Recent mobile gaming statistics show that people love playing games on their smartphones, despite the smaller screen. Even though there’s a belief that you’re not a gamer if you play on mobile, that still doesn’t stop 1.2 billion people from downloading and playing games on their phones every day.
After all, a gamer is a person that regularly plays games, and with mobile, you can take your games anywhere. Whether mobile gamers get fair credit from the gamer community doesn’t matter, mobile gaming is one of the fastest-growing game industries, and here’s the stats to prove it.
Mobile Gaming Stats and Numbers (Editor’s Choice)
- In 2020, video games revenue reached $159.3 billion
- Mobile gaming was the highest performing industry in 2020
- Gamers spent over $19 billion on mobile games in Q2 of 2020
- There were a total of 80 billion mobile games downloaded in 2020
- The global revenue of strategy and brain mobile games is expected to grow by 49% by 2023
- Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG are the most popular mobile games in 2021
- About 72.3% of mobile users in the US are avid gamers, mobile app industry analysis suggests
- About 74% of US mobile gamers would watch an in-game ad if they could get something in return
Overall Gaming Industry Data
Over the last three decades, the evolution of video games has been dramatic. What was once a niche market for kids and avid computer users, is now one of the most lucrative markets in the world, and a standard pastime for more than 30% of the global population.
1. There are just over five million video games in circulation.
(Nationaltoday Statista)
People might think there aren’t that many video games out there, but online gaming statistics indicate that over five million games have been released. A total 10,263 mobile games are currently listed on Steam, currently the largest gaming platform in the world.
2. There were 2.69 billion gamers in the world in 2020.
(Financesonline)
The massive amount of games is accompanied by an astonishing number of gamers. In 2020, there were 2.69 billion gamers worldwide, and this number is predicted to grow to 3.07 billion by 2023.
3. The average gamer age in the US ranges from 18 to 34.
(Statista)
The average age of gamers in the US ranges from 18 to 34, with 38% of gamers falling under this age category. Notably, about 20% of gamers are under 18, while people aged over 65 represent only 7% of the gamer population.
4. The Witcher III is the most downloaded PC game in 2021.
(Sportsunfold)
There are so many popular PC games, but The Witcher III is at the very top. Even though it’s been years since its release, fans are still loving it, placing it on the list of the most downloaded games in the world. Some other popular games include Ghostrunner, Hades, and Control.
5. During 2020, the video game industry revenue reached $159.3 billion.
(Financesonline)
For many, 2020 was a tough year, and people sought solace in playing video games. This led to a global revenue of $159.3 billion, with more than half of revenues coming from the Asian-Pacific market.
6. Mobile gaming overtook the PC and console gaming market in 2018.
(Giffgaff)
The PC and console gaming market was the stronghold of the industry until 2018. According to recent gaming industry statistics, the mobile gaming has outgrown its predecessors, taking 50% of the market in 2020.
Mobile Gaming Industry Info
Over the last few years, mobile gaming has been on the rise. In 2020, mobile gaming was the highest performing industry, showing that many prefer their mobile to any other gaming console available.
7. There are 477,877 mobile games on Google Play.
(Statista)
The Google Play store is a market developed by Google that delivers digital products to users. Mobile game statistics show Google Play stores all kinds of mobile apps and about 477,877 games for Android as well.
8. The Apple Store hosts 935,000 mobile games.
(Businessofapps)
When it comes to Apple, its store contains almost one million games. Games accounted for about 21% of all apps in the Apple store and are the most popular category that people download.
9. Mobile gaming was the highest performing industry in 2020.
(Businessofapps)
Mobile game data shows that the mobile gaming industry was the highest performing industry globally in 2020. This industry saw a $77.2 billion inflow in 2020, and the trend will likely continue in 2021 and beyond.
10. The average age of female mobile gamers is 36 years.
(Mediakix)
When it comes to the demographic of mobile gamers, there’s not that big of a gender difference. The average age of male mobile gamers is 32, and 36 for females. Female gamers are, however, a more appealing target for marketers. Mobile game revenue statistics show that one-third of female gamers report they would pay to play their favorite mobile games.
11. People spend over three hours a day on mobile devices, and 11% of that time is playing games.
(Udonis)
In general, people spend about three and a half hours on their phones every day, and 11% of the time is spent playing games. A recent mobile gaming industry report points out that that’s an average of 23 minutes spent playing mobile games per day.
12. There was a 12% increase in mobile game players in 2020.
(Businessofapps)
The lockdown made more people turn to other forms of entertainment. This included playing video games, especially on mobile phones. Compared to 2019, the mobile gaming industry saw a 12% increase in the number of players during 2020. Even after lockdown, mobile gaming industry statistics show this trend will continue.
