The document discusses trends in the mobile gaming market in 2015 and 2016. It notes that emerging markets drove high growth in 2015 and will continue to be a major source of growth. However, emerging markets have yet to rank highly in revenue, so innovative monetization models will be needed. The average time for a game to reach maturity dropped over 60% from 2014 to 2015, increasing the need for more frequent releases. Competition in games also increased as revenue became more dispersed among publishers. Role-playing and strategy games dominated revenue on both App Store and Google Play, with RPG downloads having the highest average value. In Asia, immersive genres like action RPGs and MMORPGs attracted more player time and money than casual games

1. Mobile Gaming:
Where is the Money?
Alexey Vstavsky
BDM, AM Russia & CIS
BDM, AM Russia & CIS
BDM, AM Russia & CIS

2. The Game Markets are Growing, while Platform Trends Continue

3. Games Maintain a Considerable Share of Revenue on Both
Platforms

4. Emerging Markets Driving High Growth in 2015 on Google Play
BRIC markets to remain
at the forefront of
worldwide gaming market
growth in 2016, but next
wave of growth markets
Mexico, Turkey and
Indonesia are rapidly
rising

5. Despite High Downloads, Emerging Markets yet to Rank in
Revenue
Innovative monetization
models, focusing on low
cost and high volume, will
be needed to boost
revenue in emerging
markets
China has the potential to
surpass Japan in iOS
revenue within 2016

6. Maturity Cycles Accelerate
*Defined as the point at which a game reaches 90% of estimated market potential
(based on cumulative downloads).
Average estimated time to
maturity for new releases
dropped over 60% from
2014 to 2015
Marketing and monetization
strategies increasingly focus
on visibility and engagement
upon release
Publishers require more
frequent releases to maintain
momentum

7. Competition Increases in Games
More
Consolidated
More
Fragmented
As game revenue grows, it
becomes less concentrated
among the top publishers
Revenue became more
evenly dispersed among
publishers from Q1 2014 to
Q1 2015, and the trend
continued throughout 2015

8. App Store: RPG, Action and Strategy Dominate the Revenue
Ratings

9. Google Play: Even Bigger Role Played by Role-Playing and
Strategy Games

10. App Store: Download Ratings Are Influenced by Casual Games,
Categories

11. Google Play: Arcade Strengthens its Position at the Top

12. RPG Downloads Have the Most Value, Card and Strategy Follow
Average Value of Each Download for
Top5 — Top50 Spots by Category, December 2015

13. Core Games in Asia: Immersive Games Draw Players’ Time and
Money
Hardcore genres continue to be
popular in APAC markets,
particularly South Korea
Time spent per active user in
core games increased while
time spent in casual games
declined
With shorter maturity cycles,
publishers must entice users
into games with high levels of
engagement

14. Core Games in Asia: Immersive Games Draw Players’ Time and
Money
In 2015, Action RPGs
were a hit in South Korea,
while MMORPGs found
success in China
MOBAs on the rise in
China, expected to gain
traction in Asia and
eventually Western
markets

15. Thank You!