ReportGameRefinery
The Rise of Midcore Mobile Games Snapshot Report July 2022
1 Jul 202225 pages~23 min full read
Midcore mobile games were the only category to achieve revenue growth in the US iOS market between Q1 2021 and Q1 2022, now capturing 36.73% of total mobile gaming revenue.
See it on page 6New midcore titles are outperforming casual games in long-term retention, with nine midcore releases from the past year remaining in the top 200 grossing chart compared to only three casual titles.
See it on page 7Top-performing midcore titles like Diablo Immortal, Genshin Impact, and Apex Legends Mobile prioritize console-like manual controls over autoplay mechanics to drive engagement.
See it on page 15Monetization in the sector is highly complex, with 75% of top-grossing midcore games utilizing Battle Pass systems and over 63% incorporating five or more distinct gacha mechanics.
See it on page 19Live operations are universal among top-tier midcore games, with 100% employing recurring live events and 80% using event-specific currencies to manage game economies.
See it on page 23Publishers are increasingly establishing external web stores to bypass standard app store commission fees as a strategy to improve revenue performance.
See it on page 21The midcore mobile gaming sector is experiencing a significant shift as AAA developers and high-fidelity titles increasingly challenge the historical dominance of casual and hyper-casual games. Analysis of the US iOS market between Q1 2021 and Q1 2022 reveals that midcore was the only category to achieve revenue growth, currently accounting for 36.73% of total mobile game revenue. This trend is further evidenced by the fact that nine midcore titles released in the past year remain in the top 200 grossing chart, compared to only three casual titles.
The success of these games, such as Diablo Immortal, Genshin Impact, and Apex Legends Mobile, is attributed to three essential design pillars: sophisticated control systems, diversified monetization, and high content cadence. Top-performing midcore games differentiate themselves by offering precise, console-like manual controls and minimizing reliance on autoplay. Furthermore, they utilize complex monetization strategies; 75% of top-grossing midcore games employ Battle Pass systems, and over 63% feature five or more distinct gacha mechanics.
Live operations and player engagement are equally critical, with 100% of top-tier midcore games utilizing recurring live events. A notable 80% of these titles implement special event-specific currencies to manage game economies and drive temporary sinks. Additionally, a burgeoning trend involves publishers establishing external web stores to bypass standard app store commission fees. Data for this analysis was sourced from the GameRefinery SaaS platform, focusing on feature adoption and revenue performance within the US iOS market to identify the specific mechanics that separate market leaders from the broader competitive field.
