Aethir and SuperScaleHelps Studios Skip Downloads and Cut 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. 

Their joint case study suggests that Aethir’s streaming infrastructure can significantly lower acquisition costs and increase player engagement, providing developers with an alternative to traditional app store models.

Cloud Gaming Without the Lag

As developers continue to grapple with high user acquisition expenses and the 30 percent platform fees demanded by major app stores, Aethir offers a new approach. Its decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure uses underutilized GPU resources, which are contributed in exchange for Web3 tokens. This allows studios to publish games directly to players without relying on costly intermediaries.

Paul Thind, Aethir’s Chief Revenue Officer, explained that the financial pressures on gaming studios are considerable. Rising infrastructure costs and expensive app store commissions have created a difficult landscape for scaling new games. 

Traditional models also require large marketing budgets and often fail to convert users efficiently, especially when players must download large files before trying a game. Aethir’s solution aims to remove these barriers by allowing instant access to games through web streaming.

The platform enables direct-to-consumer distribution by letting users play games instantly via web links or embedded advertisements. This eliminates the need for app store downloads and introduces Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) that streamline user acquisition. 

According to Aethir, this approach reduces costs and improves retention by offering immediate access and a more seamless experience.

Try Before You Download, Stay for the Experience

SuperScale’s involvement in the case study added credibility to Aethir’s claims. The test focused on a popular mobile title, Tiny Tower, to evaluate how cloud-based instant play could impact engagement and performance. The study was conducted in two phases.

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

The results were compelling: the “Stream Now” feature generated a 35 percent higher click-through rate (CTR) and a 45 percent higher conversion rate compared to the download route. Additionally, 43 percent more users chose instant play when given the option.

Phase 2 evaluated early return on ad spend (ROAS) and engagement metrics. It again used Tiny Tower as the test game. Players were split between traditional app downloads and the cloud streaming experience. 

This 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 faces increasing financial pressure, Aethir’s decentralized infrastructure may present a viable route forward for publishers seeking to reduce dependency on centralized platforms. 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.