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Global

The Gaming App Insights Report: Unlocking Growth Opportunities for Mobile Marketers

The mobile gaming industry is entering a period of stabilization and renewed growth following recent volatility, characterized by a 7% year-over-year increase in global installs during late 2023. While consumer spending saw a marginal decline throughout the previous year, early 2024 data suggests a recovery driven by the rise of hybrid casual titles and the integration of artificial intelligence to streamline production. This shift is particularly evident in the Latin American market and within specific subverticals like Racing and Simulation, which experienced install surges of 61% and 53%, respectively. Despite these gains, the landscape remains competitive as organic install shares dropped to 50% and median day-one retention rates softened to 28.3%. Monetization strategies are evolving as developers pivot toward hybrid models that combine in-app purchases with advertising revenue. Although global effective cost per install nearly doubled to $0.99 in 2023, in-app revenue grew by 6%, led by high-value genres such as RPGs and Adventure games. These categories command the highest lifetime value and average revenue per monthly active user, particularly in mature markets like the United States and Japan. Conversely, hyper-casual games continue to prioritize volume and efficiency, maintaining low acquisition costs despite a broader industry trend toward more complex, long-term engagement models. The industry has demonstrated significant resilience regarding privacy changes, with global App Tracking Transparency opt-in rates rising to 39%. This adaptation, coupled with the superior performance of hybrid casual games in click-through rates and ad revenue, indicates a strategic move toward data-driven marketing and diversified revenue streams. As the sector moves through 2024, success depends on balancing high acquisition costs in premium markets with the massive scale offered by emerging regions like India and Southeast Asia, all while navigating a more privacy-centric digital ecosystem.

market-analysis monetization user-acquisition+1

AdjustMar 2024

Report

Live-Streaming Trends Report: Q1 2024

The live-streaming industry experienced a significant resurgence in the first quarter of 2024, with global viewership reaching 8.2 billion hours watched. This represents a 10% year-over-year increase and marks the first Q1 growth since 2021, signaling a recovery from the post-pandemic decline. While Twitch remains the dominant platform with a 69% market share, its lead narrowed as competitors like YouTube Gaming and Kick gained ground. Notably, Steam emerged as a breakout platform by doubling its hours watched, largely driven by developers using the service to market new releases. Geographic shifts were prominent in South Korea following Twitch’s exit from the market. Local platforms AfreecaTV and the Naver-backed newcomer Chzzk successfully absorbed the displaced audience, with Chzzk showing rapid growth and high creator retention. In terms of content, Palworld dominated as the top game launch of the quarter, generating 95 million hours watched in its first 30 days and outperforming 2023’s major hits. Grand Theft Auto V reclaimed the overall top spot among games, while the First-Person Shooter (FPS) genre led all categories due to high-profile esports tournaments for Counter-Strike and VALORANT. The analysis highlights a diversifying creator landscape where co-streaming major events remains a primary driver for top talent like Gaules and Jynxzi. In the female and VTuber segments, established names like Amouranth and Pekora Ch. reclaimed top rankings, while new entrants leveraged trending titles like Palworld and GTA V to achieve triple-digit growth. This data, compiled by Stream Hatchet, utilizes metrics such as hours watched and average concurrent viewers across all major global streaming platforms to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of digital broadcast media.

