Our data digest column breaks down the latest data, research, and financial results into digestible chunks. Read on for the key numbers without the fluff.
Solitaire Grand Harvest Hits $1bn
Playtika’s Solitaire Grand Harvest has surpassed $1bn in lifetime revenue, according to data from Appmagic. The game has been downloaded 69 million times since its release in 2017 and has a global RPD of $14.55.
The game held a 67% share of the Solitaire TriPeaks market in 2024, and its lifetime revenue is 75% higher than that of its nearest competitor, Tiki Solitaire TriPeaks ($575m).
Other notable Solitaire TriPeaks games by lifetime revenue include Fairway Solitaire – Card Game ($96m) and Solitaire Cruise TriPeaks Game ($83m).
Rovio Accounts for 13% of Sega’s Q3 Game Sales
Sega Sammy’s game division saw Q3 revenues fall 2.1% year-over-year to ¥69.2bn ($455m) for the three months ended December 31, 2024.
Rovio generated sales of ¥8.8bn ($57.8m) during Q3, down 8.3% YoY, accounting for 12.7% of the division’s total.
The Angry Birds maker is expected to contribute ¥34.7bn ($228m) in sales during the current fiscal year, which is 16% of the wider game division’s projected ¥216.5bn ($1.42bn) total.
Sega also confirmed that Sonic Rumble remains on track for a global launch this winter for iOS, Android, and PC.
Roblox Shares Fell 11% After Missing Forecasts
Roblox stock experienced its worst day since May 2024 after the platform missed Wall Street’s bookings and daily active user forecasts, CNBC reports.
Shares dropped 11.1% after it reported bookings of $1.36bn and daily active users at 85.3 million for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024.
Despite these figures being up 21% and 19% YoY, respectively, they fell short of external estimates of $1.37bn and DAU of 88.2 million. Full-year bookings came in at $4.37bn, up 24% YoY. The company projects bookings to range from $5.2bn to $5.3bn for 2025.
Krafton Revenue Rockets 41%
Revenue and operating profit surged at PUBG maker Krafton, according to GamesIndustry.biz. Full-year revenue rose 42% YoY to $1.85bn, while operating profit climbed 54% YoY to $826m.
Krafton credited its success to the ongoing strength of PUBG and the growing popularity of Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Square Enix Mobile/Browser Sales Decline
Japanese giant Square Enix reported a decline in sales and profit for the first three quarters ending December 31, 2024.
The mobile and PC browser sub-segment saw net sales drop 27.8% YoY to ¥56.3bn ($370m), while operating income fell 58.5% to ¥5.6bn ($36.8m).
Sales for its digital entertainment division decreased 10.7% YoY to ¥160.3bn ($1.05bn). Company-wide sales were down 3.5% YoY to ¥248.5bn ($1.63bn) during the nine-month period, while operating income declined 4.6% to ¥33.3bn ($218.8m).
Apptica Reports IAPs Hit $47bn, Installs Reached 58bn in 2024
Apptica released a new report analyzing the state of the mobile market in 2024. Among its key findings, in-app purchase (IAP) revenue in mobile gaming grew 3.66% YoY to reach $47bn.
The top three countries for IAP revenue were the USA, China, and Japan, collectively accounting for 58.5% of the total. Some major markets saw IAP declines, including China (-0.26%) and Japan (-11.39%), while the highest growth was recorded in Malaysia (+18.43%), Singapore (+18.08%), and France (+12.86%).
Global mobile game downloads also rose 2.1% YoY to 58bn. India led with 8.91bn installs (+0.68%), followed by Brazil with 6.2bn (+0.98%) and the USA with 5.23bn (+0.77%).
The top 15 markets all recorded YoY download growth, with the highest increases in Pakistan (+7.14%), Italy (+3.77%), and China (+3.43%).
Conclusion
The mobile gaming industry continues to show resilience and growth, despite fluctuations in individual company performances. While Solitaire Grand Harvest’s success highlights the power of niche casual gaming, the struggles of companies like Square Enix and Rovio reflect shifting market dynamics. Roblox’s dip in stock value underscores the importance of meeting investor expectations, whereas Krafton’s strong financials emphasize the enduring appeal of battle royale titles. Meanwhile, the mobile gaming market overall continues to expand, with rising IAP revenues and increasing global downloads, signifying a healthy and evolving industry poised for further innovation.
