The mobile gaming sector is navigating an unprecedentedly competitive landscape. As emerging technologies reshape gaming, mobile titles—with their lower development barriers, shorter production cycles, and agile capacity for conceptual and narrative execution—have become a fiercely contested battleground, marked by an almost palpable intensity. Developers vie relentlessly for user attention, engagement, and retention, crafting monetisation strategies to sustain in-game revenue loops. However, the chasm between aspiration and reality remains stark. Regardless of a team’s expertise or dedication, market reception dictates survival; even promising products face obsolescence if they fail to resonate.
Top Games, Inc. (TGI), the studio behind the classic strategy title Evony: The King’s Return, stands as a seasoned veteran in this arena—a proven monetisation success. By 2025, its winning strategy hinges on two pillars: relentlessly refining its flagship game and launching innovative, high-potential projects. Superficially, this approach may seem commonplace; however, its execution diverges markedly in practice.
David Guo, TGI’s co-founder, asserts that quality game development is an iterative process. While monetisation remains pivotal, user feedback and experience form the core drivers of the studio’s operations. “If you want to build games players love, you need to build a company that listens like it means it. Feedback is a gift, but impact is a choice. We choose to act,” he notes. This philosophy echoes commitments made in 2022 when Evony TKR secured the NYX Game Awards Silver Prize for Strategy—a vision now validated by three years of unwavering execution.
Reflecting on TGI’s ethos, Guo earlier told TechBullion: “Top Games focuses on providing top-tier player experiences and services. We design games from the player’s perspective.” Metrics substantiate this focus: with 230 million cumulative downloads disclosed last year, Evony TKR is projected to surpass 300 million in 2025. Financially, the title is TGI’s linchpin, generating approximately $300 million annually since 2024—a testament to its enduring appeal and the purchasing power of its loyal user base.
Evony TKR: Evolving Through Strategic Updates
The game’s 2025 updates exemplify TGI’s player-centric approach:
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New Generals & Subordinate City: A limited-time recruitment event (June 6–8) introduced six Epic Historic Generals, including Gaius Octavius, while the Inca Famous City event awarded a culturally themed Subordinate City with combat and development buffs.
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Celebration Generals: Seasonal events like Children’s Day and Triumphal Celebration debuted new generals—Artemisia I, Helena, and Romulus—each tied to themed gameplay modes (e.g., King’s Party, Voyage to Civilizations). Rewards ranged from exclusive castle skins to premium gear.
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System Optimisations: Version 5.0.0 streamlined UI elements like the Rally Monthly Card, while the S3 Ultimate Battlefield introduced rule refinements and enhanced rewards. Server mergers, executed without data loss, aimed to bolster community engagement.
Leadership and Culture: Agility as a Antidote to Market Pressures
In 2025, Guo emphasised a “squad culture” within TGI—flattening hierarchies to maximise individual potential while aligning teams with corporate objectives. “In a market this volatile, stagnation is regression,” he remarked, underscoring the studio’s focus on crisis resilience and high-quality output.
As an independent developer, TGI distinguishes itself through rapid iteration, precision problem-solving, and a lean, elite team structure—a blueprint for its 2025 ambitions. Guo’s trajectory—from award-winning software prodigy to founding TGI after recognising mobile gaming’s potential in the early 2000s—reflects his knack for aligning talent with corporate vision. Data-driven management and individual growth remain central to his leadership.
Run! Goddess: A New RPG Designed for Anime Culture Fans
TGI’s latest RPG, Run! Goddess, merges anime-inspired aesthetics with hybridised mechanics (strategy, action, gacha, and character progression). Since its launch on iOS and Android, it has garnered significant traction among anime enthusiasts, particularly in Japan, positioning it as one of 2025’s most anticipated RPGs.
