Mobile game developer and publisher Scopely has passed more than $7bn in lifetime revenue from user spend, it has been estimated.

Analytics outlet AppMagic made the call, after a particularly eventful year for Scopely with their acquisition by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group topping the list, as well as the launch of Monopoly Go, an adaptation of the classic board game for mobile devices.

Notably, AppMagic cites Monopoly Go as being a key driver in Scopely’s recent success. They single out the social casino features, social integration, monetization and retention strategies as being a crucial aspect of Monopoly Go - and Scopely’s - success.

Scopely has also begun to cast its net wider, aiming to put their games on more storefronts, recently partnering with third-party publishers Flexion. And, after placing a hugely high-profile brand in front of as many players as possible, making the game a soccial game - meaning that newcomers are more likely to share with their freinds and bring them on board too - has proved to be Monopoly Go's secret weapon.  

Pass Go, collect $7bn

Scopely’s primary audience also hails from very affluent countries, a vital aspect to any monetization strategy as this means that their core user base are more likely to spend often and spend more by definition. In the short-term, it’s clear that Monopoly Go has been a big boost to the company's fortunes, but in the bigger picture of Scopely's activity, the aspects that made this title such a success were already being implemented.

For one, the use of licensed titles has been a key feature of Scopely’s portfolio with Marvel: Strikeforce proving popular before the advent of Monopoly Go's success. Additionally,  innovations leveraged by the game, such as successful cross-promotion strategies with other major titles in the mobile gaming space with their recent Stumble Guys collaboration have given Scopely a playbook for publishing that's reaping rewards.