After self-publishing Dauntless’ closed alpha, Phoenix Labs needed a way to build greater momentum for distribution without the use of a third-party digital marketplace.

They also wanted to attract new users by pre-selling Founder’s Packs — digital product packages that include closed beta access and a few in-game items, plus one of several tiers of additional items. With plans for rapid expansion to multiple countries — each with its own local payment methods — they also needed powerful defense against fraud.

An exclusive publishing partnership between Phoenix Labs and Xsolla enabled better options for players and improved results for the team.

Through a streamlined integration, the teams built a customized digital storefront for Dauntless and were able to deliver measurably improved UX and functionality.

With fraudulent activity down and cart conversion up, Dauntless was ready for its next act.

With Xsolla’s help, they achieved:

• 98% Transaction success post-integration
• 95% Sales revenue retention, with no third-party platform fees
• 51% Cart conversion to purchase post-integration

In the six months after the launch of their customized digital storefront with Xsolla, Phoenix Labs successfully processed over 98% of Dauntless payments without issues such as refunds, chargebacks, or fraud. A success rate this high reveals that players are getting what they expect and will likely continue to engage with the game over the long term.

And in the month following the integration, more than 51% of shopping carts created through Xsolla’s white-label game key widget were converted to purchase, among both new and already active players. The stage had been set for Dauntless’ open beta to be more than successful, which it was - with over one million players joining during the first two weeks.