Hypermonk Games
Boosting ad revenue efficiency with Smart+ Day 0 tROAS for IAA title Highway Overtake
The objective
Scaling ad revenue with high-value users and stronger Day 0 performance
Highway Overtake, developed by Hypermonk Games, is a racing simulation game with nearly 20 million players worldwide, monetized primarily through in-app ads.
As a title with shorter user lifecycles and limited long-term retention, the publisher places strong emphasis on Day 0 performance and early monetization outcomes.
Having previously run manual bidding campaigns on TikTok, Hypermonk Games saw the opportunity to scale further and achieve more consistent ROAS, while also improving cost efficiency.
Their goal was to acquire high-value users, drive scalable in-app ad revenue, and align campaign spend more closely with performance KPIs from Day 0.
The solution
Unlocking scale and predictability with Smart+ Day 0 tROAS bidding
To meet these goals, TikTok onboarded Hypermonk Games to the Smart+ Day 0 Target ROAS (tROAS) bidding solution, which is a performance-driven automation tool designed to optimize ad delivery from the very start of the user journey.
Shifting from manual highest-value bidding to Smart+, the publisher was able to automate performance optimization, focusing spend on users with the highest projected Day 0 value. The campaign ran exclusively on TikTok, targeting Android users in the U.S., an audience aligned with the game’s monetization strategy.
Hypermonk Games partnered with Adjust, a TikTok Mobile Measurement Partner, to accurately track Day 0 ad revenue throughout the campaign.
Creatives were specifically designed for TikTok placements, with gameplay visuals tailored to maximize engagement and reactivity within performance environments.
The Results
Stable ROAS, lower costs, and scaled growth through automation
The campaign achieved a +20% increase in ROAS compared to Hypermonk Games' internal Day 0 KPI and delivered a 50% reduction in cost per install versus their previous manual bidding setup.
The campaign also maintained a healthy actual-to-target ROAS bid ratio of <1.2, indicating that Smart+ successfully delivered against the publisher’s set performance targets with high budget efficiency.
With this healthy actual-to-target ROAS bid ratio, campaign performance became more predictable and aligned with the publisher’s business goals.
Encouraged by these results, Hypermonk Games scaled daily spend 3x and is now planning to expand the strategy globally, validating Smart+ Day 0 tROAS as a high-impact solution for growth in ad-monetized gaming.