Back
Candy Crush Soda Saga
Thebiggestchurn
momentinthegame
I redesigned how Candy Crush handles the moment players hit a wall — turning a dead end into a reason to keep playing.
Business problem
The old flow
When players get stuck and won't pay, they leave.
Pay or leave
Gold bars or quit. No middle ground.
Design challenge
The business need
Introduce ads without hurting the experience or gold bar sales.
Pay with gold barsThe premium path stays the better deal.
No cannibalised sales
Ads add revenue. Gold bars stay the better deal.
Wrong moment
The player just lost. Any ask feels punishing.
Concepts tested
User tested three approaches
Each solved the same moment differently. Testing showed which one users trusted.
Pay 10Watch one ad, get one reward. No reason to watch another.
Pay 10Three ads, three rewards. Players who start want to finish.
Pay 10Random reward from a spin. Felt like a trick — players didn't trust it.
Learnings
Help, not a paywall
The player just lost. Any ask for money feels wrong right now.
Visible progress converts
Show all rewards upfront. Players who start want to finish.
Paid path stays premium
Gold bars stay the better deal. Ads are free but take longer.
Two paths forward
The new flow
Both generate revenue. The player decides.
Watch 3 adsEarn power-ups progressively. Free for the player.
+2 moves+2 moves
+1 move5 extra moves earnedPay 10 gold barsInstant continuation. 5 extra moves.
5 extra movesThe shipped design
Out of moves? Two ways to keep playing
Watch a few ads or pay — and you're back in the game.
Learnings
Clearer CTA and communication
Players who watch one ad almost always watch all three. Starting is the hard part.
Visually engaging mechanics
Seeing all three rewards turns a single ask into a goal worth finishing.
@Candies.Striped.png)
@Candies.Striped.png)
@Candies.Striped.png)
What I learned
A good upsell never feels like a paywall or banner. It feels like added value — and that is what drives conversion while preventing churn.
Engagement, not a paywall
Asking for money after a loss feels like punishment. Offer a way forward, not a wall.
Add value to the experience
More progress, richer feedback and stronger rewards make the upsell feel like a gift — a pattern that works in any product, not just games.
Value drives retention
When players feel they gained something, they convert more — and they stay.
Results
Measurable impact
Validated through player research and A/B testing before shipping to 200M daily players.
Ad completion rate
Most players who started the first ad watched all three.
Lower exit rate
Compared to the old binary prompt.
Revenue stream
Ad revenue from players who would never have bought gold bars.