Game developer Playrix seamlessly adds PC support for their mobile-first apps
Important: Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 will no longer be supported after March 5, 2025. Read the blog for more information.
Playrix, a global leader in mobile gaming, is expanding its reach using a cross-device app distribution strategy. Known for creating chart-topping games like Homescapes, Gardenscapes, and Fishdom, their games have made a significant impact on the mobile gaming industry, popularizing the combination of storytelling and match-3 gameplay mechanics and pioneering successful monetization strategies within the free-to-play segment of game apps. “Every game is a vibrant world with charming characters, exciting story lines, and puzzle games,” said Victoria Kuleshova, Business Development Director at Playrix.
With a mission to bring joy to millions of people by creating top-notch games, Playrix was focused on enhancing game content and mechanics and increasing the availability of their eight-game portfolio across active devices, including PC support.
Playrix knew they wanted to expand availability to new customers, but with numerous mobile and PC app stores available to choose from, evaluating the effort and time it would take to complete the porting process was pivotal to prioritizing where they deployed their developer resources.
“Our games are mobile-first,” said Kuleshova. “However, we passionately believe in delivering uniformity in user experience, quality, and content across all devices to ensure every user, regardless of their device, enjoys the same premium experience.”
To determine which app store best fit their needs, Playrix strategically evaluated each option by its ease of porting, integration smoothness, and audience potential. Ideally, the required updates would be straightforward to make using their existing code, resulting in a seamless integration of systems, services, and APIs when the porting process was complete.
After considering the success of their existing games on the Amazon Appstore, Playrix turned to Amazon Appstore for Windows 11 and the Windows Subsystem for Android™️ (WSA) as part of their expansion. Porting their established Amazon Appstore games to the desktop with Amazon Appstore for Windows 11 was a straightforward process for their developers who were able to use their existing Android builds with minor updates to launch on Windows 11. These updates included addressing the nuances of adapting mobile-centric gameplay to PC-specific inputs, like keyboard and mouse, saving research and development time that would have been required to build a native PC app. The adapted versions maintained game integrity and provided a consistent experience between the PC and mobile versions.
“Using the resources and guidance Amazon provided, we only needed to adjust the input methods and screens to prepare the games for Windows 11 devices,” explained Kuleshova. “Adapting our existing Amazon Appstore games for Windows 11 has been remarkably swift and efficient—essentially, it's a process we've streamlined to no more than a week"
Amazon Appstore had provided game studios like Playrix a connection point to over 200 million devices worldwide, spanning smart TVs, tablets, and third-party Android devices. With Amazon Appstore's collaboration with Windows 11, Playrix is now able to quickly extend this reach to PCs as well.
“Adapting our existing Amazon Appstore games for Windows 11 has been remarkably swift and efficient—essentially, it's a process we've streamlined to no more than a week."
- Victoria Kuleshova, Business Development Director at Playrix.
Streamlined the integration process
Playrix opted for an easily achievable solution by leveraging their existing Amazon Appstore builds to introduce PC support. Combined with the available developer documentation, they optimized their porting process, saving both time and resources.
Distributed business opportunities across multiple devices
Instead of concentrating all of their efforts and resources on adapting their games to a single device type, Playrix expanded their brand presence across multiple devices. This strategy helped them reach a wider user base, reduced their reliance on any one outlet for success, and increased their brand visibility to the greater gaming community.
Increased monetization across new users and devices
Expanding to new audiences on PC increased Playrix’s overall monetization opportunities. “Every one of our games features in-app purchase monetization, and within the Amazon Appstore, we've witnessed a significant influx of paying users," shared Kuleshova. Adding PC play leveraged their existing Amazon Appstore builds to easily access new users and leads.
Continuing the momentum from its successful launch, Playrix is working towards growing its presence across new and evolving devices to entertain as many users as possible. The company plans to keep evolving game content and mechanics, making their games more versatile and appealing to a broader range of casual game lovers.
Head over to the Playrix on the Amazon Appstore to try one of their games today!
