What Are the Global Mobile Game Marketing Methods?

Global Mobile Game Market Trends

The global mobile game market is performing steadily overall, showing signs of a gradual recovery and projected growth in the future. Despite continued uncertainties in the global economy, the gaming app market remains generally stable. By 2024, global mobile game app downloads are expected to rebound slightly, reaching approximately 90 billion.

Global Mobile Game Marketing Trends

Global mobile game marketing data maintains steady growth, with over 250,000 mobile game advertisers participating in 2024. In 2024, the number of mobile game advertisers worldwide exceeded 250,000, a year-on-year increase of over 60%. With an increasing number of mobile game products entering advertising, the number of mobile game advertisers is estimated to exceed 300,000 in 2025. Global mobile game creatives exceeded 4.5 million, a year-on-year increase of 15.4%, a decrease of 14.4% from last year. The number of global creatives is now entering a period of stable growth, and the number of mobile game creatives is estimated to exceed 10 million in 2028.

Excluding Q1, the number of mobile game advertisers will steadily exceed 65,000 per month in 2024, but the number and proportion of new advertisers each month will continue to decline. The average number of monthly advertisers continues to rise, exceeding 66,000 advertisers per month this year, a year-on-year increase of 34.7%. Excluding Q1, the number of advertisers per month in the remaining months exceeds 65,000. The average monthly proportion of new advertisers in 2024 will be only 8%, a decrease of 6.3 percentage points from the same period last year. The number of new advertisers per month will also decline significantly, with an average of 5.2K new advertisers per month in 2024. The number of new mobile game advertisers worldwide will not exceed 5,000 in the first five months of the year.

New Global Mobile Game Launch Trends

The number of new advertisers continues to climb each month, and the monthly share of new creatives has stabilized at over 52% since June. In 2024, an average of 44,000 advertisers will launch new creatives each month, and the number of advertisers launching new creatives continues to climb, exceeding 50,000 per month in Q3, with the share remaining above 70% through September. In 2024, the monthly share of new creatives will be 52.2%, a year-on-year increase of 2.1%. The highest share was 58.2% in June, and the lowest was 45.7% in February. The share of new creatives remained relatively stable at 54.0% in the second half of the year.

Global Mobile Game Launches by Genre

RPGs saw the most marketing activity, with an average of 224 creatives per month. Casino advertisers saw their share increase by over 14.5% compared to last year. With an average of 224 creatives per month, RPGs surpassed strategy games to become the most competitive category. Card games ranked third with an average of 157 creatives per month. Casino advertisers took second place, with a 14.5% year-over-year increase. Puzzle games saw the most significant increase in creative share, with their share increasing by 1.2% compared to last year.

Launch in Popular Mobile Game Regions around the World

Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan (Regions of China) will be the most competitive regions for global mobile game marketing in 2024. The United States will have more monthly mobile game advertisers than all of Europe. They are the only regions with over 100 creatives per month, followed closely by Oceania and Southeast Asia. The United States will have over 33,000 monthly advertisers, exceeding the average for Europe.

Global Gaming Influencer Marketing Trends

YouTube continues to lead the pack in terms of the number of gaming influencers, with North America leading the pack. With over 50% of followers, YouTube is the preferred platform for global gaming influencer marketing, far surpassing TikTok and Instagram. TikTok accounts for over 20% and primarily features short videos, with a skewed user base, attracting its target audience by quickly showcasing game highlights. Instagram has the smallest share, primarily featuring images and short videos, making it more suitable for showcasing game screenshots and short video content. North America has the largest number of gaming influencers, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Small-scale gaming influencers (10,000-50,000 followers) are the most numerous, with action-themed influencers far outnumbering other genres. A common trend across all platforms is that gaming influencers with 10,000-50,000 followers are the most numerous, with the number of influencers decreasing as follower count increases. Action gaming influencers far outnumber other genres, followed by strategy games.

