The mobile gaming industry in 2025 reflects a shifting and increasingly competitive landscape. Data from the top 1,000 highest-grossing games across more than 100 global markets highlights modest revenue growth, a decline in downloads, and rising pressure on new game launches. All revenue figures cited are based on gross earnings. Here is a list of all the games we will cover in this report:
- Fable Town
- Honor of Kings
- Monopoly GO
- Royal Match
- Subway Surfers
- Roblox
- Block Blast!
- Dungeon & Fighter: Origins
- Pokémon TCG Pocket
- Whiteout Survival
- League of Legends
- Gardenscapes
- Brawl Stars
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
The global in-app purchase (IAP) market reached an estimated $65.7 billion in 2024, up 3.8% from $63.3 billion in 2023. Growth in the United States was minimal, rising only 0.05% year-over-year from $20.7 billion to $20.8 billion. China followed with $13.4 billion in revenue, based on iOS data alone, and Japan accounted for $8.9 billion.
While revenue experienced marginal growth, the overall volume of downloads declined significantly. Global installs fell 6.6%, decreasing from 46.2 billion in 2023 to 43.1 billion in 2024. The decline was more pronounced in the United States, where downloads dropped 11.1%, from 3.6 billion to 3.2 billion. Despite the drop in installs, India led globally with 7.5 billion downloads, followed by Brazil with 3.5 billion and the United States with 3.3 billion.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
Challenges for New Game Launches
Launching new mobile games has become increasingly difficult. The number of new titles released on the App Store and Google Play declined 43.2%, dropping from 222,000 in 2023 to 126,000 in 2024. This reduction reflects broader challenges within the industry, including higher marketing costs and a more saturated marketplace.
The number of new games earning over $1 million annually has also decreased. In 2022, 686 projects reached this milestone, but the number dropped to 603 in 2023 and to 399 in 2024, representing a 33.8% year-over-year decline. Despite these difficulties, some new titles have found success. Fable Town, a Merge-3 game developed in collaboration with MGVC Publishing, achieved $5 million in lifetime revenue since its late-2024 launch.
The title recorded two million installs, with 440,000 monthly active users and 95,000 daily active users. The number of days required to reach the first $1 million in revenue has declined significantly, from an average of 273 days in 2022 to just 106 days in 2024. This shift indicates that developers are increasingly focused on rapidly scaling their games once they observe promising metrics.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
Genre Distribution and Market Composition
Analysis of the top 1,000 highest-grossing games in 2024 shows that midcore titles represented the largest share, accounting for 50% of the list. Casual games followed with 32%, while casino, racing, and sports titles made up the remaining 18%. Within these segments, RPGs were the most prevalent, representing 33.7% of the top-performing games.
Among RPG subgenres, MMORPGs made up 22%, action RPGs 21%, and idle RPGs 15%. Puzzle games accounted for 16.3% of the top 1,000, with match-based puzzles comprising 38% of that category. Board games and mahjong followed at 13% and 8%, respectively. Strategy games made up 11.6% of the top 1,000, with strategy battlers and 4X strategies making up the bulk of this group.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
Top Performers and Market Leaders
Tencent remained the global leader in mobile game revenue, with several other Chinese and American companies also represented among the top-grossing publishers. The leading titles of 2024 included Honor of Kings, Monopoly GO, and Royal Match. On the download side, Subway Surfers, Roblox, and Block Blast! ranked highest, with Subway Surfers continuing to show strong longevity despite its age.
Among games released in 2024, the most successful titles were Dungeon & Fighter: Origins (limited to China and South Korea), Pokémon TCG Pocket, and Whiteout Survival. Although Whiteout Survival was globally launched in 2023, it was included in the 2024 chart in error. All successful new entries were developed by Asian studios, highlighting a continued trend of dominance from the region.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
Regional Growth and Decline
In terms of market expansion, Brazil, Mexico, and Poland led in growth. Brazil's mobile gaming revenue reached $574 million, reflecting a 47.3% year-over-year increase. Mexico followed with $345 million (up 47.1%), and Poland with $330 million (up 42.4%). In contrast, several Southeast Asian markets experienced declines. Singapore's revenue fell 19% to $291 million, Malaysia by 17.5% to $286 million, and Hong Kong by 15.7% to $779 million. Despite this, Hong Kong continued to lead in per capita spending at $104, followed by Taiwan at $94 and South Korea at $68.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
User Behavior and Engagement
User behavior analysis found varied overlaps between gaming audiences and other app categories. Players of League of Legends were less likely to use TikTok but more likely to download fitness apps. Gardenscapes users showed a higher interest in language learning through Duolingo. These behavioral insights offer a glimpse into broader user preferences and lifestyle habits.
IP collaborations contributed to increased engagement and revenue for certain titles. Brawl Stars, for example, experienced revenue spikes during its collaborations with major franchises. The Godzilla event led to an 86% revenue increase compared to the prior four weeks, while SpongeBob and Toy Story collaborations led to gains of 68% and 22%, respectively.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
Monetization Strategies and Ad Platforms
Successful monetization strategies remained consistent across top-grossing games. Most of the top 500 games offered consumable currencies and limited-time offers. Additionally, 60% integrated Rewarded Ads, demonstrating the continued effectiveness of this format in driving revenue.
On the ad network side, Unity Ads remained the most widely adopted, used in 69% of top games in 2024. AppLovin significantly expanded its presence, with SDK penetration rising from 23% in 2022 to 42% in 2024. Facebook Ads also saw growth, increasing from 45% to 57% over the same period.
State of Mobile Gaming Market in 2025
Final Thoughts
The mobile gaming market in 2025 presents a mixed picture. While revenue continues to grow at a moderate pace, the number of downloads and successful new releases is in decline. Developers face a more competitive environment, requiring more aggressive marketing and faster monetization strategies. Regional markets such as Brazil and Mexico show strong growth potential, while challenges persist in key Southeast Asian economies. The industry remains dynamic, with established players, emerging regions, and shifting user behaviors shaping its future trajectory.
As the market evolves, so do the strategies of developers and publishers. Staying ahead requires an understanding of regional trends, user preferences, and effective monetization approaches. The continued rise of competition and the global nature of mobile gaming will likely define industry developments in the years ahead.
