Knives Out
Game
28 documents in the library are about Knives Out, from writers such as Sensor Tower, Game World Observer and Deconstructor of Fun. Each has a summary and key insights with the page they come from.
Connections
The documents about Knives Out on the inner ring, the other games and companies they name on the outer one. Select a cover to see it up close and open it in a new tab; drag to move, pinch or Ctrl + scroll to zoom.
Key figures from the reports
NetEase’s mobile battle royale title, Knives Out, has surpassed $2 billion in lifetime revenue since its November 2017 launch.
Game World Observer, 2022 · NetEase’s Knives Out Tops $2 Billion in Revenue: Japan Market Analysis
Fate/Grand Order and Knives Out both reached record-high monthly revenues in August 2020, earning $163 million and $79.5 million respectively.
Sensor Tower, 2020 · Top Mobile Games by Worldwide Revenue: August 2020
PUBG Mobile outperformed key mobile shooter competitors, with lifetime revenue significantly higher than Fortnite's $838 million (App Store only) and Knives Out's $915 million (combined stores).
Sensor Tower, 2019 · PUBG Mobile Surges Past $1.5 Billion in Gross Revenue
NetEase’s 'Knives Out' was the only foreign title to break into the top 10, securing the fourth position with $365 million in annual revenue.
Game World Observer, 2019 · Japanese Mobile Gaming Market: 2018
In the Japanese market, Cyber Hunter achieved 1.1 million installs during its initial 14 days, outperforming the two-week launch performance of NetEase's own hit title, Knives Out, which saw 980,000 installs in the same period.
Sensor Tower, 2019 · NetEase Battle Royale Title Cyber Hunter Surpasses 5 Million Installs in First Two Weeks
Documents about Knives Out
Johannesburg Studio Riker Reveals Text-Driven Mystery: South Africa
Johannesburg-based studio Riker announces its debut title, Detective Turner: If Looks Could Kill, slated for a Q1 2027 release on Steam for Windows and macOS.
- Johannesburg-based studio Riker will release its debut title, Detective Turner: If Looks Could Kill, on Steam for Windows and macOS in Q1 2027.
- The game features a unique investigative mechanic where players must analyze textual content scrawled on environmental surfaces rather than interacting with traditional physical objects.
- The narrative focuses on the murder of a high-profile fashion magazine editor, utilizing an ensemble cast of suspects with overlapping motives.
Mobile Shooters: What's Next After Battle Royale? ft. Jordan Phang/Naavik (FREE REPORT!)
The mobile shooter market represents a specialized but significant segment of the global gaming industry, accounting for approximately 5% of total game downloads and 6% of revenue.
- The mobile shooter market is highly concentrated, generating $3.5 billion in revenue and 2.6 billion downloads between October 2020 and November 2021, with a few dominant titles like Game for Peace, Free Fire, and Call of Duty Mobile capturing the majority of spending.
- Extraction shooters are emerging as the primary evolution for the genre, utilizing high-stakes gameplay and loss aversion to create a distinct, tension-filled loop that differentiates them from standard Battle Royale formats.
- New shooter IPs face significant retention challenges because players are reluctant to abandon established ecosystems where they have already invested in social connections and cosmetic assets.
NetEase’s Knives Out Tops $2 Billion in Revenue: Japan Market Analysis
NetEase’s mobile battle royale title, Knives Out, has achieved significant commercial success, surpassing $2 billion in lifetime revenue as of late 2022.
- NetEase’s mobile battle royale title, Knives Out, has surpassed $2 billion in lifetime revenue since its November 2017 launch.
- The Japanese market is the primary driver of the game's success, accounting for more than 90% of its total global player spending.
- Knives Out generates 66% of NetEase’s total mobile revenue within Japan, maintaining a dominant market position for four consecutive years.
Three Strategies of Top Performing Chinese New Year Events in 2022
The Lunar New Year represents the most significant holiday period for the Chinese mobile gaming market, serving as a critical window for developers to maximize revenue and user engagement.
- The GameRefinery algorithm identified 19 games in the Chinese iOS top-grossing 200 that successfully doubled their income during the 2022 Lunar New Year holiday period.
- Arknights achieved a fivefold increase in 14-day revenue by combining a massive content dump—including new characters, storylines, and 3D trailers—with sustained user acquisition campaigns that ran from early January through February.
- Knives Out successfully re-engaged players by introducing a distinct 'parkour' minigame that deviated from its core Battle Royale gameplay, supported by a Year of the Tiger-themed event shop and randomized currency systems.
Top Mobile Games by Worldwide Revenue: August 2020
The mobile gaming industry experienced significant revenue growth in August 2020, driven by seasonal trends and the ongoing impact of global pandemic-related lockdowns.
- PUBG Mobile was the top-grossing mobile game worldwide in August 2020, generating $221 million in revenue, a 25.5% increase year-over-year.
