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Social Casino Gaming Apps Report

The social casino gaming market experienced significant growth and transformation between August 2020 and August 2021, driven largely by global social distancing measures. While the segment reached a global gross gaming revenue of $6.2 billion in 2020 with a projected increase to $7.5 billion by 2026, the market has become increasingly saturated. High barriers to entry mean that established titles dominate the top rankings, while new entrants struggle to scale. The analysis draws on 83 billion impressions and 12 million installs to provide a comprehensive look at acquisition costs, retention strategies, and player motivations. Financial data indicates a widening gap between platforms. The average cost-per-install (CPI) on iOS rose to $11.09, making it over twice as expensive as Android, which saw its CPI decrease to $5.00. Despite these costs, the sector maintains healthy performance metrics, with Day 7 return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) averaging 11.12% and Day 30 ROAS reaching 25.18%. Geographically, Latin America offers the lowest acquisition costs at $1.43 per install, though North America remains the primary target for high-value returns. To combat rising costs and market saturation, developers are increasingly integrating sophisticated "mid-core" features to deepen engagement. Album collectibles are the most prevalent mechanic, appearing in 74% of top games, followed closely by special side-modes and piggy bank monetization systems. Battle passes have seen the most dramatic growth, jumping from 5% to 36% adoption in a single year. These features cater to a unique player demographic that is evenly split by gender but skews older, with nearly half of all users over the age of 45. Successful titles now focus on a "meta-driven" experience, utilizing guild mechanics and narrative elements to move beyond simple slot or bingo loops.

market-analysis monetization social-casino+1

LiftoffJan 2021

Report

Global Video Game Investment Activity Report Q1 2021

The first quarter of 2021 marked a historic surge in global video game industry investments, signaling a potential record-breaking year. Total deal value for closed transactions reached $25 billion across 249 deals, representing a twofold increase compared to the first half of 2020. When including announced but unclosed transactions, the total deal value for the quarter climbed to $39 billion. This growth was observed across all primary investment frontiers, including private placements, public offerings, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). M&A activity served as the primary engine for this expansion, accounting for $14.3 billion in closed deal value, a nearly sixfold increase year-over-year. This segment was dominated by high-profile "mega-deals," most notably Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax Media and ByteDance’s $4 billion acquisition of Moonton. Public offerings also saw record activity, generating $8.3 billion in value—a 29-fold increase over the previous year—driven by a tripling of initial public offerings and the rising popularity of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs). Private investments reached a segment record of $2.6 billion, with late-stage rounds for companies like Roblox and Dapper Labs accounting for 73% of that total. Strategic and venture capital activity remained highly concentrated among top-tier players. Tencent maintained its leadership in deal volume, closing 35 transactions with a focus on PC and console developers. Meanwhile, the top five strategic investors—Tencent, Microsoft, Embracer Group, Electronic Arts, and ByteDance—contributed over half of the total announced deal value. Early-stage venture capital also grew significantly, with a 120% increase in capital raised by game developers. Geographically and by segment, mobile and multiplatform studios remained the most attractive targets for investors, while PC and console segments drove the majority of M&A value. This analysis is based on tracked closed transactions in the global video game industry, excluding gambling and betting, utilizing data from public media, business partners, and S&P Capital IQ.

