Mobile is the dominant gaming platform for Gen Z, with 86% of 18-24-year-olds playing on mobile devices compared to only 42% on consoles and 38% on PCs.
See it on page 18Gen Z shows a strong preference for rewarded advertising, with 61% of respondents reporting that they enjoy offerwalls within mobile games.
See it on page 17Traditional advertising formats like banner ads, non-skippable videos, and celebrity endorsements are largely ineffective with this demographic.
See it on page 4Gen Z prioritizes humor and creativity in advertising, with 57% valuing humor-driven brand posts and 50.4% favoring meme-based content.
See it on page 16Mobile shopping is a primary behavior for this cohort, as 68% shop on their phones one to four times per week, with 60% ordering food delivery and 57% making retail purchases.
See it on page 14Brand discovery is heavily driven by social media, which serves as the primary discovery channel for 52% of Gen Z, while 67% follow brands specifically for product interest.
See it on page 16Gen Z exhibits high device turnover, with 49% of users replacing their mobile devices every two to three years.
See it on page 12The report examines Generation Z (born 1997 and later) as the newest cohort of mobile gamers, highlighting their purchasing power, digital habits, and advertising preferences. Surveying 7,103 U.S. respondents aged 18‑24 on the Tapjoy network in February 2021, it finds that 86 % of Gen Z use mobile devices for gaming, far exceeding console (42 %) and PC (38 %) usage. Nearly one‑quarter first owned a smartphone before age 10, and 49 % replace devices every two to three years. Mobile shopping dominates their retail behavior: 68 % shop on phones one to four times per week, with 60 % ordering food delivery and 57 % making retail purchases. Preferred purchase channels include branded apps, e‑commerce storefronts, rewarded offers in games, and Instagram ads.
Advertising engagement shows a strong preference for rewarded mobile game ads (61 % enjoy offerwalls) and short, creative content such as memes (50.4 %) and humor‑driven brand posts (57 % value humor). Traditional formats—banner ads, non‑skippable videos, and celebrity endorsements—are largely ineffective. Gen Z follows brands that align with their values; 52 % discover new products via social media, and 67 % follow brands for product interest. The methodology involved opt‑in participation with age verification, automatic reward distribution, and a geographically targeted U.S. sample.
Overall, the findings portray Gen Z as highly engaged mobile gamers with significant discretionary spending, a preference for value‑based advertising, and a strong inclination toward brands that reflect their social and environmental values.
