The global mobile gaming market is rapidly evolving, and developers, publishers, marketers, and investors all need to stay ahead of trends and understand the direction of the industry. This article, based on research from udonis.co, covers in-depth analysis of mobile game revenues, player data, marketing strategies, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for over 200 mobile games. This data can help you gain an edge in the market and secure your competitive advantage.

1. Mobile Gaming Market Analysis

In the two years following the pandemic (2022 and 2023), the mobile gaming market underwent significant changes. Factors such as the global economic downturn, the changes in IDFA policies, and the instability of the Chinese gaming market have all affected the global gaming market’s decline. However, the post-pandemic market adjustment was anticipated, and the gaming industry is gradually stabilizing, which is why we remain optimistic about the future of the mobile gaming market.

It’s noteworthy that, in 2024, mobile games remain the most successful and profitable sector of the gaming industry. In 2023, the global gaming market, including mobile and other platforms, generated more than $184 billion in revenue, a 0.6% increase from the previous year. By 2026, global gaming revenues are expected to reach $205 billion.

The Asia-Pacific gaming market is the largest, contributing $84.1 billion, though it saw a slight 0.8% decrease. The North American gaming market grew by 1.7% to $50.6 billion, and the European market grew by 0.8% to $33.6 billion.

Mobile Game Market Share: What Percentage of Revenue Comes from Mobile?

In 2023, mobile games accounted for 49% of the global gaming market, or about $90 billion. Console games made up 29% with $53 billion, and PC games contributed 21% with $38 billion. Browser-based PC games made up only 1%.

Compared to previous years, the mobile gaming market has maintained its dominant share.

Global mobile game revenues for 2023 stood at $90 billion, a 1.4% decrease from the previous year. Despite a slight decline post-pandemic, the mobile game market is stabilizing.

Moreover, more than 1,500 apps and games are expected to generate over $10 million in revenue in 2023, with 219 games earning over $100 million and 13 games crossing the $1 billion mark.

Key Trends in the Mobile Game Market

1. Expanding Mobile Games to PC and Console Platforms — Developers are broadening their audience by expanding mobile games to PC and console platforms.

2. Adapting to Privacy Policy Changes — The mobile gaming market is adjusting to new policies and regulations, preparing for the challenges of privacy protection.

3. Innovative Marketing — Strong content creation and optimized user acquisition strategies are helping developers attract more users in the privacy-first era.

4. Hybrid Monetization Models — Developers are combining various monetization strategies rather than relying solely on ads, creating diverse revenue streams.

5. Hybrid Casual Games — This emerging game type is replacing traditional hyper-casual games, driven by better user engagement and retention.

Which Mobile Game Markets Are the Hottest?

In terms of downloads, the top five mobile game markets on Google Play in 2023 were India (9.3 billion), Brazil (4.2 billion), Indonesia (3.2 billion), Russia (2.4 billion), and the United States (2.3 billion).

In terms of revenue, the top three mobile game markets by consumer spending on Google Play were the United States, South Korea, and Japan. On iOS, the top three markets were the United States, China, and Japan. The average revenue per user (ARPU) for mobile games in the U.S. was $57, expected to reach $64 by 2027.

Which Mobile Game Genres Are the Most Popular?

According to data, hyper-casual mobile games have the highest download numbers, making them the most popular type. On the other hand, RPGs are the highest-grossing genre. Notably, mid-core game genres like role-playing games and strategy games lead in mobile game revenue, with casual games (such as puzzle games) also ranking high, coming in third place for revenue.

In the U.S. market, mid-core games are the highest revenue-generating genre, with RPGs and strategy games earning $24.5 billion and $10.7 billion, respectively. Hyper-casual games lead in download numbers, with 16.4 billion downloads. The top three subgenres in terms of revenue were 4X strategy, MMORPGs, and team-based RPGs.

Here are the most popular game subgenres globally:

● By consumer spending: Puzzle games — Word games, Match-3 games, Party games — Battle Royale, Role-playing games — Roguelike ARPG, Simulation games — Creative Sandbox.

● By downloads: Role-playing games — MMORPG, Match-3 games, Connect-3 games, Match-3 Merge games, Role-playing games — Roguelike ARPG.

● By playtime: Simulation games — Creative Sandbox, Strategy games — 4X Strategy, Match-3 games, Solitaire games — Single-player Solitaire, Puzzle games — Word Games.

2. eCPM by Country and Region

For traffic owners and developers, eCPM (effective cost per thousand impressions) is a key metric to assess the profitability of various ad networks and formats. This section dives into eCPM data for rewarded ads, interstitial ads, and banner ads on Android and iOS platforms, helping optimize ad strategies.

Rewarded Video Ads

The U.S. leads in rewarded ad eCPMs, with Android at $12.91 and iOS at $13.18. Generally, eCPMs for rewarded ads are slightly higher on iOS than Android. In the top 20 countries and regions, Android eCPMs range from $3.31 to $12.91, while iOS eCPMs range from $4.73 to $13.81.