streaming market-analysis global

Stream HatchetMar 2024

Report

The True Cost of Building a Mobile Game Backend: Spring 2024

This analysis examines the financial and operational implications of developing in-house backend technology for mobile games-as-a-service. As the industry shifts toward complex live-service models, the technical demands for scaling and maintenance have increased significantly. While third-party game engines have become the industry standard for front-end development, many studios continue to build proprietary backend systems, often overlooking the substantial long-term resource investment required to sustain them. The findings are based on a survey of 125 senior executives and technical leads at United States-based game studios with at least 50 employees. Conducted in April 2024, the research captures data from a broad range of genres, though strategy and shooter developers represent the largest segments. The methodology focused on quantifying the "human cost" of internal tech, including team size, development duration, and average compensation for backend engineers. Data reveals that the average leading US mobile studio employs 52 developers for 36 months to build and run an internal backend. With a mean annual salary of $138,864 per person, the total estimated cost for a studio to develop its own backend tech reaches approximately $21.6 million. Beyond direct financial outlays, the research highlights significant "hidden costs" associated with redeploying gameplay programmers to internal tech projects. Nearly half of the surveyed studios reported that such redeployments slowed game development, while one-third experienced increased employee crunch and higher turnover rates. The conclusion suggests that the "build vs. buy" decision is a critical strategic pivot point for modern studios. While proprietary systems offer customization, the high financial burden and negative impact on staff morale and game production timelines often outweigh the benefits. Case studies indicate that adopting external, extensible backend solutions can provide the same level of granular control and LiveOps support as top-tier internal tools while allowing studios to focus resources on core gameplay and revenue-generating features.

live-ops game-development mobile+1

MetaplayMar 2024

Report

State of Play: Spring Edition

Mobile gaming has solidified its position as the industry’s primary driver, currently engaging 1.9 billion players and tracking toward $118 billion in annual revenue by 2027. This growth is occurring alongside a fundamental restructuring of digital commerce. Regulatory shifts, such as the European Union’s Digital Markets Act and recent judicial rulings, are dismantling the traditional walled gardens of major app stores. By forcing the adoption of alternative billing systems and out-of-app commerce, these changes allow developers to bypass standard commission fees and engage in direct-to-consumer marketing, fundamentally altering the economics of mobile distribution. The industry is simultaneously transitioning toward a cross-platform ecosystem where seamless play and unified payment systems across mobile, PC, and console are becoming standard. Consumer behavior supports this shift, as 87% of multiplayer gamers now engage in cross-platform play. Younger demographics, specifically Gen Alpha and Gen Z, exhibit a 52% payer conversion rate, significantly outperforming older cohorts. To capture this value, developers are increasingly forming strategic alliances with telecommunications providers to integrate 5G infrastructure and mobile wallets, ensuring frictionless transactions in a "cross-pay" environment. Despite a significant cooling in investment during 2023—characterized by a 75% drop in Web3 funding and a 43% decline in merger and acquisition activity—the sector is recalibrating toward a sustainable "new normal." The workforce is becoming more formalized, with nearly three-quarters of designers holding university degrees. Market analysts anticipate a recovery throughout 2024, marked by a 20% increase in deal flow and the entry of major media entities like Netflix and Disney. This stabilization is supported by a shift in venture capital toward alternative models that prioritize marketing and operational support over traditional equity-only investments.

market-analysis investment mobile+1

XsollaMar 2024

Report

State of the Market 2023: An Annual Analysis of App Market and Advertising Activities

The 2023 market analysis evaluates global mobile advertising performance, concentrating on the two dominant operating systems, iOS and Android, and the leading social platforms that drive ad spend. Facebook and Instagram continue to command the largest share of the social advertising ecosystem, reinforcing their status as primary channels for marketers seeking broad reach and engagement across diverse audiences. Video advertising emerged as the pre‑eminent format throughout the year, registering a 16 % increase on iOS and a markedly higher 37 % rise on Android. This divergence underscores Android’s accelerating momentum in video consumption and ad adoption, while iOS maintains steady growth. Interactive ad formats also showed modest gains, with a 2.7 % uplift on iOS, indicating a gradual shift toward more engaging user experiences, though the expansion remains limited compared with video. Overall, the findings suggest that mobile video continues to dominate revenue generation, with Android delivering the strongest growth trajectory. The incremental rise in interactive formats points to emerging opportunities for richer creative solutions, yet video’s dominance will likely shape strategic allocations for the coming year. These trends highlight the importance of platform‑specific optimization and the need for advertisers to balance high‑impact video placements with exploratory interactive formats to maximize reach and performance across the mobile landscape.

