In the “Main Stage” of mobile gaming, Top Games Inc., a global independent game developer, has made remarkable achievements. Thanks to the successful monetization of Evony: The King’s Return, the company has excelled in both revenue and downloads. According to Sensor Tower, Evony generated $299,701,595 in revenue in 2024, with 36,299,211 downloads. The top five revenue-generating countries are the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. To date, the cumulative downloads have reached an impressive 230,176,653.
Top Games Inc. continues to chart a future full of possibilities. The two leaders – CEO David Guo and VP Benjamin Gifford are working on advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion while staying true to their goal of creating high-quality games.
More Than Just Evony: Expanding Into New Frontiers
Beyond its flagship title, Evony: The King’s Return, the company is breaking new ground by developing a variety of mobile games. These include casual puzzle games and fashion-themed projects. In fact, as Sensor Tower revealed, the hybrid-casual segment grew by 30% in revenue in 2024, while the casual segment saw an 8% increase. This underscores the growing profitability of casual games and points to the promising opportunities in this genre.
David Guo: Games and a Lifelong Passion
David Guo, a graduate of Sun Yat-sen University, brings over 25 years of experience in software and game development, network security, UX, game theory, and API design. “From game theory and API design to UX and creating complex algorithms, what drives me is how these systems improve our lives,” said David.
Interestingly, David himself is a passionate gamer. During his college years, he was a dedicated RPG player who constantly analyzed game mechanics and user experience. This curiosity laid the foundation for his career in game development.
But it wasn’t easy breaking through as an independent developer. David faced numerous obstacles, from securing funding and building teams to navigating market fluctuations. However, his foresight and ability to predict trends set him apart. Back in 2012, while developing browser games, he foresaw the rise of mobile gaming and pivoted his team to focus entirely on mobile game development.
Through resource integration and teamwork, David and his team launched Evony, a game unlike any other in the strategy genre. Celebrating its 8th anniversary, Evony has proven its staying power. With strong daily active users (DAUs), high ARPU, and a dedicated base of whale players, Players spot “excitement points” through Evony’s engaging events, it has become a “Star” in the strategy game market.
Today, David’s role at Top Games Inc. involves setting new project directions, managing execution, improving UX across teams, and ensuring sustainable growth. He seamlessly blends the responsibilities of a CEO, product manager, and strategist, all while driving the company’s long-term success.
Benjamin Gifford: A Problem-Solving Visionary
Benjamin Gifford’s role centers on strategic and operational management. He oversees daily operations and leads key departments to achieve strategic goals. “Our mission is to support the entire team and give them every chance to succeed,” he explained. At TGI, data science plays a big role in optimizing efficiency and boosting team morale. By analyzing performance metrics, player feedback, and market trends, they refine decision-making and product strategies.
Remarkably, Benjamin Gifford Turned Super Bowl Ads Into Marketing Gold. just a year after its founding, Top Games Inc. launched Evony: The King’s Return. In 2017, Benjamin spearheaded a bold marketing strategy, taking the game to the Super Bowl stage. This high-profile move aimed to leverage the event’s massive audience—over 120 million viewers—and put Evony in front of its target demographic. With its eye-catching ads and engaging gameplay, Evony quickly climbed app store rankings. By 2022, it was the fifth top-grossing game in the U.S.
“My journey into gaming started 15 years ago when I met David,” Benjamin shared. “It was our shared passion for the unifying power of games that brought us together. Early in my career, I was drawn to the intersection of technology and storytelling, which led me to roles in game development and design. I’ve faced both failure and extreme success, but I see it all as part of an ongoing learning process. Now, I use those experiences to help others avoid my mistakes and build on my successes.”
Two Leaders, One Vision
It’s clear that both David and Benjamin took unique paths into the gaming industry. However, they share the same unwavering goal: creating exceptional games. Their persistence, driven by strong values, has attracted like-minded professionals to join the company. Together, they aim to deliver more original, innovative games that stand out in the global market, bringing joy to players around the world.