Every year, our engagement with mobile gaming grows by 10%, and as our tiny in-app purchases rack up, the mobile gaming economy is making millions by the day. Take Fortnite, for example. In March 2018, the game was finally made available for iOS users. By December 2018 – just nine months later – Fortnite for iOS earned 93 million all-time downloads and was making $64 million per month.
While impressive, Fortnite isn’t the only high-earner in the mobile gaming league. In 2019, Clash of Clans was the top-grossing gaming app in the iOS App Store – despite its age. Clash of Clans reeled in a cool $1.54 million each day of 2019, to no surprise as 81% of digital gaming time is spent on mobile apps.
Moving along, I’m sure you know someone with a Candy Crush addiction. Here’s the scoop: each month, this free app collects $71 million in revenue, and increases its audience with 10 million new downloads. Similarly, Homescapes has a committed following – earning $44 million and 15 million new downloads every month.
What’s reeling us in? The artificial intelligence and augmented reality software that powers these games. For developers, immersifying the gameplay experience translates to dollar signs. Think about the success of Pokemon Go – the top AR game in the mobile market. To date, it’s earned over $1.9 billion. The only other games in the AR sector having earned even close to that are Jurassic World: Alive ($20.5+ million) and The Walking Dead: Our World ($6.8 million).
By 2021, consumer spending on mobile games will reach $90 billion. Check out this infographic for more highlights on the rise of mobile gaming.
