Hole People is a hybrid casual puzzle game by Rollic Games, released in February 2024, and according to AppMagic, it has been steadily climbing the revenue charts since March this year, now generating over $80K+ in daily revenue.
Let’s take a closer look at the design decisions this game follows to stand out in the already saturated hole game market.
Deterministic Puzzles
The game features puzzle levels that remain consistent across retries, allowing players to refine their strategies through trial and error. With no time pressure, players get to engage at their own pace—making the experience more accessible and appealing to a wider audience. When combined with the use of boosters, this design encourages thoughtful, strategic gameplay. Additionally when players fail a level, the game shows an option to see how far they progressed. This not only promotes self-reflection but also increases the likelihood of players accepting revive offers to continue.
Satisfying Progression
New mechanics are introduced gradually and previewed as an unlock percentage at the end of each level, building anticipation. When a new feature is unlocked, the game provides several introductory levels before combining it with existing mechanics—making the learning curve feel fair and rewarding. Additionally, the game’s level map includes “hard level” labels, although these levels are quite rare. The game also delays showing the main menu until players reach Level 15, helping them to maintain focus in the early stages. Around Level 50, a battle pass is unlocked, adding a layer of late-game engagement and reward.
Simple Monetization
The game combines IAPs and IAAs for smart and player friendly monetization. Interstitial ads after levels, and RV ads in level completion reward multiplier appear after Level 15, ensuring a smoother early game experience. Additionally RV ads are offered as an option to unlock extra lives. Players also get to buy extra boosters in bundles of three instead of one, which most likely improves conversion rates. The Golden Pass provides access to additional premium rewards, while loss aversion techniques gently encourage players to consider spending to continue or gain an advantage.
What do you think about the design decisions behind Hole People? Share your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to follow me for more insights on mobile games.
Original Post: Kavindu Priyanath-LinkedIn
