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Global Mobile Game & App (Non‑Game) Marketing White Paper 2022
1 Jan 2023191 pages~108 min full read
The mobile gaming sector saw a decoupling of engagement and monetization in 2022, with strategy, simulation, and casual genres experiencing 8% to 10% download growth alongside 9% to 16% revenue declines.
See it on page 28To counter rising acquisition costs, developers are adopting 'Casual + X' strategies, integrating hyper-casual mini-games into complex RPG and strategy titles to broaden appeal and lower entry barriers.
See it on page 37Marketing strategy shifted toward higher efficiency in 2022, characterized by a 17.5% increase in quarterly advertisers despite a 16% reduction in total creative volume.
See it on page 29Android remains the dominant platform for creative volume, often doubling iOS output, though iOS advertisers captured 40% of the market share by the end of 2022.
See it on page 147Market leaders like TikTok and Duolingo maintain dominance through high-frequency creative refreshes, with new content rates exceeding 95% per quarter.
See it on page 99Privacy-first regulations, including SKAdNetwork 4.0 and the Android Privacy Sandbox, are forcing a transition from granular user-level targeting to Media Mix Modeling.
See it on page 182Video content is the industry standard for user acquisition, accounting for over 70% of all creative assets across global regions.
See it on page 123The global mobile landscape in 2022 was defined by a 17.5% year-on-year increase in quarterly advertisers despite a 16% decline in total creative volume. This shift indicates a transition toward more dynamic, high-frequency marketing strategies, with over 90% of advertisers launching new creatives each quarter. While North America maintained the largest advertiser base, markets in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan exhibited the highest creative output per advertiser. Android remained the dominant platform for volume, often doubling the creative output of iOS, though iOS advertisers grew to represent 40% of the market by year-end.
The gaming sector experienced a notable decoupling of engagement and monetization. Genres such as strategy, simulation, and casual games saw year-over-year download growth ranging from 8% to 10%, yet simultaneously faced revenue declines between 9% and 16%. To combat rising user acquisition costs and falling revenues, developers increasingly adopted "Casual + X" strategies. This trend involved integrating hyper-casual mini-games—such as "save the dog" puzzles or line-drawing mechanics—into the marketing funnels of complex RPG and strategy titles to lower costs and broaden appeal. Hybrid-casual titles also emerged as a significant force, utilizing Roguelike mechanics and high-volume video ads to bridge the gap between traditional casual play and deeper monetization.
In the non-game sector, advertising activity peaked in the fourth quarter, driven largely by utility tools, shopping, and educational applications. Video content remained the primary medium, accounting for over 70% of creatives across most global regions. Major players like TikTok and Duolingo maintained market leadership through exceptionally high creative refresh rates, often exceeding 95% new content. Regionally, Southeast Asia and Turkey showed a heavy reliance on Android and localized "big hit" formulas, while the United States and Japan remained the primary drivers of global revenue.
Looking forward, the industry is shifting toward story-centric strategies and user-generated content to navigate a privacy-first environment. With the implementation of SKAdNetwork 4.0 and the impending Android Privacy Sandbox, marketers are moving away from granular user-level targeting in favor of Media Mix Modeling. The prevailing conclusion is that long-term lifetime value and diversified monetization models are now essential to offset rising platform costs and tightening media budgets.
