Winter holidays are usually spent gathering with family and friends but the pandemic has prompted many people to stay at home. With time off and nowhere to go, people spent a lot of time and money on apps and especially on games during this time. New data shows that Europeans spent $36.6 million on mobile games on Christmas Day alone. Meanwhile, a report says that the mobile gaming market increased earnings by 10% in 2020. Learn more about the mobile gaming market in this week’s Mobile Monday!
Mobile Games Earnings Increase By 10% in 2020
According to a new report by market research firm SuperData, the games industry grew 12% to approximately $140 billion in 2020. They predict that the overall game market will only grow by 2% in 2021. During the lockdown, users preferred to game on mobile devices over PCs and consoles. The mobile market accounted for 58% of total earnings and showed an increase of 10%. Consumer spend in mobile games remained steady throughout the year especially in the United States where 62% of gamers primarily play on smartphones.
In North America and Europe, mobile gamers stuck to mainstay titles like Candy Crush Saga and Pokemon Go. In Asia, hardcore gamers chose mobile, and games like Free Fire had stronger performances than ever. The report points out that people said they played more games in 2020 for escapism, to combat boredom, and for extra entertainment. Users also saw it as a social outlet to stay in touch with family and friends and to meet new people. The vast majority of revenue (78%) was generated by free-to-play games with 59% of that coming from Asian markets. Hardcore mobile games like Tencent’s Honor of Kings and Peacekeeper Elite generated over $2 billion each.
Europe Spends $36.6 Million on Games During Christmas Day
Sensor Tower’s new data reveals that user spending on apps reached $54.6 million on Christmas Day in Europe. This total represents an almost 30% growth from $42 million in 2019. With families stuck at home due to the pandemic, not only was there an increase in revenue but there was also a surge in app downloads. Europe’s app spending made up 13.4% of global revenue for the App Store and Google Play Store. Despite the surge, the average rate of growth in Europe was slightly lower than the rest of the world.
The highest spike in day revenues belonged to the Games category which made $36.6 million or 67% of the total. Spending for mobile games went up 21% from $30.2 million the previous year. Brawl Stars was the top grossing game in Europe on Christmas, generating $1.8 million. It was followed by Roblox at No. 2, and Coin Master at No. 3. Across all categories, Germany was the most lucrative European country for mobile app publishers on Christmas day, earning more than $11 million in revenue. The United Kingdom was the second highest, accumulating $10.4 million, while France ranked No. 3, with users spending $5.7 million.
About AdColony Mobile Mondays
Mobile Monday examines the latest news, trends, and developments in mobile apps, tech, and advertising. Do you have a story to share for the next Mobile Monday?
Join the Conversation
Did you play mobile games on Christmas Day? Tweet us at @AdColony. For the latest AdColony mobile news and updates, follow @AdColony on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or connect on Linkedin.
