In 2024, the mobile gaming industry is breaking records with its revenue. Tencent stands out, with 12 games in this ranking. Three of Tencent’s games made it to the top ten.
The game “Honor of Kings” by Tencent is the biggest money-maker. It has brought in over $18 billion in total revenue. This story explores the most successful mobile games. We look at what makes their gameplay and making money strategies so good.
Key Takeaways
- Tencent leads with the most titles, having 12 games on the list.
- “Honor of Kings” is the highest-grossing mobile game with over $18 billion in lifetime revenue.
- “Monster Strike” had generated over $7.2 billion by October 2018.
- “Genshin Impact” has reached $4 billion in revenue as of December 2022.
- “Roblox Mobile” accumulated $1.14 billion in 2023.
Introduction to the Mobile Gaming Market in 2024
In 2024, the mobile gaming industry is a major player in entertaining people. It faced some ups and downs in download numbers last year but stayed strong. Thanks to new tech and smart investments, the industry thrived.
Games like Puzzles and Tabletops had fewer players, dropping by 6% and 4% respectively. Yet, this wasn’t the case for all games. Simulations, Actions, and Arcade games saw big drops in players, around 15-17%. But, casual games did really well; their earnings went up by 8% in 2023.
Mid-core games might not have been a hit for everyone, but they made the most money. Even though they saw a 9% drop in earnings, they still brought in nearly 60% of all game money. On the other hand, games that mix a bit of everything, like hybrid casual games, made 30% more money.
America and Asia saw less interest in games in 2023. Downloads and money earned from mobile games both dropped by 10%. Despite this, the gaming world is hopeful. New popular games offer hope, with Monopoly GO! and Royal Match leading the way.
A big trend is to mix how games earn money, like ads and in-app purchases. This includes making ads work better for profit. Also, adding more layers to the games keeps players engaged. This all helps the industry keep growing.
| Category | Download Change | Revenue Change |
|---|---|---|
| App Store (Overall) | -6% | Steady |
| Google Play (Overall) | -11% | -6% |
| Puzzle Games | -6% | |
| Tabletop Games | -4% | |
| Casual Games | +8% (Revenue) | |
| Mid-core Games | -9% (Revenue) | |
| Hybrid Casual Games | +30% (Revenue) |
The mobile gaming world keeps moving forward, even with challenges. It shines through with top games and the latest tech. The market’s future looks bright and exciting for everyone involved.
Key Factors Driving Revenue Growth
The mobile gaming market has seen incredible revenue growth. It’s because of new gameplay, smart ways to make money, and selling games worldwide. These things are really making a big difference in which games make the most money.
Innovative Gameplay Mechanics
The way games are played is key to getting and keeping players. Game makers always look for new ways to make their games fun and engaging. Whether it’s an action-packed game, a simple one to play on the go, or something else, there’s a game for everyone. This variety helps keep the mobile gaming market growing.
Effective Monetization Strategies
Game makers make money from their games in clever ways. They can charge for special game items, offer those items for a limited time, or show ads. Giving games away for free, but charging for extra cool stuff, is very common. Ads inside games are also a big deal in making money nowadays. By 2024, spending on ads in mobile games could hit $17.5 billion, showing how big of a deal this is.
Global Market Expansion
Games are being played all over the world, which is helping the industry grow big time. Many regions show different likes and ways of spending on games. For example, games made to fit Latin America and Africa have done very well. The entrance into these new markets has pushed the industry to a market size of USD 256,279.4 million by 2028.
| Region | Key Markets |
|---|---|
| North America | United States, Canada, Mexico |
| Europe | Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Turkey |
| Asia-Pacific | China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam |
| South America | Brazil, Argentina, Columbia |
| Middle East and Africa | Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa |
By knowing and using these key factors, people in the mobile gaming world can meet the growing demand and make more money. They can really make their business flourish.
Top Grossing Titles: April 2024 Insights
In April 2024, the scene of popular mobile games changed with some big surprises. We delve into the games that led the revenue lists on both the App Store and Google Play.
Top Performers on App Store
Lots happened on the App Store as many games made big money. For example, “Happy Fishing Master” (欢乐大大大) attracted 9.1 million downloads just from there. Genshin Impact did well again because of new places and content. But, Wood Nuts & Bolts Puzzle vanished from sight, despite its 9 million plus downloads by the month’s end.
