Market Analysis reports and market data
Documents
Why short drama is beating games at Engagement & UA (Holywater's Bogdan Nesvit Explains)
The entertainment landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift as short-form drama platforms emerge as primary competitors to traditional mobile gaming for user attention and acquisition budgets.
- Short-form drama platforms are directly competing with mobile games for user attention and acquisition budgets by utilizing web-based, direct-to-consumer funnels that bypass traditional app store constraints.
- These platforms operate on high-volume production cycles, releasing hundreds of series annually to maintain continuous user acquisition funnels and optimize payback periods.
- Artificial intelligence is the core production engine, enabling the rapid generation of thousands of creative variations that function simultaneously as high-performing advertising assets and narrative content.
🚨📢 BREAKING NEWS: Meta Buys AI Brains, Love & Deep Space Goes Royal, GOG Goes Home
The gaming industry is currently navigating a period of significant transformation characterized by aggressive AI integration, strategic corporate restructuring, and the elevation of live-ops into global cultural phenomena.
- Meta has acquired the Singapore-based startup Manus to consolidate autonomous AI agent capabilities for its consumer and business product lines.
- CD Projekt has divested the GOG platform to co-founder Mikall Kinski for approximately 90 million PLN to refocus its corporate strategy exclusively on AAA game development.
- Gamebyte secured $1 million in funding to develop AI tools capable of generating playable games and advertisements directly from text prompts, signaling a shift toward rapid prototyping.
Game Rewiew Radar #10: What happened to these games?
The mobile gaming industry is currently defined by a volatile landscape where long-term viability depends less on innovative design and more on aggressive user acquisition, sophisticated live operations, and hybrid monetization strategies.
- Long-term viability in mobile gaming is increasingly driven by sophisticated live operations and hybrid monetization rather than creative innovation.
- High-performing puzzle games, particularly the 'block blast' style, are currently outperforming other genres due to their superior capacity for sustained engagement.
- Top-tier titles like Gossip Harbor demonstrate the scale of the current market, reaching $80 million in monthly revenue.
1st Census on Game Incubation and Acceleration
The "1st Census on Game Incubation and Acceleration" provides an initial international mapping of game incubation and acceleration initiatives, highlighting their critical role in fostering business capabilities, professional relationships, and local talent within the game industry.
- The game incubation sector is rapidly expanding, with over 70% of the 82 identified global programs established between 2020 and 2025.
- Alumni studio survival rates drop significantly over time, falling from over 70% at six months to 50% or lower by the five-year mark.
- While 92% of programs identify project funding as a critical challenge for studios, only 40% provide direct financial support, typically capped at under $50,000 per team.
Gaming Digital Market Index: H1 2026
The "Gaming Digital Market Index: H1 2026" provides a comprehensive analysis of the global gaming industry's performance during the first half of 2026, highlighting key trends across mobile, PC/Console, and browser gaming segments.
- Global mobile gaming is experiencing structural stagnation, characterized by flat in-app purchase revenue and a persistent decline in total download volumes.
- Browser gaming has reached 9.5 billion global visits, driven by significant growth in Asia despite a contraction in European engagement.
- Monetization strategies are bifurcated by region, with developing markets relying on in-app advertising for up to 70% of revenue while mature markets remain dependent on in-app purchases.
Mobile App Trends: Türkiye 2026
The "Mobile App Trends: Türkiye 2026" report provides a comprehensive analysis of the mobile application landscape in Türkiye, focusing on key engagement metrics and growth drivers across various app categories.
- Türkiye’s mobile market has reached high maturity with a 93.3% connectivity rate, serving as a critical global testing ground for new digital products.
- E-commerce sessions in Türkiye grew by 4% year-over-year, significantly outperforming the global average growth rate of 0.3%.
- Gaming engagement remains robust as of H1 2026, with a 6% year-over-year increase in sessions and an average session duration of nearly 34 minutes.
Flemish Games Sector: 2025 Industry Report
The Flemish Games Sector: 2025 Industry Report provides an overview of the game industry in Flanders, focusing on company count, size, employment, and turnover.
- The Flemish games sector has more than doubled its corporate footprint since 2020, growing from 60 to 128 active entities by 2025.
- Annual industry turnover reached 76.5 million euros in 2025, reflecting a steady increase from 58.7 million euros in 2020.
- The sector is composed almost entirely of micro-enterprises, with 112 of the 128 companies employing between one and ten staff members.
India Player Behavior & Market Insights: August 2026
The document provides key insights into Indian player behavior and market trends as of August 2026, with some data points referencing June 2023.
- Female participation in the Indian gaming market has reached near parity, rising to 49% of the total player base as of August 2026, up from 43% in 2023.
- Non-battle royale mobile titles have successfully expanded their market share from 53.2% to 62.8% over the past three years.
- The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is the dominant transaction method, utilized by 84.6% of players, significantly outpacing credit card usage at 31.5%.
Reconnecting with Gen Z Mobile Gamers: UK
This report examines the engagement of Gen Z (18-24 year olds) with mobile gaming in the UK, identifying challenges and offering strategies for reconnection.
- 71% of UK Gen Z mobile gamers cite intrusive monetization and advertising as the primary reason for abandoning games.
- Gen Z mobile gaming time is declining to an average of 4.4 hours per week as 57% of players shift their attention to social media, streaming, and short-form video.
- Title loyalty is low among this demographic, with 57% of players frequently rotating between games in search of new experiences.
Beyond the App Store: A Guide to Direct Linkouts and Out-of-App Monetization
The document, "Beyond the App Store: A Guide to Direct Linkouts and Out-of-App Monetization," outlines a strategic framework for mobile game publishers to leverage direct linkouts and out-of-app payment channels, driven by recent legal and regulatory changes across the United States, Europe, LATAM, and Asia.
- Global regulatory shifts are dismantling app store monopolies, enabling publishers to bypass 15% to 30% platform commissions by utilizing direct, out-of-app payment channels.
- Well-executed webstore programs have demonstrated a 17% increase in total revenue and a 78% rise in first-time purchase rates for mobile game publishers.
- Publishers should treat recovered margins as strategic reinvestment capital for live operations and audience growth rather than immediate profit.
Gaming Deep Dive: Ad Monetization 2026
The "Gaming Deep Dive: Ad Monetization 2026" document provides a comprehensive analysis of the mobile gaming ad monetization landscape, projecting key trends and revenue drivers.
- Ad-supported titles now represent 84% of all mobile game downloads, establishing advertising as a foundational revenue model generating $12 billion annually across 19 global markets.
- The ad monetization market is highly consolidated, with AppLovin and AdMob controlling 65% of total industry ad revenue.
- Pure ad-only monetization models are increasingly insufficient, forcing top-tier publishers to shift toward hybrid strategies that integrate in-app purchases to maximize profitability.
China WeChat Mini Games Industry Report 2026
The China WeChat Mini Games Industry Report 2026 provides a comprehensive overview of the WeChat Mini Games market, highlighting its significant growth, key trends, and opportunities for overseas developers.
- The WeChat Mini Games market reached RMB 53.535 billion in 2025, a 34.39% year-over-year increase, with projections exceeding RMB 70 billion for 2026.
- WeChat dominates the sector with a 51.5% platform penetration rate and 571 million monthly active users as of August 2025.
- Revenue is primarily driven by in-app purchases (68.11%), supplemented by advertising monetization (31.89%).