Aethir Partners with SuperScale to Explore How Decentralized Cloud Technology Can Reduce User Acquisition Costs

Cloud gaming infrastructure provider Aethir has partnered with user acquisition firm SuperScale to explore how decentralized cloud technology can reduce the rising costs of acquiring new users in the gaming industry.

Aether, a provider of cloud gaming infrastructure, has partnered with user acquisition firm SuperScale to explore how decentralized cloud technology can help reduce the rising costs of acquiring new users in the gaming industry. Their joint case study suggests that Aethir’s streaming infrastructure could significantly lower acquisition expenses and increase player engagement, presenting an interesting alternative to traditional app store models, which usually take a 30 percent commission on game revenue.

The study, which is part of Aethir’s broader initiative to highlight the potential of decentralized cloud gaming, focused on a popular mobile game, Tiny Tower, to evaluate how a cloud-based instant play experience would impact user engagement and performance. The study was divided into two phases.

In Phase 1, SuperScale tested different user entry points to the game using A/B/C experiments. One group of users was directed to the traditional app download, another was offered an “Instant Play” feature via cloud streaming, and the third was given a “Stream Now” option.

The results showed that the “Stream Now” integration generated a 35 percent higher click-through rate (CTR) and a 45 percent higher conversion rate compared to the download integration. Additionally, 43 percent more users chose instant play when given the option. This suggests that users responded better to the convenience of immediate access, especially when offered in a clear and engaging manner.

Phase 2 of the study focused on early return on ad spend (ROAS) and engagement metrics, splitting users between traditional app downloads and the cloud streaming experience. This second test built upon the first phase to examine the broader implications of the two approaches.

The second test revealed even more encouraging statistics: users who accessed the game via Aethir’s stream showed a 143 percent increase in preference over app store downloads. D7 ROAS rose by 75 percent, average revenue per user jumped by 93 percent, and session length and retention metrics also improved substantially. Day one retention increased by 60 percent and day seven retention by 80 percent.

These findings support the idea that cloud-based instant play features not only improve initial engagement but also encourage longer-term user interaction and monetization. Aethir and SuperScale argue that this new model can benefit various sectors of the gaming industry, particularly live service games, MMOs, and developers targeting emerging markets where hardware limitations often restrict access to high-end games.

Beyond bypassing app stores, Aethir’s model opens new monetization paths. Without platform fees, studios can implement direct microtransactions, subscriptions, or ad-based models more profitably. It also allows games to run across a wider range of devices—including PCs, smartphones, and smart TVs—using a single codebase.

As the industry continues to adjust to new technological and economic landscapes, Aethir’s decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure, which is contributed by users in exchange for Web3 tokens, presents an interesting avenue for exploring alternative user acquisition and engagement strategies. The results of the SuperScale case study offer early evidence that embracing cloud gaming could be a strategic shift for developers looking to expand reach and cut costs in a changing digital landscape.