Top US mobile titles are increasingly bypassing platform fees, with direct-to-consumer revenue via webshops and alternative payment systems growing by 46%.
See it on page 11The App Store is significantly outperforming Google Play, evidenced by a 71% increase in 90-day ARPPU and a rise in high-value US players spending over $100 from 22% to 32%.
See it on page 54The Strategy genre surged over 25% globally, driven by a 213% explosion in Card Battlers, while the Puzzle genre grew 15% behind a 911% revenue spike in Block Puzzles.
See it on page 16Hybridcasual games are successfully monetizing through IAPs, which surged 84% due to the standardization of Season Passes and failure-triggered offers.
See it on page 51While the global mobile market grew 3.4% to $57.1 billion, established markets like China and Japan contracted by up to 15%, shifting growth focus to emerging regions like LATAM and MENA.
See it on page 6Developers are offsetting declining purchase frequencies by increasing average transaction values, including the adoption of $159.99 price caps and a 52% increase in average purchase values within the Simulation genre.
See it on page 48The global mobile gaming market reached $57.1 billion between 2023 and 2025, representing a 3.4% increase driven primarily by the App Store and emerging regions such as LATAM and MENA. While established markets like China and Japan experienced revenue contractions of up to 15%, the Strategy genre surged by over 25%, bolstered by a massive 213% increase in Card Battlers. A pivotal shift in the industry is the rise of direct-to-consumer revenue, which grew by 46% among the top 100 US titles as developers increasingly adopt webshops and alternative payment systems to bypass traditional platform fees.
Monetization trends indicate a widening performance gap between platforms, with the App Store consistently outperforming Google Play in both revenue growth and average revenue per paying user. In the United States, the share of high-value players spending over $100 rose from 22% to 32%, while the App Store’s 90-day ARPPU climbed by 71%. This growth is largely attributed to rising transaction values, including the introduction of $159.99 price caps in top-tier titles. Conversely, Google Play’s growth remains dependent on a higher frequency of smaller, low-priced purchases, particularly as the RPG sector faces a 15% decline and a significant drop in Android spending.
Genre-specific performance reveals a move toward diversification and sophisticated LiveOps. The Puzzle genre grew by 15%, led by a 911% revenue explosion in Block Puzzles, while the Hybridcasual segment saw in-app purchase revenue surge by 84% through the standardization of Season Passes and failure-triggered offers. Despite a 7.5% decline in the Casino market, the Simulation genre successfully increased average purchase values by 52%. Across all segments, developers are prioritizing customizable bundles and high-value special offers to maintain engagement and offset declining purchase frequencies among long-term players.
