InnoGames

The Objective

Driving high-quality engagement for a newly launched strategy title

InnoGames GmbH, a German developer and publisher of free-to-play online browser and mobile games, has a strong portfolio of immersive titles that attract dedicated players globally.

InnoGames soft launched Heroes of History: Epic Empire, a multiplayer mobile strategy game blending city-building with unique hero collection elements. In this game, players develop thriving cities from the Stone Age onward, engaging in real-time battles where strategic use of heroes’ abilities is crucial.

Built on an in-app purchases model, Heroes of History encourages players to enhance their gameplay through purchases of special artifacts and in-game currency.

For the soft launch of Heroes of History: Epic Empire, InnoGames aimed to attract high-value players in key European markets, including United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands and Austria.

TikTok was an integral part of the launch strategy, specifically, the objective on TikTok was to drive optimal ROAS and acquire high-quality users who would deeply engage with Heroes of History.

The Solution

Boosting performance and regional relevance with Smart+

The Heroes of History campaign initially launched on TikTok with Mobile App Install (MAI) campaign, followed by App Event Optimization (AEO). The MAI campaign aimed to quickly scale user acquisition and attract a broad mobile gaming audience. To further enhance user quality, AEO was introduced, targeting users more likely to make in-app purchases.

Building on the initial achievements of MAI and AEO, InnoGames and TikTok introduced the Smart+ solution. Smart+ is an AI-powered performance tool designed to maximize returns by automating various aspects of campaign management, including targeting, bidding, and creative optimization.

The Multilingual Feature Toggle, part of Smart+, enabled language localization for the new markets, enhancing relevance and engagement without additional setup.

The Multilingual Feature Toggle, part of Smart+, enabled language localization for the new markets, enhancing relevance and engagement without additional setup. This feature enhances campaign effectiveness by automatically translating creatives—including audio, subtitles, and text. Instead of managing multiple campaigns, advertisers can run a single Smart+ campaign that adapts creatives for various languages, making it ideal for global app or game title launches.

To measure Smart+’s impact, InnoGames and TikTok conducted a split-test campaign on Android. The Smart+ campaign group leveraged Smart+, while the control campaign group maintained the AEO setup without Smart+ features, serving as a baseline for comparison.

Also to support their TikTok launch, InnoGames utilized the TikTok Creative Challenge (TTCC, now part of TikTok One) to source a high volume of high-quality creative content.

Results

Smart+ Delivers Higher ROAS and lower CPA

The split-test revealed substantial improvements in both cost-efficiency and performance metrics with the Smart+ campaign.

Smart+ drove a 98% increase in conversion volume compared to the control group, while also achieving a 62% lower CPA and a 3.4x increase in ROAS.

These results highlight Smart+’s ability to attract a higher quantity of users as well as higher quality users who engage deeply with the game, maximizing both reach and impact.