investment funding ipo+1

InvestGameJan 2021

Report

Mobile App Trends 2021: A Global Benchmark of App Performance

The mobile app industry underwent a transformative period of growth in 2020, characterized by a 50% year-over-year increase in global installs and a total consumer spend of $112 billion. While the fintech sector led in raw install growth at 51%, the gaming industry remained a dominant force with a $165 billion valuation, driven by a 43% surge in hyper-casual downloads. E-commerce demonstrated a distinct trend toward intensified user engagement; despite a modest 6% rise in installs, the vertical experienced a 44% increase in sessions and a 58% jump in in-app transactions, signaling a shift in consumer behavior toward deeper digital integration. User engagement metrics across the ecosystem reflected this heightened activity, with overall sessions rising by 30%. Fintech and e-commerce sessions saw particularly sharp increases of 85% and 44%, respectively. Within the gaming sector, performance varied significantly by sub-genre. Hyper-casual titles relied heavily on paid acquisition and faced rapid churn, whereas non-hyper-casual games maintained superior retention, reaching median session lengths of 45 minutes by day 30. Cost structures also diverged sharply, as acquisition costs for general gaming peaked at $2.52 per install in the fourth quarter, while hyper-casual costs plummeted to a low of $0.27. Sustaining growth in this increasingly competitive landscape requires a strategic pivot from volume-based metrics to sophisticated behavioral analytics. Developers must prioritize retention rates and effective cost per install (eCPI) to refine onboarding processes and ensure long-term profitability. Success in the current market depends on a data-driven, UX-centric approach that utilizes automation and real-time measurement to navigate evolving privacy regulations, such as iOS 14. Ultimately, the path to maximizing return on investment lies in personalized marketing campaigns and a granular understanding of vertical-specific user behaviors.

market-analysis player-behavior global+1

AdjustJan 2021

Report

State of Mobile 2021

The mobile industry experienced a historic acceleration in 2020, effectively compressing two to three years of projected growth into a single twelve-month period. Global app downloads reached 218 billion while consumer spending surged 20% year-over-year to $143 billion. This shift was characterized by a fundamental change in consumer behavior, as global users averaged 4.2 hours of daily mobile engagement, surpassing live television viewership in the United States. Venture capital followed this momentum, with investments in mobile technology rising 27% to $73 billion. Mobile gaming remained the primary economic engine of the ecosystem, contributing 66% of total spend and positioning the sector to exceed $120 billion in 2021. The global pandemic acted as a catalyst for digital-first adoption across diverse sectors, most notably in finance, streaming, and retail. Time spent in finance apps increased by 45% globally, driven by the democratization of stock trading, while video streaming hours rose by 40%. Retail saw a 30% increase in usage as social commerce emerged as a dominant trend, projected to reach a $2 trillion market value by 2024. TikTok emerged as a standout performer, experiencing a 325% increase in engagement. This heightened activity fueled a robust mobile advertising market, which reached $240 billion in spend, supported by a 95% increase in ad placements within the United States. Specific categories saw unprecedented spikes in utility, with business app usage growing 275% and health and fitness spending rising 30% to $2 billion. Leading platforms such as Tinder, PUBG Mobile, and TikTok dominated their respective metrics for spend, active users, and downloads. Furthermore, specialized platforms like Azar and SmartNews demonstrated the success of integrating artificial intelligence and real-time data to capture Gen Z and news-seeking audiences. These developments underscore a permanent shift toward a mobile-centric global economy where digital engagement is the primary medium for commerce, communication, and entertainment.

market-analysis player-behavior global+1

data.aiJan 2021

Report

2021 H1 Global Mobile App Marketing Whitepaper

The global mobile marketing landscape experienced a massive surge in activity during the first half of 2021, characterized by a 108% year-on-year increase in advertising creatives totaling over 19 million. This growth was primarily driven by hard-core gaming titles and a significant expansion in the non-game sector, where creatives rose 38% to 47.6 million. Despite this volume increase, Apple’s IDFA policy changes caused a 13% decline in the share of iOS creatives, shifting more focus toward Android platforms. Geographically, the United States remained the largest advertising market, while Oceania emerged as the fastest-growing region for non-game advertisers. Chinese companies solidified their global dominance during this period, accounting for 70% of top-charting mobile game media buying and over 25% of the total global market share. These developers maintained a particularly strong presence on major social platforms, representing 100% of the top ten advertisers on Facebook’s News Feed. However, this increased competition contributed to a sharp rise in acquisition costs, with Facebook’s average CPC and CPM both climbing 128% year-over-year. RPG and Puzzle genres led in total creative volume, while Strategy games exhibited the highest media buying intensity per advertiser. Marketing strategies have evolved toward high-engagement, "snackable" short-form video content and influencer-led campaigns to combat rising costs and privacy-related tracking challenges. In the gaming sector, creative tactics shifted toward live-action footage and gameplay extensions, while non-game apps—particularly in the education and shopping sectors—capitalized on pandemic-related lifestyle shifts. As the industry navigates the post-IDFA era, the integration of high-quality in-game ads and diverse creative formats has become essential for maintaining user retention and driving monetization across both domestic Chinese and international markets.

