Monthly Game Industry Report: April 2023

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
According to Liftoff's 2023 Casual Gaming Apps Report, as cited in the document, user acquisition costs are three times higher on iOS than on Android.See it on page 18
02
The report states the average CPI is $2.23 for iOS and $0.63 for Android, with simulation games having the lowest CPI at $0.59.See it on page 18
03
SEGA acquired Rovio for £625 million, a deal the document presents as a surprise given SEGA's recent stability.See it on page 3
04
Karate Combat, described as the first sports league structured as a decentralized autonomous organization, secured $18 million in funding led by BITKRAFT Ventures.See it on page 12
05
The Adjust Mobile App Trends report states that ATT approval rates in games reached 36% in the first quarter of 2023.See it on page 19
06
WePlay Ventures' three-month accelerator program offers funding, education, and networking to early-stage studios in Europe, Central Asia, and Türkiye.See it on page 11

Summary

The Monthly Game Industry Report for April 2023 is a compilation of game industry news items, organized into Games & Apps, Investments, Market Research, and Financial Reports sections, each summarizing a single development or publication. It covers topics such as mobile marketing analytics, AI-driven animation, ad partnerships, messaging features, accelerator programs, funding rounds, acquisitions, and market data. Market Research items draw on third-party sources, including a Liftoff report on user acquisition costs and an Adjust trends report.

On acquisition costs, the Liftoff 2023 Casual Gaming Apps Report, as cited in the document, found that user acquisition costs are three times higher on iOS than on Android. The average CPI is stated as $2.23 for iOS and $0.63 for Android. Simulation games are reported to have the lowest CPI at $0.59, while hyper-casual and puzzle games are described as the biggest install drivers across all genres.

In investments, SEGA's acquisition of Rovio is reported at £625 million, and Karate Combat is stated to have secured $18 million in funding led by BITKRAFT Ventures. WePlay Ventures is described as launching a three-month accelerator program for early-stage studios in Europe, Central Asia, and Türkiye. The Adjust Mobile App Trends report notes that hyper-casual games account for 25% of game application installations, and that ATT approval rates in games reached 36% in the first quarter of 2023.