- Honor of Kings ranked second globally with $204.8 million in revenue, also achieving 25.5% year-over-year growth, with 95% of its earnings originating from China.
- Fate/Grand Order and Knives Out both reached record-high monthly revenues in August 2020, earning $163 million and $79.5 million respectively.
PUBG Mobile Generates $500 Million in Just Over Two Months: Races Past $3.5 Billion Lifetime Revenue
PUBG Mobile has solidified its position as a dominant force in the mobile battle royale genre, surpassing $3.5 billion in lifetime player spending as of September 2020.
- PUBG Mobile has surpassed $3.5 billion in lifetime player spending, generating $500 million of that total in just 72 days.
- The game accumulated $1.8 billion in revenue and 198 million downloads during the first eight months of 2020, bolstered by global pandemic lockdowns.
- China is the title's largest revenue market, with the localized version 'Game For Peace' accounting for 53% of total lifetime spending on the Apple App Store.
State of Mobile Battle Royale: Fortnite Leaves a $1.2 Billion Hole in the Market
The removal of Fortnite from the Apple App Store and Google Play on August 13, 2020, created a significant disruption in the mobile battle royale landscape, effectively removing a title that had generated $1.2 billion in lifetime player spending.
- Fortnite generated $1.2 billion in lifetime revenue on mobile before its removal from the App Store and Google Play on August 13, 2020.
- The vast majority of Fortnite's mobile revenue came from the App Store, which accounted for over $1.2 billion in spending compared to $9.7 million on Google Play.
- PUBG Mobile is the global leader in the mobile battle royale genre, having generated approximately $3.5 billion in player spending as of August 13, 2020.
PUBG Mobile Doubles Lifetime Revenue to $3 Billion
PUBG Mobile, including its Chinese localized version Game For Peace, has achieved a significant financial milestone by reaching $3 billion in lifetime global revenue.
- PUBG Mobile and its Chinese localization, Game For Peace, reached $3 billion in lifetime global revenue, doubling that figure in just over seven months.
- In the first half of 2020 alone, the combined titles generated $1.3 billion, with monthly revenue peaking at a record $270 million in March.
- The Chinese version, Game For Peace, accounts for 52% of total lifetime revenue, with the U.S. and Japan following at 14% and 5.6% respectively.
PUBG Mobile Surges Past $1.5 Billion in Gross Revenue
PUBG Mobile has achieved a significant financial milestone, surpassing $1.5 billion in lifetime gross revenue by the end of 2019.
- PUBG Mobile surpassed $1.5 billion in lifetime gross revenue by December 2019, with 88% of that total generated during the 2019 calendar year alone.
- The game's relaunch as 'Game for Peace' in China in May 2019 was a primary revenue driver, contributing $614 million—approximately 40% of the game's total lifetime revenue—in just seven months.
- Global quarterly revenue showed consistent growth throughout 2019, peaking at $496 million in Q3, largely attributed to the successful implementation of battle pass monetization.
PUBG Mobile: World's Highest Grossing Mobile Battle Royale Title
PUBG Mobile has established itself as the world’s highest-grossing mobile battle royale title, driven by significant year-over-year revenue growth and a successful monetization strategy in China.
- PUBG Mobile became the world's highest-grossing mobile battle royale title with $167 million in global player spending during July 2019, a 748% increase year-over-year.
- The game has generated $860 million in total lifetime revenue, surpassing competitors Fortnite ($725 million) and Knives Out ($771 million).
- Following its relaunch as 'Game For Peace' in China, the market accounted for $241 million in revenue—28% of the game's total lifetime earnings—within just 60 days.
Japanese Mobile Gaming Market: 2018
The Japanese mobile gaming market experienced continued growth in 2018, reaching a total revenue of $13.3 billion.
- The Japanese mobile gaming market reached $13.3 billion in revenue in 2018, reflecting a modest growth of $400 million compared to the $12.9 billion generated in 2017.
- Market growth is decelerating significantly, with annual increases dropping from $2 billion in previous years to $1.6 billion between 2016 and 2017, and further to $400 million in 2018.
- The top 10 highest-earning mobile games in Japan account for 40% of the total market revenue.
NetEase Battle Royale Title Cyber Hunter Surpasses 5 Million Installs in First Two Weeks
NetEase’s sci-fi battle royale title, Cyber Hunter, achieved significant early momentum following its global release on April 22, 2019.
- NetEase's sci-fi battle royale title, Cyber Hunter, reached 5 million global downloads across the App Store and Google Play within its first two weeks following its April 22, 2019, launch.
- In the Japanese market, Cyber Hunter achieved 1.1 million installs during its initial 14 days, outperforming the two-week launch performance of NetEase's own hit title, Knives Out, which saw 980,000 installs in the same period.
- While Cyber Hunter has shown strong early adoption, its initial global revenue is approximately $350,000, with $154,000 generated from Japan.