Analysis of Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue in the United States

Mobile game downloads in the United States are projected to remain roughly the same in 2024 as in 2023, with hyper-casual, simulation, and action games consistently leading the list of most downloaded categories. The United States remains the world's highest-grossing mobile game market, with in-app purchase revenue steadily growing. Insights into Localized Preferences: IP-Based Products Are Gaining Popularity. American players are highly receptive to IP-based products and demonstrate a strong willingness to pay. IP-based products can monetize through various channels, including in-app purchases and advertising. For example, Marvel Future Fight successfully generated significant revenue through in-app purchases such as virtual items and skins, demonstrating the commercial potential of IP-based games in the US market. In terms of genre selection, themes such as science fiction, adventure, and magic are particularly appealing due to their rich imagination and expressiveness. Trends in In-App Purchase Revenue for Mobile Games in the US Market: American users are more receptive to creative and engaging advertising and are highly receptive to local cultural elements. Incorporating local elements such as "sexy beauties" and "gangster bosses" into advertisements can effectively attract players' attention. In addition to mainstream media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X, local mobile super-apps such as Twitch should not be overlooked. The number of advertisers in the US market is the only one in the world that shows a year-on-year decline, with casual categories accounting for over 35% of the spending. Small game collections and terminal-to-mobile products successfully dominate the US list.

Analysis of Japanese Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue

The number of downloads in the Japanese market remained basically stable, and the revenue from in-app purchases of mobile games declined slightly. Among them, super casual puzzle, action RPG, and super casual simulation categories became popular.

The age range of Japanese gamers has broadened, with gender balance increasing, with the middle-aged group forming the core demographic. Japanese gamers are highly engaged in gaming, spending an average of approximately 1.4 hours per day playing, demonstrating the high level of activity and user stickiness in the Japanese gaming market. Furthermore, Japanese gamers are particularly fond of IPs, with many games leveraging the power of their IPs to achieve significant download growth. For example, classic IPs like "Blue Files" have a vast global fan base. Their rich storylines, diverse characters, and in-depth gameplay have successfully attracted a large number of players to purchase in-game items or top up their accounts. Japanese gamers rely heavily on local content platforms for gaming information, such as strategy websites like GameWith and Game8, which significantly influence their decision-making with their detailed content and highly interactive communities. Local media platforms like Gunosy, Yahoo, and SmartNews can serve as supplementary promotional channels to reach diverse target audiences. Pre-registration campaigns play a key role in promoting mobile games in Japan, not only attracting potential users but also cultivating high-quality users, helping to boost rankings and subsequent retention rates after a game's initial launch. IP products have exploded across the board, with comic adaptations, console game IPs, and sequels to second-game IPs performing well. Nearly 60% of advertisers placing new creatives were influenced by Japanese mobile device models, and 30% of the buying ideas came from iOS advertisers.

Analysis of Korean Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue

After a decline in 2023, mobile game in-app purchase revenue stabilized. Downloads in the South Korean market saw a slight increase in 2024, with puzzle, MMORPG, and team-based combat games proving popular. The South Korean mobile game market remained highly active in 2024, with strategy games showing particularly strong performance, with revenue increasing by 69% year-over-year. Mobile RPGs have consistently been the most profitable genre in the market. The South Korean mobile game market is showing a trend of diversification in terms of genres and themes, and South Korean users are extremely demanding of game content. Therefore, localized marketing efforts require careful attention to accurate translation, culturally appropriate imagery and word order, and reasonable pricing to avoid disputes arising from cultural differences. Brand/IP collaborations can effectively expand target audience reach, while collaborating with highly compatible influencers and leveraging customized content can not only precisely reach users, but also significantly reduce marketing costs and improve conversion rates. Furthermore, deeply exploring and leveraging core local channels (such as Naver and Kakao) is crucial to driving localization efforts. The long-standing strength of MMO is still the focus of advertising, and light strategy games are driving the acceleration of creative buying in the category. On average, nearly 60% of advertisers are launching new materials every month.

