Knockout Growth – Scaling a Fight Runner Hyper-Casual Game with Precision UA

Key Performance Highlights

• 420% increase in ROAS within 4 months
• 55% reduction in CPI across key markets
• 500k+ installs driven through iterative creative testing

The Challenge

A hyper-casual fight runner game, where players sprint through levels collecting strength boosts and taking down increasingly tougher enemies, had hit a plateau. The gameplay was addictive, but retention was poor beyond day 1, and creatives were failing to communicate the game’s thrill. Despite promising early CPI numbers, monetization was flatlining and scaling remained elusive.

The goal was to reinvigorate growth while maintaining a capital-efficient UA pipeline and fixing drop-offs in early user sessions.

The Strategy / Solution

We tackled the problem through a three-pronged approach focused on creative performance, onboarding engagement, and monetization tuning:

1. Creative Testing Blitz

• 80+ unique ad variations produced over the course of 6 months
• A/B tested multiple themes: “underdog transformation,” “rage boost collection,” and “fail-to-victory” arcs
• Introduced high-contrast animations showing fighter upgrades (e.g., shirtless weakling transforming into masked brawler)
• Leveraged playables with tap-to-punch mechanics and split-second decision points

Result: CTR increased by 61%, and CPIs dropped below $0.25 in Tier 1 markets

2. Session Flow Improvements

• Added haptic feedback and combo effects to elevate the punch impact
• Extended levels with quick-win checkpoints to create a sense of rapid progression
• Implemented short-term mission goals (e.g., defeat 3 mini-bosses in 60 seconds) to boost early retention
• Introduced “signature moves” that unlocked via combo streaks — increasing visual payoff

3. Monetization Alignment

• Shifted ad strategy toward rewarded videos (revive, extra coins, rage boost)
• Delayed interstitials until level 3 to prevent session drop
• Added timed “Gear Packs” as optional IAPs during win animations
• Created a 7-day challenge streak that tied directly to daily monetization spikes

Results

Conclusion

Fighter runner games thrive on visceral satisfaction — and that’s what we delivered across both ads and gameplay. By leaning into punchy creative storytelling and fine-tuning the monetization funnel, the game turned into a consistently profitable title. This hyper-casual brawler went from sidelined to spotlight in less than half a year.