We took a close look at how mobile gaming changed in the first quarter of 2025 compared to last year. It’s clear the market is shifting, and not always in the ways you might expect.
Overall, downloads dropped on both platforms, but revenue tells a different story—especially on iOS.
Platform Performance: Android vs. iOS
Android had a tougher start this year. Downloads went from 13.53 billion in Q1 2024 to 12.38 billion in Q1 2025, which is about an 8.5% drop. Revenue also slipped by 4.8%, landing at $4.78 billion.
iOS, on the other hand, stayed pretty steady. Downloads dipped just slightly, but revenue actually grew by 2.4%, reaching $7.14 billion.
So while fewer people downloaded games on iOS, those who did were spending more. No real surprise there, but it’s good to see the gap widening in real numbers.
Genre Breakdown
Casual and Puzzle games continue to pull in the most downloads across both platforms.
Simulation and Action games are also strong on Android, which fits with what we’re seeing from user behavior—short, quick experiences are still a hit.
When we look at revenue, it’s a different story. Role Playing and Strategy games are leading across the board. But iOS is doing a better job monetizing almost every genre.
A few things stood out:
- iOS generated about 40% more revenue than Android in Role Playing.
- Card, Family, and Action games perform a lot better on iOS too.
- Casual and Puzzle games are still huge, but they monetize much better on iOS.
- Android revenue is leaning pretty heavily on RPGs and Strategy. iOS has a more even spread across genres, which helps keep revenue stable.
Regional Differences
Looking at country-level data, the differences get even more interesting.
On Android:
- The US is driving most of the revenue for Puzzle (42%), Casual (39.5%), and Casino (50.1%).
- Japan is all about Role Playing (23.8%) and Simulation (28.5%).
- South Korea stays loyal to RPGs, with Role Playing leading at 22.3%.
On iOS:
- The US dominates Puzzle (50.7%), Family (54.5%), and Casino (57.9%).
- China is a big market for Action (46.1%) and Simulation (37.9%).
- Japan leans toward narrative-driven genres like Adventure and Role Playing.
So if you’re building Action or Simulation games, China’s looking better than ever. For Puzzle and Casino, the US continues to be the place to be.
What It Means Going Forward
- iOS is holding its ground and growing in revenue even with fewer downloads.
- Android still owns a huge share of the download volume, but when it comes to making money, iOS is pulling ahead.
- For teams working on new launches or scaling titles, a few things are clear:
- If you’re targeting iOS, it’s smart to think about diversifying beyond the top genres.
- Geography matters more than ever—different markets are behaving in very different ways.
- There’s still plenty of opportunity out there. The players are active, and the money’s flowing—it’s just shifting a little.
If you want to dive deeper into the numbers or chat about what this could mean for your next campaign, feel free to reach out.
