Launching MX Games to increase Ad-viewership
Designing an engaging casual-gaming environment that maximizes ad-watch without churn.
Background
Low engagement and ad completion rate
Less than 2% of MX Player visitors were watching ads, limiting the platform’s primary revenue stream. Meanwhile, 98% of users were using MX Player primarily as a file manager, creating a major gap between user behavior and the product’s entertainment ecosystem.
Problem statement
Design an engaging casual-gaming environment that maximizes ad-watch without churn.
Goal
Use games to bring new and existing customers online?
Constraints
- Can only offer basic casual games at best
- Have limited dev-bandwidth (4 devs)
- Limited time (1 month to launch)
Research
Market research, user research & data analysis
Before designing anything, I needed a real read on why ad-watch was so low and whether a gaming layer could plausibly fix it — not just a hunch. That meant talking to actual users, running numbers on who was already on the platform, and checking what casual-gaming competitors were doing well.
1:1 Interviews
Took interviews with existing user including 5 MX Player OTT customers and 15+ casual mobile gamers via video calls and physical meetings.
Audio calls
Done a cold calling to 30+ new and repeat watch users.
Competitor analysis
Done a competitor audit of 20+ casual gaming apps on iOS and Android.
User persona
Primary target audience
Casual Gamer
- Age:
- 15-25
- Occupation:
- Students
- Device:
- Mid-range android
- Data usage:
- Limited/ Expensive
Habits
- Plays games in short bursts during commutes or breaks (5-10 minutes)
- Prefers quick and engaging games like Cricket, Ludo, and Puzzle games
- Enjoys playing with friends and participating in social features like leaderboards and challenges
Research Insights
- Users rarely play unless there’s a reward — “Why should I play? What do I get”
- Too many ads will make them leave — “I am not watching a 30 second ad on game start”
- Awareness is the key to scaling — “I didn’t know MX had anything other than file manager?”
Wireframes
To start with, we worked on initial wireframes
- Basic Coin Economy
- Simple Leaderboard
- Few ad placements
Design
MVP launch in 1 month
- Win real money
- Cash in-out functionality
- Convert coins to real cash
Key learnings after release
- Money is the biggest reward we can offer — People don’t want coupons, but even ₹1 is enough to engage for hours.
- Competition is key to repeat engagement — Introduce new formats of competition, but with existing single-player games.
- User want to play with their friends — Need to introduce or simulate real time multiplayer gaming.
Design
Cash economy introduced
- Win real money
- Cash in-out functionality
- Convert coins to real cash
Design
Timed tournaments introduced
Multiple players play the same game and compete for the best score in a limited time
Metrics
Playtime, AdWatch time, CTR
Results
Increase in playtime in less than 2 months, 40% higher CTR than normal game.
Design
Battle Mode introduced
Play against another players in real time to achieve consecutive wins
Metrics
Playtime, AdWatch time, CTR
Results
share of total playtime — huge engagement increase.
Design
Offline users → Online
Bringing offline users to online by offering multiple nudges
Metrics
Playtime, AdWatch time, CTR, New Users
Results
Increase in number of "never-online" users playing games
Design
Homepage evolution
Evolution of Game Homepage in 1 year
Outcome