LOS ANGELES, July 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today ForwardXP is unleashing Guilt Battle Arena, a 2D local multiplayer and couch combat game, as a free-to-play mobile app. Previously available only on PC and console, the premium ($10-15) game was created over a period of several years by indie developer Tim Verrouil, under his company Invincible Cat, and published by ForwardXP.
The game’s unique combat, where players have only a single bullet they must recover after they shoot, bright and playful art style, and incredible game modes and modifiers to spice things up have been a hit on console and PC, but publisher ForwardXP wanted to bring it to the mobile masses. To bring the game to mobile though, some game mechanics needed to be reworked to remove the need for a controller, converting essential manipulations to touch-based movements. For example, instead of moving thumbsticks, players now swipe to perform the basic actions like move, dash, jump, and dive. These intuitive touch-based controls showcase the fast-paced non-stop action and help it shine on mobile.
“Of course there were challenges in turning a premium game into a mobile version, but we knew we had to give it a shot, given the massive opportunity to reach a higher volume of players,” explained Steve Nix, CEO and co-founder of ForwardXP, which is also publisher of the popular game Please, Don’t Touch Anything. “While our first instinct was to make it premium, the dynamics of the mobile market are such that we knew we had to make it free-to-play and drive revenue through other monetization tactics.”
After just a few months of development, Guilt Battle Arena for mobile was built and ready to launch – and ForwardXP had a monetization plan, due in part to its involvement in AdColony’s Advanced Monetization Program (AMP), a $5 million fund that the company established earlier this year to help publishers like ForwardXP launch – and monetize – new mobile apps.
“Publishers who adopted our SDK into their new app during the promotion received 100% revenue share for 90 days, which is a significant benefit for publishers who need that higher payout ratio in order to initially recoup some of their costs of development,” explained David Pokress, AdColony’s EVP of Publishing.
“The AMP program was certainly an incentive to work with AdColony on an exclusive basis, but it’s not the only one. We’re familiar with other advertising technology partners, but AdColony has a level of service that is unparalleled in this industry. Even just that level of service and responsiveness made it worth engaging with only them. But we also felt like they really care about our game,” said Nix.
Guilt Battle Arena will launch in the App Store as a free-to-play game with multiple monetization tactics, primarily focused on the 75 costumes that can be unlocked. Players can make in-app purchases (IAP) to unlock all the costumes or they can watch a video ad to completion, after which they are rewarded with virtual currency (coins) that can be used to unlock the costume.
Rewarded video is popular among consumers, with 88% of US mobile users saying they prefer to watch video ads for extra lives or in-game content rather than pay money for them (6%). Rewarded video also has been proven to increase overall ad revenue, eCPMs, user retention rates and time spent in-app.
Guilt Battle Arena is available for Android devices via the official Google Play store now, with a version for Apple iOS devices coming later this year.
About ForwardXP
ForwardXP creates interactive content for Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality. We are focused on experiences, which is what the “XP” part of our name stands for. Our internal research and development is focused on the intersection of Voice User Interfaces with AI in both VR and AR worlds. ForwardXP Publishing helps independent developers bring their apps and games to market across platforms and digital stores worldwide. We are the publisher of the hit title, Please Don't Touch Anything, developed by acclaimed independent developer, Four Quarters. For more information, please visit https://www.forwardxp.com/publishing or contact publishing@forwardxp.com.
About Invincible Cat
Invincible Cat is a one-man indie game company, dedicated to creating fun, unique and polished games. Invincible Cat has been Tim Verrouil’s alias since 2011. Passionate and jack of all creative trades, Tim led several hobbyist projects including conceiving his own game engine and several game prototypes. After moving to Vancouver in November 2014, Tim became an active member of the indie dev community. Inspired and thriving in this creative environment, Tim decided to bring his prototype Guilt Battle Arena to the next level. The production started in December 2015 and the company Invincible Cat was launched in May 2016. Invincible Cat released his first commercial game Guilt Battle Arena, published by ForwardXP for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Steam and Game Jolt in 2018. After porting Guilt Battle Arena to mobile platforms in July 2019, he is looking forward to working on his next project.
About AdColony
AdColony is one of the largest mobile advertising platforms in the world with a reach of more than 1.5 billion users globally. With a mission to elevate the state of mobile advertising by focusing on the highest quality consumer experiences that deliver outcomes for brands and publishers on today’s most popular apps, AdColony is trusted by Fortune 500 brands and over 85% of the world’s top grossing mobile publishers. Known for our exclusive Instant-Play™ HD video technology, proprietary rich media formats, our global performance advertising business and programmatic marketplace, and our extensive ad SDK footprint in the top apps worldwide, we are passionate about helping brands connect with consumers at scale on the most important screen in their lives. A fully-owned subsidiary of Otello Corporation, AdColony is a global organization with over 20 offices worldwide.
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