How TikTok’s US Ban Could Reshape Mobile Gaming Marketing
TikTok went offline on Saturday.
The law passed by Congress last year gave TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance until Jan 19 to divest from TikTok or be cut off from U.S. App Stores and hosting services. TikTok said a sale wasn’t possible and challenged the law in court, but the Supreme Court rejected it on Friday.
Trump on Sunday posted that he’d restore TikTok, first writing “SAVE TIKTOK” and then vowing to issue an executive order on Monday to extend the time before the law takes effect. Further, he said there would be no liability for companies that helped keep TikTok from going dark before the order went into effect.
Users who try to access TikTok in the U.S. are now greeted with a message saying they can’t use the App right now.
However, TikTok is already back.
More? Marvel Snap is now banned following the TikTok US Ban.
Marvel Snap’s publisher Nuverse is owned by TikTok parent company ByteDance.
Industry’s Take?
I think TikTok ban is kind of not the point.
Strong reminder for Studios: Not to heavily rely on a single UA channel.
– This will be short-lived. I believe that once Trump gets into power he will somehow revert the decision. Either that or a sale will eventually happen once Bytedance realises that the American government is serious.
– AppLovin will be the real winner. Advertisers will increase budgets and overall look to them to compensate for the loss in user acquisition.
– Gaming session times for the Gen Z (and younger) demographic will increase overall as the audience spends more time in their second preference. The age-old “Time Economy” battle just got a bit easier.
– A wave of competing apps will initially get a surge of downloads and adoption whilst users look to scratch that itch but it won’t affect gaming advertisers overall as they don’t have the same infrastructure to support developers.
– CPI’s on other channels increase marginally as developers who depend on TikTok flock to other platforms and increase competition.
Phillip Black‘s take: TikTok was just the beginning.
The Chinese government is about to gain a massive advantage with the behavioral data of gamers. Can you imagine what they’ll do when they learn the proper counter to a Tier 1 Silver Surfer Marvel Snap deck? Further, consider the hundreds of gamers suffering from the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang ban, unable to feast on mobile MOBAs.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄: 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆, “𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸.”
1. TikTok’s Role in Mobile Gaming
TikTok’s vertical video format and algorithmic discovery have made it indispensable for our UA Folks. How?
- Go Viral: Titles like Among Us and Subway Surfers became household names through TikTok trends.
- Engage: TikTok’s community of gaming influencers created organic, authentic promotional content.
- Installs: Quick gameplay snippets seamlessly transitioned viewers from watching to downloading.
The platform’s ability to generate viral challenges, like high-score contests or creative gameplay edits, kinda became a cultural hub.
2. Financial Fallout for Mobile Game Marketers
TikTok’s U.S. Ad Revenue reached $12.34 billion in 2024, with gaming accounting for a significant share.
- Good old Days: TikTok offered some of the highest ROIs for mobile game ads.
- Solid Targeting: TikTok’s algorithm and user data were invaluable for precision marketing.
- Limit Virality: Organic reach that drove installs from minimal budgets would be hard to replicate elsewhere.
3. Creators’ Careers at Risk
Gaming creators have built careers on TikTok. Time to migrate to platforms like YouTube or Instagram…
4. Fragmented Mobile Gaming Communities
TikTok’s ban could disrupt the vibrant gaming communities.
Discord & Telegram might fill some gaps but lack TikTok’s discoverability and scale.
5. Seizing Opportunities on Emerging Platforms
The ban opens the door for new platforms to claim TikTok’s space. Devs and marketers should:
- Alternatives: Early adoption of platforms like Lemon8 or RedNote could provide first-mover advantages.
- Adapt Campaigns: Use TikTok’s impending shutdown as a creative hook (e.g., “No TikTok? No problem. Join our game’s challenge here!”).
- Search Trends: Target users searching for “TikTok alternatives” with tailored ads and content.
More?
Check out this solid article by our friends from PocketGamer.
