CENTURY HUATONG(SZ:002602) 盐财经·2025-05-27 09:47Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the success of the mobile game "Endless Winter," developed by Point Interactive, which has outperformed major competitors in the mobile gaming industry, achieving significant revenue milestones and user engagement metrics [4][6][34]. Group 1: Game Performance and Revenue - "Endless Winter" has generated a total revenue of $2.25 billion (over 160 billion RMB) globally since its launch, making it one of the fastest mobile games to surpass $2 billion in revenue within five years [5][34]. - The game ranked first in the overseas revenue chart for Chinese mobile games, surpassing established titles from companies like MiHoYo, Tencent, and NetEase [4][34]. - In April 2025, the iOS version of "Endless Winter" achieved a monthly revenue of 380 million RMB, maintaining its position as the top-grossing mobile game in the overseas market [34]. Group 2: Marketing and User Acquisition Strategies - The game employs aggressive advertising strategies, frequently appearing in casual games and short video platforms to capture potential users during their fragmented time [10][11]. - Point Interactive has invested heavily in user acquisition, with marketing expenses reaching 7.46 billion RMB in 2024, a significant increase from 3.37 billion RMB in 2023 [21][36]. - The game utilizes a dual approach of offering players the option to either spend money or watch ads, effectively drawing in users from casual gaming backgrounds [8][10]. Group 3: Game Mechanics and User Engagement - "Endless Winter" initially presents itself as a casual simulation game but transitions into a strategy game (SLG) as players progress, which has led to high user retention rates [27][28]. - The game has a monthly retention rate of 8%, exceeding the typical 3.2% for SLG games, attributed to the time investment required for town building and social features [28][34]. - Players often feel compelled to spend money to remain competitive, leading to perceptions of the game being "pay-to-win" [38]. Group 4: Financial Impact on Parent Company - The parent company, Century Huatong, reported a record revenue of 22.62 billion RMB in 2024, a 70.27% increase year-over-year, largely driven by the success of "Endless Winter" [35][36]. - Point Interactive's revenue for 2024 was approximately 15 billion RMB, contributing 70% to the overall revenue of Century Huatong [36][37]. - The success of "Endless Winter" has positioned Point Interactive among the top 50 global mobile app publishers, ranking 19th in 2024 [34].