market-analysis advertising global+1

AppticaMar 2024

Report

2023 Roblox Report: Behind the Data

The 2023 Roblox Report, produced by GameAnalytics, provides a comprehensive analysis of player behavior and performance benchmarks across the Roblox platform. The study is based on 2023 data from thousands of games that utilize the GameAnalytics SDK, representing over 50% of total player engagement on the platform. The dataset includes a significant sample of high-performing titles, featuring 300 games with over one million monthly active users and 60 titles exceeding ten million monthly sessions. The findings reveal a highly fluid player base, with 47% of users accessing the platform via both mobile and desktop devices. Engagement is characterized by high frequency rather than single long sessions; over 50% of players engage at least twice daily, and the top 5% of games successfully bring players back more than 3.5 times per day. While the average session length for half of the tracked games is under six minutes, elite titles in the 95th percentile sustain engagement for nearly 30 minutes per session. Monetization remains a significant challenge on the platform. Only 4.2% of players spend Robux within games, and more than half of those spenders contribute less than $1 annually. However, a small segment of high-value "power spenders" drives the majority of revenue, with the top 5% of games earning approximately $77 per playing player annually. Retention is identified as a universal struggle across the platform regardless of game quality; Day 1 retention typically ranges between 12% and 15%, dropping to near 1% by Day 90. The report concludes that success on Roblox requires optimizing for cross-platform play, implementing aggressive LiveOps to counter natural retention decay, and focusing on session frequency to drive monetization.

player-behavior monetization global+1

GameAnalyticsMar 2024

Report

The Ultimate Game Hype Tracking Guide

This guide provides a framework for tracking game performance through the purchase funnel, emphasizing the importance of monitoring consumer sentiment from the pre-launch phase through the post-release lifecycle. The primary thesis is that success in the competitive PC and console gaming market requires a data-driven understanding of player awareness, purchase intent, and demographic behavior. By benchmarking these metrics against competitors, developers can optimize marketing spend, identify target audiences, and sustain long-term engagement. The analysis relies on data from the Game Health Tracker, which surveys over 3,000 PC and console players in the United States monthly. Key metrics include unaided awareness, which measures spontaneous brand recall, and aided awareness, which gauges maximum reach through prompted recognition. The findings demonstrate that awareness often fluctuates based on major industry events, such as trailer releases or gameplay reveals. Furthermore, the conversion rate—defined as the percentage of aided-aware players who express purchase intent—serves as a critical indicator of marketing effectiveness. The research highlights that demographic profiling and channel analysis are essential for resource allocation. For example, data shows that younger players may be more effectively reached through specific social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, whereas older or different segments might prioritize online stores or gaming subscriptions. Post-release, the guide notes that awareness naturally plateaus, necessitating tactical interventions such as price drops, DLC releases, or content updates to re-engage potential buyers. Ultimately, the document concludes that while initial hype is valuable, sustained success depends on continuously monitoring the purchase funnel and adapting strategies to meet the evolving motivations of both primary and secondary player audiences.

market-analysis user-acquisition retention+3

NewzooFeb 2024

Report

Landscape Shifts in IP Gaming: An Analysis of How the Competitive Landscape of IP in Gaming Has Shifted in 2023

The global gaming landscape in 2023 was defined by the overwhelming commercial dominance of established intellectual properties, which accounted for every top launch on PC and console. Licensed mobile titles generated $16 billion in gross revenue, driven largely by the unprecedented success of Monopoly GO!, which reached $1 billion in revenue in under seven months. This performance propelled Hasbro and Scopely to the top of the corporate and publisher rankings, respectively. While video game and anime IPs continue to command the largest market share—particularly in Asia where they account for 70% of downloads—board game IPs experienced a significant revenue surge within the United States. Strategic integration of IP serves as a critical driver for both monetization and marketing efficiency. Role-playing games remain the most lucrative genre for licensed content due to the effectiveness of gacha-based monetization, while cross-platform collaborations and limited-time events continue to expand audience reach. Furthermore, established franchises demonstrate superior cost-efficiency compared to original titles, achieving high sales volumes with significantly lower marketing expenditures. This suggests that leveraging recognized brands provides a vital competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Despite the high visibility of major hits, the mobile IP market remains largely unsaturated, with licensed titles currently accounting for less than 20% of total revenue across most genres. While RPGs and social casino mechanics have proven successful, casual categories such as puzzle and simulation games represent significant untapped opportunities for future integration. Growth in the sector is increasingly dependent on high-profile new launches rather than the expansion of legacy titles, indicating that the strategic selection and execution of new IP partnerships will dictate the next phase of industry expansion.

