Spider-Man Race Mode

Read this month’s Headline Release and Market Watch

Looking for tailored insights on a specific topic? Liquid & Grit provides comprehensive app deconstructs, deep dives into market opportunities, and economy analysis. For more info, see our Custom Work FAQ. If you have any questions or would like to request a custom project, email Brett Nowak. 

Headline Release

Spider-Verse Parkour and Enter the Spider-Verse continue Garena Free Fire’s streak of highly successful IP crossovers, which take advantage of the battle royale genre’s ability to incorporate diverse mechanics. Because battle royale apps include such a large variety of maps, modes, and mechanics, it’s easier for those apps to integrate IPs without feeling forced. In Spider-Verse Parkour’s case, Garena Free Fire adapts its existing parkour race mode to include abilities and a map inspired by the new Spider-Man movie, Across the Spider-Verse.

To drive engagement across the app, Garena Free Fire integrates Spider-Verse content into several features. Spider-Verse Parkour grants rewards for the app’s custom map mode; Enter the Spider-Verse has players complete tasks in the base game to earn Spider-Man cosmetics; and in-game billboards and airplanes are reskinned to promote the IP.

After the release of Spider-Verse Parkour, Garena Free Fire’s revenue grew 35% WoW, the majority of which was likely driven by the collective impact of these Spider-Verse releases.

Release Trends

Expansion events, such as Spider-Verse Parkour, perform exceptionally and consistently well in core apps. Compared to other event types, they have one of the highest median revenue impacts WoW and the lowest standard deviation. 

With the exception of a large spike in Q4 ‘22, expansion events have been released fairly consistently during the past two years. Nearly all expansion events in the core market are released in shooter apps. 

Read our full analysis of the Spider-Verse events in this month’s Headline Release.

Revenue by event type is calculated using Liquid & Grit’s Lift Tool. For more information on the Lift Tool, email Brett Nowak.

Market Watch

Breakout and Soft-Launch Apps

Viking Rise, a 4X strategy app by Lords Mobile developer IGG, offers an unusually high level of city customization, a naval combat feature, and PvPvE dungeons with boss battles.

MARVEL World of Heroes combines Niantic’s signature geolocation features with Marvel Comics’ IP. Unlike Niantic’s previous entries, the geolocation mechanics take a secondary role to the app’s storytelling, combat, battle animations, and hero customization.

Read our complete teardown of these apps in this month’s Market Watch.

Feature, Event, and Content Releases

In Brawl Stars’ Save the Frogs, players win matches and collect toads around the map to earn exclusive cosmetics themed around the endangered harlequin toad. The app’s News tab links players to a fundraising page to support field research in the Amazon rainforest. 

In PUBG Mobile’s Shared Closet, a purchasable VIP membership allows players to share up to 10 cosmetic items with friends. When friends in the VIP program are on the same team, they can equip any of their shared cosmetics.

This month’s noteworthy releases also include a trio of IP-themed content releases: 

• LifeAfter’s Eggy Diffuser is a purchasable cosmetic skin based on the NetEase game Eggy Party.
• PUBG Mobile’s Karol G Items include skins, equipment, and voice lines based on musician Karol G.
• WWE SuperCard’s RoboCop introduces RoboCop-themed cards and cosmetics.

Read our full teardowns of all notable releases in this month’s Market Watch.