Jagex

The Objective

Engaging hardcore RPG enthusiasts and driving conversions

Established in 2001, Jagex Limited is a prominent British video game developer and publisher best known for its iconic MMORPGs, RuneScape and Old School RuneScape, a retro revival of the 2007 classic. With over 300 million player accounts, Jagex focuses on creating "forever games" for PC, console, and mobile, featuring evolving gameplay and player-driven updates.

To grow its mobile audience, Jagex partnered with TikTok to attract hardcore RPG enthusiasts, focusing on acquiring high-quality paying users while optimizing campaign performance.

The Solution

Harnessing Smart+ for optimized performance

To achieve its goals, Jagex concentrated on optimizing cost-per-install (CPI) while driving higher return on ad spend (ROAS) and improving conversion rates through a combination of solutions. Jagex began with App Event Optimization (AEO) campaigns to target users likely to perform high-value actions within the app. This approach was complemented by Value-Based Optimization (VBO) to further refine user quality, ensuring a robust performance-driven campaign aligned with the team's objectives.

Building on this foundation, the team integrated TikTok's Smart+ solution, designed to enhance acquisition strategies through AI-driven targeting and optimization. Jagex leveraged Smart+ to optimize its creative strategy and audience targeting by re-testing underperforming creatives, streamlining its process, and connecting nostalgic and explanatory ads with the right audience.

The Smart+ campaigns featured gameplay-style videos showcasing in-game characters, player activities, and the dynamic experiences available within the game.

The results

Remarkable growth and a blueprint for future success

Transitioning to TikTok’s Smart+ solution allowed Jagex to achieve remarkable results, significantly reducing acquisition costs and improving campaign performance in Tier 1 markets. CPI dropped by 11% in the US and an impressive 52% across Tier 1 markets.

ROAS experienced substantial growth, with Day-7 ROAS increasing by 177% in the US and 60% in Tier 1 regions.Conversion rates also improved markedly, rising by 22% in the US and 18% in Tier 1 markets, while cost-per-purchase (CPP) decreased, further demonstrating the campaigns' efficiency.

These results highlight Jagex’s ability to effectively capitalize on TikTok’s unique platform capabilities to engage hardcore RPG enthusiasts.

By optimizing its user acquisition (UA) strategy, Jagex achieved its immediate goals and solidified TikTok as a cornerstone of its user acquisition efforts, proving TikTok's value as a primary channel for reaching and engaging the company's target audience.

Looking ahead, Jagex plans to implement the approach to continue scaling their existing portfolio.