market-analysis monetization global+1

Sensor TowerJan 2024

Report

2023 Global Mobile Games Marketing Trends White Paper

The global mobile gaming landscape underwent a significant transformation in 2023, characterized by a strategic shift toward the hybrid-casual model. This evolution combines the accessibility of hyper-casual mechanics with the monetization depth of mid-core titles, utilizing a mix of in-app advertising and in-app purchases to stabilize revenue. Marketing efforts were defined by a nearly 50% year-over-year surge in monthly active advertisers, exceeding 40,000 globally. While North America maintained its leadership in total advertiser volume, Southeast Asia emerged as the most competitive region for creative output. Concurrently, Android became the primary focus for volume-driven campaigns due to ongoing iOS privacy restrictions, though iOS remained the preferred platform for high-value mid-core and hard-core marketing. Creative strategies pivoted toward high-impact visual storytelling and the integration of generative AI to manage rising user acquisition costs. Although video remains the dominant format, accounting for over 76% of impressions, AI-generated image creatives gained significant traction, particularly in square formats. Developers increasingly utilized "mini-game" ad patterns—such as ASMR, dramatic narratives, and deliberate failure scenarios—to lower entry barriers for complex genres like Simulation and Strategy games. Meanwhile, RPG and Casino titles leaned heavily on influencer collaborations and live-action content to drive engagement in emerging markets across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Sustainable growth in 2024 depends on a holistic integration of AI-driven production and programmatic transparency. The successful global expansion of Chinese-developed mini-games and the revitalization of legacy titles through trending ad mechanics illustrate a broader trend of creative agility. By analyzing over 1.4 billion ad creatives across 70 countries, it is evident that the industry is moving toward a data-driven future where high-engagement formats like rewarded ads and user-generated content are essential for navigating a fragmented and privacy-conscious global market.

marketing monetization in-game-advertising+2

SocialPetaJan 2024

Report

State of Mobile 2024

The global mobile economy experienced a significant recovery in 2023, with consumer spending rising 3% to $171 billion and daily engagement surpassing five hours per user in leading markets. While mobile gaming faced a slight 2% contraction in spending due to economic headwinds and a shift toward longer title life cycles, the broader industry was bolstered by a resilient non-gaming sector. This growth was primarily driven by social media "tipping," video streaming subscriptions, and the rapid emergence of generative AI. Mobile advertising also remained a cornerstone of the ecosystem, reaching $362 billion with projections to exceed $400 billion in the coming year. The landscape is increasingly defined by a shift in consumer behavior and monetization strategies. Non-gaming apps reached a record $64 billion in spend, led by TikTok, which became the first non-game app to surpass $10 billion in lifetime revenue. In contrast, the gaming market saw a decline in new hit releases, with the industry consolidating around established high-fidelity IPs and social multiplayer genres like Creative Sandbox and Battle Royale. Despite this consolidation, breakout successes like Monopoly GO and Honkai: Star Rail demonstrated that high-quality debuts can still disrupt saturated markets. Across various sectors, mobile integration has reached unprecedented levels. Travel and ticketing apps saw record-breaking demand as consumers returned to in-person events, while the finance sector experienced a surge in personal loan apps and "Super Apps" amid global inflation. Retail also underwent a structural shift as China-based platforms like Temu gained significant global market share. Ultimately, the 2023 data reflects a mature mobile market where growth is increasingly tied to sophisticated AI integration, creator-driven economies, and the transition of traditional services into comprehensive digital hubs.

