Record 8 Mobile Games Surpass $1B in Consumer Spending

A record eight mobile games have generated more than $1 billion in consumer spending in 2021, according to Sensor Tower. Only five titles reached that mark in 2020, and three in 2019.

Mobile is the fastest-growing gaming category, making up more than half of the $175 billion global games business, per Newzoo. The following publishers put up the strongest numbers this year:

• Tencent: “PUBG Mobile” and “Honor of Kings” ($2.8 billion each)
• MiHoYo: “Genshin Impact” ($1.8 billion)
• Roblox: “Roblox” ($1.3 billion)
• Moon Active: “Coin Master” ($1.3 billion)
• Niantic: “Pokémon Go” ($1.2 billion)
• King: “Candy Crush Saga” ($1.2 billion)
• Garena: “Garena Free Fire” ($1.1 billion)

Following The Trend

Other video game developers and publishers are looking to take advantage of a mobile gaming market projected to reach $272 billion by 2030.

Electronic Arts, known for its sports franchises, has made a series of acquisitions in the space. App developer Nifty Games closed $38 million in new funding in August to bring its mobile sports games to a broader audience.

Total consumer spending for mobile titles reached nearly $90 billion in 2021, a 12.6% uptick year-over-year.