Only 35.51% of U.S. mobile game spending stays in America.
Ever wondered where the rest of that money goes?
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In the first 9 months of 2024,
U.S. mobile gamers spent
~$6.336B on in-app purchases,
but a “surprising” majority of that money
ends up in the hands of foreign developers.
Let’s break down where the other 64.49% of that revenue is flowing.
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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 – $719M
Why 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 country
means 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, prioritizing local creators
helps ensure that economic and cultural benefits
stay within the nation, strengthening the local gaming ecosystem for the long term.
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Now, let’s think beyond the U.S.
Does this trend exist in other countries too?
For example, in countries like Canada
—one of the highest spenders on mobile games—
how many of the top 50 highest-grossing games are
actually Canadian-made?
Or what about the UK, Spain, France, and Germany?
The pattern is often the same:
a large portion of mobile game revenue flows out of the country.
Except one place:
East 🐉
Due in part to the absence of the Latin alphabet,
spending in East countries tends to significantly favor local developers.
Wait for next week’s analysis on the East.
PS. Check out the Apptica for this kind of information
