Ouaz Games Adapts to Market Shifts with Browser Focus
Ouaz Games, a Moroccan studio, is navigating the hypercasual gaming landscape's decline while embracing the rise of browser games. Founded in 2017, the team of ten initially found success with hypercasual titles through partnerships with Voodoo and TapNation. However, changes like Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) significantly impacted their revenue model, prompting a shift in strategy. The studio is now focusing on browser and instant games, aiming for a library of 50 titles by the end of 2026. Founder and CEO Yasser Ouaziz explained that the pivot was not planned but a necessary reaction to a shifting market. The hypercasual model became unviable for smaller studios as the cost per install rose and the market began favoring hybridcasual formats, which require extensive prototyping and have low success rates.
Ouaz Games has recently returned to Google Play, but the primary goal is maintaining a portfolio presence rather than generating significant revenue. In contrast, browser games allow for easier traffic flow and monetization strategies. Their current portfolio includes titles such as Ant Kingdom Rush, which has garnered impressive play counts on platforms like CrazyGames, YouTube, and TikTok. The studio's website, ouazgames.com, attracts around 90,000 monthly active users.
Despite being based in Morocco, Ouaziz targets Tier-1 countries for monetization, as revenue per mille (RPM) is considerably higher there than in the MENA region. He expressed concern over emerging studios in Morocco that are pursuing console or Steam projects without understanding the lucrative potential of hypercasual and hybridcasual games. Ouaziz believes that a better connection with the global market and industry trends would benefit new developers.
Why it matters
The studio's success is attributed to its ability to foresee market trends early. With growing publishers in browser gaming and platforms like Poki and CrazyGames gaining traction, Ouaz Games is positioning itself to capitalize on these developments. Regarding the African gaming market, Ouaziz emphasizes the importance of targeting languages over specific countries to reach a broader audience. He noted that many studios in Africa are still focused on survival rather than creating games with a distinct identity, which may come later as they stabilize financially.
Original source
PocketGamer.biz