Analysis of Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions of China

The download volume and revenue performance of mobile games in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are stable, and the download volume and in-app purchase revenue of idle RPG and MMORPG are at a high level. Players in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan prefer MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). In addition, the top three game types with the highest amount of creatives in the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan markets are hyper-casual, role-playing and gambling. Female players account for a high proportion in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and fantasy, history and two-dimensional themes have become popular choices in the mobile game market. Users in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have a high acceptance of real-life materials, especially in MMORPG advertisements, where beautiful women images combined with welfare combinations such as "physical lottery" have become an important strategy to attract audiences. TikTok is very popular in the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan markets, especially among female users. Game advertisers can optimize the content format through the characteristics of the platform to further increase the attention and conversion rate of the female user group. The number of advertisers and creatives has been steadily increasing, and the traffic dividend of martial arts themes and light gameplay has obviously benefited from the support of AI technology, which can quickly and batch-produce high-quality buying creatives, and the proportion of newly released creatives is close to 40%.

European Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue Analysis

The overall number of mobile game downloads in Europe has declined, among which casual games have grown against the trend, and in-app purchase revenue has remained stable overall. European and American players have shown a preference for realism and life-like graphics in their mobile game choices. At the same time, anime elements also have a wide appeal among young players. In terms of subject matter, genres such as war and strategy, adventure, and magic are particularly prominent in the European market and can attract a large number of players. European players have shown a strong interest in IP products that incorporate regional cultural characteristics, especially mobile games that reflect European history, culture, and artistic elements. This trend shows that localization and cultural resonance are important factors in attracting European players. With the intensification of market competition, innovation and localization have become the key to the success of mobile games in the European market. It is particularly important to note that advertisers are subject to strict supervision by GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and must comply with privacy protection and data usage regulations. The number of advertisers reached its peak in March, June, and November, with the highest number of advertisers in a single month reaching 34,000. The proportion of casual category advertisers is lower than that of other regions, at only 29.3%.

Southeast Asia Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue Analysis

Downloads in the Southeast Asian mobile game market have rebounded slightly, with the iOS market showing greater potential. In-app purchase revenue has remained relatively stable. Chinese, American, and Japanese game developers hold the highest revenue share in the Southeast Asian market. Cartoon-style graphics predominate in Southeast Asian mobile games, with magic, history, and anime predominating thematically. IP-based products are less popular in the Southeast Asian market, however, titles like Pro Evolution Soccer, PUBG, and Call of Duty have received positive market responses. Southeast Asia boasts a vast user base and enormous growth potential, with simulation and sports mobile games surging. Mobile game advertising preferences vary by country. Indonesian users prefer ads with highly saturated tones and strong color contrast, paired with rhythmic rock or upbeat music, which can arouse user excitement and increase ad engagement. The Thai market relies more on long-form video ads, where humorous content and endorsements by local idols effectively boost conversion rates. Filipino users prefer live-action ads, particularly those with storylines and commentary. The Vietnamese market, deeply influenced by Chinese culture, favors ads incorporating themes and nostalgic elements such as martial arts and the Three Kingdoms. Singapore and Malaysia favor diverse and high-quality advertising content, reflecting the diverse market demands. The number of mobile game advertisers surged by 40%, far exceeding the average growth rate of the global market. Among them, the number of entertainment advertisers accounted for nearly 20%, second only to the leisure category.

Analysis of Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue in the Middle East

The Middle East has seen growth in both downloads and in-app purchase revenue, demonstrating significant market potential. Warfare and military-themed titles performed best in the Middle Eastern market, with strong downloads and revenue. While IP-based titles are plentiful, downloads and revenue for these titles remain modest, leading to relatively weak monetization capabilities. Key social media platforms in the Middle East include YouTube, Facebook, Instagram , and Snapchat, with Snapchat boasting a 90% penetration rate and particularly favored by younger users. In terms of creatives, users in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries prefer creatives showcasing luxurious elements like luxury cars and jewelry, which quickly capture user attention and effectively increase click-through and conversion rates. Simulation, strategy, and board games performed particularly well, with several established social board games consistently ranking among the top Middle Eastern titles. On average, over 15,000 advertisers delivered 1.43 million creatives each month, with each advertiser delivering an average of 95 ad buys.

Analysis of Mobile Game Downloads and Revenue in Latin America

Downloads in Latin America have fluctuated somewhat, with Brazil and Mexico remaining core markets, contributing significantly to both downloads and revenue. In-app purchase revenue has steadily increased, with simulation, match-3, and shooting games performing the best. Mobile games in Latin America are primarily cartoon- and anime-themed, with magic, war, and science fiction themes being popular. While Latin American players have a low preference for IP-based mobile games, sports IPs still have a relatively high willingness to pay for them.

