Tower War is a takeover strategy game by SayGames, released in June 2021, and even after more than five years, it is still generating over $40K in daily IAP revenue alone, according to AppMagic.
The game builds on the Connect and Conquer mechanic within the takeover subgenre, featuring gameplay similar to that of earlier hypercasual titles like Voodoo’s City Takeover, while sharing its roots with much older games like Cell Expansion Wars and Mushroom Wars.
Let’s take a look at the design behind this long-running hypercasual game.
Simple Core
At its core, the game is a PvEvE strategy game where players compete against multiple enemy factions across asymmetrical maps. It features three types of units spawned from barracks towers, which are gradually introduced as players progress. Alongside these, a wide variety of defensive towers and blockers are introduced over time, adding new strategic challenges and keeping the gameplay fresh without unnecessarily complicating the core mechanic.
Smart Progression
The game’s meta progression revolves primarily around its unit system. Players can collect and upgrade units for different types, each with their own strength scores and abilities, supported by an equipment system. This allows the game to offer progression that’s simple enough for a mass-market audience, while still providing enough depth for more engaged players.
The game also features Secret Missions, which introduce freehand line drawing instead of the straight-line connections used in the core gameplay, combining this with multiplier gates to add another layer of gameplay variation. Beyond that, the game features a skill tree, PvP mode, clan system, multiple game modes, and a wide variety of LiveOps events, giving players plenty of reasons to keep coming back.
Hybrid Monetization
The game uses both IAA and IAP monetization. Staying true to its hypercasual roots, it still features banner and interstitial ads, alongside a wide range of RV placements. Some noteworthy RV placements include gem rewards after completing five wins, additional spins from reward pools, and extra currency offers to support unit upgrades. On the IAP side, the game features an extensive in-game shop with various offers, subscriptions, and ad-removal bundles. These are complemented by limited-time sales and multiple passes, while certain LiveOps events even introduce their own dedicated shops.
Want to explore Tower War’s design in more depth and see how other games in the takeover subgenre are performing? Check it out here.
Original Post: Kavindu Priyanath-LinkedIn
