The 2024 US mobile gaming market is experiencing steady growth, with players monthly spending showing resilience and growth, indicating increased normalization within mobile gaming. The sector appeals to diverse demographics, including women and older gamers, while younger male audiences remain highly engaged with gaming broadly. Advertising effectively targets audiences, particularly younger men, but can miss women and older gamers. Cross-platform services like PlayStation+ and Game Pass are showing popularity among mobile players. AI integration is anticipated to enhance gaming, while legal challenges may impact major manufacturers and the market. Opportunities lie in culturally relevant marketing and games promoting healthy digital habits for children.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Steady growth in mobile gaming projected for 2024
- Diverse demographics engaged in mobile gaming
- Stable spending patterns with increasing player investment
- Advertising effectiveness, particularly among younger audiences
- Cross-platform engagement with services like PlayStation+ and Xbox Game Pass
- Legal battles affecting mobile gaming dynamics
- Parental concerns over children’s smartphone use
Mobile's robust revenue, diverse user base and advertising-friendly monetization model make it an ideal platform for brands and advertisers to engage with players.
Brian Benway, Senior Tech and Gaming Analyst
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Global video game market size
- Market predictions
- Thousands of new mobile games launch daily, but few reach the top of the charts
- Almost every 18-54 year old has tried a free mobile game in the past year
- PlayStation+ is the most used mobile gaming service or accessory
- Engage the core audience of young men while expanding appeal to broader demographics
- Opportunities to help build healthier relationships with kids and mobile tech
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- The US expanded by 3% in Q2 2024
- Graph 1: quarterly real GDP growth, 2020-24
- Annual inflation is within range of the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate
- Graph 2: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-24
- Consumer sentiment rebounds after a number of months on the slide
- Graph 3: consumer sentiment index, 2022-24
- Households’ growth in finances has primarily been driven by salary gains
- Graph 4: income growth over the past 12 months, by change in financial situation, 2024
- Gaming market
- Global video gaming revenue is forecasted for slow and steady growth of 3.1%
- Graph 5: global video game industry revenue, 2019-26
- 2.1% year-on-year growth, console declines while PC and mobile grow
- Graph 6: global video game industry revenue share (% billions), by device, 2024
- Healthy mix of classic and newer titles contribute to mobile’s dynamic ecosystem
- Market drivers
- Is Netflix gaming a slow burn or failure to launch?
- The battles between Epic Games and big mobile
- Apple in the crosshairs, scrutinized as a monopoly
- Is this EU law a blueprint for mobile markets in the US?
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Mobile gamers by the numbers
- Mobile gaming is accessible, easily monetized and an essential part of gaming
- Graph 7: gaming device usage in the past three months, 2024
- Mobile has the broadest and most diverse audience of any gaming sector
- Graph 8: mobile gaming device usage in the past three months, by age and gender, 2024
- Apple has a big lead over Android manufacturers individually, but together they have Apple beat
- Graph 9: mobile device brand used for gaming, 2024
- Mobile gaming has a vested interest in ensuring players return day after day
- Graph 10: gaming frequency, 2024
- Understanding why gamers play games can helps focus the whole picture
- Graph 11: top reasons for playing video games, aside from the entertainment value (any rank), mobile gamers, 2024
- Getting to know Mintel’s gamer segments
- Mobile games played
- There are thousands of new mobile games launched each day, few can hope to rise to the top of the charts
- Graph 12: mobile games played, 2024
- The quick play nature of mobile maybe highly appealing to busy Millennials
- Graph 13: mobile games played, by generation, 2024
- Players become entrenched in the games they play, but no game lasts forever
- Graph 14: mobile games retention & churn (% agree), by age 2024
- None of the top games appeal less to diverse audiences, but some appeal more
- Graph 15: mobile games played, by race or ethnicity, 2024
- While everyone everywhere has a phone, rural areas lags behind in gaming
- Graph 16: mobile games played, by race or ethnicity, 2024
- Mobile gaming related activities
- Downloading a free to play mobile game remains the most popular way to engage with the mobile gaming market
- Graph 17: downloaded a free mobile game in the past year, 2022-24
- Almost every 18-54 year old has tried a free mobile game in the past year
- Graph 18: downloaded a free mobile game in the past year, by age, 2024
- Mobile game spending activities are up across the board in 2024
- Graph 19: mobile gaming spending related activities participation in the past year, 2022-24
- While spending is up, gamers are on edge against rising costs
- Graph 20: budget-related mobile gaming attitudes (% agree), by age, 2024
- Mobile game spending activities are up in 2024
- Graph 21: mobile gaming spending related activities participation in the past year, by gender and age, 2024
- How do we get them spending more?
