Midcore
Documents
The Highest-Grossing Mobile Games on iOS & Android: Q2 2022
The analysis set out to pinpoint the highest‑grossing mobile games of the second quarter of 2022, evaluating performance across Android and iOS markets. Data were drawn exclusively from Apptica’s Top Apps section, covering 37 countries between 1 April and 30 June 2022, and were segmented into casual, casino and mid‑core categories without supplementation from other analytics services.
Across both platforms, mid‑core titles generated the greatest revenue, with “Rise of Kingdoms” leading the chart at $179.5 million. Other top earners included “Candy Crush Saga” ($122 million), “Coin Master” ($99.2 million) and “Roblox” ($68.1 million). Casual games such as “Homescapes,” “Gardenscapes” and “Royal Match” each surpassed $20 million, while casino titles like “Slotomania” and “Jackpot Party” contributed between $10 million and $30 million. Organic traffic dominated most titles, typically accounting for 70‑95 % of user acquisition, with paid channels playing a smaller role.
Publisher analysis showed King as the highest‑grossing publisher with over $264 million from four leading titles, followed closely by Lilith Games ($254.6 million) and Playrix ($182.8 million). Playrix and Playtica each appeared in 16.2 % of top‑10 slots, while Supercell and King accounted for 10.8 % each, and Lilith Games 8.1 %. Studios headquartered in the United States held the most positions (17), with Finland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel also featuring prominently.
The study concludes that mid‑core games dominate revenue in Q2 2022, “Rise of Kingdoms” stands as the single biggest earner, and a relatively small group of publishers and studios capture the bulk of market share, underscoring the concentration of financial success within a few leading developers and regions.
- Mid-core titles dominated Q2 2022 revenue, led by 'Rise of Kingdoms' which generated $179.5 million.
- King was the highest-grossing publisher during the period, earning over $264 million across four leading titles.
- Top-earning games outside the mid-core category included 'Candy Crush Saga' ($122 million), 'Coin Master' ($99.2 million), and 'Roblox' ($68.1 million).
- Organic traffic accounted for 70–95% of user acquisition for the majority of top-performing titles, significantly outpacing paid marketing channels.
- Market success remains highly concentrated, with a small group of publishers like Lilith Games ($254.6 million) and Playrix ($182.8 million) capturing the bulk of revenue.
The Highest-Grossing Mobile Games on iOS & Android: Q2 2022 Report & Infographics
This analysis examines the highest-grossing mobile games across iOS and Android platforms during the second quarter of 2022. Utilizing data from the Apptica platform across 37 countries, the study focuses on three primary industry segments: casual, casino, and mid-core games. The central thesis highlights the continued dominance of established franchises and the significant revenue-generating power of mid-core titles, which emerged as the highest-grossing genre during this period.
Key findings indicate that Rise of Kingdoms by Lilith Games was the top-earning individual title, generating over $179.5 million on iOS alone. On the Android platform, Candy Crush Saga led with revenues exceeding $122 million. When aggregating performance across multiple top-charting titles, King emerged as the highest-grossing publisher with over $264 million in revenue, followed closely by Lilith Games at $254.6 million and Playrix at $182.8 million. The data also reveals a high reliance on organic traffic for top-tier games; mid-core titles on iOS averaged 91% organic traffic, while casual games on Android maintained a lower average of 70%.
Geographically, the United States remains the primary hub for mobile game development, hosting 28.8% of the top-performing publishers' headquarters. Ireland and Israel follow as significant secondary hubs. In terms of market presence, Playrix and Playtika were the most frequent leaders in the charts, each accounting for 16.2% of the games appearing in the top-10 rankings. The analysis concludes that while the market is competitive, a small group of global publishers and established mid-core titles continue to capture the majority of mobile gaming revenue.
- Mid-core games emerged as the highest-grossing genre in Q2 2022, underscoring the sector's dominance in mobile revenue generation.
- King was the top-earning publisher for the quarter with over $264 million in aggregate revenue, followed by Lilith Games at $254.6 million and Playrix at $182.8 million.
- Rise of Kingdoms by Lilith Games led iOS revenue with over $179.5 million, while Candy Crush Saga topped Android charts with more than $122 million.
- Top-tier mobile games rely heavily on organic traffic, with mid-core titles on iOS averaging 91% organic acquisition compared to 70% for casual games on Android.
- The United States is the primary hub for mobile game development, housing 28.8% of the top-performing publishers' headquarters.