Finnish start-up Seriously has been very vocal about the alternative marketing campaigns it's been running for its polished debut match-3 puzzle Best Fiends.

They appear to be paying off too, given the news that the game - now available on Google Play and the Apple App Store - has now broken the 10 million downloads mark and hit 1 million daily active players. 

But how well and where is it monetising?

That's the question for this week's Charticle.

Matching downloads and dollars

First looking at two of the big western markets - the UK and US - and the situation isn't very positive.

On iPhone, in neither country has Best Fiends entered the top grossing top 100 on iPhone (or iPad, but iPhone is the best performer by far).

On Google Play, the situation is somewhat better with Best Fiends within the top 150 top grossing in the UK; its performance mirrored in the more competitive US market 50 positions lower.

However, in neither country can the game be said to be a hit.

Android love

If we look more widely within Europe, the signs are better, though.

Since its Android release in January 2015, Best Fiends has been the top 100 top grossing in France, Germany and Russia; indeed it's been a top 50 top grossing game in Russia and now Germany. Both are lucrative Android markets.

When we consider the iPhone top grossing charts, things are also good in these three countries.

Russia leads the way, with the game growing strongly into a top 50 top grossing position.

Germany is more volatile - Best Fiends has remained between the #100 and #200 positions since its October 2014 launch and is currently on an upward spike.

France is the weakest of the three with the game peaking in the iPhone top 100 during February, and then falling away

It's no surprise that Seriously's domestic market of Finland has been a strong performer, though.

The developer will be pleased to see that the game has bounced back from a decline in January to strongly regain a top 50 position.

Out east

Elsewhere in the world, Best Fiends hasn't found much interest in Japan or Korea (it doesn't appear in the top 250 top grossing charts), but for a western game, has performed well in the Chinese iPhone top grossing chart

So, despite its 10 million downloads, it's clear that Best Fiends remains in the category of one to watch when it comes to its wider monetisation.

It has a good position in many of the key mobile gaming markets, but the next few months will prove whether Seriously has the start of its promised franchise on its hands.