advertising marketing global+1

SocialPetaJan 2021

Financial

Gaming Deals Activity Report H1 2021

The first half of 2021 marked a period of unprecedented financial activity in the global video game industry, characterized by a fourfold increase in deal value compared to the same period in 2020. Total transaction value for closed deals reached $44.2 billion across 471 transactions, while the inclusion of announced deals brought the cumulative value to $50.2 billion. This surge was driven primarily by massive mergers and acquisitions and record-breaking public offerings, signaling a robust period of consolidation and capital influx across gaming, platform technology, and esports segments. Mergers and acquisitions emerged as the primary growth engine, totaling $22.4 billion in value. This figure surpassed the entirety of 2020, fueled by "mega-deals" such as Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax and ByteDance’s $4 billion acquisition of Moonton. Public offerings also reached an all-time high of $17.1 billion, supported by high-profile IPOs and direct listings from companies like Roblox, AppLovin, and Playtika. Private investments contributed $4.6 billion, with late-stage venture capital accounting for 65% of that total. Notable trends included a strategic shift toward PC and console targets in the M&A space and the rapid emergence of blockchain-powered gaming, which saw 24 deals exceeding $476 million. Geographically and strategically, Tencent maintained its dominant position by closing 53 deals, focusing heavily on PC and console studios. Other major players like Electronic Arts and Embracer Group aggressively expanded their portfolios through multi-billion dollar acquisitions. While the first quarter of 2021 saw the highest concentration of activity, the second quarter experienced a slight cooling in public markets as several newly listed companies faced share price declines. Data for these findings was compiled through a methodology tracking closed transactions via public media, business partnerships, and S&P Capital IQ, excluding pure gambling and betting entities.

investment mergers-acquisitions market-analysis+1

InvestGameJan 2021

Report

Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q4 2020

The global mobile app ecosystem experienced unprecedented expansion in 2020, culminating in a fourth quarter that saw 35.2 billion downloads and a year-end total of 143 billion. This 23.8% year-over-year increase was primarily catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which fundamentally altered consumer behavior across the App Store and Google Play. While Google Play drove the majority of volume growth with a 28% increase, the United States notably overtook China as the leading App Store market. India remained the global leader in total volume, contributing over 7 billion downloads in the final quarter alone. The pandemic created a sharp divergence between industry segments, fueling record-breaking demand for Business and Gaming apps while severely depressing Travel and Navigation. Business category downloads surged by 134% as video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet became essential, reaching 681 million and 331 million annual downloads respectively. Conversely, airline and rideshare apps saw declines of up to 46% in the United States. In the gaming sector, social-oriented titles thrived; Among Us emerged as a cultural phenomenon with 166 million quarterly downloads, while mobile gaming revenue surpassed $21 billion in the final quarter of the year. Market leadership shifted significantly during this period as Google surpassed Facebook to become the top global publisher for the first time. TikTok maintained its status as the most downloaded non-gaming app globally for both the quarter and the year. Despite the overall surge in digital engagement, certain sub-sectors like hypercasual gaming faced headwinds in mature markets like the U.S. due to changes in commuting patterns. However, the successful late-year launches of titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile in China and the global rise of Genshin Impact signaled continued strength and diversification within the mobile gaming landscape heading into 2021.

