Is ASO for mobile games different from ASO for apps?

The basics are the same, but games lean much more on the icon, gameplay video, seasonal events and cultural localisation. Competition for the genre's generic searches is also much tougher, so you have to work the long tail more carefully.

Do In-App Events bring in new players?

They do, but mostly they bring back the players you already have. In a Christmas campaign I ran as an In-App Event, more than 99% of interactions were opens and re-downloads from people who already had the app.

Is it worth localising my game into many languages?

In my experience, yes. At Atalana Games, localisation was one of the two levers, alongside keywords, that took us past 1 million organic downloads. Each language needs reviewing, though; translating is not enough.

Can I compete with big studios without spending on ads?

You can gain ground organically by going after the generic long-tail searches the leaders in your genre rank for. Always generic searches: I never use or recommend competitor brand names in metadata or in the keyword field.

How often should I change my game's icon?

There is no fixed rule, but the icon should always be tested with higher CTR as the goal. An icon adapted to a key date in specific markets can make a big difference: on Soccer Star 2018 World Legend it gave us +30% downloads.

How much does ASO for a mobile game cost?

I do not publish prices: it depends on the game, the platforms and the languages. After the free mini audit I send you a proposal with a fixed-price foundation and optional monthly management.

Services

Mobile game ASO consultant

I've been doing ASO for mobile games since 2019, first with my own studios and then for others. I know how hard it is to stand out when you're up against studios far bigger than yours.

Updated 17 October 2026Aitor Fernández

Start with a free mini audit of your store listing: no strings attached, no cost.

Book 20 minutes or send me an email

Who it's for

Indie game studios that have launched, or are about to launch, a game and can't outspend the big players on ads.
Mid-sized studios with several titles that need someone to run ASO across the catalogue with a calendar of events and seasons.
Publishers and companies that want more organic downloads from games that already perform.

The problem I solve: a game's listing competes with titles from much bigger studios, in genres that saturate quickly. If your game doesn't show up for the right searches, doesn't have an icon that stands out and doesn't make the most of events and key dates, it's close to invisible, however good it is.

What's included

Genre keyword research, focused on the generic long-tail searches the leaders in your category rank for. Never their brand names.
Localisation of metadata and creatives, including cultural localisation: adapting the icon or screenshots to specific markets and dates.
Icon: concepts and tests to win more CTR.
Screenshots and gameplay video that genuinely show the game.
An In-App Events calendar and seasonal events.
A/B testing on the App Store and Google Play.
Monthly tracking of impressions, downloads, conversion and rankings.

The experience behind it

A Ramadan icon on Soccer Star 2018 World Legend (Redvel Games). During the month of Ramadan we swapped the game's icon for one featuring Salah and a Ramadan crescent moon. The result: +30% downloads. It's a clear example of culturally localising an icon for specific markets. You can see the game on the App Store.

Over 1 million organic downloads with idle games (Atalana Games). I co-founded my own studio and was its CMO. We launched idle games right in the middle of the genre's boom, with fierce competition, and passed a million organic downloads without ads. The levers were keywords and a lot of localisation. The strategy: rank for the generic long-tail searches the biggest competitor ranked for, finding every last gap to pick up related downloads.

In-App Events: today, the most important lever. In my current role I ran an organic Christmas campaign as an In-App Event on a social casino app in the US, with Christmas-themed slots as the event for a month. The event passed 200,000 impressions that month, and more than 99% of interactions were opens and re-downloads from existing users. The takeaway I apply to games: In-App Events are mostly for re-engaging and winning back players, less so for acquiring new ones.

App Radar (2021–2022). One of the best-known ASO platforms and agencies in the industry. As an App Marketing Specialist I did ASO consulting for the platform's largest accounts: games with tens of millions of users and global brands such as 8 Ball Pool (over 1 billion downloads), Golf Battle, World of Warships, Kingdom Rush and Adidas Running.

I also co-founded VlezGames, with Knife Throw Royale, and I've worked as a freelancer with PlayJoy, which makes Spanish board games.

How we work, in 4 steps

Free mini audit. If your game is already live, I review your listing and tell you what I'd change first. No commitment.
Proposal. A fixed-price foundation that gets keywords, listing and creatives in shape, plus optional monthly management for the events calendar and tests.
Paid upfront, no lock-in. You pay before each phase starts and can stop whenever you want.
Work and measurement. I make the changes, run the tests and events, and show you every month what worked.

Frequently asked questions

Is ASO for mobile games different from ASO for apps?: The basics are the same, but games lean much more on the icon, gameplay video, seasonal events and cultural localisation. Competition for the genre's generic searches is also much tougher, so you have to work the long tail more carefully.
Do In-App Events bring in new players?: They do, but mostly they bring back the players you already have. In a Christmas campaign I ran as an In-App Event, more than 99% of interactions were opens and re-downloads from people who already had the app.
Is it worth localising my game into many languages?: In my experience, yes. At Atalana Games, localisation was one of the two levers, alongside keywords, that took us past 1 million organic downloads. Each language needs reviewing, though; translating is not enough.
Can I compete with big studios without spending on ads?: You can gain ground organically by going after the generic long-tail searches the leaders in your genre rank for. Always generic searches: I never use or recommend competitor brand names in metadata or in the keyword field.
How often should I change my game's icon?: There is no fixed rule, but the icon should always be tested with higher CTR as the goal. An icon adapted to a key date in specific markets can make a big difference: on Soccer Star 2018 World Legend it gave us +30% downloads.
How much does ASO for a mobile game cost?: I do not publish prices: it depends on the game, the platforms and the languages. After the free mini audit I send you a proposal with a fixed-price foundation and optional monthly management.

Related service

Free mini audit

Could your store listing be winning more downloads?

If your app is already live, I will review your listing for free and tell you what I would change first. No strings attached, no cost.

Book 20 minutes