13. Gamers spent over $19 billion on mobile games in Q2 of 2020.
(Businessofapps Appannie)
During Q2 of 2020, mobile gamers spent over $19 billion on mobile games. According to some estimates, this spending is set to reach $120 billion in 2021, beating out all other gaming formats.
14. About 21% of all Android downloads are games.
(Businessofapps)
The latest mobile games industry analysis indicates that 21% of all Android app downloads are actually games. Mobile games also accounted for 25% of all iOS app downloads in 2021.
15. There were a total of 80 billion mobile games downloaded in 2020.
(Appannie)
Mobile gaming also dominated the industry in number of downloads. In 2020, about 36% of all app downloads were mobile games, meaning that out of 218 billion total downloaded apps, 80 billion were games.
16. Mobile game revenue grew by 18% in the first half of 2021.
(Venturebeat)
Mobile gaming trends also show that the mobile game revenue grew 18% in the first half of 2021. Google Store and Apple Play saw an influx of $44.7 billion during this time, which is a record for a first-half period.
17. Android and iOS gaming app revenue reached $79.5 billion in 2020.
(Businessofapps)
2020 was a bad year for the world but a great year for the gaming industry. The total iOS and Android gaming app revenue reached $79.5 billion. Games remained the primary source of revenue for both platforms, accounting for 72.3% of revenue generation.
18. iOS games revenue reached $47.6 billion in 2020.
(Businessofapps)
The Apple App Store keeps leading in revenue generation, winning over Android. In 2020, iOS mobile games revenue reached $47.6 billion, despite holding just 12% of the market share. Experts predict Apple’s success is due to better monetization of in-app features.
19. The global mobile gaming market will reach $153.5 billion by 2027.
(Globenewswire)
By 2020, the mobile gaming market share was worth about $9 billion, but by 2027, it’s predicted to reach $153.5 billion. With a CAGR of 11.5% over the seven year period, mobile gaming is the hottest mobile trend.
20. Smartphones are forecast to reach 12.6% CAGR in the period from 2020 to 2027.
(Globenewswire)
Mobile gaming is intricately connected to the use of smartphones. These devices are projected to reach $139.1 billion in revenue by the end of 2027. For comparison, the tablet segment is predicted to grow with just a 3.8% CAGR by 2027.
The Most Popular Mobile Games Statistics
Demographics may change which game is the most popular, but studies show that Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG remain the most played games no matter who is playing. Puzzles dominate for female players, with Candy Crush Saga collecting more fans everyday.
21. Puzzle or breakout games are the most popular genres among US female gamers.
(Statista)
The latest data from 2021 shows that 22% of female gamers love puzzle or breakout games, making these two genres the most popular in the industry for women and girls. Comparatively, only 12% of males reported interest in these games.
22. Mobile Strike revenue reached $1 billion in its first three years after launch.
(Pocketgamer)
Mobile Strike is a multiplayer online strategy game published by Machine Zone in 2015. Since launching, it has managed to bring in over $1 billion to the company. US players are responsible for about 55% of revenue, while Japan is the second biggest fan of Mobile Strike, with 13% revenue.
23. There are 34 million registered players on mobile PUBG in India.
(Eurogamer)
Player Unknown’s Battleground is another famous mobile game in the action-adventure genre. It was released in 2017 for mobile phones, and today the PUGB mobile player count has 34 million registered players on the Indian market.
24. There are nine million Candy Crush players in the world.
(Theguardian)
Candy Crush Saga appears to be a notoriously addictive game, and more than nine million people play this game between three to six hours per day. In total, Candy Crush has about 240 million players, and they don’t plan on stopping.
25. The average Candy Crush Saga player is a 35-year-old woman.
(Theguardian)
The average Candy Crush Saga player is a woman in her mid-thirties. These women play the game for about 38 minutes per day, according to Candy Crush demographics. Further, women are more likely to make in-app purchases, making them a highly lucrative market.
26. Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG are the most popular mobile games in 2021.
(Ranker)
Despite the mass selection of games to choose from, Call of Duty: Mobile and mobile PUBG remain on top as the best and most popular mobile games in 2021. CoD is a free-to-play shooting game, and PUBG belongs to the battle royale genre.
27. There were 55 million Clash of Clans players in 2016.
(Businessofapps)
According to last reports on the Clash of Clans demographics, the game had reached 55 million players. The US, Turkey, and China were the most popular countries, with 18.92%, 6.17%, and 4.09% of daily active gamers.
28. In-app purchases are among the most popular game monetization options.
(Udonis)
The in-app purchases model is based on offering the game for free but with added perks that people can buy. There are several types of in-app purchases, and mobile game monetization statistics show that this is the most profitable way of making money on free games.
