We talk to David Pan, Director of Business Development at Habby, for the first-ever Western podcast appearance from the famously low-profile publisher behind Archero, Survivor.io, Capybara Go, and Whittle Defender.
This isn’t a press interview - it’s a brutally honest deep dive into Habby’s evolution, UA philosophy, shift from hybrid-casual to IAP-focused midcore, and its global ambitions beyond Asia.
🔥 Topics Covered:
From “hybrid casual” to “midcore with IAP focus”
Why ads kill retention
How UA costs shape game design
Creative gaps between East and West
Habby’s data-driven soft launch process
The next-gen “Habby Template 2.5”
Why Survivor.io still defines the global UA playbook
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This is no BS gaming podcast 2.5 gamers session. Sharing actionable insights, dropping knowledge from our day-to-day User Acquisition, Game Design, and Ad monetization jobs. We are definitely not discussing the latest industry news, but having so much fun! Let’s not forget this is a 4 a.m. conference discussion vibe, so let's not take it too seriously.
Panelists: Jakub Remiar, Felix Braberg, Matej Lancaric
Special guest: David Pan
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-pan-%F0%9F%94%9C-gamescom-thailand-4b885566/
Join our slack channel here: https://join.slack.com/t/two-and-half-gamers/shared_invite/zt-2um8eguhf-c~H9idcxM271mnPzdWbipg
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Habby and Its Journey
03:27 David Pan's Role and Responsibilities
06:13 Understanding Habby's Business Model and Game Portfolio
09:00 Recent Investments and Expansion Strategies
11:48 Transitioning from Hybrid Casual to Mid-Core Games
20:37 The Shift Towards In-App Purchases
21:28 Innovative Game Development Strategies
24:10 Navigating the WeChat Mini-Games Market
33:17 Monetization Strategies in Western Markets
42:16 The Moral Dilemma in Game Monetization
44:39 Understanding Monetization as Game Design
48:08 The Importance of Event Mapping in Game Development
50:14 Future Directions for Habby
53:54 Anticipating Big News and Industry Trends
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Matej Lancaric
User Acquisition & Creatives Consultant
https://lancaric.me
Felix Braberg
Ad monetization consultant
https://www.felixbraberg.com
Jakub Remiar
Game design consultant
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakubremiar
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Please share feedback and comments - matej@lancaric.me
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If you are interested in getting UA tips every week on Monday, visit lancaric.substack.com & sign up for the Brutally Honest newsletter by Matej Lancaric
Do you have UA questions nobody can answer? Ask Matej AI - the First UA AI in the gaming industry! https://lancaric.me/matej-ai