Partner events are on the rise in some of the world's most popular casual games, according to GameRefinery GM Brendan Fraher.

Speaking at the Dubai GameExpo Summit powered by Pocket Gamer Connects, Fraher also highlighted the impact of partner events in games like Scopely’s Monopoly GO! and Dream Games’ Royal Match.

Fraher said these events are a unique example of having a communal task without the need for a guild or team system.

In Monopoly GO!, players partner with four other players in a ‘Baking Partners’ event, engaging with core gameplay and other events. Players work with others to make a cake, and if completed, can unlock a grand prize that includes rewards like dice rolls, cash, stickers and a unique cosmetic token.

The event began in July 2023, and was active once a month as a six-day event. The below chart shows the impact of the event between October 2023 and January 2024.

Dream Games began running a ‘Dragon Nest’ event in December 2023, which takes place each month and lasts for 10 days. The title uses similar mechanics but utilises an additional Plinko board minigame.

Meanwhile, Magic Tavern’s Project Makeover has its own partner event called ‘Camping With Friends’ that began in April 2024, which lasted for six days.

Competitive events

Fraher also displayed a list of must-have events in match-3 games during his talk, along with the popularity of these events across titles in the genre. Top events include IAP bundle/offers, battle pass and win streaks.

Meanwhile, competitive events such as solo tournaments and ‘race’ have also proven popular. Social competitive events are on the rise, he said, highlighting the increasing use of 1v1 events and co-op tournaments in match-3.

Guild-based events, which have long been used by top games, are also popular, specifically PvP / cand tasks.