Why hits are built not born

• Mobile games today are built through data, iteration, and collaboration not luck.
• Iteration and fast learning cycles can turn promising concepts into chart-topping titles.
• Sustainable success comes from process and long-term strategy not “lightning in a bottle.”

Omri Grinber is senior director, product management at Supersonic, Unity.

For years, the mobile games industry has been captivated by the myth of overnight success. Stories of breakout hits - games that seemingly came out of nowhere to top the charts - have fueled hope and ambition for countless studios. But the reality behind today’s biggest mobile games is far less magical, and far more methodical.

Working with hundreds of studios and witnessing the true journey to hit status. The most successful games aren’t lottery tickets; they’re the product of relentless iteration, data-driven decision-making, and a collaborative partnership between publisher and developer. In short: hits are built, not born.

The end of the “lightning in a bottle” era

In the early days of mobile gaming, it was possible - if rare - for a developer to strike gold with a simple, addictive concept and minimal marketing. But as the market matured, competition intensified and user expectations grew.

Today’s players demand quality, polish, and innovation. The sheer volume of new releases means that even the most promising ideas need more than luck to stand out.

Data as the engine of success

What sets modern hits apart is the rigorous use of data at every stage of development. Studios should embrace analytics early and often. From prototype to launch, every aspect of gameplay, monetisation, and user acquisition is tested, measured, and optimised.

A/B testing is standard practice, allowing teams to refine everything from level design to ad placement based on real user behaviour. Equally important is segmentation - grouping players by attributes such as engagement level, paying habits or progression stage.

By analysing these segments separately, developers can spot patterns that might be hidden in overall averages, then tailor difficulty, content drops, or monetisation offers to specific audience types. This targeted approach helps maximise retention and lifetime value across diverse player profiles.

This data-driven approach doesn’t just increase the odds of success - it fundamentally changes the way studios build games. Instead of relying on gut instinct or anecdotal feedback, developers can make informed decisions that maximise engagement and retention.

Iteration: The secret ingredient

Success is rarely a straight line. Behind every chart-topping game are countless failed experiments, discarded features, and pivots in direction. The best studios - and the best publishers - treat each release as a learning opportunity. Rapid prototyping, frequent updates, and a willingness to respond to player feedback are essential.

I’ve seen firsthand how a game’s fortunes can change through iteration. Sometimes, it’s a tweak to difficulty or a change in art style; other times, it’s a complete overhaul of core mechanics. The ability to listen, adapt, and improve is what separates enduring hits from fleeting trends.

The power of partnership

While there are studios that prefer to self‑publish, collaborative publisher partnerships can play a crucial role in refining a game’s trajectory. Increasingly, the publisher’s role goes beyond distribution: bringing in market insights, advanced testing tools, and feedback loops that help avoid common pitfalls.

A defining feature of the most productive publishing partnerships is transparency. Transparency fosters trust, speeds decision‑making, and ensures priorities stay aligned. Sharing clear, unfiltered data allows both sides to make decisions based on the same facts, rather than guesswork or partial information. It also empowers developers to retain creative control while making informed choices about areas such as monetisation pacing, UA targeting, creative direction, or live ops scheduling.

When combined with genuine joint decision‑making, transparency transforms a partnership from a transactional arrangement into a collaborative process. This balance lets studios experiment boldly while still anchoring their work in real‑world evidence, resulting in faster adaptation, fewer costly missteps, and stronger long‑term performance.

Building for the long term

The “new rules” of mobile game success aren’t about chasing viral moments - they’re about building sustainable, scalable businesses. Studios that embrace continuous improvement, leverage data, and work closely with publishers are far more likely to create games that endure.

As the industry continues to evolve, the winners won’t be those who hope for lightning to strike.

They’ll be the ones who build the storm - layer by layer, insight by insight, playtest by playtest. At Supersonic, we’re proud to help studios build their next hit, knowing that the journey is every bit as important as the destination.

Success in mobile gaming isn’t a matter of luck - it’s a matter of process. The new rules are clear: hits are built, not born.