market-analysis global mobile

Sensor TowerJan 2021

Report

Store Intelligence Data Digest: Q4 2021

Global mobile application activity reached a significant milestone in 2021, with total annual downloads climbing to 144.2 billion. The fourth quarter alone accounted for 36.1 billion of these installs, representing a 2.7 percent year-over-year increase. While the mobile gaming sector remained a primary driver of volume, led by the global success of Garena Free Fire and the emergence of battle royale titles like PUBG: New State, other categories such as Finance and Utilities demonstrated faster growth rates. The market landscape saw China reclaim its position as the leading market for App Store installs, while India maintained its dominance on Google Play. Market dynamics throughout the year reflected a complex transition toward post-pandemic normalization. Although most app categories returned to pre-pandemic baselines, Business and Medical applications remained elevated, with Business installs more than doubling 2019 levels. Simultaneously, the travel sector experienced a robust recovery, with U.S. vacation rental and online travel agency apps exceeding pre-pandemic download figures by the end of the year. Meta and Google solidified their positions as the world’s top publishers, each exceeding 600 million quarterly downloads, while European developers, particularly Say Games, gained significant traction on the Google Play platform. Technological innovation continued to influence consumer behavior, evidenced by the rise of NFT-focused mobile applications and the integration of blockchain features into established cryptocurrency platforms. Regional recovery patterns varied, as North America stabilized more rapidly than Asian markets, where pandemic-era usage shifts persisted longer. Ultimately, the year was defined by a shift in market leadership, with TikTok retaining its status as the most downloaded app globally and Garena Free Fire securing its place as the top-downloaded game, underscoring the continued resilience and evolution of the mobile ecosystem.

market-analysis global mobile

Sensor TowerJan 2021

Report

Video Game Streaming Trends Report: 2021 Yearly Report

The report establishes that video‑game streaming has solidified its position as a core element of global pop culture, with 21 % year‑over‑year growth in watch time during 2021—an increase that, while lower than the 81 % surge seen in 2020, still reflects a substantial expansion of audiences worldwide. The analysis covers the three dominant Western platforms—Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming—across all major regions, noting that Twitch leads overall hours watched (≈6 billion) and maintains a 31.4 % YoY increase, whereas YouTube’s live‑stream hours declined by 15 % but its VOD ecosystem grew, and Facebook Gaming achieved a 59 % YoY rise, narrowing the gap with YouTube in Q3‑Q4. Key content insights reveal that mobile titles such as Garena Free Fire, PUBG Mobile, and Valorant dominate viewership, together generating over 5.6 billion hours—32 % of total hours watched—while PC and console staples like GTA V, Minecraft, and Apex Legends remain top‑tier. The report highlights 10 peak moments that drew record concurrent viewership, underscoring the influence of esports and mobile‑game tournaments. Demographic analysis shows a persistent gender imbalance: only 27 % of the top 3,000 streamers are female, and women represent a mere 5 % of the top 200 creators. Platform‑specific initiatives—YouTube’s promotion of Valkyrae, Facebook Gaming’s female spotlight series, and Twitch’s updated harassment policies—are noted as efforts to address this gap. Methodologically, the study aggregates publicly available data on hours watched, peak concurrent viewers (CCV), and monetization metrics from subscriptions and Bits. It segments streamers into tiers—Mega, Macro, Mid‑Tier, Micro—to illustrate revenue concentration: the top 1.2 % of influencers generate 15.8 % of total revenue, while micro‑tier creators (93 % of all streamers) account for 56 % of subscription and Bits income. The report concludes that while the creator economy remains highly skewed, sustained growth in mobile gaming and platform diversification continues to reshape the industry’s landscape.

streaming market-analysis esports+1

Stream HatchetJan 2021

Report

Post-IDFA Mobile Game Advertising Costs: Casual vs Core

The analysis quantifies how Apple’s post‑IDFA privacy updates have reshaped user‑acquisition economics for mobile games, contrasting casual titles with core experiences. By aggregating 13.5 billion programmatic ad impressions from iOS and Android between January 1 2021 and September 30 2021, the study tracks cost‑per‑install (CPI) trends across three intervals—pre‑iOS 14.5, during the iOS 14.5‑14.6 rollout, and post‑iOS 14.6—using Moloco’s proprietary game taxonomy to separate titles into casual and core categories. Casual games experienced a sharp decline in iOS CPI, falling 38 % after the iOS 14.6 release, while Android CPI for the same segment rose modestly by 16 %. In contrast, core games saw iOS CPI surge 78 % and Android CPI increase 36 % over the same period, reflecting intensified competition for a shrinking pool of high‑value, trackable users. The narrowing of the historical iOS‑Android CPI gap for casual titles indicates that Android installs now command comparable monetary value, whereas iOS remains the premium channel for core audiences due to higher in‑app‑purchase conversion rates. Methodologically, the research averages weekly CPI data across the defined date ranges, applying a taxonomy that classifies games by genre and engagement depth, with subcategories overlapping between casual and core groups. Findings suggest that the divergent CPI trajectories are driven by user churn characteristics and lifetime‑value differentials rather than seasonal factors. Strategic recommendations emphasize diversifying media spend, allocating budget to campaigns optimized for return‑on‑ad‑spend, and leveraging machine‑learning‑based bidding to mitigate volatility. These practices aim to preserve profitability amid the evolving privacy‑driven market dynamics for both casual and core mobile game publishers.

advertising user-acquisition market-analysis+2

MolocoJan 2021

Report

Beyond 2021: Where Does Gaming Go Next?