US Mobile Gaming Statitistics
The US holds 20% of the global mobile gaming market share, and it looks like Americans love playing games on mobile. The US mobile gaming market reached almost $15.1 billion in 2020, and reports show most players are totally fine watching ads, as long as they get to play for free.
29. About 72.3% of mobile users in the US are avid gamers.
(Wepc)
Mobile gaming has become so popular in the US that 72.3% of mobile phone users are also avid gamers, mobile gaming stats indicate. The US currently holds 20% of mobile game session shares.
30. About 55% of US mobile gamers are female.
(Emarketer, Martech)
While there may be a stereotype that gaming is for guys, it couldn’t be more wrong, especially for mobile gaming. Notably, more than half of mobile gamers are women over the age of 35 in the US, with leading games such as Homescapes, Candy Crush, Cookie Jam, and Emoji Blitz.
31. The mobile gaming market in the US was estimated at $15.1 billion in 2020.
(Globenewswire)
The mobile games market size in 2020 was estimated at $15.1 billion, but the Chinese market threatens to take over with a forecast of $48 billion by 2027. Other countries worth mentioning are Japan, with 11.5%, and Canada, with 9.7%.
32. About 74% of US mobile gamers would watch an in-game ad if they could get something in return.
(Businessofapps)
US Gamers are up for advertisements, as long as they get to keep playing for free. While ads can come off as annoying, about 74% of US gamers would still watch an in-game ad to get something in return, mobile gaming statistics show.
33. Around 82% of gamers prefer free games with ads.
(Businessofapps)
People may love mobile games, but not enough to purchase them. Instead, about 82% of gamers would rather download a free game that contains ads than buy a game that’s ad-free.
34. Puzzle games have the biggest market share in the US, with 22.1%.
(Udonis)
Puzzle mobile games bring in the biggest revenue in the US. With 22.1%, puzzles are in first place for profit, according to the US mobile gaming statistics. On the other hand, AR or location-based games have only a 2.83% revenue share in the US.
35. The global mobile gaming market generated $7.7 billion in August 2021.
(Sensortower)
The global mobile gaming market engrossed $7.7 billion in August of 2021 alone. The US continues to be the leading country for mobile gaming use, accumulating $2.1 billion, or 28% of the total market. Japan came in second, with 20.8%, and China in third, with 17.5%.
Conclusion
With an increased use of smartphones and the world going more digital than ever, mobile gaming statistics show that playing games on your phone is more than just a passing trend. Notably, women love to play games on their phone and dominate the vast majority of the mobile gamer market.
As the popularity for mobile games grows and accumulates billions of dollars, there is one thing that remains certain: mobile gamers are more likely to watch advertisements than pay a few bucks for their favorite game. Brand advertisers beware.
People Also Ask
Mobile phones are becoming a huge part of people’s lives and serve multiple purposes, one of which is gaming. Overall, there are close to 2.69 billion gamers in the world, and they account for 28% of the global population. Out of these 2.69 billion, about 1.2 billion play games on mobile phones.
There were about 1.2 billion mobile gamers in 2020. Demographically, about 72% of active mobile gamers are millennials, aged between 23 and 38, and China has the most mobile gamers in the world.
Just because people like to play on their phones doesn’t mean that other modes are dead. PC gamers still have over 1.3 billion worldwide players, and half of the US population plays on a console.
The number of mobile games is continuously rising, and at the moment, there are 477,877 mobile games on Google Play, and there are 935,000 mobile games on the Apple store.
The most popular genres include casual games, action, arcade, puzzle, and role-playing. Gamers seem to love games where the gameplay doesn’t end, receiving rewards and facing new challenges. Many of the most popular games can be played solo or with friends, which is another thing that makes mobile gamers come back.
There seems to be a belief that those who play games on mobile phones and tablets aren’t real gamers. Still, based on the definition, a gamer is a person who regularly plays games, regardless of the device.
Someone is a gamer regardless if they play Angry Birds on mobile or GTA V on PlayStation. Unfortunately, those who play on the consoles may still believe that mobile gaming isn’t real gaming and look down on people who play games on mobile phones.
The genres of mobile games vary, but PUBG is the most downloaded game. With 1 billion players, PUBG is the first on the list, right next to Pokemon Go and Subway Surfers.
Player Unknown’s Battleground was primarily released as a PC game and wasn’t available for mobile phones, but before it was released on mobile platforms, it scored 75 million pre-registrations.
Mobile games have recently started to overtake PC and console games in terms of revenue. In 2018, mobile games held 50% of the global market and won over the PC and console share combined.
In the US, the mobile gaming market reached $21.9 billion in 2019, and it’s projected to reach $29.1 billion in 2022. Mobile gaming already holds a significant share of the market, and according to mobile gaming statistics, it’s set to take even more.