market-analysis global mobile+1

data.aiJan 2024

Report

Toxicity and the Bottom Line: The Impact of Hate and Harassment on Player Retention and In-Game Purchases

Toxicity and harassment in online gaming environments significantly impact player retention and monetization, creating a direct financial incentive for studios to prioritize trust and safety. Research based on a representative survey of 2,408 active gamers across various age groups, genders, and ethnicities indicates that three out of four players consider safety from hate and harassment a high priority. Despite this, approximately 10% of players report feeling actively unsafe, with this figure rising to 23% among bisexual players and 18% among Asian players, highlighting the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. The data establishes a clear link between toxic behavior and lost revenue. Approximately 19% of players report spending less money in gaming communities to avoid harassment, while 21% have reduced their overall playtime. Engagement is further eroded by defensive player behaviors: 31% of participants have abandoned matches already in progress, 27% have left lobbies before a match began, and 44% have disabled voice chat entirely to mitigate exposure to abuse. These actions not only decrease individual player lifetime value but also degrade the experience for the broader player base. Demographic analysis reveals that younger players, particularly those aged 18 to 24, are the most sensitive to these issues. This cohort is the most likely to feel unsafe and the most prone to disengaging or reducing spending in response to toxicity. Because these players represent a core demographic with long-term growth potential, their tendency to "vote with their wallets" suggests that safer gaming environments are fundamentally more profitable. The findings conclude that traditional moderation is currently insufficient, necessitating more robust community guidelines and integrated safety tools to protect both players and the industry's bottom line.

monetization player-behavior diversity-inclusion+2

Take ThisJan 2024

Report

State of Performance Marketing for Videogames

The 2024 performance marketing landscape for PC and console gaming is defined by a strategic shift toward high-engagement platforms and the integration of first-party data to combat rising acquisition costs. Meta and YouTube remain the dominant forces in media planning, appearing in 75% and 44% of campaigns respectively, while Twitch has emerged as the conversion leader with a 12% success rate. This recovery period is marked by a rebound in free-to-play retention to 46% and a significant evolution in platform utility. Notably, Reddit has transformed into a high-value retention hub following an overhaul of its advertising infrastructure, and Twitter (X) continues to serve as the primary conduit for reaching the PlayStation demographic. The industry is increasingly moving toward automation and data-driven targeting to optimize creative assets and audience reach. AI-driven tools such as Google’s Performance Max and TikTok’s Performance Automation are becoming standard, while the utilization of first-party data has proven critical, yielding conversion lifts of up to 63% in Meta-based campaigns. These technological advancements are complemented by the continued growth of influencer marketing, which currently outperforms traditional ad networks with a 4.25% conversion rate and a robust 38.95% Day 7 retention rate. Despite the effectiveness of creator-led activations, the sector faces logistical hurdles regarding contracting, key distribution, and return-on-investment analysis. To mitigate these complexities, marketers are adopting sophisticated attribution tools to unify performance metrics across paid media and influencer channels. This holistic approach allows for a more precise understanding of player behavior and engagement across the global PC and console segments, ensuring that marketing spend is directed toward the most authentic and high-retention audience segments.

advertising market-analysis global+2

GamesightJan 2024

Report

Global MSP Report

The Global MSP Report presents a comprehensive analysis of the managed services provider (MSP) market, focusing on transaction activity, valuation trends, and strategic consolidation across the United States and Europe. The report documents a sharp increase in private‑placement activity during Q4 2024, with deal value rising from $34 million in Q3 to $2.2 billion, driven largely by platform deals and a 83% share of total activity involving strategic buyers acquiring multiple MSPs. Strategic consolidation remains robust, with six of the top ten players each adding at least four MSPs between 2023 and 2024, while financial investors continue to focus on single‑company investments. Market valuation data indicate that the global MSP sector reached $305 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% to $571 billion by 2033, reflecting escalating IT complexity and demand for cost‑efficient services. Deal concentration is highest in IT services (88% of Q4 2024 activity), with software, networking, and communications sectors contributing smaller shares. The report lists 58 announced M&A deals in Q4 2024, with a total of 500 transactions completed since 2013 by the reporting firm. Key outcomes highlighted include rapid deployment of new technology, cost efficiency gains, and enhanced service capabilities. The analysis draws on Pitchbook and Drake Star data, covering 2023‑2024 transactions across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, and provides detailed transaction tables for individual deals, including revenue, deal size, and acquirer information.

