Gold & Goblins has long held a top spot among Idle Tycoon games, and its potential for growth remains immense. What sets the game apart isn’t just its success but its ability to consistently introduce innovative features that stand out in the mobile gaming space.
When designing the battle pass, Redcell Games aimed to create something truly unique. Their approach was so distinct from industry norms that many players perceive it more as a minigame than a traditional battle pass. Here’s a breakdown of this feature, along with some hypotheses about its potential to positively impact LTV.
Treasure Hunt
At level 7 in Gold & Goblins, a new mode called Treasure Hunt becomes available, accessible through a dedicated icon on the screen. Opening this mode reveals a grid-like field divided into squares.
Every square contains a reward — such as in-game currency, rare cards, boosters, or other bonuses — that players uncover by tapping on the grid as they gradually move along the map. To dig up these treasures, players need a special resource called shovels, which are limited in quantity.
Treasure Hunt in Gold & Goblins
The player chooses where to dig, but progress must be sequential — skipping squares isn’t allowed. This is where the core innovation lies: some rewards are immediately accessible, while others are locked and require the battle pass to claim. Importantly, players can’t tell whether the next square will reveal a locked or regular reward until they uncover it.
Eventually, players will reach a point where only the locked rewards remain on the grid. Seeing these untouched bonuses piled up creates a moment of realization — purchasing the battle pass unlocks them all at once.
The value grows, which introduces a second key difference: Gold & Goblins moves away from the linear design typical of mobile battle passes. In most games, battle passes use a progression line that spreads rewards across multiple tiers, often requiring players to scroll through and mentally calculate the value of the bonuses. In contrast, the Treasure Hunt map presents the rewards visually as a grid, giving players an immediate sense of the cumulative value they’d unlock with one purchase.
Players can also skip the locked rewards by completing the current grid to unlock a new region for free.
Each new region features a fresh theme and treasures, but any unclaimed locked rewards from the previous field are forfeited. Alternatively, players can purchase the battle pass to claim all locked rewards and access offers for extra shovels and diamonds.
This field-based design not only provides a fresh gameplay experience but also reinforces the perceived value of the battle pass. All potential rewards are displayed at once, eliminating the need to scroll and speculate about the total benefit.
Bonus content
Alongside the Treasure Hunt, the battle pass introduced a new mechanic: the Golden King. This unique character functions as a booster, increasing the speed of standard goblin units within its radius during the core gameplay loop.
To unlock the King, players must collect special royal cards scattered across the Treasure Hunt grid. These cards are only available through the battle pass.
Redcell Games is also actively refining the balance of shovels — whether farmed or purchased — required for the mode. With numerous hypotheses still under testing, it’s too early to share concrete figures. However, the potential of this new feature is promising. It not only has the capacity to boost metrics but also enriches the gameplay by introducing fresh and engaging mechanics that add variety to the player experience.
