Kingdom benefits greatly from being the official follow-up to Royal Match, which already enjoyed massive popularity and a dedicated fan base. This strong IP recognition provides the game with an inherent advantage in terms of visibility and audience trust. Players who enjoyed Royal Match are naturally inclined to try Royal Kingdom, ensuring a solid foundation of initial players. This built-in fanbase provides Royal Kingdom with a head start in terms of downloads and player retention, laying the groundwork for organic growth and community engagement. The success of Royal Match creates a level of anticipation for its successor, making it easier for Royal Kingdom to capture attention in a competitive market.
One of the most significant shifts inRoyal Kingdom’s marketing strategy revolves around the gameplay changes that occurred during its development. Initially focused on PVP elements, the game underwent a major pivot towards PVE mechanics, which aligns more with the casual gameplay that players expect from a match-3 puzzle game.
This move was strategic, as the switch from PVP to PVE brought a more approachable and universally appealing format, making it easier for players to engage with the game on their own terms, rather than in competitive, potentially stressful environments. The gameplay was designed to feel like an enhanced version of Royal Match, with similarities in level design, obstacles, and power-ups. The introduction of themed worlds—such as ice, desert, and rainforest—further deepens the engagement by providing players with unique environments to conquer, while also expanding the game's appeal to a broader audience.
Notably, the game’s focus on these world-building elements with attractive and engaging visuals helps capture the interest of male players, providing a visually dynamic experience in contrast to the more castle-centric Royal Match. Additionally, the integration of special PVE "Dark King" levels and the Trophy Room system, which rewards players for completing levels and achieving high rankings, further encourages engagement and repeat play. These thoughtful design decisions enhance the overall experience, which is a key factor in shaping the game’s market success.
(The screenshot above is from the app intelligence platform FoxData）
Royal Kingdom underwent a meticulous 18-month soft launch period (from April 2023 to November 2024), which played a crucial role in its market strategy. This extended testing phase not only allowed Dream Games to collect valuable data on player behavior and game performance, but it also helped manage fan expectations and reduce competition between the fanbases of its two main casual games. During this period, Royal Kingdom saw a steady increase in downloads, ranging from 150,000 to 350,000 per month, with a peak of 500,000 downloads.
The soft launch allowed the game to gradually build momentum, refine its gameplay, and adjust its marketing approach based on real-time feedback, making the game better suited for a global launch. The strategic decision to delay the official release until November 2024 ensured that the game could avoid the crowded competitive space of other match-3 puzzle games and better navigate its entry into the market. Upon the official release, the game saw a significant spike in daily downloads, reaching 530,000 on launch day, with sustained growth in the Google Play Store. However, despite strong performance on Google Play, the game faced a slight decline on the App Store the following day, highlighting the ongoing challenges of app store visibility and the need for continuous optimization.
I analyzed the advertising creatives for this mobile game, and most of them feature real-life individuals recommending the game. These endorsers are typically young adults, and the settings in which the ads are filmed are worth highlighting. Instead of relying on the typical and predictable scene of someone sitting on a couch, opening their phone, and watching a gameplay video while talking about how fun the game is, these ads opt for a variety of everyday scenarios. This is where the creativity truly stands out.
The campaign moves beyond the standard indoor, picture-in-picture format (where real people are placed in a gameplay video, which has become rather cliché). Instead, the ads feature scenarios like street interviews where people share how much they enjoy the game, or two young adults chatting at home about the game’s appeal. There’s even an ad where someone talks about how captivating the game is while making coffee, or a person casually mentioning how addicted they’ve become to the game while shopping. These scenarios immerse the audience in a natural, relatable environment, subtly encouraging them to consider playing the game during their own daily activities. This aligns perfectly with the game’s casual nature.
What’s more, when watching these ads, the depiction of real-life moments makes me feel as though a close friend is personally recommending a fun game they’ve recently discovered, making me eager to try it myself. This is the essence of clever, unconventional advertising—bringing the content into everyday life and into people’s minds. With the subtle influence of these creative ads, the game’s long-term strategy is set to stand out in the market.
👉 Click here to explore the impressive ad creatives of Royal Kingdom.
Royal Kingdom’s marketing strategy is packed with lessons worth noting—from its clever use of a year-long soft launch to avoid competition, to the fresh, unconventional ad creatives that break the mold. These strategies are not just worth learning, but mastering, as they offer powerful insights that can elevate your own app marketing journey. By embracing these lessons, we can ensure that our marketing path is smoother and more successful. But can success be replicated? The truth is, marketing is like a key—it unlocks a door. The key to success lies in finding the one that fits perfectly for your brand.
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