iOS Gaming Leaders: January 2016

The January 2016 mobile gaming landscape experienced a notable divergence between download volume and total revenue. Global iOS game downloads rose by 12.61 percent month-over-month, reaching 692 million installs, while total worldwide revenue for the category declined by 2.91 percent to $969 million. These insights are derived from the Store Intelligence platform, which tracks performance metrics across the global iOS ecosystem.

Download charts were heavily influenced by new releases and viral hits. King’s Candy Crush Jelly Saga achieved significant traction, securing over 11.6 million global downloads in January. Meanwhile, the indie title Color Switch emerged as a breakout success, climbing 97 positions to claim the top spot on the U.S. free app chart. Other notable movers included Lifeline..., which saw a massive surge in downloads following a temporary price reduction, and Tencent’s Naruto Mobile, which performed strongly in the Chinese market.

In the U.S. revenue segment, the competitive dynamic between major publishers shifted as Machine Zone’s Mobile Strike entered the top 10 for the first time, placing eighth and challenging the long-standing dominance of Supercell’s portfolio. Despite the lead-up to Super Bowl 50, Madden NFL Mobile experienced a revenue decrease, highlighting the volatility of seasonal performance. The findings underscore the impact of aggressive marketing campaigns and strategic pricing on app store rankings, setting the stage for continued competition throughout the first quarter of 2016.