Sensor Tower: Mobile Gaming Rebounds in 2024 as Player Engagement and Spending Reach New Highs
Mobile gamers spent $82 billion on in app purchases, while in-game sessions surged by 12% YoY
SAN FRANCISCO, March 11, 2025 /CNW/ -- Sensor Tower, a leading provider of data on the digital economy, today released its annual State of Mobile Gaming Report for 2025. The report reveals that mobile gaming returned to growth in 2024, with global in-app purchase (IAP) revenue climbing to $82 billion, a 4% year-over-year (YoY) increase. Player engagement soared with 3.5 trillion hours spent on mobile games, marking an 8% increase YoY and total gaming sessions rose by 12%.
While new app downloads declined slightly to 49 billion (-7% YoY), the report highlights an increased emphasis on player retention, as developers focused on entertaining and monetizing existing players rather than driving new downloads. Games employing a hybrid monetization strategy, generating revenue from both IAPs and advertising, saw 37% growth in IAP revenue year-over-year.
The U.S. remains the top market for mobile gaming in terms of consumer spend, with nearly $24 billion in IAP revenue (+8%). China (iOS only) and Japan remain the second and third largest, however IAP revenue in Japan declined 6% vs 2023. Strategy and RPG were again the top performing genres globally within the Gaming category, though Casual games are the top grossing category in the US / West.
Advertising strategies also evolved significantly in 2024. TikTok became the leading discovery platform for mobile games, capturing 67% more mobile game ad impressions YoY, while Applovin saw a massive 397% surge in mobile game ad placements. Game publishers doubled down on treating games as a live service, delivering fresh content regularly to increase user retention and boost engagement. This renewed focus paid off, with games leveraging Live Ops models receiving 84% of IAP revenue in 2024.
"The mobile gaming ecosystem has matured, with developers now doubling down on retention, engagement, and monetization," said Oliver Yeh, CEO & Cofounder of Sensor Tower. "With user acquisition costs rising, studios have embraced strategies such as Live Ops and hybrid monetization to maximize long-term revenue."
More Key Findings Include:
- New Billion Dollar Club Members: Last War: Survival, Brawl Stars, and MONOPOLY GO! each surpassed $1 billion in consumer spending in 2024.
- Hybrid Monetization Takes Over: 37% growth in Hybridcasual game IAP revenue as developers blend ads and purchases to drive profits.
- Shooter & Simulation Genres Expand: Shooter and Simulation games saw increased time spent, while Casual puzzle games like Royal Match dominated IAP revenue in Western markets.
- Latin America & the Middle East See Double-Digit Growth: While Asia saw a 3% drop in IAP revenue, Latin America (+13%) and the Middle East (+18%) emerged as fast-growing gaming markets. Brazil, in particular, solidified its status as a key soft-launch hub for global publishers.
Despite the growing popularity of social networking and video applications, 2024 reaffirmed mobile gaming's resilience, with engagement and revenue continuing to climb. As developers refine monetization strategies and expand into emerging markets, the industry is poised for another year of innovation and expansion.
For a detailed breakdown of category-level and regional gaming trends, read the full State of Gaming Report 2025 here.
About Sensor Tower
Sensor Tower is the leading source of mobile app, digital advertising, retail media, and audience insights for the largest brands and app publishers across the globe. With a mission to measure the world's digital economy, Sensor Tower's award-winning platform delivers unmatched visibility into the mobile app and digital ecosystem, empowering organizations to stay ahead of changing market dynamics and make informed, strategic decisions.
Founded in 2013, Sensor Tower's mobile app insights have helped marketers, app, and game developers demystify the mobile app ecosystem with visibility into usage, engagement, and paid acquisition strategies. Today, Sensor Tower's digital market insights platform has expanded to include Audience, Retail Media, and Digital Advertising Insights (formerly Pathmatics), helping brands and advertisers understand their competitor's advertising strategies and audiences across web, social, and mobile.
Please visit www.sensortower.com
CONTACT: [email protected], Amber Ellis
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2638934/SOM_Gaming_Mobile_Gaming_by_Region_in_2024.jpg
SOURCE Sensor Tower
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