How a redesign based on deep data delivered a successful new concept

Melding cinematic video with iGaming principles and shooting mechanisms with betting strategies, fish-shooting games have taken the industry by storm with TaDa, as the No. 1 provider, leading the charge. 

Launching the concept into the U.S. market however was not straightforward. We talked to Wesley Yang, COO – U.S. Markets, TaDa Gaming, to find out more about what this meant for the innovative content provider and what it means for players.

Taking Fish-Shooting to the U.S.

The original TaDa fish-shooting games are set underwater. With various fish, characters, Bosses, sound effects, rewards and bonus games like jackpots and fortune wheels, each release, from Bombing Fishing to Ocean King Jackpot, gives a different gaming experience in a recognised theme.

Designing fish-shooting games is complicated and time consuming. AI, specifically AI-assisted concept sketch generation and character style exploration, has enhanced the early-stage development but there is still a six to eight months’ production timeline. 

According to Wesley: ‘We wanted to build our brand for shooting games in the U.S.; however, initial feedback suggested that our fish-shooting concept for mobile casino, while recognisable, was not aligning correctly with online player expectation leading to a disconnect between anticipation and activation.’

The significant investment in these games means success must be assured from launch, so this initial feedback required a radical re-think for TaDa.

Understanding the Data and the Target Audience

Focus groups, operator feedback and commissioned research soon showed a clear direction: and that was to go land based; in familiar locations; and with recognisably American characters. The result was Fortune Zombie.

‘U.S. players were not asking for an easier game,’ advised Wesley. ‘They wanted a product that resonated with them and their worldview; brought them personal satisfaction and not just materially; and finally, a social experience that they could share. Once we established that our game theme and narrative needed to be instantly recognisable as “American”, the pieces began to fall into place.’

Developing the Fortune Zombie Story

Having established that the action and story needed to play out in a recognisable U.S. environment enhanced with TaDa’s signature humour, the team brainstormed multiple scenarios before deciding on the Zombie invasion theme. 

A key factor was the flexibility provided by a Zombie storyline for cross-fertilisation and development; the option for both darker iterations or light-hearted cartoon humour for future titles; and options to reposition highlight characters in spin offs or even different game genres.

‘We took inspiration from classics such as Zombieland, Night of the Living Dead and the Michael Jackson “Thriller” video. Big boss character Skelebeat – the character in the oversized sombrero who delivers wins through a spinning wheel of multipliers – for example, bears a resemblance to the Jim Carrey character in The Mask and the action moves between globally recognisable American environments from Smallville, to Grand Central Station to the Wild West,’ Wesley reveals.

Emotional connection was key so even the design of the game learning curve was important for U.S. players. Fortune Zombie was the first TaDa shooting game to include an avatar led tutorial rather than a simple demo play. Again, the avatars were U.S. focused with the recognisable Sheriff, Explorer and Firefighter characters designed to connect with players.

Ensuring the Features Drive the Narrative

For the U.S., cinematic effects and sophisticated design with captivating visuals and a smooth user experience are key to retaining users. A storyline that created emotional engagement further ensured longer sessions, higher deposits and repeat plays.

In Fortune Zombie, as players reach each level, the action moves to a new scene with new Bosses. This increased anticipation to overcome the challenges gives player satisfaction in reaching these levels. Adding randomly triggered events such as the jackpots or free shooting through the Grenade Launcher also keep excitement levels high and players on full alert.

‘In between active shooting of Zombies, we also built in win opportunities such as the Lucky Drop feature which gives players a 20 second buff to gain an extra 20% bonus for each Zombie taken out,’ Wesley explains. ‘Designed as a parachuted in aid drop, the bonus connects visually with players to reinforce the ‘under siege’ sensation and the satisfaction of actively winning, which was a key takeaway from our research.’

The success of the new design and theme has been evident from the first shot. From the avatar led tutorial to the multiple new features, innovation in weapons and power-ups, fantastical designs and multiple different ways to win, alongside its multiplayer function for up to six players, Fortune Zombie enjoys average bet volumes in excess of 1,000 coins and a staggering 3,000+ average rounds per player per session.

Taking the Narrative to the Next Stage

TaDa continued to commission player feedback on Fortune Zombie  to better understand how to develop the concept, so what other products from the Zombie Universe can TaDa fans expect?

‘We know we got the original concept right, so we are launching a ‘prequel’, Boar Rush and a continuation of the story with Fortune Zombie 2,’ Wesley reveals.

‘Boar Rush’  is a simplified shooting game with an intuitive tap to shoot button. It introduces new players to the genre and the narrative predates Fortune Zombie to explore the origin of the Zombie virus and invasion. This also links to our next full Zombie Universe shooting game – Fortune Zombie 2. This will be our Experience Zone highlight game at Stand 5430, G2E, Las Vegas, so we are expecting a lot of visitors!

Fortune Zombie 2 gives a darker storyline. The narrative is an alien virus invasion which players must track through Grand Central Station via a lab and an amusement park to beat the Bosses. Naturally, our creative team really stepped up weapon design, interacting features and bonuses, plus some scary new Boss power ups from the Mechanical Kong and The Warden. We are very excited about this next stage,’ Wesley concludes.

Clearly players in the U.S. have a lot to look forward to. And with the release date for Fortune Zombie 2 slated for August, it’s not long until the next deadly Zombie challenge will launch. You have been warned!

For further information, visit TaDa Gaming or email business@tadagaming.com to set a meeting at Stand B610, SBC Lisbon, September 16-18 and Stand 5430, G2E, Las Vegas, 6-9 October 2025.