Which Country’s Developers Are Taking Japanese Mobile Gamers’ Money?

In the first 9 months of 2024, Japanese mobile game players spent ~$3.257 billion on games across Android and iOS platforms. But what's really fascinating is that 61% of this spending—about $1.99 billion—went to games developed by Japanese companies. Just a little note, 35.51% of the money spent by American players in the same time period goes into the pockets of American developers, you can check it out here. Data Source: Apptica Singapore (13.61%) ranked 2nd in successfully taking the most money from Japanese players' pockets, followed by China (8,79%) in 3rd, Hong Kong (5,17%) in 4th, the USA (4,81%) in 5th, Turkey (4,02%) in 6th, Finland (1,14%) in 7th, South Korea (1,00%) in 8th, and Ireland (0,34%) in 9th. This overwhelming preference for homegrown titles isn’t just about patriotism or familiarity; it’s a reflection of deeper cultural, social, and […]

Yagiz Gur October 14

Journal

Only 35.51% of U.S. mobile game spending stays in America.

Only 35.51% of U.S. mobile game spending stays in America.Ever wondered where the rest of that money goes?***In the first 9 months of 2024,U.S. mobile gamers spent~$6.336B on in-app purchases,but a "surprising" majority of that moneyends up in the hands of foreign developers.Let’s break down where the other 64.49% of that revenue is flowing.***Top 3 Countries Profiting Most from U.S. Mobile Players:🥇 USA Mobile Game Devs - $2.250M🥈 Israel Mobile Game Devs - $742M🥉 Turkey Mobile Game Devs - $719MWhy Spending on Local Games Matters:When people spend on locally produced mobile games,it benefits their country’s economy in a big way.Choosing games developed within a countrymeans more of the revenue stays local,supporting jobs, innovation, and the growth of homegrown talent.In contrast, when the majority of consumer spending flows to foreign developers,it limits opportunities for domestic studios to thrive.In a global market, […]

Yagiz Gur October 7

Journal

24 Pre-order iOS Games

I've been keeping a close eye on 24 pre-order iOS games. Some I follow because I love their graphics,some for their high level of innovation,and others because I think the publisher could have a big influence.I believe these are the games we'll be talking a lot about in terms of iOS performance soon.

Yagiz Gur September 15

Journal

1 Game: 0.72% of All Mobile Game Ads in US

One game alone is displaying 0.72% of all mobile game ads in the U.S.! Based on Apptica Ad Monetization data, here's the list of the top 10 games getting the most ad exposure in the U.S. last month: 1️⃣ Phase 10: World Tour2️⃣ Bubble Shooter: Pop & Blast3️⃣ Spades Plus - Card Game4️⃣ Rope Hero: Mafia City Wars5️⃣ Solitaire6️⃣ UNO!7️⃣ Tennis Arena8️⃣ Brain Who? Tricky Riddle Tests9️⃣ Superhero: Battle for Justice🔟 Brick Out - Shoot the BallThese games are not just grabbing players' attention, but also dominating ad traffic, making them the top choices for advertisers to push their campaigns. 💰

Yagiz Gur September 8

Journal

Level up Your LinkedIn Feed!

If you're in the gaming industry, here's how to level up your LinkedIn feed:💼 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀• Amir Satvat• Ömer Yakabagi• Alexander Rehm🎮 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻• Jakub Remiar• Michal Tomcany• Sergei Zenkin📈 𝗨𝗔 (𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)• Matej 🦩 Lancaric• Claire Rozain• Myoungwon K.💰 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻• Michael Kopelovich• Felix Braberg• Oxana Fomina🎬 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻• Anton Slashcev• Ahmetcan Demirel• Sergei Vasiuk🧠 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀• Gökhan Üzmez• Andrei Zubov• Ryan K. Rigney🎙️ 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀• Ali Farha• Harry Phokou• Adrien Bacchi ⚡🐦⚡💸 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁• Ilia Eremeev• Robin Guo• Robert Wynne📊 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 / 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀• Paul Levchuk• Carly Taylor, M.Sc.• Yasin Hatiboğlu

Yagiz Gur September 7

Journal

2023: Publishers over $1M IAP or 1M Downloads

In the U.S.,out of 5,236 Android publishers,only 89 made $1M+ in IAP revenue,but 239 hit 1M+ downloads.For iOS:Out of 2,695 U.S.-based publishers,146 made $1M+ in IAP revenue,and 118 hit 1M+ downloads.***Takeaways:↳ Hong Kong publishers have the highest success rates on both platforms. (In-Game Spending Know-How Center ⭐️)↳ On Android, hitting 1M downloads is easier than making $1M in IAP.↳ Turkey and Spain have the lowest $1M+ IAP success rates on both platforms... (🆘)***Why are Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong so successful?My thoughts:1) The U.S. is the biggest gaming market,↳ and it’s easy for global developers to enter. But East is the 2nd biggest, and it's tough to crack. Companies born there have a better shot because they know the culture.2) Great Execution > Everything:↳ I feel like West devs aren’t as passionate about game-making as East devs. It’s not just […]