The report examines the impact of COVID‑19 on global gaming from February 2020 to May 2021, identifying lasting shifts in player behaviour and market dynamics. It finds that the pandemic accelerated growth across all regions, with North America leading at $177.8 billion and Europe at $175.8 billion, while the global market is projected to reach $218.7 billion by 2024 at an 8.7% CAGR. Mobile gaming dominates, accounting for 52 % of revenue and growing at 4.0 % YoY, yet subscription services for consoles and cloud platforms are emerging as the fastest‑growing monetisation category. Player segmentation reveals veterans increased playtime by 42 % and spend 78 % of the market, whereas new players (18 %) and returning players (5 %) are less sticky. Female participation rose to 53 % of new and returning players, with expectations that most will maintain engagement. Social interaction has become a core driver; 66 % of respondents report increased use of gaming‑centric social platforms, and live‑streaming viewership grew 76 % from 2019 to 2021, reaching 728.8 million hours. Methodologically, the study combines Newzoo’s top‑down market sizing with a 16,900‑respondent Google‑Newzoo consumer survey across 33 markets. Data sources include industry revenue reports, app store analytics, and demographic indicators from IMF, UN, and national statistics. The analysis underscores the need for cross‑platform design, subscription models, and social features to sustain growth as the industry moves beyond pandemic‑driven spikes.

market-forecast player-demographics global+1

NewzooJan 2021

Financial

Global Video Game Deals Report: Q1 2021

The report documents a record‑setting first quarter of 2021 for global video game deal activity, highlighting a 2× increase in total closed value versus the first half of 2020. Across all deal types, 249 transactions closed for $25 billion, with an additional $14 billion in announced but not yet closed deals, bringing total announced activity to $39 billion. M&A dominates the landscape, contributing 57% of closed value through 78 transactions, followed by public offerings (36 deals, $8.3 billion) and private placements (135 deals, $2.6 billion). Late‑stage VC rounds account for 73% of private investment value, with Roblox’s $520 million pre‑IPO round the largest single deal. Geographically, the United States and China lead in corporate investment activity, with Tencent, Microsoft, Embracer, EA, and ByteDance collectively accounting for $10.5 billion in disclosed strategic deals. The PC & console segment remains the primary M&A focus, while mobile and multiplatform developers attract most VC capital. Public market activity surged, with seven IPOs totaling $2.7 billion and a 30× YoY increase in capital deployed through IPOs, de‑SPACs, and PIPEs. Methodologically, the data derive from public filings, media reports, and proprietary databases (S&P Capital IQ), covering all deal types—control M&A, minority M&A, early‑stage VC, late‑stage VC, corporate investments, and public offerings. The report aggregates closed transactions up to March 31 2021 and includes both announced and completed deals, providing a comprehensive view of the quarter’s investment dynamics.