Latin American users' consumption behavior is characterized by a phased investment cycle, resulting in a long payback period. Therefore, maintaining player interest requires regular campaigns or personalized push notifications. Furthermore, optimizing retargeting strategies can help maximize user lifetime value (LTV) and enhance market competitiveness. In terms of advertising formats, Latin American users are highly receptive to live-action performances. Especially in competitive games, the "live-action commentary + game content presentation" approach can effectively attract download interest. Furthermore, Latin American users prefer direct, sensory-stimulating advertising content, such as attack effects, dazzling gear, dynamic background music, and attractive influencers. These elements quickly capture user attention and drive download conversions. The growth rate of creative assets is the highest globally, with the top three categories for creative delivery being casual, puzzle, and RPG. Android advertisers in South America account for the largest share of creative assets, while iOS advertisers account for only 14%.

Marketing Trends of Segmented Game Categories

Strategy mobile game market

Strategy mobile games remain the primary category for downloads and revenue, with downloads projected to grow by 7% in 2024. The trend toward integrating lighter gameplay will become even more pronounced. SLGs have long been a key focus for major overseas developers, with their share of top-tier placements far exceeding that of other product categories. Newly released content accounts for over 51%, with high-quality, high-volume video content contributing a whopping 77% of impressions.

RPG mobile game market

Overseas manufacturers dominate the RPG category, and the number of advertisers releasing new creatives is fluctuating upward. MMO products and second-game products in the RPG category are particularly popular, and short video materials within 30 seconds are more popular among players.

Puzzle and decryption mobile game market

Puzzle-based casual games account for 8% of global mobile game revenue and are growing annually. Puzzle-based games hold the largest share of the casual game market, with over 50 billion downloads and over $42 billion in revenue. Video content contributes approximately 81% of impressions, with short videos under 30 seconds accounting for 60%. Puzzle-based advertisers and creatives peaked in April and December, respectively. Strange cases are often used at the beginning of puzzle-based content to attract traffic, while puzzle-based content tends to add additional value to games, such as helping middle-aged and elderly people improve their memory.

Casual simulation mobile game market

The simulation game market is second only to puzzle games in size, making it the second-largest casual game category. It boasts a rapid annual growth rate of approximately 7.45%. On average, 21,000 casual advertisers deploy advertising creatives for casual mobile games each month, accounting for 45% of new creatives deployed each month. Following the lead of mid-core and hardcore mobile games, international publishers in the light casual category also performed exceptionally well, with 45 of the top 100 advertisers representing these categories coming from overseas. While mid-core and hardcore mobile games are leveraging casual gameplay to attract traffic, hyper-casual mobile games are targeting live-action short videos.

The number of advertisers for simulation mobile games has been fluctuating downward, reaching peak values in April and September. Simulators with a more realistic style have performed strongly, and lightweight idle management games have become a popular market for mini-games going global. ASMR and drama skits remain the most common tropes in mobile games targeting women. This year, the frequent hits with realistic themes have driven the use of more real-life content.

Casino Mobile Game Marketing

The number of advertisers and creatives increased rapidly in the second half of the year, reaching a peak in October. New creatives accounted for 60% of the total monthly advertising spend in the second half of the year, with each advertiser running an average of 72 advertising campaigns per month. In addition to frequently using real people and real money to create a sense of authenticity, casino creatives also excel at using quirky lines and controversial plots to keep players engaged.

Marketing Trends of Popular Mobile Game Products

Vita Mahjong

The "Connect the Dots" game, a perfect match for middle-aged and elderly users, saw significant growth in Q4 2024 and remains firmly in the top five free desktop games in the US. The ad creative begins by introducing "hypnic jerk," a common sleep symptom experienced by middle-aged and elderly users, using this common physiological phenomenon to attract users. The ad then transitions to a live-action doctor promoting the game, using authoritative introductions to guide users to download.

Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade

Jujutsu Kaisen is the most popular anime IP in recent years, with a massive fan base around the world. The two-dimensional community generally accepts and likes the "secondary content" of anime characters. This material is the product's promotional creativity in the Korean market. Anime materials with certain funny elements are very popular in the Korean market. Mobile game products with anime IP should make good use of hot characters to attract traffic for the product. At the same time, game benefits and in-game strategy content can also attract many anime-related pan-game groups. In addition, AI materials are already very common in mobile game purchases, especially SLG products, which will use AI's unique graphics to introduce their own game background and other elements.

It is particularly important to focus on the following aspects in overseas game distribution:

1. The publishing team should prioritize close collaboration with the R&D team. During the pre-research phase of a new product, target market user research and user acquisition testing should be conducted on the art style and key gameplay to address the acquisition challenge from a targeted perspective.

2. Emphasize original creative accumulation and micro-innovation. By analyzing product themes and gameplay to generate original creative models, continuously iterate and innovate on them. Verifying them with extensive advertising data, you can build your own product material database and ultimately develop a creative methodology for blockbuster products. Throughout this process, you also need to maintain a high level of sensitivity and curiosity about market trends.

3. Focus on markets with greater new potential and opportunities, such as Russia, Latin America, Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries, and seize growth opportunities in local channel platforms.

4. Focus on cross-platform and multi-platform delivery, expand W2A, PC and browser purchases, and continue to pay attention to user growth in third-party app stores.

5. Consider the processing, interpretation, and ad optimization of internal data under the Android Privacy Sandbox policy. Consider how to effectively utilize data budgets based on the actual application situation, record key events, and minimize their negative impact on user acquisition.

Sharing marketing experience in the gaming industry

The purchase of secondary gameplay has evolved from the initial simple purpose of lowering the cost of acquisition to the mobile game product design approach of winning the general user market. It not only brings about the hybrid monetization model represented by hyper-casual games, but also a larger-scale transformation of the product form of medium and heavy games. Among them, the krypton gold mini-games and casual SLG products of Chinese manufacturers going overseas are the most representative. They cleverly help mobile game manufacturers gain a certain degree of initiative, thereby competing with advertising platforms for profit and traffic distribution, and thus reshuffle the SLG category.

To some extent, this also marks the year when, after more than a decade of development, the mobile gaming market has returned to a more mass-market, social, and casual style. On the other hand, judging by the performance of major game developers, flagship cross-platform games and games based on well-known IPs are increasingly becoming popular consumption hotspots for all gamers. These large-scale games, representing the industry's industrialization and embodying massive R&D investments, bravely rely on product and brand power to win players' attention , despite enormous risks. Investment in community marketing, live streaming, and influencers (KOLs) is increasing daily. However, under the pressure of streaming media and short videos on user gaming time, large-scale game titles are struggling to find the right balance between hardcore gameplay and casual play. Content remains king, and the marketing war is also a brand war to win players' hearts and minds.

The mini-game market has undergone significant changes. The frequent release of hit products has become a powerful driving force for industry growth, and industry data clearly reflects the market's strong expansion momentum and the enormous potential it holds. The continuous implementation of new features and regulations on platforms also heralds the end of the previous extensive model of short-term operations and traffic speculation, and the arrival of an era of refined operations.

Innovation remains a core driving force: Amidst increasing product homogeneity, hybrid products and integrated innovation will continue to be a major industry trend. For example, Yishijie, addressing the highly homogeneous nature of business simulations, expanded its competitive advantage in the "Business + X" market with [This City Has Good Farmland]. By combining business card games with SLG elements, Yishijie broke through the limitations of traditional single-player gameplay. Continuously iterating its development modules and gameplay systems provides freshness and challenges, thereby increasing product lifecycles and user engagement.

Long-term operations have become standard: As the short-term profit-making model of the past gradually fades, mini-game developers need to shift to long-term operations and build a complete content ecosystem. Short-term profitability is no longer the sole goal; building lasting appeal is the key to success. For example, in the business simulation category, developers must be prepared for continuous optimization, requiring significant patience and determination over the long term, and carefully managing both initial investment and returns.

