J. Clement
Research lead covering internet and gaming
Mobile gaming market in the United States - Statistics & Facts
With about 160 monthly active users, gaming apps are among the most popular app categories in the United States and have the earning potential to match this status. Mobile is one of the biggest segments of the video gaming market in the United States, ranking second only after advertising and hardware. With potential like this, what are the stand-out features of the mobile gaming market in the United States and what are the major brands?
Azur Games, Supersonic Studios, and Voodoo were the leading gaming app publishers in the United States based on monthly downloads in March 2024. These studios focus on casual gaming apps, indicating the most popular mobile gaming genre in the market. Additionally, app publishers in the social casino segment were also heavily represented among the highest-grossing iPhone gaming app publishers in the United States.
Overall, the mobile gaming market is booming and the most mainstream gaming option for U.S. audiences. The casual nature of the most popular mobile games ensures that there is a low entry barrier for getting into new games, and if it doesn’t suit, there are dozens more like it, ensuring that there is a mobile game out there for everyone. As long as mobile game developers can keep up delivering a steady stream of fresh gaming content (and why wouldn’t they), the mobile gaming market will continue to be a major force in gaming as a whole.
What motivates mobile users to spend money on gaming content?
The majority of mobile gaming apps are free-to-play (F2P) and are monetized either via ads or through in-app purchases. Considering that many players are willing to pay to upgrade their mobile gaming experience, F2P games have become a much-loved monetization tool among mobile developers. A January 2024 survey found that the primary in-game spending motivation for mobile gaming spenders in the United States and Canada was to enhance gameplay progression, followed by personal enjoyment and satisfaction. Additionally, the most popular types of in-app purchases were in-game currency or gems, followed by bundles (a mix of various items). Overall, about a third of average spenders in the U.S. and Canada made in-app purchases only every few months.High-scoring mobile gaming apps and publishers
The ranking of the most downloaded gaming apps in the Google Play Store in the United States is dominated by casual gaming titles like Magic Dress Up, Royal Match, or Block Blast. When looking at the highest-grossing gaming apps in the App Store, the picture is very similar, highlighting the revenue possibilities of the casual gaming genre.Azur Games, Supersonic Studios, and Voodoo were the leading gaming app publishers in the United States based on monthly downloads in March 2024. These studios focus on casual gaming apps, indicating the most popular mobile gaming genre in the market. Additionally, app publishers in the social casino segment were also heavily represented among the highest-grossing iPhone gaming app publishers in the United States.
Which mobile gaming genre is the most popular?
When looking at the most popular mobile gaming genres in the United States, hypercasual gaming apps generated 1.4 billion downloads in the United States in 2023 and ranked first by a generous margin. Hypercasual puzzle apps were the top mobile gaming subgenre, accounting for close to 364 million downloads that year alone. Hypercasual simulation and hypercasual action games also generated more than 300 million downloads from U.S. users, respectively. Puzzle games came in fourth place.Overall, the mobile gaming market is booming and the most mainstream gaming option for U.S. audiences. The casual nature of the most popular mobile games ensures that there is a low entry barrier for getting into new games, and if it doesn’t suit, there are dozens more like it, ensuring that there is a mobile game out there for everyone. As long as mobile game developers can keep up delivering a steady stream of fresh gaming content (and why wouldn’t they), the mobile gaming market will continue to be a major force in gaming as a whole.
