Analyst Bulletin: Mobile Game Market Review June 2022

Key insights

5 slides

Key trend

RPG elements are increasingly integrated into non-RPG titles.

Developers are incorporating minigame modes and RPG elements into established titles.

It's like adding a bonus level to a board game to keep players interested.

US market

Anniversary events drove significant revenue spikes in the US market.

Major updates in the US focused on content expansion, such as new factions in Rise of Kingdoms. Anniversary events proved highly effective for monetization.

Like a store's annual sale, these events boost revenue significantly.

Revenue driver. Anniversary events served as major revenue drivers in June, notably causing significant spikes for The Seven Deadly Sins and Dragon Ball Legends.

Japanese market

Japan saw innovation in live operations and strong new title debuts.

Virtual concert experiences, like Project Sekai Colorful Stage feat. Hatsune Miku, demonstrated innovation. New releases also performed strongly in the market.

Market innovation. The Japanese market saw strong debuts for new titles, including the 4X strategy game '新信長の野望' (top 20 grossing) and the turn-based RPG 'The Marvelous Snail' (top 30 grossing).

top 20

'新信長の野望' grossing rank in Japan

'The Marvelous Snail' grossing rank in Japan: top 30

Chinese market

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened is experiencing a consistent decline in rankings.

The Chinese market continued to see activity in established titles like Battle of the Golden Spatula. However, some previously high-performing games faced declining rankings.

Declining performance. Harry Potter: Magic Awakened is experiencing a consistent decline in rankings in the Chinese market less than a year after its initial launch.

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Summary

The mobile game market in June 2022 was characterized by a notable trend toward cross-genre integration, with developers increasingly incorporating minigame modes and RPG elements into established titles to drive engagement. This period saw a significant influx of RPGs into the top-grossing charts, headlined by the global launch of Diablo Immortal, which secured a position in the US top 10. Other successful entrants included Disney Mirrorverse, Bloodline: Heroes of Lithas, and Artery Gear: Fusion, reflecting a strong consumer appetite for role-playing mechanics across diverse sub-genres.

Geographically, the analysis covers the United States, China, and Japan, highlighting distinct regional activities. In the US, major updates focused on content expansion, such as new factions in Rise of Kingdoms and the introduction of 5v5 modes in Garena Free Fire. Anniversary events proved highly effective for monetization, with titles like Dragon Ball Legends and The Seven Deadly Sins experiencing substantial revenue spikes. Meanwhile, the Chinese market saw continued activity in established titles like Battle of the Golden Spatula, though some previously high-performing games, such as Harry Potter: Magic Awakened, faced declining rankings.

Japan’s market demonstrated innovation in live operations, particularly through the rise of virtual concert experiences. Project Sekai Colorful Stage feat. Hatsune Miku successfully hosted a premium, hour-long virtual concert, signaling a growing trend in digital entertainment integration. Additionally, the Japanese market saw strong performance from new releases like the 4X strategy game Shin Nobunaga no Yabou and the RPG The Marvelous Snail. Overall, the industry in June 2022 emphasized the importance of seasonal events, narrative-driven updates, and the strategic blending of core gameplay mechanics to maintain player retention and maximize revenue.