Top Performers on Google Play
Google Play was full of top grossing mobile games with big download numbers. Supermarket Manager Simulator led with 17.6 million downloads, 15 million from Google Play. Yet, games like Ojol The Game and Left or Right: Magic Dress Up couldn’t keep their March success going. On the other hand, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile’s installs fell from 20.4 million to 6.3 million. Its revenue also dropped, hitting $3.5 million for the new game.
| Game | App Store Downloads (Million) | Google Play Downloads (Million) | Revenue (Million USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarket Manager Simulator | 2.6 | 15 | 17.6 |
| Happy Fishing Master | 9.1 | N/A | N/A |
| Genshin Impact | Rising Trend | Rising Trend | N/A |
| Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile | N/A | 6.3 | 3.5 |
| Wood Nuts & Bolts Puzzle | 9 | N/A | N/A |
Fresh content and updates keep popular mobile games alive and earning. These add-ons help games stay engaging and draw big interest and downloads.
Popular Mobile Games and Their Global Reach
The mobile gaming world is booming. Titles that make big money and grab a huge worldwide audience stand out. These popular mobile games lead by earning a lot and finding fans across the globe.
王者荣耀 (Honor of Kings)
王者荣耀 (Honor of Kings) is a big hit, also known as Arena of Valor globally. Since it started, it’s been a top earner. It made over $1.61 billion in 2016, then hit $2.8 billion in both 2021 and 2022. Thanks to its big success in China, it keeps bringing in a lot of money every year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $1.61 billion+ |
| 2017-2018 | $4.91 billion |
| 2019 | $1.5 billion |
| 2020 | $2.564 billion+ |
| 2021 | $2.8 billion |
| 2022 | $2.8 billion |
| 2023 | $2.48 billion |
Last War: Survival Game
Last War: Survival Game is doing great too. Its fun gameplay and smart ways to make money have hooked players all over the world. This has helped it do well financially and stay popular.
Monopoly Go
Monopoly Go is the digital version of the classic board game. It mixes old memories with new money-making ideas. Many people, young and old, play it. It’s always among the highest grossing mobile games.
Royal Match
Royal Match stands out with its fun puzzles and often adding new things. It has grabbed a big part of the market, always staying in the spotlight. Its new ways to make money and thinking globally have made it really successful.
These games show how popular mobile games can make a lot of money and be loved worldwide. They set the bar for success in the mobile gaming world today.
Revenue Breakdown by Region
The world’s mobile games revenue is not the same everywhere. In 2021, China led the way. The game “Honor of Kings” earned a huge $1.65 billion, mostly from China. Games like PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact also made over 60% of their money in China.
“Candy Crush Saga” was the top earner in the United States, but it made less through in-app purchases. Its income from this source was down to $63.8 million. In the UK, “Roblox” kept its place as the money-making champ. It earned $67 million, a bit more than last year.
In Europe, games did quite well too. “Monopoly Go” contributed a lot at $105 million in just one month. In Japan, games like “Dragonball Z: Dokkan Battle” saw big income growth. It jumped from $19.7 million to over $51 million in a few months.
New games and old ones can change a lot, depending on the market. In Europe, for example, EA Sports FC is doing better, earning $14.4 million in February. It’s their highest recent income. This shows Europe’s spending on games is steady.
| Region | Top Grossing Game | Revenue (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| China | Honor of Kings | $1,650 |
| USA | Candy Crush Saga | $63.8 |
| UK | Roblox | $67 |
| Japan | Dragonball Z: Dokkan Battle | $51 |
| Europe | EA Sports FC | $14.4 |
Knowing these revenue trends helps game makers improve. They can do better by focusing on each market’s needs. Things like language, culture, and local marketing make a big difference in how well games sell.
Newcomers and Droppers in Top Rankings
In April 2024, the new top grossing mobile games charts changed a lot. Some games went up in popularity, while others lost their spot. We’ll look closer at this and understand why it all happens. This gives us a good view of what’s happening in mobile gaming now.
New Titles Rising
“Last War: Survival Game” is a big hit lately. It made more money than “金币大师” on Google Play, with $59.08 million. Over the past eight months, it keeps getting more popular. This shows it keeps players interested and spends money well. Another game, “荒野乱斗,” made it to Google Play’s top 10 by being fun and getting regular updates.
