Global Mobile Game Market Trends: January 2023

The January 2023 analysis of the global mobile game market highlights a surge in both advertising spend and revenue driven by strategic creative campaigns and seasonal events. Attack Hole’s black‑hole mini‑game format dominated advertising, with 2,900 deduplicated creatives keeping it near the top of iOS ad charts; its video‑only approach and focus on popular mini‑game themes such as stickman climbing tower and policeman & thief attracted significant attention. SpringGame’s “Back View” strategy for 이모탈 소울, featuring 2,200 deduplicated creatives and a heavy use of image assets (over 53 %), secured the third spot on iOS advertising rankings, particularly in South Korea and across arcade, simulation, and puzzle platforms.

Revenue growth was strongest on the App Store, where Mobile Legends: Bang Bang benefited from Chinese New Year and an M4 World Championship to achieve a 187.4 % month‑over‑month increase, while Royal Match’s first TV advertisement drove a nearly 200 % rise. On Google Play, Monster Strike leveraged Gundam collaborations and social media buzz to grow 77.9 %, and Fate/Grand Order’s “ugly card” event spurred a 40 % jump. NIKKE maintained steady growth with a 6 % increase.

Download figures mirrored these trends, with party titles Stumble Guys and Among Us each posting roughly 190 % MoM gains on the App Store, and Free Fire’s festival events pushing a 227.8 % rise. Playrix’s trio of titles—Gardenscapes, Township, Homescapes—each exceeded 150 % MoM downloads. On Google Play, Makeover & Makeup ASMR captured 3.1 million Brazilian downloads through distinctive ASMR‑enhanced creatives, while Attack Hole surpassed 10 million global downloads. The data underscore the effectiveness of targeted creative formats, seasonal marketing, and cross‑platform advertising in driving both revenue and user acquisition across diverse geographic markets.