Expansion Beyond

Blending strategy, product development, and creative world-building in mobile gaming

The Challenge

Unlike typical client engagements, Expansion Beyond is a Kousaten-led venture that showcases our ability to integrate business strategy, product execution, and creative innovation. The objective was to identify and capture a viable niche within the fast-growing mobile gaming industry by designing not just a game, but an entire universe to engage a targeted audience and build a scalable business model.

This project required a strategy to succeed in the saturated mobile games market, defining a monetization model, and leading full-cycle product development across creative and technical requirements.

Game trailer produced for Expansion Beyond

Our Approach

1. Market Analysis

Recognizing the steady growth of the mobile gaming industry (projected at a 10% CAGR through 2029), we began by analyzing market trends and player behavior. We focused on identifying a niche that would provide differentiation to avoid competing directly with dominant players. Through surveys and landing page experiments, we arrived at a specific combination of genre, theme and player persona to target.

3. Universe Creation

Beyond building a game, we set out to create a full sci-fi universe set in a plausible future of human expansion beyond the solar system. This involved designing planetary environments, alien species, and evolutionary ecosystems. The world-building effort was not only a creative endeavor, but also a strategic way to build emotional investment and long-term loyalty among players.

5. Product Development

We hired and led a cross-functional team—including a Unity Engineer, Graphics Designed, Animator, and Sound Engineer—using an agile, iterative development process to develop the game. In parallel, we developed the server-side architecture internally, including API endpoints and backend logic to save player progress across devices.

2. Business Model

Based on mobile gaming trends reported by market analysts, we chose to design a free-to-play game supported by microtransactions. This monetization model maximizes reach—since it doesn’t create barriers to entry—and enables long-term engagement through in-app purchases. We also made a strategic decision to target iOS devices first, aiming to optimize early monetization given their higher average revenue per user (ARPU).

4. Branding & IP

To protect the value of the emerging intellectual property, we registered trademarks in several jurisdictions and established the legal framework needed to support a live digital product (including Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy). Two websites, Expansion Beyond and Space Exploration Ventures, were launched to introduce the universe to early audiences and build brand equity ahead of the game’s public release.

6. Feedback & Iterations

Throughout development, continuous playtesting and user feedback loops drove gameplay refinement, ultimately leading to an innovative hybrid system that blends turn-based with reflex-based action, creating a distinctive and engaging player experience. The game is currently in Beta testing with a selected group of early adopers engaged via a private Discord community.

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Outcomes

  • Successfully brought a complex mobile game from concept to beta stage, with a targeted launch set for late 2025;

  • Created a scalable business foundation, combining validated market demand, monetization strategy, and IP protection;

  • Built a distinctive sci-fi universe, opening potential for future expansion beyond gaming (e.g., media, merchandising);

  • Delivered a playable, innovative RPG experience aligned with target audience preferences;

  • Achieved first ranking for the “Expansion Beyond” keyworkds across Google and other search engines, establishing discoverability and brand credibility ahead of launch.

Services Provided

  • Market research & opportunity validation;

  • Business model strategy (free-to-play, monetization techniques);

  • Product development leadership (agile, cross-functional team management, hiring);

  • Technical architecture (server-side development, API endpoint design);

  • User testing & gameplay validation and iteration;

  • Creative direction & IP development;

  • Branding, legal frameworks & Trademark registration.

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