ReportTenjin
The Hyper-Casual Benchmark Report: Q3 2022
1 Jan 202217 pages~2 min full read
Retention is the primary differentiator for success, with top-tier hyper-casual games significantly outperforming the median cohort as acquisition costs rise.
See it on page 16Median cost-per-install (CPI) reached record highs in Q4 2022, hitting $0.20 on Android and $0.42 on iOS.
See it on page 5iOS consistently outperforms Android in retention, with top-tier titles achieving 45% Day 1 retention on iOS compared to 38% on Android.
See it on page 15Day 7 retention metrics show a persistent gap between platforms, with top-tier iOS titles retaining 19% of players versus 14% on Android.
See it on page 16Rising acquisition costs are a global trend, as no major Android market tracked in the report experienced a decrease in median CPI during the period.
See it on page 5While Android CPI trends were universally upward, iOS markets showed regional volatility, including a significant decrease in the United States alongside notable increases in France and Germany.
See it on page 5The hyper-casual mobile gaming sector experienced a notable escalation in acquisition costs during the latter half of 2022, characterized by rising median cost-per-install (CPI) rates across both Android and iOS platforms. By the fourth quarter of 2022, median CPI reached all-time highs of $0.20 on Android and $0.42 on iOS. This upward trend in acquisition spending was global, as no major market tracked by ad spend experienced a decrease in median CPI on Android, while iOS markets saw varied fluctuations, including a significant decrease in the United States and notable increases in France and Germany.
Retention metrics reveal a consistent performance advantage for iOS over Android across all tiers of game quality. For the top 2% of hyper-casual titles, iOS achieved a 45% Day 1 retention rate compared to 38% on Android, with Day 7 retention figures similarly favoring iOS at 19% versus 14%. This performance gap persists among the top 25% of games and the median cohort, where iOS maintains a higher percentage of returning players. These findings underscore a widening disparity between high-performing titles and average games, emphasizing the critical importance of engagement optimization in a landscape of increasing user acquisition costs.
The analysis draws upon data from over 100,000 games and one-third of the global mobile player base to establish these benchmarks. By segmenting performance by platform and geographic region, the data highlights the shifting economic landscape for developers and publishers. The findings suggest that while market saturation and rising costs present significant challenges, the ability to maintain player retention remains the primary differentiator between top-tier hyper-casual games and the broader market.
