Mobile gaming is the dominant market force, with 2021 spending projected to be 3.1 times higher than that of home consoles.
See it on page 5Global game downloads reached over 1 billion per week in Q1 2021, a 30% increase over pre-pandemic levels, while weekly spending grew 40% to $1.7 billion.
See it on page 9Cross-platform functionality is a critical success factor, as evidenced by the performance of titles like Roblox and Genshin Impact that prioritize cross-play and cross-save features.
See it on page 7PC gaming engagement saw significant growth, with Steam recording a 60% increase in peak daily concurrent users between October 2019 and March 2021.
See it on page 10In-game advertising performance is highly dependent on format, with rewarded video and playable ads receiving the highest positive sentiment compared to intrusive standard video ads.
See it on page 14Ad oversaturation in mobile genres like word and trivia games is directly linked to negative user sentiment and increased churn rates.
See it on page 18Mobile gaming has solidified its position as the primary driver of global digital games consumption, with spending projected to extend its lead to 3.1 times that of home consoles in 2021. This growth is characterized by a merging of the mobile and console experiences, as mobile devices increasingly offer console-quality graphics and cross-platform social features. Data indicates that global consumers downloaded over 1 billion games per week in Q1 2021—a 30% increase over pre-pandemic levels—while weekly spending rose 40% to $1.7 billion.
The industry is increasingly defined by cross-platform connectivity and real-time online features. Top-grossing titles like Roblox and Genshin Impact demonstrate the success of multi-platform rollouts that prioritize cross-play and cross-save functionality. This trend is supported by a surge in console companion apps and game livestreaming platforms. For instance, Steam saw a 60% increase in peak daily concurrent users between October 2019 and March 2021, while engagement and monetization on apps like Twitch and Discord reached new heights as social gaming habits became more ingrained during the pandemic.
Market research into gamer sentiment reveals a nuanced landscape for ad monetization. While overall sentiment toward in-game ads improved in the United States between 2019 and 2020, formats offering a direct value exchange performed best. Rewarded video ads and playable ads received the highest positive sentiment, whereas standard video ads remained the most divisive due to their perceived intrusiveness. Findings suggest that ad oversaturation correlates with negative sentiment and potential churn, particularly in high-saturation genres like word and trivia games.
This analysis covers global market trends from 2014 through early 2021, with specific deep dives into U.S. gamer surveys from Q3 2019 and Q3 2020. The data is synthesized from App Annie’s mobile market estimates and IDC’s primary research, which includes surveys of over 3,000 gamers and analysis of digital and physical spending across mobile, PC, and console segments.
