Canonical: https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/pre-launch-success-mobile-puzzle-rpg-surpasses-100k-sign-ups/ Description: A three-month, multi-phase pre-launch campaign delivered 120,000 pre-registrations at a $1.50 CPR and 60,000 day-one installs for a puzzle-RPG. Published: 2023-04-10T00:00:00.000Z Modified: 2026-08-30T00:00:00.000Z [← Case Studies](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/) Puzzle-RPG Mobile Game # Pre-Launch: Mobile Puzzle-RPG Surpasses 100K Sign-Ups A three-month, multi-phase pre-launch campaign delivered 120,000 pre-registrations at a $1.50 CPR and 60,000 day-one installs for a puzzle-RPG. [Discuss your next step →](https://www.strataigize.com/audit/) ![](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/opt/puzzle-rpg-1280.webp) 120,000 Pre-registrations $1.50 Cost per registration 60,000 Day-one installs By [**Ian McGavin**](https://www.strataigize.com/about/team/ian/), Founder & CMO · Published April 10, 2023 · Updated August 30, 2026 In this case study 1. [The Game Needed 100,000 Sign-Ups Before It Shipped](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/pre-launch-success-mobile-puzzle-rpg-surpasses-100k-sign-ups/#the-game-needed-100000-sign-ups-before-it-shipped) 2. [Three Months, Three Phases, One Number to Hit](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/pre-launch-success-mobile-puzzle-rpg-surpasses-100k-sign-ups/#three-months-three-phases-one-number-to-hit) 3. [120,000 Sign-Ups, and 60,000 Installs on Day One](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/pre-launch-success-mobile-puzzle-rpg-surpasses-100k-sign-ups/#120000-sign-ups-and-60000-installs-on-day-one) 4. [What the Three Months Before Launch Are Actually For](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/pre-launch-success-mobile-puzzle-rpg-surpasses-100k-sign-ups/#what-the-three-months-before-launch-are-actually-for) ## The Game Needed 100,000 Sign-Ups Before It Shipped The developer wanted 100,000 people signed up before there was a game to play. The title was a puzzle and role-playing game (RPG) hybrid, and the window was three months. Sign-ups on their own would not do it. They had to come cheaply, arrive with a community attached, and leave the game visible on both Google Play and the App Store by launch day. Tease_→_ Acquire_→_ Launch ## Three Months, Three Phases, One Number to Hit The marketing team ran the three months as three distinct phases, combining influencer outreach, [targeted paid campaigns](https://www.strataigize.com/services/paid-advertising/), and community initiatives. Each phase was allowed to change what the next one did. **Phase 1 (Month 1).** - Teaser trailer and landing page: released a short teaser highlighting the puzzle and RPG mechanics and set up a landing page that asked plainly for the pre-registration. - Influencer outreach: partnered with mid-tier gaming influencers on YouTube and Twitch to showcase concept art and tease gameplay. - Email marketing and community building: announced bonus in-game currency for pre-registrants and launched a private Discord server for early adopters. - Organic social push: revealed character designs, lore snippets, and dev insights on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram to drive initial buzz. _End of Month 1: 25,000 pre-registrations at a $2.50 cost per registration (CPR), higher than target, which prompted refined targeting and ad creative testing._ A first month over target is the best month to find that out. Two months were still left to act on the answer. If your own pre-launch comes in expensive early, treat it as information with a shelf life, because it stops being useful the week the game ships. **Phase 2 (Month 2).** - [Targeted paid user acquisition](https://www.strataigize.com/services/mobile-app-marketing/user-acquisition/): ran [short-form ads on Meta](https://www.strataigize.com/services/paid-advertising/meta-ads/), TikTok, and Google’s Universal App Campaigns (UAC), using lookalike audiences and past user data. - Cross-promotion: traded banner placements with partner studios for mutual exposure. - Influencer live streams and beta access: provided select influencers with beta builds, prompting live streams and first-look content. - App store optimization (ASO) and localization: optimized store listings (screenshots, descriptions, keywords) and localized the landing page in multiple languages. _End of Month 2: 65,000 pre-registrations at a $1.80 CPR (a significant cost improvement thanks to better targeting)._ **Phase 3 (Month 3).** - Countdown campaign and retargeting: created a 10-day countdown on social media and ran retargeting ads for previous landing-page visitors. - Press outreach and media coverage: sent press kits to gaming outlets and tech blogs, securing coverage with links to the pre-registration page. - Community events and contests: hosted daily quizzes and puzzle challenges on Discord, awarding exclusive digital items. - [User-generated content](https://www.strataigize.com/services/video-and-photography/video-marketing/): encouraged fans to submit artwork, memes, and videos; top submissions were shared on official channels. _End of Month 3: 120,000 pre-registrations (20% above goal) at a $1.50 CPR, with a Discord community of 10,000 members._ ![Pre-registrations rising and cost per registration falling across the three-month campaign](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies-media/679a4461f0c706aa13a5ee85_case-study-charts-4.png) Pre-registrations climbing while cost per registration fell from $2.50 to $1.50 across three phases.[View full-size figure](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies-media/679a4461f0c706aa13a5ee85_case-study-charts-4.png) ## 120,000 Sign-Ups, and 60,000 Installs on Day One - Surpassed the 100,000 target with a final count of **120,000 pre-registrations**. - Maintained a **$1.50 cost per registration**, well below the $2 goal. - Garnered **60,000 installs on launch day**, driven by enthusiastic pre-registrants, influencer coverage, and press mentions. > “They not only met our ambitious pre-registration target, they exceeded our expectations. The entire strategy, working with influencers, targeted ads, and community-building, was essential to our launch success.” > > Lead Producer, Puzzle-RPG Mobile Game ## What the Three Months Before Launch Are Actually For Careful planning, steady optimization, and a community people wanted to be part of took this campaign past its target. Early ASO work, influencer partnerships, and a well-run Discord built the kind of interest you cannot buy on the morning of a launch, and it showed up as 60,000 installs on launch day. If you have a launch date in the diary, most of that day-one number is decided in the three months before it, and the cost of each sign-up is still moving right up until you stop testing. The industry page for that work is [mobile game marketing](https://www.strataigize.com/industries/mobile-apps/mobile-games/). Author **Ian McGavin**, Founder of Strataigize, connecting business strategy, growth marketing and applied AI. His expertise includes paid media, measurement and AI-search visibility. Next step Answer six questions to compare the strengths and gaps you report across your growth funnel. [Run the diagnostic →](https://www.strataigize.com/tools/growth-diagnostic/) ## More case studies [50+ Estimated team hours saved weekly How Our Marketing Agency Uses AI Agents to Automate Busywork Strataigize Marketing](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/how-agency-uses-ai-agents-automate-busywork/) [364% Return on ad spend A High-Intent Google Ads Engine for Backroad Mapbooks Backroad Mapbooks](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/google-ads-canada-adventure-map/) [+387.5% iOS downloads How We Increased App Downloads with ASO and ASA by 387% Mobile Security App](https://www.strataigize.com/case-studies/mobile-security-app-downloads-aso-asa/) ## What could help _your business?_ Discuss your situation in a free 30-minute consultation with a founder. 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