When it comes to selling a mobile game, many developers make the same mistake: leading with lifetime downloads.
While impressive numbers look great on a pitch deck, they’re often irrelevant to buyers making real acquisition decisions. At Gamehaap, we’ve seen games with 15M+ downloads fail to sell, and games with under 500K downloads spark bidding wars.
Here’s what actually matters — and how you can showcase it.
Retention is the Starting Line
If users aren’t sticking, no acquirer is biting.
Serious buyers care about how engaged your audience is, typically focusing on:
- D1, D7, D30 retention rates
- Platform-specific differences (iOS vs Android)
- Country-specific performance
A game with 35% D1 and 12% D7 retention is far more attractive than a game with 10M installs and 15% D1 — because retention signals future LTV and monetization potential.
ROAS Isn’t Optional
If you’ve run paid user acquisition, buyers want to know one thing:
Can I profitably scale this game?
That means showing:
- ROAS by day (D1, D7, D30 — D90 if available)
- Payback periods
- Top-performing geos and creatives
- Ad networks used and spend volume
Even modest ROAS with potential to scale can be highly appealing — especially in playable-heavy genres or titles with existing UA learnings.
Monetization Mix Tells the Story
Buyers love clean revenue.
They want to know where the money comes from — and how predictable it is.
Ideal scenario:
- 40–60% IAP / 40–60% Ads
- Top-3 countries contributing to 60–70% of revenue
- Healthy ARPDAU and RPM figures
- Transparent breakdowns per store and monetization type
Games relying solely on one stream (e.g. only rewarded video) may still sell, but they often get lower multiples due to higher risk and volatility.
DAU + Organic % = Confidence
Active users are a buyer’s lifeline.
You don’t need massive DAUs, but you do need consistency. Buyers ask:
- What is your 6-month average DAU by platform?
- What percentage of installs are organic?
- Are you ranking well in any key markets or categories?
An 80% organic install share with modest DAUs often outshines a UA-heavy title that bleeds money.
Poor Packaging = Lost Value
Here’s a hidden truth: many great games get ignored because the data wasn’t packaged right.
- Incomplete dashboards
- Missing ROAS info
- Sloppy revenue breakdowns
- Retention not split by platform
Even high-performing games get passed on because buyers don’t have time to “figure it out.”
That’s where Gamehaap steps in.
Let Gamehaap Present Your Game the Way Buyers Think
We know what buyers want — and we help you speak their language.
From clean performance snapshots to custom deal datarooms, we package your asset so that its real value shines through.
Don’t let weak presentation hold back a strong title.
Let’s show the market what your game is really worth.
Get your game evaluated and packaged professionally.
Reach out to Gamehaap today.