market-analysis mergers-acquisitions investment+1

Drake StarJan 2024

Report

Global Mobile Gaming Industry Outlook 2024

The global mobile gaming market experienced a period of stabilization in 2023, with total in-app purchase (IAP) revenue reaching $76.7 billion. While this figure represents a 2% year-on-year decline, it remains 22% higher than pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. The industry outlook is positive, with revenue projected to rebound to $78 billion in 2024 and surpass $100 billion by 2028, reflecting an anticipated average annual growth rate of approximately 6.8%. Market performance in 2023 was characterized by a shift in consumer preference away from mid-core and hardcore genres toward casual and hybrid-casual titles. Casual gaming revenue grew by 8% to $28.6 billion, now accounting for 38% of the global market. Within this segment, puzzle and board games performed exceptionally well, with both genres reaching $10 billion in revenue. Notable titles such as Royal Match and MONOPOLY GO! were primary drivers of this growth, with the latter emerging as a significant revenue contributor in the board game category. Conversely, traditional powerhouses like RPG and strategy games saw revenue declines of 10% as the pandemic-driven stay-at-home demand subsided. Geographically, the United States remains the largest mobile gaming market, generating $22.2 billion in 2023. While the U.S. market remained stable, other key regions experienced varied results; the Chinese iOS market held steady, whereas Japan and South Korea saw revenue contractions of 13% and 7%, respectively. Despite broader genre declines, high-quality new releases—particularly in the RPG sector—continued to secure top positions in growth rankings. The analysis relies on estimated IAP data from the Apple App Store and Google Play, excluding advertising revenue and third-party Android marketplace income.

market-analysis market-forecast monetization+2

Sensor TowerJan 2024

Report

Sensor Tower Global Mobile Gaming Industry Outlook 2024

Global mobile gaming experienced a minor 2% year-on-year decline in in-app purchase revenue in 2023, totaling $76.7 billion. Despite this slight contraction, the market remains 22% larger than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Projections indicate a recovery to $78 billion in 2024, with a long-term growth trajectory expected to surpass $100 billion by 2028 at an average annual growth rate of 6.8%. These findings are based on Sensor Tower App Performance Insights, covering the App Store and Google Play across major global markets including the United States, China, Japan, and South Korea. The industry is currently defined by a shift in consumer spending from mid-core and hardcore titles toward casual and hybrid-casual models. Casual game revenue grew 8% to $28.6 billion in 2023, now accounting for 38% of the global market. Hybrid-casual games showed the most aggressive growth, increasing 30% to exceed $2.1 billion. In contrast, traditional high-revenue genres like RPGs and Strategy games both saw 10% revenue declines as the pandemic-era stay-at-home boost faded. Despite these drops, RPGs and Strategy remain the largest individual segments, generating $20 billion and $14.8 billion respectively. Geographically, the United States remains the largest market at $22.2 billion, followed by the Chinese iOS market at $15.1 billion. While the Japanese and South Korean markets saw declines of 13% and 7% respectively, specific titles defied broader trends. MONOPOLY GO! and Royal Match emerged as major drivers in the casual sector, with the former generating $1.2 billion and the latter surpassing Candy Crush Saga in monthly revenue. In the mid-core space, new entrants like Honkai: Star Rail and Whiteout Survival achieved significant growth, particularly in APAC markets, by utilizing innovative themes and integrated gameplay mechanics.