Falling Stars
Not every game stays on top. “梦幻水族箱” and “Fishdom” dropped out of the top 10 on both the App Store and Google Play. Also, “ウマ娘 プリティーダービー” and “Pokémon GO” left the App Store’s top 10. These changes show how hard it is to keep players’ interest. They also need new and fun things to do in the games.
| Game | App Store Revenue (April 2024) | Google Play Revenue (April 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Monopoly Go | $72.32 million | $52.10 million |
| Royal Match | $63.72 million | $59.08 million |
| Last War: Survival Game | – | $59.08 million |
| 王者荣耀 | $125.79 million | – |
The top mobile games charts are always changing. They show what players around the world like. The game market is full of life and competition for developers and players.
Mobile Games Top Grossing in 2024
In 2024, top mobile games stand out in earnings and player interest. Knowing which games are popular gives us insight into what makes them successful. Also, it shows how they make money.
Honor of Kings
Honor of Kings leads as one of the top mobile games in 2024. It’s made by Tencent and has earned over $18 billion. Its success is due to fun gameplay and ways it encourages players to spend money.It keeps players interested with events and things to buy in the game.
Monopoly Go
Monopoly Go adds a twist to the classic board game that people love. Its modern and social features have made it popular and profitable. By mixing old favorites with new elements, it has grown its player base and earnings.
Honkai: Star Rail
Honkai: Star Rail shines with its story and great looks. Thanks to loyal fans and smart business choices, it’s one of the top games in 2024.This shows how a good story and stunning graphics can win over players.
| Game Title | 2024 Projected Revenue | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Honor of Kings | $18 billion | In-game purchases, seasonal events |
| Monopoly Go | Undisclosed | Engaging mechanics, social features |
| Honkai: Star Rail | Undisclosed | Storyline, graphics |
These games are the top mobile games in 2024 for good reason. They stand out with fun gameplay and smart ways to make money. Their success will shape the future of gaming.
Impact of Market Trends on Game Success
In the mobile gaming market trends, being on top is key for any developer wanting big success. The market brought in $184 billion in 2023 with mobile games chipping in nearly 49% (about $90 billion). This shows the leading role of mobile games. It’s important for developers to know and follow these trends to do well.
Even though the growth dropped by -1.4% YoY, the market is set to hit $205 billion by 2026, showing a promising future. At the same time, the mobile games market should reach $118 billion by 2027. These numbers emphasize how crucial it is to use mobile gaming trends for steady growth.
Market success is also influenced by location. In 2023, North America saw a +1.7% YoY increase to $50.6 billion in gaming revenue. Europe had a slight increase to $33.6 billion. The Asia Pacific saw a decrease of -0.8% but still made $84.1 billion. Each region has different dynamics, and game developers must understand and work with them.
Several factors lead to success in the gaming market:
- Game Quality and Genre: RPGs top the profit list, making $20.2 billion. In the US, hyper-casual games are the most popular, with 16.4 billion downloads.
- Revenue Generation: In 2023, over a thousand games made more than $10 million. 219 made over $100 million, and 13 topped $1 billion. This variety shows different levels of success.
- User Engagement: Better strategies boost average revenue per user (ARPU). The US is expected to increase from $57 to $64 by 2027.
Games like “Honor of Kings” ($1.4 billion) and “PUBG Mobile” ($1.1 billion) show how important mobile games success factors are for great financial results. These insights give developers a plan for success in an ever-changing market.
Conclusion
The mobile gaming market in 2024 keeps growing, exciting players worldwide and setting new records. *Honor of Kings* led the way, making a staggering $18.66 billion and keeping its top spot. It was joined by classics like *Candy Crush Saga*, *PUBG Mobile*, and *Monster Strike*, which also did extremely well.
In April, we saw some surprises. *Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile* performed worse, with fewer downloads and money. Yet, games like *Supermarket Manager Simulator* and *Happy Fishing Master* saw a big boost in players. This shows how fast things change in mobile gaming.
The future of mobile gaming looks bright. Titles such as *Genshin Impact* and *Brawl Stars* are staying strong by adding new features. As technology improves and tastes change, we’ll see more success stories. The industry’s quick to change and bring new ideas, which means we can expect more fun, profitable games ahead.
FAQ
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