State of Play 2024

The "State of Play 2024" report analyzes recent financial disclosures from major gaming companies to provide an overview of the current mobile games market. The analysis, based on financial reports and earnings calls from the preceding weeks, highlights varying strategies and performance across key industry players.

Key findings indicate a cautious approach from some major publishers towards mobile gaming. Electronic Arts views the mobile sector as "high risk," consolidating mobile teams with console counterparts and canceling several mobile titles, including Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile. Ubisoft's mobile revenue significantly declined, representing only 6% of its FY24 revenue, down from 31% the previous year, with Assassin's Creed Jade notably absent from its immediate release schedule.

In contrast, Take-Two Interactive shows stronger mobile performance, with mobile earnings accounting for 52% of its total, surpassing PC and console combined, partly due to the success of Match Factory and $100 million in cost savings from Zynga's "right-sizing." Other notable developments include Aristocrat considering the sale of Big Fish and Plarium, Tencent expressing concerns about app store commissions, Playtika restructuring leadership amidst flat results, and Unity experiencing executive departures. Despite some challenges, the mobile gaming sector is characterized as resilient and agile, with an opportunity to capitalize on the current "malaise" in the console market, which lacks major first-party releases and new hardware until at least 2025.