Best Practices from Space Ape's Transformers: Earth Wars Webshop
Overview
Space Ape, a top mobile game developer from London, decided to switch from Xsolla to a new webstore provider for their hit game Transformers: Earth Wars. Looking to meet specific operational and performance needs, they evaluated several options before choosing Neon. Within a few months, they launched their new webstore with Neon, marking a big step forward in their digital commerce strategy.
This case study dives into why Space Ape made the switch, the improvements they saw with Neon, and the performance metrics that followed. It also shares key takeaways and best practices from both teams that drove the collaboration’s success.
Performance Metrics
The transition to Neon delivered robust results, demonstrating the platform’s effectiveness:
+241% ARPPU: Players who purchased via the webstore drove a much higher ARPPU (average revenue per paying user) than players purchasing in-app only.
35% higher AOV: webshop purchasers on average spent more per transaction than those purchasing in-app only. AOV stands for average order value, which is a very common KPI in the ecommerce industry.
Payment flexibility: 25% of transactions used PayPal, highlighting the importance of diverse payment options.
Streamlined player experience: 3X less time for players to login and checkout.
No heavy lifting required: Developed and launched the new webstore in 3 weeks.
Reasons for Migrating from Xsolla
Space Ape identified several areas where Xsolla’s platform fell short of their evolving needs:
Complex user authentication: Players were required to manually input their player IDs, causing friction in the login process.
Limited currency support: Xsolla only supported USD, CAD, and GBP, limiting Space Ape’s ability to scale globally.
Manual processes: Setting up pricing and managing inventory required significant manual effort, slowing down operations.
Why Neon Was Selected
Neon emerged as the preferred choice due to its:
Enhanced user experience: Neon’s in-game deep-link authentication simplified the login process, eliminating the need for manual player ID input.
Scalable pricing system: Neon’s pricing templates allowed for easy setup of localized pricing and text, enabling expansion to new countries.
Responsive support: Even before signing the MSA, Neon’s team addressed technical issues proactively and implemented requested changes quickly.
Key Improvements with Neon
Design & Feature Enhancements
Improved design and player experience: Neon's custom templated design provided players with a better experience that is more consistent with the look, feel and functionality of the in-game store. The responsive store is optimized for any and every screen size.
Clearer value proposition for players: Neon’s system displayed item bonuses directly within the item card, simplifying the user experience.
Seamless authentication: The new webstore leveraged in-game deep-link and QR code authentication, removing the need for manual player ID input.
Shopping cart functionality: A shopping cart feature was introduced shortly after launch, addressing player demand and improving user satisfaction.
Localized pricing & text: Neon’s platform enabled Space Ape to expand beyond USD, CAD, and GBP to support additional currencies, driving global reach.
Operational Enhancements
Inventory management: Neon built an Xsolla inventory adapter to streamline the transition and continued to improve inventory management capabilities, including automated migration scripts.
Pricing templates: The streamlined setup for local currencies minimized pricing arbitrage and tax/VAT complications.
Best Practices for Webstore Success
Remove friction: Streamlined FTUE (first-time user experience) and the player login process.
Expand reach: Activated new global and local payment methods (like PayPal, Mercado Pago, PayPay, and GrabPay) to monetize players who prefer paying in ways not supported by the walled gardens.
Promote via owned channels: Created a dedicated Discord channel exclusive to the webstore, which increased visibility and engagement around the webshop offers and content.
Integrate monetization with your LiveOps & content: Activated the same caliber of LiveOps strategy on the webshop as in-game. Incentivized users to shift buying preference to your webshop with added bonuses, and published regular content releases encouraging players to visit the webstore organically.
Use strategic promo codes: Employed various promo codes sparingly helped drive traffic without cannibalizing revenue.
Ensure offer consistency and parity: Achieved parity across web and in-game offers, which prevented player confusion and maintained trust.
Testimonials
Responsive Team
“Even before we signed the MSA with Neon, we were able to surface, and Neon was able to address, a few technical issues that came up as part of our review of their docs. Both requests were completed within the week, and more importantly, we’ve continued to see that level of responsiveness throughout our working relationship.”
– Louis McCormack, Head of Platform, Space Ape
Smooth Migration Process
“The migration was very straightforward actually. The work itself only took about 3-4 weeks, with most of the work being new improvements to our store setup.”
– Chris Tompkinson, Server Developer, Space Ape
Improved Inventory Management
“Neon heard our feedback and built an Xsolla inventory adapter to map our existing webstore data model to theirs seamlessly. They continued to iterate and even wrote scripts to migrate our Unity inventory to their system.”
– Jairo Aznar Marcos, Live Operations & Monetization Manager, Space Ape
Streamlined Pricing
“With our previous provider, it was very manual to set up local currencies and prices. With Neon, we were finally able to set up localized pricing easily, which reduced pricing arbitrage that was happening on web.”
– Ioannis Lefkaditis, GM, Space Ape
Conclusion
The partnership between Space Ape and Neon has been a success, driven by innovative features, a responsive team, and a shared commitment to excellence. The collaboration has unlocked new opportunities, delivering consistent performance and providing a roadmap for future growth. By focusing on player experience, operational efficiency, and strategic best practices, both Space Ape and Neon have set a strong foundation for long-term success.