mobile market-analysis monetization+2

Sensor TowerJan 2024

Report

Marketing Insights into Global Mobile Games & Minigames 2024

The global mobile gaming landscape in 2024 is characterized by a high volume of advertising activity, with monthly active advertisers averaging over 63,000. While the total number of advertisers remains robust, the proportion of new market entrants has steadily declined, falling below 7% by late 2024. Conversely, the industry has seen a consistent rise in the deployment of new ad creatives, with over 72% of advertisers releasing fresh content by September, signaling an intensification of competition and a focus on creative iteration to maintain audience engagement. Analysis of genre-specific performance reveals a shift in marketing priorities. Casual game advertising has experienced a slight decline, whereas the casino genre has seen a notable growth of over 10% in advertiser volume. Across the board, RPG, puzzle, and simulation games remain significant contributors to the advertising ecosystem. The data suggests that successful market penetration increasingly relies on high-frequency creative updates and localized marketing strategies, particularly as developers look to expand beyond domestic borders. The minigame sector, encompassing H5 and mini-program games, has emerged as a critical growth area. These titles are increasingly adopting a "going global" strategy, moving from initial releases in Asian markets to broader international expansion in North America, Western Europe, and Latin America. Successful minigames often utilize hybrid monetization models and leverage specific sub-genres such as "backpack-like" or "knights-like" games. Marketing for these titles is highly data-driven, with distinct strategies for the Asia-Pacific region—which favors pre-registration and launch-phase intensity—versus Western markets, which prioritize sustained, long-term advertising during a game’s stable period. The industry continues to favor creative formats that emphasize playable, low-friction experiences and culturally localized themes to maximize user retention and acquisition.

marketing advertising creative-ads+2

SocialPetaJan 2024

Report

The State of Web3 Gaming 2024

The Web3 gaming market entered a phase of maturation in 2024, marked by a strategic pivot from rapid expansion to ecosystem stability. While new game announcements decreased by 36%, project discontinuations plummeted by 84%, signaling a more resilient landscape. Indie developers currently drive over 90% of new launches, though technical integration remains a significant hurdle, with only 34% of titles successfully incorporating blockchain infrastructure. To combat the inflationary failures of earlier economic models, the industry is shifting toward "Play-to-Airdrop" mechanics to foster more sustainable player engagement. Geographically, the APAC region and the United States remain the primary hubs for development, collectively hosting the majority of active teams. Genre dominance continues to favor RPG, Casual, and Action titles, which also attract the bulk of stabilized venture capital funding. A notable shift in distribution is underway as Telegram emerged as a powerhouse platform, capturing 21% of new game launches, while the Epic Games Store expanded its Web3 portfolio to nearly 100 titles. This evolution in accessibility is mirrored by a technical migration toward Layer 2 and Layer 3 solutions, which now account for 57% of new game launches. Infrastructure is becoming increasingly specialized, with 64% of new blockchains designed specifically for gaming. Although the Ethereum Virtual Machine ecosystem maintains its dominance, high-growth frameworks like Arbitrum Orbit and Immutable are driving a record number of migrations as developers seek more efficient environments. Despite a 200% surge in token launches, investors maintain a conservative outlook, prioritizing high-quality game content over foundational infrastructure. This growth occurs against a fragmented regulatory backdrop, where developers must navigate the rigorous enforcement of the U.S. SEC alongside more structured frameworks in Asia and the European Union.

market-analysis web3 blockchain+1

Game7 ResearchJan 2024

Report

Gaming Industry Report: Q4 2023

The global gaming industry reached a market valuation of $184 billion in 2023, representing a modest year-over-year growth of 0.6%. Despite this stability, the sector experienced a significant contraction in investment activity, with venture funding falling 33% quarter-over-quarter in Q4 to $308 million. This decline reflects a broader normalization of capital flows to pre-pandemic levels, as the industry shifts away from the high-growth, speculative environment of 2021 and 2022. Key industry trends in late 2023 were defined by regulatory and operational restructuring. A landmark legal verdict against Google established that its app store practices constituted an illegal monopoly, forcing potential shifts in how developers distribute content and process payments. Simultaneously, major players like ByteDance began retreating from gaming divisions, while the industry at large grappled with approximately 10,500 layoffs. These workforce reductions were driven by a heightened focus on operational efficiency, the prioritization of high-retention projects, and the consolidation of assets following major mergers and acquisitions. Geographically, North America remains the primary hub for venture capital, though the industry maintains a global footprint with significant activity in Asia and Europe. While venture funding and M&A deal volumes have stabilized, public gaming stocks demonstrated resilience, with leading exchange-traded funds outperforming broader market indices by year-end. Looking forward, the industry is projected to maintain a compound annual growth rate of 3.5% through 2029, supported by the continued integration of user-generated content platforms and advancements in developer tools that emphasize productivity and cost-effective scaling.

