Overview of the Mobile RPG Market

This analysis examines the performance and market positioning of mobile role-playing games (RPGs) across the United States, Japan, and China as of early 2019. Utilizing a proprietary three-layered taxonomy—categorizing games by feature-set, theme, and mechanics—the research evaluates how various RPG subgenres, including turn-based, puzzle, action, and massively multiplayer online (MMO) titles, compete within these distinct geographic markets.

The findings indicate that RPGs hold a dominant position in Asian markets, accounting for approximately half of the top-grossing titles in both China and Japan. In contrast, the genre remains a smaller segment in the United States, generating less than 10% of total iOS revenue and ranking as the fifth-largest genre behind shooters. Within the U.S. market, turn-based and puzzle RPGs demonstrate stronger performance, whereas action RPGs and MMORPGs struggle to maintain consistent top-100 grossing positions.

Key data points reveal significant shifts in subgenre leadership during 2018. In the puzzle RPG space, Empires & Puzzles experienced substantial growth, increasing its revenue share from 6% to roughly 35%. Conversely, the action RPG and MMORPG sectors saw increased competition from new entrants like Dragalia Lost and various MMO titles, which disrupted the market share of legacy games. Despite these new releases, the analysis concludes that the Western mobile RPG market remains fragmented and less mature than its Eastern counterparts. The study suggests that while specific subgenres have found success, the industry continues to search for an action or MMO title capable of achieving sustained, long-term dominance in the West.