Following a downturn in 2022, the global mobile game market showed stability in 2023, with revenue reaching $76.7 billion, which is still 22% above pre-pandemic levels. It is expected that global mobile game revenue will rebound in 2024, with forecasts predicting revenue may surpass $100 billion by 2028. This report discusses trends in global mobile game revenue, highlighting changes across various game genres, including midcore, casual, RPG, and puzzle games. It also provides an in-depth analysis of leading titles in different sub-genres. Please click "Download Free Report" for the complete report.

Note: This report only includes estimated in-app purchases from the App Store and excludes revenue from ad monetisation or third-party Android channels in China.

Global mobile game market revenue stabilises, still 22% higher than 2019

In 2021, the online surge due to the pandemic propelled global mobile game revenue to a peak of $86 billion. However, as this surge faded, a 9% decline in revenue occurred in 2022. By 2023, revenue reached $76.7 billion, effectively halting the downward trend. In 2024, global mobile game revenue is expected to return to an upward trajectory, with forecasts suggesting revenue could exceed $100 billion by 2028.

The United States remains the largest market for mobile game revenue globally, maintaining its position in 2023 and showing 38% increase over 2019. Steady growth is anticipated in the U.S. market from 2024 to 2028, potentially reaching $33.5 billion by 2028. The Chinese iOS mobile game market also showed stability, with in-app purchase revenue reaching $15.1 billion in 2022. In contrast, Japan and South Korea saw varying declines.

Casual mobile game revenue continues to grow, while Midcore contracts by 9%

In 2023, new releases like MONOPOLY GO! and Egg Party gained popularity, alongside established titles like Royal Match, Travel Town, and Gossip Harbor®, significantly boosted spending in casual mobile games. Revenue from hybridcasual mobile games surged by 30%, exceeding $2.1 billion.

Midcore mobile game revenue experienced a slow contraction but still accounted for 59% of total revenue in the global mobile game market. RPG and strategy games generated $20 billion and $14.8 billion respectively in 2023, marking a 10% decline compared to the previous year.

Puzzle and Casino mobile game revenue rose by 18% and 10% respectively to hit $10 billion

In 2023, in-app purchase revenue from puzzle games rebounded by 10% to $10 billion, with classic match-3 and merge genres showing notable growth. Royal Match,  a leading match-3 game, was the top grosser, with a 13% revenue increase to $6.4 billion. Travel Town and Gossip Harbor® experienced remarkable revenue growth of 426% and 452%, driving a 36% rise in merge game revenue to $900 million.

Scopely's new Monopoly IP game, MONOPOLY GO!, combines classic casino game mechanics with competitive and social elements, quickly topping the iOS mobile game downloads ranking in the U.S., U.K., and other Western markets, generating $1.2 billion in 2023 and driving an 18% increase in overall casino mobile game revenue.

RPG and Strategy new games show impressive growth, with Honkai: Star Rail and Whiteout Survival as top performers

In 2023, overall revenue from RPG mobile games showed slight fatigue, declining by 10% and nearing 2019 levels. Nevertheless, several high-quality new games provided players with fresh experiences through innovative art styles and gameplay, resulting in remarkable revenue growth. Honkai: Star Rail and NetEase's Justice ranked first and second in RPG revenue growth.

Global strategy mobile game revenue in 2023 declined by 10% to $14.8 billion, but still surpassed 2019 levels by 22%. Amid a tightening SLG market, Century Games' new 4X strategy game, Whiteout Survival, bucked the trend with $370 million in global revenue, becoming a standout success in the strategy game genre.

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