investment funding market-analysis+1

InvestGameJan 2021

Report

Dapp Industry Report: January 2021

The January 2021 report outlines a rapid expansion of Ethereum‑based activity, with total transaction volume exceeding $112 billion and daily active wallets reaching 72,000. DeFi dominates the ecosystem, accounting for 99 % of Ethereum activity; Uniswap and 1inch drive most wallet engagement, while the total value locked (TVL) surpassed $30 billion and aTVL rose from $12 billion to $14 billion during the month. Ethereum’s scalability challenges persist, reflected in volatile gas prices that spike with DeFi and NFT usage; this has accelerated migration to Layer 2 solutions such as Matic and to alternative Layer 1 chains like Binance Smart Chain (BSC) and Wax, which saw significant growth in transaction volume ($15 billion on BSC) and daily active wallets (21,000 on Wax). The NFT sector experienced a ten‑fold increase in January, from $3 million to $33 million, driven by CryptoPunks and Hashmasks on Ethereum and NBA Top Shot on Flow. NBA Top Shot achieved over $40 million in sales, surpassing CryptoPunks and securing the top NFT position. New entrants such as Pranksy’s NFT Boxes sold out within minutes, and Hashmasks captured the leading collectibles spot on DappRadar. The report’s methodology relies on transaction and wallet data from DappRadar, with supplementary price information from CoinGecko. Overall, the findings indicate that while Ethereum remains the dominant platform, Layer 2 and competing chains are gaining traction, and NFT activity is emerging as a key growth driver for the blockchain industry in early 2021.

market-analysis nft web3+1

DappRadarJan 2021

Report

Games Marketing Insights for 2021

This analysis examines the shifting landscape of the global gaming industry following the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on player motivations, monetization, and community engagement. The primary thesis asserts that the pandemic catalyzed a permanent expansion of the gaming audience, introducing a "new gamer" cohort that differs significantly from existing players in demographics and behavior. While existing players increased their time spent gaming, they became less likely to spend money, whereas new players emerged as a high-value segment with a greater propensity for in-game purchases. The findings are based on a July 2020 survey of 13,246 mobile gamers across nine markets, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and South Korea. Data indicates that the mobile gaming audience grew by 28 million in the US and 8.6 million in the UK. In Western markets, these new players are significantly younger than existing ones and gravitate toward "core" genres like shooters and strategy rather than casual puzzles. Conversely, South Korea proved an anomaly, where new gamers are older and prefer casual titles. Across all regions, new gamers play more hours per week than veterans and are more open to social features, such as multiplayer modes and in-game chatting. The industry saw a massive shift toward digital discovery and community. Live-streaming platforms experienced record growth, with Facebook Gaming surpassing one billion hours watched in Q3 2020. Furthermore, 70% of consumers reported increased mobile device usage, making mobile-first discovery essential. A critical finding for marketers is the rising importance of brand familiarity; less than a quarter of players in the US, UK, and Germany tried games they had never heard of, suggesting that title recognition and IP strength are now as vital for mobile games as they are for the console market. To navigate these shifts, the analysis recommends a mixed monetization model that balances ad-supported content with in-app purchases to capture diverse spending habits. It concludes that developers must embrace "always-on" marketing and community management, as players are increasingly seeking engagement through social media groups and streaming partnerships outside of the game client itself.

market-analysis player-behavior monetization+1

KingJan 2021

Report

The State of Mobile Gaming 2021

The global mobile gaming industry experienced unprecedented expansion through early 2021, catalyzed by a pandemic-induced surge that drove quarterly revenue to a record $22.2 billion. This growth represents a significant 33% year-over-year increase, with the United States emerging as the premier revenue market, contributing 28% of global consumer spending. While mature markets in North America and Europe reached new financial heights, developing regions—most notably India—served as the primary engines for user acquisition, pushing global downloads to new peaks. Asia remains the largest collective region, surpassing $12 billion in quarterly revenue, anchored by Japan’s robust $5 billion contribution. Market dynamics shifted toward social and multiplayer experiences, with titles such as Roblox and Genshin Impact dominating both engagement and monetization. RPG and Strategy remain the highest-grossing genres, generating $21.9 billion and $15.1 billion respectively in 2020, though Simulation and Shooter categories exhibited the fastest year-over-year growth. Simultaneously, the Hypercasual genre achieved staggering scale, reaching 3.4 billion downloads in a single quarter. This high-volume segment has become a cornerstone of the mobile advertising ecosystem, where publishers like Zynga and Playrix maintain a dominant share of voice across major digital networks. Monetization has consolidated almost entirely around the freemium model, which now accounts for 99% of App Store revenue through a combination of in-app purchases, subscriptions, and advertising. Looking forward, the industry is projected to reach $117 billion in annual revenue by 2023, maintaining a compound annual growth rate of 13.5%. While the initial pandemic-driven spike in downloads has stabilized, the sustained increase in consumer spending and the rapid growth of markets in Southeast Asia and Europe indicate a permanent upward shift in the global gaming trajectory.

