ReportPangle
Mobile Game Genre Report: Role-Playing Games 2021
1 Jan 202130 pages~68 min full read
Mobile RPGs generated $18.5 billion in 2020, representing nearly 25% of total mobile gaming revenue.
See it on page 6The market is heavily concentrated in East Asia, with China, Japan, and South Korea accounting for over 70% of global RPG earnings.
See it on page 6Approximately 50% of top-performing RPG titles rely on established intellectual properties, such as the Marvel franchise, to drive player acquisition and revenue.
See it on page 10Hybrid monetization is becoming standard, with 83% of players accepting non-disruptive rewarded video ads as an alternative to direct in-app purchases.
See it on page 14Interactive playable ads have become a critical acquisition tool, capable of increasing eCPMs by more than 200%.
See it on page 20To combat privacy and tracking limitations, developers are shifting focus toward analyzing high-value user signals within the first 24 hours of gameplay.
See it on page 19Role-playing games represent the most lucrative segment of the global mobile gaming market, generating $18.5 billion in 2020 and accounting for nearly a quarter of all mobile gaming revenue. This market is geographically concentrated in East Asia, where China, Japan, and South Korea collectively generate over 70% of the genre's global earnings. The landscape is characterized by the dominance of domestic publishers and a heavy reliance on established intellectual properties from movies, literature, and PC ports, which account for approximately half of the top-performing titles. The Marvel franchise serves as a primary example of this trend, exerting a pervasive influence on player acquisition and revenue generation through its immense brand saturation.
While IP-based titles leverage organic recognition, original properties must utilize aggressive influencer marketing and high-quality creative advertisements to compete. Long-term sustainability in the genre is driven by consistent content updates, social competitive mechanics, and time-limited gacha systems. Although in-app purchases remain the primary revenue driver—particularly among high-income male audiences—there is a significant shift toward hybrid monetization. Approximately 83% of players now accept non-disruptive rewarded video ads as a means to progress without direct spending.
To navigate evolving privacy regulations and tracking challenges, developers are increasingly prioritizing high-value user signals within the first 24 hours of gameplay. Interactive playable ads have emerged as a highly effective acquisition tool, occasionally increasing eCPMs by over 200%. By combining traditional spending triggers like battle passes and limited-time events with sophisticated ad integration, publishers are successfully monetizing both high-spending "whales" and non-paying users to maintain growth in an increasingly competitive global market.
