In the mobile industry, success has usually been measured in downloads. But with rising competition and increasingly difficult user attention, it can be said that installs alone don’t define growth anymore.
To be a successful developer today, one has to focus on acquiring users that not only stay, but also genuinely enjoy the product, explore it thoroughly, and become part of the community. This mindset change has led to the rise of Rewarded User Acquisition (Rewarded UA).
Rewarded UA as a growth mindset
Rewarded UA has transformed the traditional user acquisition model by putting engagement and value at the forefront, and leaving behind the chase of clicks and impressions.
In particular, Gamelight’s rewarded approach works in a simple but effective way: users discover new games or apps through personalized recommendations, and receive meaningful rewards for trying them out and engaging in a genuine way. With this model, users’ time and curiosity are at the center of the experience.
The result is a win-win: users find games they actually enjoy, and developers can connect with an audience who is likely to stay, interact and become part of the ecosystem long-term.
Rewarded UA in practice
A strong example of Rewarded UA’s impact is Gamelight’s long-term collaboration with JOYCITY. Across multiple strategy titles - including Gunship Battle: Total Warfare and World War: Machines Conquest - JOYCITY partnered with Gamelight to scale high-value users in Japan, UK and beyond, with a clear focus on long-term ROAS.
The results were consistently strong:
Gunship Battle: Total Warfare
World War: Machines Conquest
By combining rewarded engagement with Gamelight’s precise targeting, the campaigns attracted players who not only installed the games, but progressed, returned, and converted over time.
Gamelight’s work with JOYCITY across several of their major titles and their results show how Rewarded UA can reliably drive both scale and quality in a sustainable way.
D30 ROAS:
overdelivered 26.05% goal
D7 - D30 ROAS JP:
growth of +213%
D7 - D30 ROAS UK:
growth of +143%
D7 - D30 ROAS JP & KR:
growth of +257,61%
D7 - D30 ROAS UK:
growth of +230,2%
Why measurement makes it work
Rewarded UA only delivers its full potential when it’s backed by accurate measurement. That’s where Airbridge plays a vital role.
Airbridge’s unified measurement and attribution platform gives teams full visibility into the user journey, connecting rewarded traffic to downstream in-app events, retention cohorts, and revenue outcomes. By unifying signal-level data across platforms, Airbridge helps developers understand whether rewarded users drive incremental value beyond installs.
With Airbridge, rewarded campaigns become fully transparent and data-backed, helping developers optimise for outcomes that matter, like retention, ROAS, LTV.
Strengthening Value Through Better In-App Experiences
Acquiring the right users is just part of the story—how those users are engaged and monetized matters just as much. For casual titles leveraging Rewarded UA, the users you attract are already highly engaged and genuinely interested in the game, which makes thoughtful in-app monetization even more critical.
With AI-supported optimisation, as seen in platforms like Airflux, developers can adjust when and how often interstitials appear based on real player behavior. For rewarded users who are exploring the game deeply, this ensures ads surface at moments that feel natural and non-disruptive, preserving the engagement and enjoyment that made them valuable in the first place.
By protecting the user experience for this high-quality audience, developers maintain stronger retention and healthier long-term LTV. Combined with Rewarded UA, smarter in-app monetization completes a more sustainable growth framework for casual games.
Rewarded UA as a Sustainable Strategy
Rewarded UA isn’t a short-term tactic but a sustainable way to grow. By connecting developers with users who are already open to discovery, it builds authentic engagement from the very beginning.
As Günay Azer, founder of Gamelight, puts it:
The industry is shifting toward value-based growth, and rewarded UA reflects that. That’s exactly what rewarded acquisition delivers. When users feel that their time is valued, they explore the game more deeply, and retention naturally follows.
And Roi Nam, CEO of Airbridge & Airflux, adds:
“We’ve seen that when teams understand the true value path of rewarded users, they start designing experiences that sustain it. Rewarded UA works best when every signal is measurable and every interaction respects user intent — that’s where durable growth really begins.”
It’s also a reflection of how users want to interact today: on their own terms, with genuine choice and mutual benefit. Developers gain committed audiences, and users feel that their time and curiosity are valued.
The partnership between Gamelight and Airbridge makes this process measurable and scalable, combining rewarded user acquisition with precise attribution to help developers build lasting communities around their products.
The future of growth is built on value
As privacy standards evolve and mobile marketing becomes more complex, one principle will continue to stand out: when growth is based on value, it lasts longer.
Rewarded UA is the perfect example of this new mindset. By connecting the right users with the right products, it creates genuine engagement, and offers measurable, transparent results that go beyond installs.
Through their integration, Gamelight and Airbridge help developers move away from traditional acquisition and toward a model that rewards curiosity, builds loyalty, and drives sustainable success. And with AI-powered monetization optimization engines like Airflux, developers can further enhance user experience and LTV, completing a value-driven growth loop that supports long-term success.
