GamesForum Cyprus 2025: Hybrid Casual’s Rise, Smarter Monetization & New Partnerships on the Horizon

The island of Cyprus recently played host to a tightly-knit but highly relevant gaming conference: GamesForum Cyprus 2025. After attending the GamesForum in Barcelona, we’re excited to be back for round two.

While the event itself was intimate, it attracted powerhouse studios and gaming partners from across verticals, mobile, web, midcore, hypercasual, and hybrid casual, resulting in some of the most valuable conversations we’ve had this quarter.

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Representing Z2A Digital at the event were Jacob Karas (VP of Sales), alongside Jacob Hecht and Noah Marks, our Business Development minds. From day one, the event was filled with insight, energy, and a growing sense that the mobile gaming space is entering a new phase:

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Less hype, more strategy.

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A Shift from Hype to Hybrid Casual

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One major theme that kept coming up was the shift from hypercasual games to the more sustainable hybrid casual model.
Hybrid casual games blend the easy-to-pick-up mechanics of hypercasual titles with the deeper engagement and progression of casual or midcore games. This results in higher retention and better monetization.

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These games are gaining traction because players prefer them, they offer a more natural experience, keep users engaged for longer, and provide more value over time, making them a solid choice for studios focused on long-term growth.

So, why is this shift happening now? The hypercasual market is saturated, UA costs are rising, and publishers are seeking longer-term value per player. Hybrid casual answers this need by offering scalable monetization without sacrificing simplicity.

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We dive deeper into the latest shifts in the gaming industry in our Gamesforum Barcelona recap if you’re curious about how this transition is playing out across Europe.

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What the Talks Were All About

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This year’s discussions leaned heavily into ad monetization, with a strong emphasis on how developers can better integrate ads without disrupting gameplay. A major talking point was natural ad placements, ads that appear seamlessly within the game world, such as in-game banners that feel like part of the environment. Ad placements are becoming more and more organic for big brands so the user does not feel it is an ad. For example, in a racing game, you might see a Coca-Cola ad displayed on a stadium banner, just like you would in real life.

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There was also a lot of interest in rewarded UA campaigns, where players earn in-game perks for watching ads, creating a win-win scenario that boosts both engagement and installs.

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Another key theme was creative quality, from better storytelling to sharper visuals, the consensus was clear: stronger creatives directly translate into higher player retention and longer lifetime value (LTV). And of course, the hot-button topic of performance marketing and CPA kept surfacing across panels and conversations.

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This was especially emphasized during sessions like “Navigating Success with Rewarded UA” with leaders from SciPlay, Prodege, and KashKick, and the “Innovation in Ad Monetization” talk featuring Dimoso, Outfit7, and Google, where seamless formats and brand advertising strategies were front and center.

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For publishers, these aren’t just hype terms, they’re essential growth levers. Increasing LTV per user isn’t just desirable anymore, it’s non-negotiable. Performance-based models like CPA are gaining serious traction because they align marketing spend directly with user actions, minimizing risk and maximizing return. We’ve written more extensively about CPA models in our GDC breakdown here.

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Performance-Focused Partnerships Are On The Rise

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One of the most exciting trends for us?

The clear interest in performance-based collaborations. Studios and publishers weren’t just looking for top-funnel partners, they were looking for measurable results. Whether it’s installs, in-app events, or retention milestones, CPA-style partnerships are becoming the preferred route for teams looking to grow responsibly.

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With our track record in performance marketing and our tailored CPA campaigns, we found this shift particularly encouraging. The conversations we started here are already turning into follow-up calls and pilot programs.

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Moving Forward

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GamesForum Cyprus might have been a small event on the surface, but it offered deep, meaningful insight into where our industry is headed. As the hypercasual boom cools and Hybrid Casual gains momentum, successful studios will be those who adapt early, by improving creative quality, experimenting with smart ad placements, and leaning into rewarded UA and performance marketing.

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And as for us? We're more confident than ever in our role as a strategic partner for gaming companies serious about growth.

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For more insights from the global gaming circuit, don’t miss our latest insights, where we go even deeper into CPA strategies, AI tools, and the future of mobile gaming.
Let’s keep building.

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