- Graph 22: spending-related attitudes towards mobile gaming (% agree), by gender, 2024
- Mobile game spenders are primarily younger-leaning male city dwellers
- Graph 23: mobile gaming spending related activities participation in the past year, by area, 2024
- Mobile gamers who are also weekly console, computer, and/or VR gamers drive mobile game spending
- Graph 24: mobile gaming spending related activities participation in the past year, by gaming segments – device and frequency, 2024
- Mobile game spending
- Say what you will about the dark patterns in mobile gaming monetization, the spending has been normalized
- Graph 25: estimated spend on mobile games and buying items within mobile games in a typical month, 2024
- Spending at the high end is up in 2024, lower end spending is down
- Graph 26: estimated spend on mobile games and buying items within mobile games in a typical month, 2020-24
- Age shows stronger bell curves of tapering interest as spending increases
- Graph 27: estimated spend on mobile games and buying items within mobile games in a typical month, by age, 2024
- Mobile services and accessories
- PlayStation+ is the most used mobile gaming service or accessory
- Graph 28: gaming services or accessories used in the past three months, 2024
- Women and older mobile gamers are least likely to use services and accessories
- Graph 29: use at least one mobile service and/or accessory, by age and gender, 2024
- Women are more interested in their mobile phone as a stand alone platform
- Graph 30: gaming services or accessories used in the past three months, by gender, 2024
- Highlighting PlayStation+ connectivity showcases mobile’s versatility
- Graph 31: gaming services used in the past three months, by gaming segments – device and frequency, 2024
- Highly engaged gamers want to push their mobile experience closer to what they have on traditional gaming devices
- Graph 32: gaming accessories used in the past three months, by gaming segments – device and frequency, 2024
- Luna’s cloud gaming appeal may be hindered by its browser-based play, a dedicated app and awareness campaign may be in order
- Graph 33: gaming services used in the past three months, by age, 2024
- Younger players are more likely to play games that benefit from accessories
- Graph 34: gaming accessories used in the past three months, by age, 2024
- Advertising reactions in mobile games
- Mobile gaming advertising is an accepted trade off for free-to-play gaming
- Graph 35: reaction to video gaming related advertisements seen in the past three months, 2024
- Balancing advertising focus could unlock untapped potential in women gamers
- Graph 36: “none of these”, by age and gender, 2024
- Mobile game advertisements drive awareness and hype, and are a sign of a successful game
- Graph 37: “I’m more likely to keep playing a game I currently enjoy if I frequently see new advertising for it” (% agree), by age, 2024
- Advertising resonates more with younger mobile gamers, but there is a big caveat
- Graph 38: reaction to video gaming related advertisements seen in the past three months, by age, 2024
- Hispanic mobile gamers may be a little more polarized by ads they see in games
- Graph 39: advertising reactions in mobile games (select), Black and Hispanic consumers vs overall, 2024
- Motivations
- Gamers appreciate the productive aspect of gaming, viewing it not as time wasted but as time spent achieving enjoyable small tasks
- Graph 40: mental health impact related attitudes towards mobile games (% agree), by age, 2024
- Mobile gamers want to see the gaming industry to do some good in the world
- Graph 41: social responsibility related attitudes towards mobile games (% agree), by age, 2024
- The interest is there, but Black mobile gamers may not find many games supporting their causes
- Graph 42: attitudes towards mobile gaming (% agree), Black consumers vs overall, 2024
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Innovation and Marketing strategies
- Launch activity and innovation
- Microsoft boldly declares everything that plays games is an Xbox
- Genshin’s impact is being felt across the mobile games sector
- Bringing the hit looter-shooter Sci-Fi MMORPG to mobile screens
- Samsung touts the immersive gaming power of their folding devices
- Reaction to this ad highlight broadly held tech fears, including AI
- Marketing and advertising
- Premium AAA gaming on mobile is just a marketing gimmick
- A growing effort to keep kids away from phones
- Parents worry gaming pushing kids toward gambling
- Gamifying activity to promote healthier kids
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Appendix
- Consumer research questions
- Mintel gamer segments – motivations
- Graph 43: Mintel gamer segments – motivations, 2024
- Gamer segments – Achievers and Explorers
- Gamer segments – Socializers and Competitors
- Mintel gamer segments – device and frequency
- Graph 44: Mintel gamer segments – device and frequency, 2024
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
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