The best mobile game ad spy workflow for UA teams in 2026 is a decision workflow, not a download workflow. Teams should move from category benchmarks to competitor watchlists, then to retained creative analysis, and only then to script variants.
What should the workflow start with
Start with category movement. If a whole category cools down, competitor declines are less surprising. If one competitor moves against the category, it deserves deeper review.
What should UA teams monitor weekly
Monitor ad volume, creative volume, divergence, and retained creatives. Candy Crush ads fell 20.3 percent and creatives fell 11.2 percent. Whiteout Survival ads fell 27.7 percent and creatives fell 16.1 percent. Puzzle ads fell 15.4 percent and creatives fell 13.3 percent.
How does ad spy data become action
If ads and creatives both rise, collect new creative angles. If ads rise and creatives fall, inspect retained creatives. If ads and creatives both fall, audit survivors. If creatives rise while ads fall, watch testing without scale.
Which hook labels should teams use
Use genre-specific hook labels. For Puzzle, inspect breaking news parody, animal cutaway, ASMR texture, and everyday life insertion. For strategy survival, inspect fake minigame, resource scarcity, and food operation loops. For simulation, inspect process satisfaction and number-go-up feedback. For war strategy, inspect what-if dilemmas and power fantasy visuals.
What should teams avoid
Do not judge creative quality from volume alone. Ad spy tools show what exists and what changes. Hook quality, first three second structure, CPI, CTR, and script quality require deeper creative analysis.