market-analysis market-forecast global+1

Sensor TowerJan 2021

Report

Video Game Streaming Trends Report: 2021 Yearly Report

The report analyzes global video‑game streaming in 2021, focusing on audience growth, platform performance, game popularity, and creator economics. Watch time increased 21 % year‑over‑year to 28.7 billion hours, driven by mobile titles such as Garena Free Fire and PUBG Mobile that expanded audiences beyond console and PC. Twitch remained the dominant platform, adding 6 billion hours (31 % growth) and capturing 71 % of total watch time, while YouTube Gaming’s live hours fell 15 % but its VOD reach grew, and Facebook Gaming surged 59 % to become the second‑largest platform in Q3. Regional analysis shows Twitch leads in the Americas and Western Europe, whereas YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming dominate Asia, particularly Southeast Asia where mobile‑centric partnerships fuel growth. Top games by hours watched highlighted Minecraft (4.28 billion), Fortnite, and mobile battle‑royales such as Free Fire and PUBG Mobile. GTA V topped the list with 2.7 billion hours, and Apex Legends was the sole new entrant to the top ten. The creator economy data reveal that 1 % of influencers generate 15 % of revenue, with an average mega‑tier streamer earning $841 k annually; however, 93 % of streamers are micro‑tier and earn under $10 k. Gender representation remains uneven, with only 27 % of top 3,000 streamers female and a persistent gap in audience perception. The report draws on quarterly data from Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming, supplemented by industry analyst insights and creator‑level metrics.

streaming market-analysis esports+1

Stream HatchetJan 2021

Financial

Q1 2021 Market Snapshot Report - EN

The Q1 2021 market snapshot delivers a data‑driven overview of the global mobile‑gaming landscape, focusing on iOS performance in the United States, Japan and China and comparing it with the preceding quarter. By applying GameRefinery’s three‑layered genre taxonomy to the top‑grossing 200 titles, the analysis quantifies shifts in genre share, publisher dominance and emerging feature trends, while also profiling player archetypes and their motivations. Across the three regions the overall market shape remained stable, yet distinct regional dynamics emerged. In the United States simulation games continued to grow and Roblox solidified its position as the leading grossing title, surpassing Playrix and King. Japan saw a measurable decline in RPG share accompanied by a sharp rise in sports, highlighted by Cygames’ Uma Musume Pretty Derby capturing a sizable slice of the charts. China experienced a double‑digit drop in RPG and strategy share, while shooters gained traction. Revenue‑share changes are illustrated by puzzle maintaining a 22.9 % share in the US (+0.1 pp), RPG falling to 45.4 % in China (‑2.7 pp) and sports expanding to 12.3 % in Japan (+27 pp). Monetisation patterns diverged by market: collectibles albums appear in over 70 % of the US top‑100 grossing games, battle‑pass systems are present in more than a quarter of Japan’s top‑100, and special‑gacha mechanics doubled YoY to exceed 30 % of Chinese leaders. Feature analysis shows guild mechanics, co‑op modes and PvP as critical for puzzle, RPG and strategy titles, while social‑collectible systems drive retention in casual segments. Player‑archetype profiling reveals that fast‑paced, competitive “King of the Hill” and “Thrill‑Seeker” types continue to dominate the US top‑200, with a rising “Skill‑Master” segment indicating growing demand for reflex‑based competition. Demographically, puzzle games attract primarily female players aged 25‑44, whereas strategy and RPG titles skew male in the same age bracket. Soft‑launch monitoring flags titles such as Clash Quest, Tom and Jerry: Chase and Pokémon Unite as promising entrants that could