market-analysis investment funding+2

KonvoyJan 2024

Report

Mobile App Trends: 2024 Edition

The mobile app industry demonstrated significant resilience throughout 2023, characterized by a global advertising spend of $362 billion and a late-year surge in installations. While the landscape faced challenges such as rising acquisition costs and evolving privacy regulations, the fintech and e-commerce sectors emerged as primary growth engines. Fintech experienced a 42% increase in installs and a 118% surge in in-app revenue, while e-commerce saw a 43% year-over-year rise in installs alongside a 34% increase in revenue. These sectors successfully optimized their acquisition strategies, with banking eCPIs falling from $2.33 to $1.37, allowing marketers to achieve rapid returns on investment within the first week of user acquisition. The gaming sector navigated a more complex trajectory, ending the year with a 2% annual decline in installs despite a notable recovery in the fourth quarter. This rebound was driven by a 7% year-over-year growth in installs and the emergence of the hybrid casual genre. Although overall gaming sessions dipped, specific subverticals like racing and simulation saw dramatic install spikes of 61% and 53%, respectively. Global gaming stickiness remained stable at 20%, and high-engagement genres like RPG and adventure continued to command strong lifetime value, even as broader retention rates across the mobile ecosystem faced downward pressure. Future industry success depends on the strategic integration of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to enhance personalization and automate complex workflows. To achieve sustained growth in 2024 and beyond, developers must diversify their media mixes by expanding into emerging channels like Connected TV and adopting holistic measurement frameworks. By combining incrementality testing with media mix modeling, stakeholders can better navigate the shift toward privacy-centric marketing while capitalizing on the high-potential returns offered by the global mobile marketplace.

market-analysis marketing advertising+2

AdjustJan 2024

Report

Gaming Report 2024: Meet the Moment

The global video game market, valued at $196 billion in 2023, is entering a period of sustained expansion with a projected annual growth rate of 6% through 2028. This upward trajectory is primarily fueled by younger demographics who increasingly utilize gaming environments as essential hubs for social interaction, creative expression, and commerce. To capitalize on this shift, industry leaders must pivot away from traditional, siloed development toward immersive, cross-platform ecosystems that prioritize interoperability and the integration of user-generated content. Expanding intellectual property across diverse media formats is now a critical requirement for maintaining relevance and maximizing consumer engagement. The industry is simultaneously undergoing a structural transition toward a hardware-agnostic model, necessitated by the rise of cloud-based distribution and the demand for seamless, multi-channel experiences. As market saturation intensifies, the high failure rates observed in mobile gaming underscore the need for more rigorous operational discipline. Companies are increasingly required to align product development, finance, and marketing functions through data-driven strategies. By leveraging artificial intelligence to optimize user acquisition and retention, organizations can better navigate the volatility of the current landscape and address the growing disparity between headcount expansion and actual revenue growth. To secure long-term viability, gaming organizations are modernizing their internal structures by standardizing development tools and fostering entrepreneurial autonomy. This evolution includes a holistic integration of generative AI into core workflows to improve operational efficiency and scale production capabilities. Furthermore, as competition for specialized talent intensifies, firms are refining their compensation and support models to align with broader technology industry standards. These combined technological and organizational shifts are essential for navigating current market turbulence and ensuring that gaming entities remain competitive in an increasingly complex and interconnected digital economy.

market-analysis player-behavior global+2

Bain & CompanyJan 2024