We do talk about it quite a bit here but mobile gaming shows no sign of slowing down. A recent survey by App Annie has revealed that games now account for 40% of all mobile downloads, and over 70% of all consumer spend across both iOS and Google Play combined in Q3 2019.
We’re all spending 10% more on games than last year, with a higher growth on iOS than Android. The recent addition of Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass could see these figures still further next year. It’s a sure sign that the popularity of these apps isn’t slowing.
The recent figures for this quarter showed the largest numbers yet for both downloads and spend. Globally, there’s over 31 billion downloads, up 10% year over year. We’re spending over $23 billion, which is a 20% growth year over year.
India, Brazil and the US had the most game downloads in the Google Play store. Meanwhile, Russia and Egypt added the highest growth of all downloads. Looking through the various game genres, it seems that Casual games, Simulation and Action games have driven most of thr growth.
However, mobile gambling has taken things to the next level with a big rise in use. The ability to quickly hop into bingo, slot and table games including online slot sites such as https://freespinsbonuses.co.uk/, which has a number of great offers, has attracted more users in. Mobile casino gambling is now more approachable and better suited to a generation that has been raised in a mobile-first environment. Though land-based casino gambling is still preferred by some, mobile gaming is undoubtedly the most popular method because of the convenience it offers to the modern player. Mobile gambling platforms have revolutionized the online gambling industry, injecting new blood through the application of exciting new technologies. With mobile gaming, players can easily access these games on their Android or iOS device whenever they choose to.
In the coming months, gaming is set to take another big leap with the addition of Google Stadia, which will let games stream to your phone. No downloading, no need for an ultra high-end phone. Instead you just pick the game you want and it’ll flow over your data connection. The only constraint you might have to worry about is that data connection speed. For resolutions greater than 720p you’re going to need 10Mbps, and despite the proliferation of 4G and 5G, you sometimes might not get that.
Walk into any restaurant. Look at how many people are holding a mobile phone. Now consider that about a billion people are getting smartphones this year alone. Details from stats firm “Statista” now suggest that by next year the number of mobile phone users worldwide will reach a massive 5.07 billion.
Developers and businesses really need to realise that mobile channels are now the number one way to attract gamers, and it’s from this initial contact that online gaming, rewards and in-app purchases can make the game hugely profitable.
Each year, when we get these statistics, we believe that the rise and rise of mobile gaming will perhaps “plateau”, but each year it just goes on and on. Despite big players like Epic Games (with their “Fortnite” game) winning huge audiences, there’s still plenty of room for other developers and software houses to get in on the action, earning popularity and profit.
As we move forward, I honestly believe that we’ll see the traditional PS4 and Xbox titles coming to mobile first, rather than waiting for a mobile version to be created when the game becomes popular. There’s a much bigger market, a larger opportunity and you can earn money on a regular basis through in-app purchases and subscriptions which offer a constant revenue stream for those all-important developers who work so hard to make the product in the first place.