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Report updated Apr 16, 2026

Hole People is a challenged games app that is completely free. With a 4.4/5 rating from 69.8K reviews, it faces significant user friction. Users particularly appreciate core gameplay concept, though aggressive monetization & paywalls remains a common concern.

What is Hole People?

Hole People is a strategic sorting puzzle game by Rollic Games that tasks players with managing limited slots while filling holes with color-coded stickmen. It differentiates itself through the 'Lockdown Hole' mechanic, which adds a layer of urgency to the gameplay. Despite its strong historical ratings and a #83 grossing position in its category, the game is currently facing a significant decline in user sentiment due to aggressive monetization and the introduction of stressful timers.

Current Momentum

v27.0

Bug fixes and performance improvements

Active Nemesis

Bus Jam

Bus Jam

By Rollic Games

Other Rivals

Bus Mania Jam - Traffic Escape
Gym Jam!
Traffic Escape!
Hexa Sort
Wood Nuts & Bolts Puzzle
Sort It 3D
Water Sort Puzzle
Goods Sort 3D – Mug Orders

7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸

Games

No ranking data

GamesPuzzleGrossing

Rating Pulse 🇺🇸

Recent User Mood

What makes this app unique?

What Does It Look Like?

What Are The Key Features?

Stickman Sorting PuzzleStandard

Strategic gameplay requiring players to fill holes with stickmen while managing limited slots.

Color-Blocking MechanicsStandard

Strategic constraint where different colored stickmen block each other, requiring forward planning.

Lockdown HoleDifferentiator

A dynamic challenge where specific holes lock down for 2 moves if not utilized within 4 turns.

Slot ManagementBasic

Core resource management mechanic where filling all slots results in a game over.

How much does it cost?

Free
  • Free-to-play with ad-supported model

The app follows a standard hyper-casual monetization model, likely relying on interstitial and rewarded video ads to generate revenue from a large user base, with a recent shift toward more aggressive paywalls.

What do users think recently?

High confidence · 99 reviews analyzed · Based on 99 reviews. Signal may be noisy.

How did the latest release land?

Overall
4.4/ 5
(69.8K)
Current version
4.7/ 5
+0.3 vs overall
(24.8K)
Main signal post-update: core Gameplay Concept.

What is the recent mood?

Frustrated

Recent user voice shows a frustrated sentiment. Users appreciate core gameplay concept, but report aggressive monetization & paywalls and forced timers.

What Users Love

Core Gameplay Concept

What Frustrates Users

Aggressive Monetization & Paywalls
Forced Timers
Technical Stability & Bugs

View the full user-sentiment analysis

Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.

Go deeper

What is the competitive landscape for Hole People?

Where is it available?

Localized markets (1)

United States

How's The Games Market?

How does it evolve in the Games market?

Rank progression

93 active rankings tracked — 30-day window

The rivals identified

The outtake for Hole People

Strengths to defend, gaps to attack

Core Strengths

  • Strong publishing backing from Rollic Games
  • Unique 'Lockdown Hole' mechanic differentiating it from clones
  • High-quality visual polish and smooth animations

Critical Frictions

  • Severe technical instability and frequent crashes
  • Misalignment between relaxing core loop and stressful timers
  • Excessive ad frequency disrupting gameplay

Growth Levers

  • Introduce a 'Zen Mode' without timers to recapture casual players
  • Implement a 'No Ads' one-time purchase option
  • Leverage 'satisfying organization' trends in marketing

Market Threats

  • Direct competition from Bus Mania and Seat Away
  • Negative review spiral impacting ASO and organic growth
  • High market saturation in the sorting sub-genre

Key Takeaways

Hole People is a challenged games app that is completely free. With a 4.4/5 rating from 69.8K reviews, it faces significant user friction. Users particularly appreciate core gameplay concept, though aggressive monetization & paywalls remains a common concern.

Where Is It Heading?

Trend analysis

Available very soon

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Hole People, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

Cite this report

Marlvel.ai. “Hole People Intelligence Report.” Updated Apr 16, 2026. https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-hyperup-holepeople

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Data licensed under CC-BY-NC 4.0