Gaming Spotlight 2017 Review

Mobile gaming solidified its market dominance in 2017, with consumer spending exceeding the combined total of home consoles, PC, Mac, and handhelds by more than one-third.

Mobile games generated nearly 80% of total consumer spending on the iOS App Store and Google Play, despite accounting for less than 40% of total app downloads.

The Asia-Pacific region, led by China, Japan, and South Korea, drove mobile growth by accounting for over 60% of all global mobile game spending.

Live player-versus-player (PvP) and cooperative gameplay emerged as the primary monetization drivers, with the top two grossing games on both major app stores featuring live PvP elements for the first time.

In the U.S., gamers who engage in live PvP or co-op modes play more hours per week and are significantly more likely to spend money on titles than those playing single-player or turn-based games.

The handheld console market began a transition toward hybrid and mobile platforms, evidenced by major franchises like Pokémon shifting away from dedicated handheld devices.

The maturation of live multiplayer engagement and the rise of the battle royale genre were identified as the primary catalysts for industry growth and monetization heading into 2018.