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Liftoff | Game Industry Library
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Report
40 pages
2024 Casual Gaming Apps Report
The casual gaming market is shifting from hyper-casual titles toward hybrid-casual and 3D match models, with 3D Match category market share on US iOS increasing fivefold between April 2023 and April 2024.
Developers are increasingly bypassing app store fees by adopting proprietary web stores and engagement-linked offers, a strategy now utilized by 70% of top-performing US casual games.
User acquisition costs are highly bifurcated, with iOS installs averaging $4.83 compared to $0.65 on Android, though iOS maintains a superior Day 7 return on ad spend.
Market Analysis
Monetization
Live Ops
+3
Liftoff
Apr 2024
Report
35 pages
Guide to Growing Chinese Gaming Apps Overseas: 2024
Chinese publishers are maintaining global dominance in strategy and RPG segments by shifting to hyper-localized art styles, specifically manga-inspired visuals for Japan and realistic or cartoon aesthetics for Western markets.
Generative AI is now a core operational requirement for rapid, compliant localization of ad creative, voice-overs, and marketing copy to manage high costs per install in mature markets like the U.S., Japan, and South Korea.
High-performing user acquisition campaigns are increasingly utilizing minigames and AI-enhanced visuals to capture player attention in highly competitive environments.
Market Analysis
Monetization
User Acquisition
+5
Liftoff
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
29 pages
Liftoff Report: Mobile Ad Creative Index 2024
Gaming ads utilizing video or playable formats are over 20 times more likely to drive installs compared to banner ads.
Native ads represent the most cost-effective acquisition channel, averaging a $1.80 CPI across the analyzed verticals.
E-commerce apps achieve the highest install-to-action (ITA) rates exceeding 30% through native and banner formats, which also maintain the lowest acquisition costs between $2.57 and $3.23.
In-Game Advertising
Advertising
Marketing
+2
Liftoff
Jan 2024
Report
29 pages
Mobile Ad Creative Index 2024
High-engagement formats like video and playables outperform banners by 20 times in gaming installs, while finance sector interstitials are 18 times more effective at conversion.
Long-form video ad spend grew by 245% year-over-year, and 'triple-page' ads combining video, playables, and end cards saw a 355% increase in investment.
Optimized user-generated content (UGC) ads achieve a 20% lower cost-per-install (CPI) compared to standard video creative.
Market Analysis
Monetization
In-Game Advertising
+3
Liftoff
Jan 2024
Report
32 pages
2023 Liftoff Company Midcore Gaming Apps Report
Midcore mobile games now account for 35% of total iOS gaming revenue in the United States, demonstrating significantly higher market longevity than casual titles.
Shooter games represent the most high-stakes category, commanding a $7.47 cost per install while delivering a leading 6% Day-7 return on ad spend.
Top-performing midcore titles maintain engagement through aggressive LiveOps, typically running fifteen simultaneous unique events and fifteen limited-time gachas at any given time.
Market Analysis
North America
Mobile
+2
Liftoff
Jan 2023
Report
40 pages
Mobile Ad Creative Index
Native ads are the most cost-effective format for gaming, achieving a $1.01 cost-per-install and an 18% Day 7 return on ad spend.
Interstitial and video formats drive superior short-term performance for social and dating apps, yielding up to 44% Day 7 return on ad spend.
Video ad segments ranging from 31 to 60 seconds drive 50% higher conversions compared to shorter formats by effectively showcasing complex mechanics.
Market Analysis
Advertising
Creative Ads
+1
Liftoff
Jan 2023
Report
36 pages
2023 Casual Gaming Apps Report
Casual gaming now accounts for 74% of all mobile game installs and drives nearly 75% of mid-core game installations.
Developers are shifting from volume-based user acquisition to hybrid models that blend ad-based revenue with in-app purchases to extend player lifecycles.
North America remains the most expensive market with a $3.59 cost per install, yet it maintains a high 8.1% return on ad spend.
Market Analysis
User Acquisition
Monetization
+3
Liftoff
Jan 2023
Report
40 pages
Mobile Ad Creative Index: 2023
Multi-page ad experiences that integrate video, playable, and endcard elements increase install rates by approximately 20%.
Playable ads are the most cost-effective format for gaming with a CPI of $1.31, while native ads lead in entertainment at $1.88 CPI.
Video advertising costs on iOS are significantly higher than on Android, specifically in the finance sector where iOS costs ($10.66) are more than triple those of Android ($3.33).
Advertising
Monetization
Mobile
+1
Liftoff
Jan 2023
Report
31 pages
App Marketer Survey (2022)
Privacy regulations are the primary industry challenge for 2023, identified by 43% of marketers as their top concern.
73% of marketers report feeling 'in the dark' regarding user data access, while 72% cite rising costs as a significant barrier to performance.
Despite privacy-driven data scarcity, 52% of marketers plan to increase their advertising budgets for the upcoming year.
Marketing
Mobile
Global
+2
Liftoff
Jan 2022
Report
31 pages
App Marketer Survey
Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework has negatively impacted 64% of user acquisition campaigns, leading to increased costs for 72% of marketers and complicating decision-making for 73%.
Nearly 60% of marketing professionals report facing more aggressive KPIs than in previous years, yet approximately half are currently struggling to meet these targets.
To combat data scarcity, 52% of marketers plan to increase their 2023 advertising budgets while diversifying into influencer marketing and organic social media.
Market Analysis
Marketing
Advertising
+1
Liftoff
Jan 2022
Report
30 pages
Mobile Ad Creative Index: 2022
Playable ads in the gaming sector achieve the lowest cost-per-install (CPI) at $1.98, while banner ads generate the highest 30-day return on ad spend (ROAS) at nearly 22%.
iOS advertising costs are frequently double those of Android, making Android the more cost-effective platform for mobile user acquisition.
There is a significant disconnect between player psychology and creative execution, with only 4% of casual game video ads and less than 1% of midcore ads successfully targeting specific player motivations.
Advertising
In-Game Advertising
User Acquisition
+2
Liftoff
Jan 2022
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