Yagiz Gur September 2

Journal

Keep Players Happy With Rewards

—a common game dev mantra.It makes sense,but have you ever wondered why?***There's a scientific theory behind it:Reinforcement Theory. *** In simple terms,it means that the likelihood of a behavior being repeated in the future depends on the consequences that follow it.1) 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: In games, positive reinforcement happens when players receive rewards after completing an action. This motivates them to repeat that action.↳ For example, giving a reward when a player finishes a level motivates them to complete the next one. Or, in a slot game, hitting a mega win pushes the player to keep searching for the next mega win.*2) 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: This increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated by removing an unpleasant situation. In other words, something the player doesn't like goes away after they perform a certain action, encouraging them to repeat it.↳ Remember the […]

Yagiz Gur August 29

Journal

Unlocking the Secrets: How Gaming Supercharges Your Brain Chemistry?

Great to see you all! Hello mobile game enthusiasts! 🤩 Games are a powerful tool that shapes players' brains. Crafting these experiences leaves a lasting impact.It is possible to design the experience hormonally:Dopamine 🎉𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀: The "feel-good hormone," key for pleasure, reward, and motivation.𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆: Leveling up, achieving success, winning rewards.𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀: Increases pleasure and happiness, and boosts motivation.𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Think of the joy when beating a tough area in Dark Souls or unlocking a rare achievement in WoW. That’s dopamine rewarding your effort.-Adrenaline 🚀𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀: The "fight or flight" hormone, preps the body for action.𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆: Thrilling scenes, enemy encounters.𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀: Increases heart rate, boosts energy and alertness.𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: Feel your heart race during a boss battle in Sekiro or when you're carefully pulling your fallen friend in Chained Together? That’s adrenaline.-Serotonin 🌞𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀: Stabilizes mood, well-being, and happiness.𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆: […]

Yagiz Gur August 4

Journal

New Games From Freshmens [Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2024]

Hello mobile game enthusiasts! 🤩 Great to see you all! In the past 7 days, 122 games were published for the first time by new developer accounts.↳ 20 on Android↳ 102 on iOSBreakdown:Android:↳ 4 out of 20 are Action games. 💥↳ 3 out of 20 are Card games. 🃏↳ 2 out of 20 are Simulation games. 🏗️↳ 2 out of 20 are Arcade games. 🕹️↳ 2 out of 20 are Puzzle games. 🧩iOS:↳ 29 out of 102 are Casino games. 🎰↳ 5 out of 102 are Casual games. 😎↳ 4 out of 102 are Simulation games. 🏗️↳ 3 out of 102 are Strategy games. 🏰↳ 3 out of 102 are Role Playing games. ⚔️The voice echoing in my brain: Why so many casino games? Will i see similar data next week?Data source: AppticaPS: These are the first games ever published […]

Yagiz Gur August 2

Journal

Game Development Doesn’t Mean Game Business

The financial success of game studios relies on business strategies. Hello mobile game enthusiasts! 🤩 Great to see you all! The gaming industry continues to show its tough side.😒 Back in 2019, it was almost routine to see games achieving 100 million downloads on Android and 30 million on iOS (1/3 ratio)... But now, that seems almost impossible, even 100m-15m is challenging... Nobody is happy with the situation. Is this the end of the world? Not at all. But it does call for a reckoning. Game development shouldn't be profitable for everyone; only the bests should remain. This is natural selection. I had to close my own studio, just like many other founders. The supply-demand balance is off – there's too much supply, making demand more selective. If supply decreases, demand will have fewer choices. Every industry has its ups […]

Yagiz Gur July 18

Journal

Toxic vs Healthy Game Experience

Your game isn’t irreplaceable; Players have countless alternatives just like yours.If you make a mistake and frustrate a player, they'll simply find a better experience elsewhere. Here are some mistakes that can cause churn: Pre-Game:↳ 📂 High file sizes and long download times.↳ 📝 Requiring players to create an account before entering the game.FTUE (First Time User Experience):↳ 🧩 Offering a complex, text-heavy, and confusing onboarding experience.Mid-Game:↳⏳ Not having enough content to keep players engaged for 14 days or repetitive gameplay.Long-Game:↳🚫 Lack of Live-Ops and not fostering a sense of belonging among players.Yes, you can make these mistakes. Because you are human.But remember, the cost of losing a user is higher than acquiring a new one.So, aim to be healthy, not toxic.

Yagiz Gur July 16

Yagiz Gur

Login to enjoy full advantages

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Cancel subscription