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Report
20 pages
Match-3 Genre Snapshot Report: May 2021
Candy Crush Saga remains the market leader with a 16.74% share and a revenue per download (Rev/DL) of $11.27 as of Q1 2021.
Project Makeover demonstrates the most aggressive growth in the sector, capturing a 10.57% market share with a high-premium monetization strategy yielding a $45.51 Rev/DL.
Modern match-3 success is driven by fast-paced core loops, quick animations, and progression systems integrated with home or makeover themes, as seen in titles like Royal Match and Project Makeover.
Market Analysis
Match 3
Mobile
+1
GameRefinery
Jan 2025
Report
40 pages
Casual Gaming Apps Report 2024
Puzzle games now account for 37% of all mobile gaming installs as the industry shifts away from hyper-casual titles.
Casual mechanics are increasingly vital for mid-core titles, currently driving 74% of their total installs.
User acquisition costs on iOS remain significantly higher than Android, with a cost-per-install of $4.83 that is nearly eight times the rate on Android.
Market Analysis
Monetization
Live Ops
GameRefinery
Jan 2024
Report
32 pages
Midcore Gaming Apps Report 2023
Midcore games now account for 35% of total US iOS gaming revenue, driven by a player migration from hyper-casual titles toward deeper, more complex gameplay.
Android is significantly more cost-effective for developers than iOS, with a $0.73 CPI compared to $3.86 and nearly double the Day-7 ROAS at 6.1%.
The EMEA region offers the best market value, balancing a low $0.80 CPI with a competitive 4.4% ROAS, while North America remains the most expensive market at a $5.45 CPI.
Market Analysis
Global
Mobile
+1
Liftoff
Jan 2024
Report
14 pages
Mobile Game Market Review December 2023
Clash of Clans experienced a 350% daily revenue spike in the U.S. following the December 2023 release of Town Hall 16, new building-merging mechanics, and a hero equipment system.
Mobile developers are increasingly adopting cross-genre mechanics, such as Royal Match integrating cooperative partner events and midcore titles like Diablo Immortal adding roguelite survival modes.
Tencent’s new party royale title, DreamStar, emerged as a top-grossing competitor to Eggy Party in China by focusing on social hubs and user-generated content.
Market Analysis
Mobile
Global
+1
GameRefinery
Dec 2023
Report
13 pages
Analyst Bulletin: Mobile Game Market Review November 2023
Royal Match has emerged as the primary industry trendsetter, with competitors like Monopoly GO!, Matchington Mansion, and BTS Island adopting its 'Social Win Streak' and 'Digging Minigame' mechanics.
Midcore titles including Free Fire, State of Survival, and Last Fortress: Underground are shifting toward aggressive monetization by pay-gating exclusive event content and gameplay modes.
The 3D match subgenre is expanding rapidly following the success of Triple Match 3D, leading to new entries like Match Factory and 3D spin-offs of established franchises such as Candy Crush.
Market Analysis
Mobile
Global
+1
GameRefinery
Nov 2023
Report
13 pages
Mobile Game Market Review: November 2023
Midcore mobile titles are increasingly gating core event gameplay and story missions behind paywalls, as seen in Free Fire’s Luminous Pass and State of Survival’s Resident Evil collaboration.
The casual gaming sector is experiencing widespread mechanical imitation, specifically the adoption of 'Social Win Streak' and 'Digging Minigame' features by major titles like Monopoly GO! and Matchington Mansion.
The 3D match subgenre is seeing rapid expansion and increased competition from industry leaders, with King and Peak launching Candy Crush 3D and Match Factory to challenge the success of Triple Match 3D.
Market Analysis
Monetization
Mobile
+1
GameRefinery
Nov 2023
Report
10 pages
Mobile Game Market Review October 2023
Live operations and seasonal content, particularly Halloween-themed events and crossover collaborations, were the primary drivers for revenue and engagement across casual and midcore mobile titles in October 2023.
Casual games are increasingly integrating social and competitive features to sustain retention, exemplified by Pokémon Go’s four-player party system and Eggy Party’s social-focused 'Pedestrian Street' mode.
The midcore sector continues to rely on long-term live service strategies, evidenced by Monster Strike maintaining top-tier status in Japan through its 10th-anniversary celebrity and anime collaborations.
Market Analysis
Mobile
Global
+1
GameRefinery
Apr 2023
Report
25 pages
The Rise of Midcore Mobile Games Snapshot Report
Midcore games were the only mobile category to see market share growth between Q1 2021 and Q1 2022, capturing nearly 37% of US iOS mobile game revenue.
Successful midcore titles are increasingly adopting high-cadence content strategies, with 80% of top-performing games using special live event currencies to drive daily engagement.
Battle Passes are a primary monetization driver for top-tier midcore games, utilized by 75% of the top 20% grossing titles compared to only 25% of lower-ranking games.
Market Analysis
North America
Mobile
+1
GameRefinery
Jul 2022
Report
25 pages
The Rise of Midcore Mobile Games
Midcore mobile games accounted for 37% of US iOS mobile game revenue in Q1 2022 and were the only category to experience year-over-year growth.
Top-tier midcore titles demonstrate superior retention, with nine midcore games maintaining top-200 grossing positions over a 365-day period compared to only three casual titles.
Monetization in top-grossing midcore titles is heavily standardized, with 75% of games utilizing Battle Passes and over 65% incorporating five or more distinct gacha mechanics.
Market Analysis
USA
Mobile
+1
GameRefinery
Jul 2022
Report
25 pages
The Rise of Midcore Mobile Games Snapshot Report July 2022
Midcore mobile games were the only category to achieve revenue growth in the US iOS market between Q1 2021 and Q1 2022, now capturing 36.73% of total mobile gaming revenue.
New midcore titles are outperforming casual games in long-term retention, with nine midcore releases from the past year remaining in the top 200 grossing chart compared to only three casual titles.
Top-performing midcore titles like Diablo Immortal, Genshin Impact, and Apex Legends Mobile prioritize console-like manual controls over autoplay mechanics to drive engagement.
Market Analysis
Mobile
Midcore
+1
GameRefinery
Jul 2022
Report
35 pages
Innovative Monetization Features Snapshot Report
Gacha mechanics are the industry standard, appearing in 93% of the top 20% grossing mobile titles, while Battle Passes are utilized by 60% of that same demographic.
In the U.S. mobile market, 75% of top-grossing games now incorporate gacha mechanics.
Progressive reward systems, which offer escalating gifts based on cumulative spending, are nearly three times more likely to be found in top-performing iOS games than in lower-grossing titles.
Monetization
Market Analysis
Global
+1
GameRefinery
Jun 2022
Report
35 pages
Innovative Monetization Features Snapshot Report June 2022
Gacha mechanics are the dominant revenue driver, integrated into 93% of top-grossing Japanese titles and 75% of the top 20% of US-grossing games.
Battle Passes have matured into primary retention tools, appearing in 60% of high-performing games and increasingly incorporating social and cooperative progression features.
Progressive reward systems, which grant bonuses based on cumulative spending, are utilized by 23% of top-performing US iOS games compared to only 9% of lower-performing titles.
Monetization
Market Analysis
Global
+1
GameRefinery
Jun 2022
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