A Brief Overview of the Mobile Gaming Industry

A Brief Overview of the Mobile Gaming Industry

The mobile gaming industry continues to grow rapidly, fueled by analysis, trends, and statistics. Many people seeking social interaction and a way to enjoy their free time are turning to gaming more than ever before.

Research firm Newzoo predicts that mobile games will generate $93.2 billion in revenue in 2021, a 7.3% increase compared to the previous year. To support this finding, analysts at Variety, another research firm, report that the global film industry’s box office revenue was $21.4 billion in 2021, while the global music market’s wholesale revenue reached approximately $57.05 billion in the same year. In other words, the mobile gaming industry generated more annual revenue than the music and film industries combined. This fact is quite striking. Let’s explore the trends the mobile gaming industry will exhibit in 2022 with more statistics.

Mobile Gaming Industry Statistics

App Annie reported that consumer spending on games reached $116 billion in 2021.

As of August 2021, more than 4.7 million apps and games were available globally on the Apple App Store alone.

According to Statista data, mobile games account for 57% of total gaming revenue.

According to Adjust, the mobile gaming market is projected to reach $272 billion by 2030.

APAC is the largest and fastest-growing regional market in the mobile gaming industry, according to Unity.

According to Adjust, 21% of Android apps and 25% of iOS downloads are in the gaming category.

Google Play revenue continues to outpace iOS App Store revenue, rising from 13.2% to 19.6%.

Mobile Games

Mobile Games Industry

App Annie’s latest data reveals that hyper-casual games are the fastest-growing genre among mobile games, achieving over 3.5 billion downloads globally in the third quarter of 2021. Action, puzzle, and simulation games are also among the most popular genres overall.

Mobile games represent 50% of marketers’ user acquisition advertising budgets. The APAC region accounts for 64% of total spending. By comparison, e-commerce, which ranks second, accounts for only 16%. Mobile games are achieving significant revenue over time, continuing to grow and innovate, providing the opportunity to support user acquisition (UA) activities.

Popular Mobile Games of 2021

According to App Annie data, the 10 most downloaded mobile games in the US as of 2021 are:

Bridge Race (Supersonic)
Hair Challenge (Rollic)
Count Masters (Ascella Mobile)
DIY Phone Case (Crazy Labs)
High Heels (Zynga)
Go Bola (Supersonic)
Stacky Dash (Ultimate)
DOP 2: Delete an Episode (SayGames)
My Talking Angela 2 (Outfit7)
Sculpt People (Crazy Labs)

Mobile Gaming Industry Assessment and Trends for 2022

With IPOs, iOS 14, legal battles, and eye-catching new business models, 2021 was a dynamic and record-breaking year for the gaming industry. There are important trends to consider as you prepare for 2022.

1. The Evolving Play-to-Earn Concept

Play-to-earn (P2E) has emerged as the most effective business model since pay-to-play and the more recent free-to-play model. P2E games, created with blockchain technology, allow players to earn real income from their crypto wallets and resell their assets at any time.

Furthermore, through the P2E model, users acquire or purchase currencies and resources that they can trade or sell with other players. Outside of the game, these assets can be sold as cryptocurrency and later converted to fiat currency.

Some games have managed to stand out in the P2E model. NFT-based applications have become a significant source of income for many.

2. The Need for Branding

It is clear that privacy policies make mobile user acquisition difficult. As user acquisition (UA) becomes more complex, building a brand and community around your app, increasing downloads, and fostering user loyalty becomes more crucial than ever.

As brand building becomes a focal point, more alternatives for community management will emerge. This will increase user engagement and lead to a game that offers a more robust shared experience among players.

3. More Companies Join the Race

Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass are platforms where mobile games are offered through subscription models and payment options. Netflix has also diversified from its core business model by developing games available globally on iOS devices.