Global Mobile Games in February 2023

The February 2023 global mobile games snapshot highlights significant shifts in advertising spend, revenue generation, and download volumes across key markets. In February, the Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z Dokkān Battle achieved a 106 % month‑over‑month revenue surge on the App Store, underscoring the enduring appeal of established IPs. Square Enix’s new lesbian RPG “Towa Tsugai” generated approximately $2.1 million, while the Japanese‑style MMO “Kalyz Fu Shuo” captured $14.1 million in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan through aggressive media buying.

On Google Play, Melsoft’s “Family Island” earned $11.6 million during a Valentine‑themed event, and Century Games’ “Frozen City” posted a 37.5 % revenue rise to $5 million, driven by weekly events. Kakao Games’ “Eversoul” added over $5 million in its first month, illustrating strong launch performance for new titles.

Download leaders mirrored these trends. “Dumb Ways to Die” surpassed 3 million downloads on iOS, pushing cumulative installs past 100 million thanks to TikTok virality. “Chess” and “Parking Jam 3D” each logged 3 million iOS downloads, with the latter’s US market dominating. On Android, ABI’s “Makeover Salon” reached nearly 9 million downloads, while the puzzle titles “Thief Puzzle” and “Magic Princess” achieved 7.5 million and 4 million downloads respectively, the latter topping female‑targeted dress‑up games.

Advertising activity concentrated on video creatives across Meta and puzzle, reading, and action platforms. The Street Fighter launch by A PLUS JAPAN generated 3,400 deduplicated creatives, predominantly video (72.35 %) targeting fighting‑game enthusiasts in North America and Australia. Modo Global’s “Rage Mage” produced nearly 5,000 creatives, with 83.6 % video content emphasizing gacha rewards and offline play.

Overall, February’s data reveal a market where legacy IPs and viral social media campaigns drive revenue spikes, while targeted video advertising on Meta platforms remains a primary acquisition channel across both iOS and Android ecosystems.