Top Mobile Games of Q1 2017: Revenue Grew 53% YoY as Asian Titles Expanded Their Dominance

Key insights

7 takeaways

01
Worldwide mobile game revenue reached $11.9 billion in Q1 2017, marking a 53% year-over-year increase from $7.8 billion in Q1 2016.
02
Google Play games revenue grew by 83% year-over-year to approximately $5.3 billion, while App Store games revenue grew 35% to $6.6 billion.
03
Mobile games remain the primary monetization driver, accounting for nearly 80% of App Store gross revenue and over 91% of Google Play gross revenue.
04
Worldwide mobile game installs reached 8.8 billion in Q1 2017, a 15% increase compared to the 7.6 billion installs recorded in Q1 2016.
05
Mixi’s 'Monster Strike' maintained its position as the world's top-earning mobile game, followed by Type-Moon's 'Fate/Grand Order'.
06
Tencent’s 'King of Glory' saw significant growth in Q1 2017, becoming the most downloaded game on the App Store and entering the top 10 for overall revenue.
07
Niantic’s 'Pokémon GO' experienced a decline in momentum, dropping from the No. 4 revenue spot in Q4 2016 to No. 8 in Q1 2017.

Summary

The mobile gaming industry experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2017, characterized by a 53 percent year-over-year increase in worldwide gross revenue, which reached approximately $11.9 billion. This expansion was driven by strong performance across both the Apple App Store and Google Play, with the latter seeing an 83 percent surge in game revenue. Mobile games maintained their status as the primary monetization engine for app stores, accounting for nearly 80 percent of App Store revenue and over 91 percent of Google Play revenue. Total global game installs also rose by 15 percent, reaching 8.8 billion downloads.

The market landscape was heavily influenced by the continued dominance of Asian titles, particularly those from Japan and China. Mixi’s Monster Strike retained its position as the top-earning mobile game globally, while Type-Moon’s Fate/Grand Order saw increased revenue rankings. Tencent’s King of Glory emerged as a major force, becoming the most downloaded game on the App Store and securing a top-ten spot in global revenue, largely fueled by growth in the Chinese market.

Performance among previously viral hits remained mixed. While Supercell’s Clash Royale surpassed $1 billion in lifetime gross revenue, Niantic’s Pokémon GO experienced a decline in revenue momentum, dropping to eighth place in global revenue rankings. Nintendo’s Super Mario Run maintained a strong download presence, and its newer title, Fire Emblem Heroes, successfully entered the top ten for Google Play revenue. These findings are based on proprietary store intelligence data, providing a comprehensive overview of the global mobile gaming ecosystem during the first three months of 2017.