Sensor Tower Completes Its First Acquisition, Buys Marketing Intelligence Platform Pathmatics

Sensor Tower has significantly expanded its market intelligence capabilities through two primary strategic developments: the acquisition of the marketing intelligence platform Pathmatics and the release of comprehensive data regarding mobile game advertising monetization. The acquisition of Pathmatics, finalized in May 2021, marked Sensor Tower’s first corporate purchase, integrating Pathmatics’ expertise in digital advertising insights across social platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Snap, as well as digital television. This move bolstered Sensor Tower’s service offerings by leveraging Pathmatics’ established infrastructure, which had previously achieved over 200% growth in software-as-a-service revenue since 2018.

Recent analytical findings highlight a substantial shift in the mobile gaming landscape, with advertising revenue exceeding $12 billion in 2025 across 19 key global markets. Data indicates that the prevalence of ad-based monetization in mobile games rose from 45.1% in mid-2021 to 55.6% by May 2026, a trend occurring alongside the stagnation of traditional in-app purchase models. In 2025 alone, mobile game advertisements were displayed 2.4 trillion times, with casual and hyper-casual titles accounting for the majority of this ad revenue.

The scope of this analysis covers a diverse range of geographic regions, including North America, Europe, and several major Asian and Latin American markets. The findings underscore a clear divergence in monetization strategies: developing markets rely heavily on advertising for the majority of their revenue, whereas mature markets, such as the United States, remain more dependent on in-app purchases. Furthermore, the market remains highly concentrated, with AppLovin and AdMob capturing 65% of total ad revenue as of May 2026, while top-performing titles like Block Blast! and Vita Mahjong lead the sector in ad-driven earnings.