Are Games the Future of the App Economy?

The app economy has experienced significant growth, underscored by Apple’s report of over $20 billion in App Store spending during 2015 and cumulative developer payouts reaching $40 billion. This analysis examines whether mobile gaming remains the primary driver of this ecosystem or if non-gaming applications are beginning to challenge that dominance. By evaluating historical data from the US iPhone Top 20 grossing charts between 2013 and 2016, the analysis identifies a gradual shift in the composition of top-performing apps.

While gaming apps have historically dominated the most lucrative positions, the share of non-gaming apps in the Top 20 grossing list increased from 5% in 2013 to 20% by early 2016. This trend is largely attributed to the rising consumer comfort with mobile commerce and subscription-based content services, such as Netflix, Spotify, and various dating platforms. Furthermore, the data indicates that non-gaming apps are increasingly capable of achieving rapid, event-driven spikes in revenue, as evidenced by significant ranking jumps for major retail and media apps during commercial periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The analysis concludes that while games will likely retain a plurality or majority of top-grossing positions due to the nature of the free-to-play model, the landscape is becoming more dynamic. As mobile-first shopping applications reach greater maturity and scale, commercial events and subscription services are expected to cause more frequent volatility in the rankings. Ultimately, the app economy is evolving beyond its heavy reliance on gaming, reflecting a broader maturation of mobile consumer spending habits.