Mobile games are often associated with aggressive monetization, dark patterns, and disposable experiences. But does mobile really have to be that way?
I’m Leon, creator of LOOTFALL, a retro-inspired RPG that has grown into a Top 50 iOS RPG in multiple countries, with thousands of daily players and a community that genuinely loves the game.
In this talk, I want to share what I’ve learned building and monetizing a mobile game in Godot without relying on the practices mobile games are often criticized for. I’ll also dive into the technical side of building a fairly complex mobile game with Godot, including the tools, systems, and performance challenges involved in using an engine that isn’t always designed with mobile-first development in mind.
The talk combines three areas: game design, business, and technology.
I’ll use LOOTFALL as a real-world case study to discuss how meaningful progression, long-term systems, and player-friendly monetization can coexist with a sustainable mobile business.
On the technical side, I’ll cover how I built and shipped LOOTFALL with Godot, including mobile performance optimization, memory and loading considerations, handling large amounts of UI and game data, and some of the challenges of using Godot for a relatively complex mobile game when many parts of the engine and workflow are not specifically mobile-first.
The talk is aimed at developers interested in mobile development, Godot, sustainable (and fair) monetization, and building games that players want to keep playing (live service).