Refined marketing drives brand value: With fierce competition in the mini-game market, brand building and enhancing user awareness have become key priorities for manufacturers. Marketing isn't just about attracting users; it's also a key means of increasing product and brand recognition. IP integration can enhance user trust in a product, and increased user trust contributes to product branding. Once a product is branded, users are more likely to pay, increasing profitability.

Instead of blindly chasing hot topics, manufacturers need to examine themselves and focus on products they can deliver. 2024 appears to be entering a more challenging period. The global gaming industry saw near stagnation from 2022 to 2024, and even a rare decline remains a fact. On the one hand, the saturated and changing gaming market has led to increasingly fierce competition. To improve profitability, developers are often downsizing their teams and focusing R&D resources on higher-return projects. On the other hand, the uncertainty of the global economic environment has had a profound impact on the gaming industry. Player spending is declining due to factors such as inflation, a sluggish market, and low consumer confidence. This has prompted companies to re-examine their business models and adjust their strategies. In this environment, new releases have plummeted, with fewer products available and more replicas. Everyone has become a shipping rig, exacerbating the oligopoly effect. At this stage, it's even more important not to chase hot topics and launch new projects. Manufacturers need to examine themselves and focus on products they can truly deliver. At the same time, there are still many untapped opportunities for growth in overseas markets, such as Latin America and the Middle East.

2024 will be a difficult year for global companies focused on monetization through advertising. The first half of the year saw what may have been the longest period of listing difficulties on Google Play in history. The second half of the year also brought on multiple pressures, including tightened Google monetization review policies and a significant reduction in rebates for major media outlets. This year may be a watershed for the industry, forcing them to shift from confrontation to accommodation. The first priority is to shift from mass-producing fake packages to fine-tuning their products. Improving game content will help them secure listings on app stores, thereby increasing user value and boosting their competitive edge. They will also shift from buying multiple packages in a scattered manner to focusing on single, larger products, which can generate some profit through organic growth. More importantly, the influence that large accounts bring can relatively ensure long-term business stability.

In addition, we have also seen some new opportunities in the frequent changes in platform policies. For example, Google's vigorous promotion of web business has not only brought incremental search advertising business and provided new growth opportunities for the industry, but the app + h5 business model has also been proven successful. Of course, compliance is the prerequisite for the foundation of these opportunities.

2024 will be a year of rapid growth for advertising media platforms, driven by two key trends: first, the growth of video media platforms and their latecomer advantages in iOS skan attribution. Second, various advertising platforms will launch increasingly intelligent RoAS algorithms with diverse payback models, significantly improving advertisers' acquisition efficiency and steadily increasing ECPM on the monetization side, alleviating the overall transformation pressure on the publisher side.

According to data from the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association's Game Working Committee, Chinese game sales revenue from overseas sales will reach $18.557 billion in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 13.39%. However, this achievement hides a mixed bag for the industry. This prediction by June 2024 is based on three key factors: first, whether new blockbuster games, such as Genshin Impact, will emerge in the market; second, the demographic dividend brought by new markets will provide opportunities for small and medium-sized teams, as exemplified by the boom in overseas game exports in 2020; and third, opportunities presented by new sectors.

Despite the industry's growth, further breakthroughs on the three aforementioned points have been lacking. While mini-games present certain opportunities, their incremental growth is limited. While Black Myth: Wukong has achieved success in both word-of-mouth and revenue, its platform and nature make it difficult to replicate. Therefore, growth in 2024 will primarily rely on contributions from established products and leading manufacturers. The market lacks compelling new products and dark horse manufacturers, leading to a clear trend of market concentration.

Comparing this $18.557 billion figure with previous years reveals a growing sense of anxiety in the industry. This figure not only halts the downward trend in overseas game exports set for 2023 but also surpasses the peak revenue of $18.013 billion in 2021. However, 2021 was a year of rapid growth and flourishing in the industry, creating a market environment that is distinct from the concentrated, red ocean of market share expected in 2024.

