It seems that day by day, our world becomes more digital. Since the smartphone boom began, users have begun growing their online presence and making the shift to mobile-only browsing and gaming. That last bit – gaming – is a topic that has garnered so much conversation in recent years.
Whether playing your favorite brick breaker or taking advantage of the 1xbet casino bonus, there is a little something for everyone. What you may not have realized is just how much the mobile gaming industry has exploded. There are a few very interesting facts that will have you scratching your head when it comes to mobile gaming.
The North American Gaming Market is Loyal (and Skewing Younger)
There are plenty of interesting stats when it comes to mobile gaming, but perhaps the most interesting is that the most loyal gamers seem to be coming from the United States. Downloads are great but user retention is what marks the true success of a mobile game. Global user retention on Day 30 for gaming apps is 3.1% but it is a bit higher in North America (3.9%).
Getting even more granular, the retention rates after Day 1 and Day 3 are also higher in North America, 3.6% higher than the rest of the planet. It is also interesting to note that more than 35% of mobile gamers in the U.S. are in their late 20s or early 30s. Young adults in North America are driving the industry forward and propelling growth.
In-Game Advertising is Growing
With some games as well as casino apps like the 1xbet download for Android, developers are turning their attention to in-game advertising. Though microtransactions are the focal point when it comes to mobile devices, the potential for in-app advertising is thought to be something of an underserved market.
Going back to 2020, in-game advertising from mobile game developers increased by nearly 8%. The market is expected to see continued growth with revenues hitting more than $220 billion by 2027. As more users flock to mobile games, developers and advertisers will be there. What’s interesting is that the majority of users seeing these ads are on the Android platform.
Increased Cost to Acquire a Player
One of the more critical stats that developers must consider when creating a mobile game is the cost to acquire a new player. Though we don’t see them when a player downloads that game, there are inherent costs to develop and create these games. Which means that there is a per player cost factored in when creating these games.
From 2020 to 2022, the cost to acquire a player went from $1.74 to $2.18. That changes from company to company, but sports apps are seeing the same challenges. There are, however, specific game categories that are seeing the cost to acquire players decline. Hyper-casual games, for instance, have seen a decline in average acquisition cost from $0.35 to $0.28.
Children’s Mobile Game Spending is Pricy
In what has become one of the hottest points of conversation, children’s mobile gaming is proving to be a focal point for developers. As of 2020, results of a study revealed that nearly half of parents won’t let their kids make any kind of purchase without parental decisions.
Though nearly 40% of parents limited their children’s mobile spending to $10 or less, there is a more interesting niche. It is estimated that 23% of parents allow their kids to spend up to $100 per month just on mobile gaming. With microtransactions, those small amounts may not quite add up for children.
Gamers are Paying for Ad Removal
Developers are looking at all avenues when it comes to generating revenue. A growing method of revenue growth is by offering an ad-free option for just a few bucks more. Developers are making money by offering ad removal as a bonus feature, something that more gamers are all too happy to pay for.
Ad removal options tend to only be available in the most casual games. This is because those game types are dependent on advertisements compared to any other type of mobile game. It is estimated that more than 90% of casual gamers pay extra to get rid of ads
Popularity of Events is Growing
As recently as 2020, the top gameplay feature for mobile gaming – at least in western markets – came from events. More than $50 billion was spent worldwide that year on mobile gaming events, while customization and leaderboards followed close behind.
Gamers feel more inclined to join these events, compete for prizes, and play for bragging rights against friends. It has also created a very lucrative revenue option. More developers are offering competitions, events, and leaderboards as a way to keep players engaged and spending to ensure that they reach the top of the charts.