Jessica Clement
Senior research expert covering video games
Mobile gaming market in the United States - Statistics & Facts
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Gaming apps are among the most popular app categories in the United States and have the earning potential to match this status. Mobile is one of the biggest segments of the video gaming market in the United States, ranking second only after advertising. With potential like this, what are the stand-out features of the mobile gaming market in the United States and what are the major brands?
Azur Games, Voodoo, and SayGames were the leading gaming app publishers in the United States based on monthly downloads in April 2025. These studios focus on casual gaming apps, indicating the most popular mobile gaming genre in the market. Additionally, app publishers in the social casino segment were also heavily represented among the highest-grossing iPhone gaming app publishers in the United States.
Overall, the mobile gaming market is booming and is the most mainstream gaming option for U.S. audiences. The casual nature of the most popular mobile games ensures that there is a low entry barrier for getting into new games, and if it doesn’t suit, there are dozens more like it, ensuring that there is a mobile game out there for everyone. As long as mobile game developers can keep up delivering a steady stream of fresh gaming content (and why wouldn’t they) , the mobile market will continue to be a major force in gaming.
What motivates mobile users to spend money on gaming content?
The majority of mobile gaming apps are free-to-play (F2P) and are monetized either via ads or through in-app purchases. Considering that many players are willing to pay to upgrade their mobile gaming experience, F2P games have become a much-loved monetization tool among mobile developers. A survey of mobile gaming spenders in the United States and Canada found that the primary in-game spending motivation was to enhance gameplay progression, followed by personal enjoyment and satisfaction. Additionally, the most popular types of in-app purchases were in-game currency or gems, followed by bundles (a mix of various items). Overall, about a third of average spenders in the U.S. and Canada made in-app purchases only every few months.High-scoring mobile gaming apps and publishers
The ranking of the most downloaded gaming apps in the Google Play Store in the United States is dominated by casual gaming titles like Block Blast and Royal Kingdom. When looking at the highest-grossing gaming apps in the App Store, the picture is very similar, highlighting the revenue possibilities of the casual gaming genre.Azur Games, Voodoo, and SayGames were the leading gaming app publishers in the United States based on monthly downloads in April 2025. These studios focus on casual gaming apps, indicating the most popular mobile gaming genre in the market. Additionally, app publishers in the social casino segment were also heavily represented among the highest-grossing iPhone gaming app publishers in the United States.
Which mobile gaming genre is the most popular?
When looking at the most popular mobile gaming genres in the United States,, casual gaming apps generated 840 million downloads in the United States in 2024 and ranked first by a generous margin. Puzzle and action games followed, accounting for close to 774 million and 692 million downloads that year alone, respectively.Overall, the mobile gaming market is booming and is the most mainstream gaming option for U.S. audiences. The casual nature of the most popular mobile games ensures that there is a low entry barrier for getting into new games, and if it doesn’t suit, there are dozens more like it, ensuring that there is a mobile game out there for everyone. As long as mobile game developers can keep up delivering a steady stream of fresh gaming content (and why wouldn’t they) , the mobile market will continue to be a major force in gaming.
Jessica Clement
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Jun 2, 2025
Jessica Clement
Senior research expert covering video games