Given this situation, what opportunities lie ahead for the Chinese gaming industry in the coming years? The current market landscape suggests that while mini-games have seen some growth, they haven't exploded, and their very nature means they can't independently support the industry. The success of AAA games is difficult to replicate, and revenue is primarily driven by a single successful product. Therefore, the Chinese gaming industry's overseas expansion will face a two- to three-year exploratory phase, requiring progress in integrating game product models, cultivating and upgrading user behavior, and exploring diverse sectors. In this red ocean market, only continuous exploration can uncover new opportunities.

It's an indisputable fact that competition in the overseas market is becoming increasingly fierce. This can be summarized from two perspectives: First, it's the battle for users in the era of existing users. Short videos and short dramas are fragmenting players' leisure time, competing for their attention and effectively diluting their gaming time. This is why more and more mid-core and hardcore games are experimenting with integrating casual sub-gameplay.

From the perspective of the gaming industry, player acquisition costs continue to rise, user acquisition becomes increasingly difficult, game lifecycles shorten, and ROI and LTV growth become increasingly challenging. Mini-games remain one of the few growth drivers, and WeChat Mini-games are also accelerating their global expansion. Of course, the mini-game market is rapidly changing, and long-term operations have always been a weak link. We will observe whether game developers can achieve breakthroughs in the long-term operation of mini-games by 2025.

Another area of focus is the exploration of new forms of profit from overseas expansion. In overseas markets, game companies face pressure from platforms like Google and Apple to take a 30% commission, as well as tax policies in different regions. This year, game companies have significantly increased their efforts in releasing and promoting games on the PC platform. Given the preference of European and American players for PC games, this strategy not only caters to player behavior but also serves as a strategy to reduce platform commissions and increase profit margins. Furthermore, game companies have begun experimenting with selling game gift packs through official online stores and integrating with third-party payment methods, creating additional profit channels.

Today's gaming industry, like a battle royale game, is currently in a shrinking state. The comfort zone of gaming companies is shrinking, and they need to constantly innovate their thinking and adjust their strategies to adapt to this ever-changing market environment.

From a market perspective, mid- to light-end games—those with relatively simple gameplay and easy to get started—remain a significant trend in the overseas market. These games are not only easy for global players to quickly grasp, but also can increase revenue through simultaneous global releases. However, the current mini-game market is flooded with similar products, with varying quality and even imitations, leading to fierce competition. Therefore, innovative and unique content is key for game companies, such as leveraging AI tools to enhance game creativity and gameplay.

From an operational perspective, social media has become a crucial tool for game promotion and dissemination. By integrating with social media, game companies can conduct various marketing activities, such as live streaming and interactive content, which can increase game visibility and encourage players to stay in the game for a longer period of time.

From a product perspective, a single gameplay style rarely satisfies player needs. The current mainstream trend is towards a fusion of gameplay styles. By combining different gameplay styles, such as casual, puzzle, and business simulation, games can attract a wider user base. For example, combining a match-3 game with an adventure storyline, or incorporating social interaction elements into a business simulation game, can enhance the game's fun and playability.

For new overseas vendors, especially small and medium-sized companies, finding talent with experience in overseas markets is crucial. For example, the current Google ban has a significant impact on these companies, potentially disrupting their release plans and increasing costs. Therefore, how to avoid these issues and adapt to overseas policies and platform regulations is a crucial issue these companies need to learn and address.

In 2024, the mobile gaming industry will see significant differences in the proportion of advertising and in-app purchase revenue across different game types. Board games, card games, and text games, due to their large user bases, will see a higher proportion of advertising revenue. In contrast, role-playing games, strategy games, and match-3 games will rely more heavily on in-app purchases. These game types prioritize monetization of core, high-value users, while frequent in-app advertising can negatively impact the user experience. Therefore, developers must carefully design monetization strategies tailored to game type and player behavior, balancing monetization methods with user experience.

As the mobile gaming industry continues to develop, user acquisition strategies are gradually shifting from pursuing install volume to acquiring high-value users. For advertisers, this means that more precise user targeting and optimized ad placement strategies will become key industry development directions. In 2025, developers will focus on optimizing monetization strategies and further explore hybrid monetization models combining advertising and in-app purchases. Furthermore, strong economic growth in emerging markets presents new business opportunities for developers.