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East Side Games rolled out Neon Direct Checkout to eight casual mobile games in five months, across six studios, each operating independently.
Here's what the data showed:
- Across East Side Games’ casual portfolio, Direct Checkout captured up to 45% of US iOS revenue, well above the ~20% typically seen for casual DTC.
- D7 conversion increased by up to 124% after introducing Direct Checkout, with positive lift observed across multiple titles. DTC is helping more players convert, not simply rerouting existing payers.
- 47-80% of DTC transactions come from returning payers, with DTC payers transacting multiple times per month. Once players adopt Direct Checkout, they tend to stick with it.
Across East Side Games’ casual portfolio, iOS direct-to-consumer (DTC) mix in the US is reaching up to 45%, with multiple titles clearing 30%. For casual games, historically a weaker fit for DTC than strategy, RPG, or social casino, those numbers are unusual. Casual DTC mix typically sits around 20%.
ESG broke that pattern with Neon Direct Checkout. The Direct Checkout button sits right next to the IAP button on the in-game offer – same surface, same moment of intent. When a player taps it, they go straight to checkout.
About East Side Games
East Side Games (“ESG”) is a publicly traded Vancouver-based leader in free-to-play mobile gaming, developing and publishing original and licensed IP titles that engage millions of players worldwide. The company operates a portfolio of casual and mid-core mobile games across multiple studios and its GameKit partner network, with titles including RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar, The Office: Somehow We Manage, Doctor Who: Lost in Time, and Squishmallows Match, alongside original franchises such as Bud Farm Idle Tycoon and Milk Farm Tycoon.
Headquartered in Vancouver, ESG develops, launches, and operates live mobile games for iOS and Android, monetizing through in-app purchases and in-game advertising while focusing on long-term player engagement and scalable live operations.
The Challenge
ESG had two key uncertainties going into DTC.
1. Genre risk
Most of the portfolio is casual, including match-3 and narrative idle games. If DTC didn’t work for casual games, scaling it across the portfolio would mean wasted effort for every team.
2. Structural requirements
ESG’s co-development partner studios operate independently – each with its own tech stack, release cadence, and backend. This setup gives each studio the autonomy to move at its own pace, but it meant any DTC solution had to work without shared infrastructure, a unified identity layer, or platform migration.
The core question was simple:
Could DTC capture meaningful share on casual games, and could it scale across multiple independent teams without shared infrastructure?
The Approach
ESG and Neon designed the rollout to answer both questions directly.
Meet players at the moment of intent
Neon’s Direct Checkout is optimised for speed and minimal friction, sitting directly alongside the IAP flow so players can complete purchases instantly with one-tap payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
This matters more in casual games than anywhere else. Sessions are short, intent is fleeting, and every additional step increases drop-off.
One checkout, every studio
Neon’s Direct Checkout was designed to fit into each studio’s existing setup, integrating with their own backends, authentication, and fulfillment systems without requiring shared infrastructure.
At the same time, the player-facing checkout remained identical across all titles, ensuring a consistent and trusted purchase experience regardless of game.
“Neon built around our complexity rather than asking us to change how we work. That flexibility, combined with strong execution across teams, is what made it possible to scale Direct Checkout across our portfolio.”
— Jim Wagner, Chief Product Officer, East Side Games
The Results
Across ESG’s casual portfolio, Direct Checkout is now capturing up to 45% of US iOS revenue, with multiple titles in the 30%+ range.
The data points to two key drivers behind the portfolio’s DTC mix.
More players are converting
Direct Checkout drove a measurable lift in early conversion across multiple titles. Milk Farm Tycoon saw a +124% lift in D7 conversion after introducing Neon, with several other titles also showing positive D7 lift. DTC isn’t just rerouting existing payers – it’s helping more players convert in the first place.
And they keep coming back
Across the portfolio, DTC behaviour is strikingly sticky. 47% to 80% of DTC transactions come from returning payers, and DTC payers typically transact multiple times per month. Combined with the D7 conversion lift above, the pattern is clear: Direct Checkout is helping new players convert earlier and locking them into DTC once they do.
“What’s surprised us is the stickiness. Players who engage with Direct Checkout keep coming back, and not at the expense of IAP. That’s given us the confidence to push DTC further."
— Elin Jonsson, Chief Business Officer, East Side Games
What’s Next
With Direct Checkout established as the in-game payment surface, ESG is preparing to add a webshop as a complementary DTC channel.
The two surfaces will serve different purchase moments. Direct Checkout is built for impulse purchases: the player who runs out of energy mid-session and wants more right now. The webshop is being designed for more considered purchases: exclusive bundles, free claims, and progression-linked offers, positioned as the official extension of the game.
Casual hasn’t been DTC’s strongest genre. ESG’s portfolio shows it can be.