Overview 

PlaySide Studios needed to drive game purchases at scale with measurable ROI for the launch of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, a charming hand-drawn, guns-blazing detective adventure, entering a competitive release window. The goal was to reach hyper-targeted PC gamers where they actually play, with full performance transparency via third-party measurement. 

Problem 

With marketing budgets under greater scrutiny across the gaming industry, the team required a channel that could demonstrate clear, attributable performance at scale during the critical launch period of their game.

Solution

PlaySide Studios ran a Desktop Video Quest for MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, requiring viewers to watch the 1 minute Launch Trailer to earn an Avatar Decoration inspired by Jack Pepper. The campaign leveraged Discord's ability to target users based on their exact gaming interests and the games they are actively playing, reaching high-intent PC gaming audiences at scale.

Reward

The Video Quest rewarded users with an Avatar Decoration that uses the same hand-drawn rubber hose animation inspired by the classic cartoons of the 1930’s that the game uses, with the main character Jack Pepper’s signature hat and gloves. The Avatar quickly became unmissable on the platform which proved an extremely effective brand visibility boost for the game. 

Results

The campaign delivered 4.5x net ROAS and 1M+ Avatar decorations, with Gamesight serving as the independent measurement and attribution partner. 

Discord outperformed all other core digital media channels across both brand visibility and performance marketing metrics. Results were strong enough that PlaySide increased investment, leading to a total marketing spend 3x their initial planned investment. Moving forward, Discord has cemented its place as a core channel on every future PlaySide marketing plan.

“Discord hit our brand, community engagement, and conversion goals all within a single campaign, instantly transforming it from an experimental test into a core marketing channel for all our titles going forward.”
‍
_{- Michael McAlister, Global Head of Marketing at PlaySide Studios} 

Highlight Metrics:

• 4.5x Net Return on Ad Spend
• 1m+ Avatar Deco Claims
• 3x Increase in Campaign Budget

_{Source: Discord 1P data and 3P partner data via Gamesight & Playside Studios, April-May 2026. Net ROAS calculated by Playside Studios with input from Gamesight measurement and attribution, leveraging a server-to-server integration with Discord and direct in game telemetry with Playside Studios.}