Mobile Games: Placing Smartphone and Tablet Gaming in Perspective of the Total Games Market 2012

Updated Oct 8, 2026 by Newzoo

Pages

100%

Insights

01
Mobile gaming became a primary revenue driver in 2012, with two out of every three dollars spent on smartphones and tablets allocated to games.
02
Free-to-play (F2P) models dominated the market, accounting for 70% of all iOS revenue in the US and Europe by the end of 2012.
03
The global mobile gaming audience reached over 500 million users by the end of 2012, with 175 million identified as paying players.
04
Multi-screen engagement grew significantly in 2012, with a 52% increase in users utilizing both smartphones and tablets between March and September.
05
While the iOS App Store maintained dominant revenue share in Western markets, Google Play demonstrated stronger performance in Japan.
06
Demographic analysis indicated that iOS gamers were more likely to be in full-time employment and possess higher incomes than Google Play users.
07
A failure to adapt to multi-screen metrics contributed to a 50% decline in external investment volume for the gaming industry during 2012.

Insights

01
Mobile gaming became a primary revenue driver in 2012, with two out of every three dollars spent on smartphones and tablets allocated to games.
02
Free-to-play (F2P) models dominated the market, accounting for 70% of all iOS revenue in the US and Europe by the end of 2012.
03
The global mobile gaming audience reached over 500 million users by the end of 2012, with 175 million identified as paying players.
04
Multi-screen engagement grew significantly in 2012, with a 52% increase in users utilizing both smartphones and tablets between March and September.
05
While the iOS App Store maintained dominant revenue share in Western markets, Google Play demonstrated stronger performance in Japan.
06
Demographic analysis indicated that iOS gamers were more likely to be in full-time employment and possess higher incomes than Google Play users.
07
A failure to adapt to multi-screen metrics contributed to a 50% decline in external investment volume for the gaming industry during 2012.

Updated Oct 8, 2026 by Newzoo

Pages

100%

Insights

01
Mobile gaming became a primary revenue driver in 2012, with two out of every three dollars spent on smartphones and tablets allocated to games.
02
Free-to-play (F2P) models dominated the market, accounting for 70% of all iOS revenue in the US and Europe by the end of 2012.
03
The global mobile gaming audience reached over 500 million users by the end of 2012, with 175 million identified as paying players.
04
Multi-screen engagement grew significantly in 2012, with a 52% increase in users utilizing both smartphones and tablets between March and September.
05
While the iOS App Store maintained dominant revenue share in Western markets, Google Play demonstrated stronger performance in Japan.
06
Demographic analysis indicated that iOS gamers were more likely to be in full-time employment and possess higher incomes than Google Play users.
07
A failure to adapt to multi-screen metrics contributed to a 50% decline in external investment volume for the gaming industry during 2012.

Insights

01
Mobile gaming became a primary revenue driver in 2012, with two out of every three dollars spent on smartphones and tablets allocated to games.
02
Free-to-play (F2P) models dominated the market, accounting for 70% of all iOS revenue in the US and Europe by the end of 2012.
03
The global mobile gaming audience reached over 500 million users by the end of 2012, with 175 million identified as paying players.
04
Multi-screen engagement grew significantly in 2012, with a 52% increase in users utilizing both smartphones and tablets between March and September.
05
While the iOS App Store maintained dominant revenue share in Western markets, Google Play demonstrated stronger performance in Japan.
06
Demographic analysis indicated that iOS gamers were more likely to be in full-time employment and possess higher incomes than Google Play users.
07
A failure to adapt to multi-screen metrics contributed to a 50% decline in external investment volume for the gaming industry during 2012.