market-analysis investment monetization+2

KingJan 2021

Report

Gaming Spotlight: 2021 Review

Mobile gaming has become the dominant engine of global digital game consumption, projected to eclipse home console revenue by 3.1‑times in 2021 and surpass PC/Mac spending by 2.9‑fold. Worldwide consumer spend in 2021 reached $130 billion on mobile, compared with $120 billion for PC/Mac, $110 billion for home consoles and $50 billion for handhelds. The surge is driven by pandemic‑induced home confinement, the launch of next‑generation consoles (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5), and the convergence of mobile devices with console‑grade graphics and cross‑platform social features. Weekly mobile game downloads grew 30 % from Q4 2019 to Q1 2021, while weekly spend rose 40 % to $1.7 billion per week. Cross‑play and cross‑save capabilities are central to this growth, with top grossing titles such as Roblox and Genshin Impact leveraging these features. Console companion apps (Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation App, Nintendo Switch, Steam) saw download spikes during the pandemic, reflecting increased social and cloud‑streaming engagement. In‑game advertising sentiment in the U.S. improved from 2019 to 2020, particularly for rewarded video and playable ads, which offer immediate value exchanges. However, ad oversaturation—especially of non‑rewarded video ads—correlates with negative sentiment and potential churn. The data suggest that mobile remains the primary growth driver, cross‑platform connectivity is becoming essential for long‑term engagement, and ad formats that provide tangible benefits to players are most effective.

market-analysis monetization player-demographics+1

App AnnieJan 2021

Report

Casual Gaming Apps Report: The State of Play in 2021

The casual gaming sector experienced significant growth and volatility between March 2020 and February 2021, driven largely by shifting consumer habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. While mobile gaming spend surged to nearly triple that of PC and console platforms, the market became increasingly competitive. Analysis of 246 million installs across 416 apps reveals that while the audience for casual titles is massive, the cost to acquire these users has risen sharply. The average cost-per-install (CPI) for casual games increased by 45.2% year-over-year to $1.96, while return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) saw a corresponding decline, dropping 7.5 percentage points to 29.6% by Day 30. Market dynamics vary significantly by sub-genre and platform. Lifestyle games emerged as the most expensive to acquire at $2.57 per install but offered the highest engagement, yielding a Day 7 ROAS of 22.5%, which far outperforms Puzzle and Simulation categories. Platform trends indicate a strategic shift toward Android, where CPIs surged by 120% as marketers prepared for privacy changes on iOS. Despite this, iOS remains the more expensive platform, with an average CPI of $4.30 compared to $1.15 on Android. Geographically, North America remains the most expensive region for user acquisition, while APAC and EMEA offer more cost-effective opportunities. Countries such as France, Germany, and South Korea are highlighted as high-performance markets with relatively low CPIs and strong ROAS. To combat rising costs and diminishing returns, the findings suggest a heavy reliance on creative experimentation, particularly through playable ads, which saw a 113% increase in usage. The data indicates that success in the current landscape requires balancing localized strategies with high-engagement ad formats to convert increasingly distracted global audiences.

market-analysis global mobile+2

LiftoffJan 2021

Report

The State of MOBA Mobile Games 2021

This analysis explores the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) sub-genre within the mobile gaming market, focusing on its rapid financial growth and competitive landscape. Leveraging data from Sensor Tower’s Game Intelligence and Store Intelligence platforms, the report examines global trends from 2019 through August 2021. The central thesis identifies MOBAs as a "winner-takes-all" market dominated by a few high-performing titles that command significant player spending despite a general stagnation in overall sub-genre downloads. The findings reveal that MOBAs are among the fastest-growing segments of the Strategy genre, generating approximately $2 billion in global player spending during the first half of 2021. While Asia remains the dominant force, accounting for 84 percent of total revenue, emerging markets like Brazil, Indonesia, and Russia have become critical hubs for daily active users. Honor of Kings stands as the industry leader, surpassing $10 billion in lifetime revenue, while Mobile Legends and Brawl Stars maintain strong global positions. Notably, the September 2021 launch of Pokémon Unite set a new record for the sub-genre, achieving 15 million downloads in its first two days. The study also highlights a divergence in monetization and engagement strategies. Titles like Brawl Stars favor simplified mechanics and high long-term retention, whereas others utilize "paid advantage" mechanics—such as stat-boosting skins—to drive higher revenue per download at the potential risk of lower retention. In the United States, intellectual property plays a significant role, with licensed IP games accounting for 43 percent of all MOBA installs. Ultimately, the market is characterized by high concentration among top publishers like Tencent, Supercell, and ByteDance, creating a challenging environment for new entrants without established brand recognition.

market-analysis global moba+1

Sensor TowerJan 2021