The Israeli Mobile Game Market Report (2022)

The Israeli mobile game market reached approximately $9 billion in 2021, driven by more than 200 companies and 14,000 employees. Casual, puzzle, and hyper‑casual titles now represent about one‑third of global mobile game advertising spend, a share amplified by COVID‑19‑induced growth in user acquisition and in‑app purchases. Israel has emerged as a pivotal source of high‑volume advertisers, particularly for action, strategy, and simulation games across iOS and Android platforms. Leading studios—Playtika, Plarium, Moon Active, and Crazy Labs—have scaled to global prominence, with their games ranking among the top 20 Israeli titles by ad spend and contributing substantially to worldwide revenue.

Two flagship games illustrate this trend. RAID: Shadow Legends, launched in 2019, has exceeded 50 million downloads and generated roughly $700 million, with the United States accounting for 70 % of revenue and 40 % of downloads. Its 2022 advertising strategy deployed an average of 1,100 creatives daily, primarily on Google Ads and Facebook, with a heavier focus on Android. Coin Master, released in 2010 and revitalized in 2019, earned about $1.3 billion in 2021—over half from the U.S.—and averaged 2,500 creatives per day in 2022. The campaign concentrated on video formats across Google Ads for both iOS and Android, reflecting the dominance of video in mobile‑game advertising.

Regional analysis shows distinct creative preferences. In the U.S., live‑action, KOL‑driven strategy tips dominate; Japanese campaigns emphasize character art and voice to drive gacha revenue; Korean ads showcase advanced graphics through extended gameplay footage. Across genres, short, engaging videos that spotlight core mechanics or narrative hooks are rising in popularity. Hyper‑casual ads now conclude on success rather than failure, strategy titles incorporate casual puzzles to widen appeal, RPGs employ influencer‑style clips, and simulation games use sympathetic drama with accessible gameplay to attract female players. These findings underscore a highly segmented, video‑centric advertising ecosystem that aligns creative content with regional tastes and genre conventions.