How Are Japan's Game CPE Campaigns Built? October 2026, Week 4

How are Japan’s game CPE campaigns built right now? According to Rocket Ads’ own count of 41 game and app CPE campaigns listed on Japanese reward media (October 21, 2026), 68% use a tiered reward structure. 4X strategy was the most common genre with 12 campaigns, and it also had the highest median top payout at about $148. Across all 41 campaigns the median top payout was about $69, up 3.1% in yen terms from about $67 a week earlier.

Methodology: Compiled by Rocket Ads by aix Inc. on October 21, 2026, from 41 game and app CPE campaigns listed on major Japanese reward media, compared against the same count on October 14, 2026. Payouts are the highest listed amount per campaign across media, which for tiered campaigns is the sum of all tiers, converted at $1 = 158.6 yen (158.4 yen a week earlier). Amounts limited to a single affiliate link are excluded. Media names are shown as Media A, B and C.

What changed in Japan’s CPE market this week?

No new campaigns were listed and one dropped off (Arknights: Endfield), taking the count from 42 to 41 (Rocket Ads, October 14 to October 21, 2026).

Among the 41 campaigns still listed, 11 raised their top payout, 8 lowered it and 22 left it unchanged.

The largest increase was Puzzles & Chaos, which went from 24,946 yen to 89,108 yen, about $562, roughly 3.6 times higher.

Genre composition did not change. 4X strategy stayed at 12 campaigns, RPG at 5 and strategy sim at 5.

How much do CPE campaigns pay by genre?

By Rocket Ads’ count (October 21, 2026), the median top payout was about $148 for 4X strategy, about $100 for management sims and about $95 for idle RPGs.

Four other genres: reward app, puzzle, casual sim, board game.

4X strategy: first in both campaign count (12) and payout size. Most attach high payouts to deep milestones such as building level targets.

Idle RPG: the longest median completion time at 22 days. These campaigns treat long-term retention as the conversion event.

Live streaming apps: four non-game campaigns were listed. Conditions such as finishing the tutorial complete in two to three days, so the conversion event is the first-use experience.

RPG: three of the five are login or light-mission campaigns at about $1 to $2, and the rest are chapter-clear or level-target campaigns. Volume-focused and depth-focused designs run side by side.

Which campaigns are getting attention this week?

Selection criteria (Rocket Ads, October 21, 2026): the five highest top payouts among campaigns completable within four days, and the five highest top payouts overall.

Quick-start campaigns (completable within 4 days)

12 of the 41 campaigns, or 29%, are completable within four days (Rocket Ads, October 21, 2026).

Kingshot set a short 10-day deadline and made the first milestone reachable in four days. Its top payout rose from $161 last week to $166 this week.

A short deadline paired with an early first reward gives users a reason to start right away.

Highest-reward campaigns (top 5 by top payout)

Four of the top five are 4X strategy games, and all five are tiered (Rocket Ads, October 21, 2026).

Top payouts are the sum of every tier. Completion days reflect the milestone most participants treat as a realistic target, such as reaching building level 17.

What does a large headline payout do?

Some campaigns raise user attention by displaying a large top payout.

Tenchi Eiyuden (天地英雄伝) had the highest top payout of the 41 campaigns at about $2,384, more than four times the second-highest at about $562 (Rocket Ads, October 21, 2026).

Its headline milestone is clearing chapter 3, and the top payout is the total for completing every tier beyond that point.

The headline amount draws the first participation, and each tier’s reward keeps users moving forward.

Three factors to review when designing a tiered campaign:

First, reward allocation: how much of the reward sits on the milestones users most often target.

Second, milestone spacing: how long it takes to reach the next tier.

Third, purchase tiers: whether users can skip a purchase tier and continue to the next milestone.

How do iOS and Android payouts differ?

Of the 41 campaigns, 5 set different payouts by OS or ran on only one OS (Rocket Ads, October 21, 2026).

Campaigns with an OS payout gap of 25% or more, or listed on a single OS.

Four of the five pay more on iOS.

Single-OS campaigns fell from three a week earlier to one.

These campaigns split payouts to match each OS’s spending patterns and acquisition costs.

Which media show the highest payouts?

Across the 41 campaigns, Media A listed the highest payout for 18 of them and Media B for 14 (Rocket Ads, October 21, 2026). A week earlier Media B led with 19.

Campaigns where the top iOS and Android media differ are counted for both. Media other than A and B were grouped a week earlier, so there is no per-media comparison for them.

The same campaign shows a different amount to users on each media, because each media has its own fee structure and user base.

Users typically compare two or three media before choosing where to participate.

How can you improve CPE tracking accuracy?

Japanese reward media list the following tracking conditions. Stating them in your campaign notes up front improves tracking accuracy and reduces user inquiries.

First, enter through a default browser (Safari or Chrome). Browsers with ad blocking can break tracking.

Second, state the new-install condition. Users with a previous install are often excluded.

Third, check the iOS “Allow Apps to Request to Track” setting. Tracking depends on the ATT setting.

Fourth, launch the app within one hour of install. Some media set a first-launch time limit.

Fifth, avoid installing on public Wi-Fi. Some network environments can cause missed conversions.

Summary

68% of Japan’s game CPE campaigns in October 2026 are tiered (Rocket Ads, 41 campaigns, October 21, 2026).

4X strategy leads both in campaign count (12) and median top payout (about $148), and takes four of the five highest payouts.

11 of the 41 campaigns raised their payout week over week, moving the overall median from about $67 to about $69, a 3.1% rise in yen terms.

Rocket Ads by aix Inc. publishes Japanese local reward media data every Thursday. If you are preparing a CPE campaign in Japan, we can help you design payouts and milestones that fit your genre and goals.

For more data and insights, explore our articles on rocket-a.com or follow our LinkedIn page.

If you’re planning UA in Japan or want to consult on your current campaign strategy, reach out anytime.

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This report is compiled by Rocket Ads from campaign information publicly listed on major Japanese reward media. Listed payouts change frequently.