Loyalty programmes have evolved from basic offer walls to key drivers of user acquisition, retention, and profitability in mobile gaming. In his first guest article, John Wright explores their growing impact, highlighting insights from Gamesforum Barcelona 2025 and the shift toward increased marketing investment in loyalty-driven strategies.

 In the world of mobile gaming, loyalty programmes in recent years have emerged as a cornerstone of effective marketing strategies. Reflecting on my earlier 2025 marketing predictions that loyalty programmes would constitute over 10% of marketing budgets, it's evident that this figure is not only attainable but likely to surge beyond 15% in the coming year. This shift aligns with the growing number and variety of loyalty programmes and apps as pivotal tools for user acquisition, retention, and overall profitability (as long as you can master the engagement events correctly). 

Let’s dive into a few critical parts of this:

The Evolution from Offer Walls to Modern Loyalty Programmes

Historically, offer walls served as a primary method for incentivizing user engagement and monetization. These platforms allowed players to earn in-game rewards by completing various offers, such as watching ads or signing up for services, the most popular and arguably frowned upon was the dreaded “fill out a survey”. While effective in the short term, offer walls often attracted users primarily interested in rewards rather than genuine engagement, leading to lower retention rates and potential impacts on in-game economies. This was seen as a secondary way, or a final strategy to squeeze the users for a few additional cents that could have been the difference between profit, or loss.

Today's loyalty programmes have evolved significantly, focusing on creating meaningful and sustained interactions. Modern programmes are designed to reward players for consistent play, achievements, and community participation, often known as CPE campaigns which allow us to dramatically improve quality. This approach fosters a sense of belonging and appreciation, encouraging players to invest more time and resources into the game. By aligning rewards with in-game milestones and personalized experiences, developers can enhance player satisfaction and lifetime value. 

Insights from Gamesforum Barcelona 2025

Whilst I wasn’t there personally I heard a huge amount of feedback from Gamesforum Barcelona, apparently the show was abuzz with new and exciting loyalty focused companies. The event discussed many of the latest trends in user acquisition and monetization, with one of the core trends being in the loyalty area, further confirming my suspicions about potential understanding the impact from this channel this year. Companies like Almedia took center stage, presenting cutting-edge solutions that integrate gamified promotions to boost user acquisition and retention. Their approach exemplifies the industry's shift towards more sophisticated and user-centric loyalty strategies, a world of difference from the offer-wall of old.

Almedia's success in building out highlights the importance of aligning loyalty programmes with both player interests and business objectives. By focusing on sustainable growth and genuine engagement, they have set a benchmark for how loyalty progranmes can drive profitability and user satisfaction simultaneously. And let me be clear, this is just one of the names right now, we can see positive trends from companies like MistPlay or Tyr Rewards, from new apps like Snakzy, from more traditional web players like Prodege.

Adjusting Marketing Budgets: From 10% to 15% 

Given the demonstrable benefits of well-executed loyalty programmes, it would be prudent of me and other growth professionals not to reassess their allocation within marketing budgets. The fact is simple, we need more diversification in UA right now as we are dependent on the same small list of providers, who control too much power in our marketing strategies. My initial projection of 10% of all marketing spend to loyalty initiatives now appears conservative. With the positive impact and industry feedback across a multitude of players I think, increasing this allocation to 15% is a strategic move. This investment not only enhances player loyalty but also provides a competitive edge in a saturated market.

Optimizing Engagement Events for Profitability

A critical aspect of successful loyalty programmes is the careful selection and testing of in-game events. Not all events yield the same return on investment; thus, it's essential to experiment with various formats to identify those that resonate most with the player base and drive profitability. Whether it's a particular level achieved, reaching a certain time in game, or competing in community-driven competitions, understanding player preferences and optimising your engagement point to one that will successfully achieve your target profit goal is important. My advice is to start off with a testing plan to ensure that you get the right level of profit whilst maximizing scale, you ensure you test a number of different engagement event types, then when you find the standout you double down and maximize your budgets. Scale has always been the issue with loyalty campaigns so expanding this strategy horizontally across multiple providers is probably a smart idea long term. 

Embracing Diversification in User Acquisition Strategies

As I mentioned earlier in the article, in today's competitive landscape, relying solely on one form of traditional user acquisition channel is risky. Diversifying strategies to include loyalty programmes is not just advantageous but necessary. These programmes serve as complementary avenues that enhance traditional marketing efforts, providing multiple touchpoints to engage and retain users. By integrating loyalty initiatives with other marketing strategies, developers can create a holistic ecosystem that maximizes user engagement and lifetime value, whilst de-risking from some of the bigger players in the industry. If you continue to spend 50-70% of your UA with one partner you potentially run into a situation where you see margins being increased and your scale dropping because of their known dominance, it’s a risk, and one I advise to deal with vigilantly. 

Final Thoughts

The transformation of loyalty programmes from simple offer walls to sophisticated, player-centric initiatives marks a significant evolution across our industry. As we’ve seen from recent events and other industry articles by experts like Matej Lancaric and others. Investing in these programmes is still optional but I would say imperative if you want to have “new” areas of growth. By allocating 15% of marketing budgets to well-designed loyalty partners, optimizing engagement event strategies, and embracing a diverse array of user acquisition strategies, developers can position themselves for sustained success in the ever changing, dynamic world of mobile gaming (and beyond).