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Report
The State of Mobile Game and App Markets: Global Report on App Marketing for H1 2022
**Document Title:** *The State of Mobile Game and App Markets: H1 2022* --- ## Executive Overview - **Market Contraction, but Not Uniform:** - Overall mobile‑app and game ecosystem shrank – 6.2 % YoY drop in the number of advertisers and a 27 % decline in total creatives. - The contraction was **regional**: Europe, North America, and Oceania bore the brunt, while **Tier‑2/3 markets** (especially Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) surged – advertiser counts rose **37 % YoY**. - **Creative Strategy Shift:** - Marketers moved away from “quantity‑over‑quality” to **higher‑quality, user‑generated‑content (UGC)‑style creatives**. - This pivot drove a **27.8 % YoY reduction** in total mobile‑game creatives (down to **15.8 M**), while the advertiser base remained relatively stable (≈ 45.1 K). - **Performance‑Driven Campaigns:** - Adoption of **cost‑per‑play (CPP)** and **in‑app‑purchase‑return‑on‑ad‑spend (IAP‑ROAS)** optimization grew sharply. - **Machine‑learning‑powered** tools—predictive analytics, automated bidding, and the new **SKAdNetwork 4.0** attribution framework for iOS—helped offset rising **cost‑per‑install (CPI)** pressures and improve early‑stage ROI measurement. - **App‑Store Search Dominance:** - **64.7 %** of all app installs in H1 2022 originated from **App Store search**. - Consequently, publishers and marketers doubled‑down on **App Store Optimization (ASO)** and **Apple Search Ads**, treating search visibility as a primary acquisition channel. - **Growth Outlook:** - Future expansion is expected to be **driven by emerging markets** (Tier‑2/3 regions) and **increased reliance on AI/ML‑based campaign automation**. - Continued investment in **high‑impact, UGC‑styled creatives** and **search‑centric acquisition** will be critical to sustain performance as CPI trends upward. --- ## Section‑by‑Section Highlights | Section | Core Findings | |---------|----------------| | **1 – Market Landscape** | • 6.2 % YoY decline in advertisers; 27 % drop in creatives.<br>• Steepest losses in Europe, NA, Oceania.<br>• 37 % YoY advertiser surge in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan (Tier‑2/3).<br>• Shift to higher‑quality, UGC‑style creatives and predictive‑analytics‑driven campaigns (incl. SKAdNetwork 4.0). | | **2 – Creative & Optimization Trends** | • 27.8 % YoY reduction in total mobile‑game creatives → 15.8 M.<br>• Advertiser count stable at ~45.1 K.<br>• Widespread adoption of **CPP** and **I
AdQuantumJan 2022
Report
State of Mobile Gaming 2025
The global mobile gaming market entered a period of mature recovery in 2024, characterized by a strategic pivot toward live services and high-value player retention. While total downloads declined by 6.6%, global in-app purchase revenue grew by 4% to reach $82 billion. This growth was primarily driven by North America and the Middle East, offsetting spending declines in Asia. The industry has transitioned into a "live operations" era, where 84% of all revenue is generated by games utilizing continuous updates and seasonal events. This shift is further evidenced by a 50% decrease in new game releases since 2020, as publishers prioritize high-quality core titles over volume. Genre performance highlights a market dominated by Strategy and RPG titles, which collectively generated over $34 billion in 2024. Action games emerged as the fastest-growing category with a 46% revenue increase, fueled by breakout hits like Last War: Survival. Despite the dominance of established franchises, a record 11 games surpassed $1 billion in annual consumer spend, including MONOPOLY GO!, which secured the top global position. The market is also seeing a demographic shift, particularly in the United States, where the 18-24 age group now represents 18% of the player base, up from 13% in 2022. Marketing strategies have evolved to combat rising user acquisition costs, with a significant move toward high-intent creative content and short-form video platforms. TikTok experienced a 67% year-over-year growth in social ad share, while mid-core developers nearly doubled their impression share on social networks. To maintain profitability, publishers are increasingly leveraging external web stores, celebrity partnerships, and localized cultural influencers, such as virtual YouTubers in the Japanese market. These trends underscore a broader industry movement toward sophisticated monetization models and IP-driven growth in an increasingly concentrated competitive landscape.
Sensor TowerMar 2025
Report
The State of Mobile Game Advertising: An Analysis of U.S. Mobile Game Advertising Trends in 2021
Mobile game advertising in the United States remained resilient through the first half of 2021, showing no immediate negative impact from privacy changes such as the deprecation of IDFA. Analysis of the advertising landscape reveals a strategic divide between ad networks. Specialized platforms like AppLovin, Chartboost, and Vungle maintain a high concentration of gaming content, often exceeding 90 percent share of voice. In contrast, diversified platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube maintain a more balanced split between gaming and non-gaming advertisements, serving as critical channels for reaching broader audiences. Market trends indicate that ad network selection is increasingly driven by genre and demographic alignment. Puzzle and Hypercasual games dominate gaming-focused networks, while mid-core genres like Strategy and Shooter find higher engagement on social platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Notably, Adcolony emerged as a primary hub for Casino games, catering to an older, female-leaning demographic. Across most platforms, video remains the dominant creative format, though playable ads have gained significant traction, particularly on AppLovin where they account for over 40 percent of gaming share of voice. Creative strategies are evolving to include "fake playables," relaxing music for casual titles, and real-world testimonial-style conversations. Even mid-core titles with complex mechanics, such as Call of Duty: Mobile, have begun adopting simplified playable "mini-games" to lower the barrier for user acquisition. This data, compiled by Sensor Tower using its Ad Intelligence platform, covers U.S. trends across iOS and Android from 2018 through the second quarter of 2021, suggesting that success in the current market requires a sophisticated mix of genre-specific network targeting and experimental creative formats.
Sensor TowerJan 2021
Report
The Gaming App Insights Report: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Mobile Marketers
The mobile gaming industry is entering a period of stabilization and renewed growth following recent volatility, characterized by a 7% year-over-year increase in global installs during late 2023. While consumer spending saw a marginal decline throughout the previous year, early 2024 data suggests a recovery driven by the rise of hybrid casual titles and the integration of artificial intelligence to streamline production. This shift is particularly evident in the Latin American market and within specific subverticals like Racing and Simulation, which experienced install surges of 61% and 53%, respectively. Despite these gains, the landscape remains competitive as organic install shares dropped to 50% and median day-one retention rates softened to 28.3%. Monetization strategies are evolving as developers pivot toward hybrid models that combine in-app purchases with advertising revenue. Although global effective cost per install nearly doubled to $0.99 in 2023, in-app revenue grew by 6%, led by high-value genres such as RPGs and Adventure games. These categories command the highest lifetime value and average revenue per monthly active user, particularly in mature markets like the United States and Japan. Conversely, hyper-casual games continue to prioritize volume and efficiency, maintaining low acquisition costs despite a broader industry trend toward more complex, long-term engagement models. The industry has demonstrated significant resilience regarding privacy changes, with global App Tracking Transparency opt-in rates rising to 39%. This adaptation, coupled with the superior performance of hybrid casual games in click-through rates and ad revenue, indicates a strategic move toward data-driven marketing and diversified revenue streams. As the sector moves through 2024, success depends on balancing high acquisition costs in premium markets with the massive scale offered by emerging regions like India and Southeast Asia, all while navigating a more privacy-centric digital ecosystem.
AdjustMar 2024