Interstitial Ads

The top five countries for interstitial ad eCPMs on Android and iOS are the U.S. (Android $11.06, iOS $9.58), Canada (Android $8.64, iOS $7.21), Australia (Android $6.65, iOS $6.88), Denmark (Android $6.34, iOS $5.76), and Switzerland (Android $6.27, iOS $5.73).

Banner Ads

Compared to rewarded and interstitial ads, banner ad eCPMs are generally lower. The U.S. again leads, with Android at $0.60 and iOS at $0.27. In all countries and regions, Android’s banner ad eCPMs are higher than iOS’s.

3. Mobile Gamer Demographics

Globally, there are around 3.2 billion gamers, and by 2025, this number is expected to grow to 3.5 billion. Of these, 2.2 billion are active mobile gamers.

In terms of regional activity, countries like Indonesia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Korea have the highest mobile gaming engagement, with players in these regions spending more than 5 hours per day on mobile games in 2023.

Demographics of Mobile Gamers

According to data, 29.5% of mobile gamers are aged 25–34, and 28.3% are aged 16–24. There is also significant interest among older generations, with 23.1% of players aged 35–44 and 12.8% aged 45–54. 6.3% of mobile gamers are aged 55 and above.

Among younger players, 77% of Gen Z, 73% of Millennials, 54% of Gen X, and 34% of Baby Boomers play games on mobile devices.

Mobile games are almost equally popular among men and women. Overall, 53.6% of mobile game audiences are male, while 46.4% are female.

Popular Mobile Game Types by Generation

Research by Newzoo indicates that Gen Z players prefer Battle Royale, Sandbox, and MOBA games, with popular titles like Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, and Among Us. Millennials enjoy RPGs, strategy, and adventure games, with Hearthstone being a favorite. Gen Z primarily favors puzzle, shooter, and sports games, while Baby Boomers gravitate towards puzzle and card games like Candy Crush Saga.

Factors Influencing Player Retention

Several factors influence whether a player returns to a game after 30 days, including mentions from friends or family, new content or updates, return rewards, recommendations on social media, and news or blog coverage. Social interaction and rewards mechanisms tend to significantly boost player retention rates.

Will the Younger Generation Spend on Mobile Games?

Younger generations are more likely to make in-game purchases. 52% of Gen Alpha and 52% of Gen Z players are paying users, compared to only 42% of all players. Research from Newzoo found that in-game purchases are primarily driven by unlocking exclusive content and buying characters or equipment. In the last 6 months, 93% of Gen Alpha and 91% of Gen Z players have made in-game purchases.

4. Mobile Game Advertising Spend

Mobile advertising continues to dominate the ad market. In 2023, global mobile ad spend reached $362 billion, a $2.6 billion increase year-over-year. It’s expected to grow to $402 billion by 2024, with a 16.2% annual growth rate.

In mobile game marketing, over 37,000 active advertisers participated in mobile game ads per quarter in 2022, a 17.5% increase from 2021. Video ads accounted for over 80% of ad formats. Casual, puzzle, and RPG games were the most creative in their ad approaches.

Different game genres show distinct advertising trends. For example, strategy games saw a 10.52% growth in downloads, but a 9.48% decrease in revenue. Casual game downloads increased by 56% compared to 2021, and Android platforms dominate in terms of both the number of advertisers and creative assets.

Additionally, Apptica data shows that puzzle and casual games have a particularly high share of ads, especially on the Android platform, where puzzle games account for 25% of all ads. This data indicates that the mobile game advertising market is shifting towards video ads and the Android platform, while casual and puzzle games hold significant shares in ad placements.

5. KPIs for Different Mobile Game Genres

Key performance indicators like user retention, playtime, session length, and install rates are crucial for assessing game performance. Based on GameAnalytics data for 2023, different game types show notable variations.

GameAnalytics Game Type Classification

Casual: Action, Adventure, Arcade, Casual, and Puzzle games.

Classic: Board games, Card games, Casino games, Trivia games, and Word games.

Mid-Core: Multiplayer games, Role-playing games, Simulation games, Strategy games, Racing games, and Sports games.

In terms of user retention, for 2023, casual games had a Day-1 retention rate of 28% among the top 25% of games, while classic and mid-core games had 31% and 26%, respectively. Over time, casual games had a 28-day retention of 2.1%, classic games had 5.5%, and mid-core games had 1.6%.

For playtime, the top 25% of casual game players spent an average of 28 minutes per day, while classic games had 48 minutes and mid-core games had 34 minutes. For average session length, casual games averaged 7 minutes, classic games averaged 10 minutes, and mid-core games averaged 8 minutes.

In terms of game frequency, the top 25% of casual game players played an average of 5 times per day, while classic games had 6 and mid-core games had 4. For first install ratio (the percentage of daily active users who first launch the game), the top 25% of casual games had a first-launch user ratio of 52%, leading both classic and mid-core games.

These statistics indicate that game types significantly affect user behavior, with casual games experiencing quicker churn, while classic and mid-core games maintain longer player engagement. For developers, improving user retention, increasing playtime, and optimizing install conversion rates are key strategies for boosting game success.