Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Gaming revenue growth to continue
- Other app categories closing the gap
- Gaming the largest app category for purchasing
- Gaming revolutionised with cross-play and cross-progress
- Mobile an emerging eSport segment
- Messenger apps offer instant-access social gaming
- Companies and brands
- Candy Crush a lesson in game longevity
- ROBLOX offers users an immersive gaming world
- Pokémon ties mobile gaming with the Nintendo Switch
- Epic Games bypasses Google Play with Android Fortnite release
- Google maps supports location-based games
- ASUS ROG smartphone a high-spec device for gaming
- The consumer
- Gaming branches out beyond dedicated gaming apps
- Those that play mobile games do so regularly
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- Figure 1: Regularity of app usage, by category, July 2018
- Short-burst gaming formats lead mobile genres
- Adventure and Action games have significant room for growth
- Consumable purchases ideal for single-player gaming
- Cosmetic items are gaming’s solution to “pay-to-win”
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- Figure 2: Types of purchases made in mobile games, July 2018
- Word of mouth most likely to prompt discovery
- Brand awareness through mobile and console game spin-offs
- Game trailers remain an effective promotional tool
- Mobile gaming still most often done alone
- Social gaming most popular with friends
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- Figure 3: Social mobile gaming, July 2018
- Competing for rewards an appealing aspect
- Battery life an important barrier to regular gaming
- Daily rewards a simple way to foster loyalty
- Data usage not a deal-breaker
- Multi-platforming provides additional revenue streams
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- Figure 4: Barriers and incentives to mobile gaming, July 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Will more games choose to bypass the Play Store?
- The facts
- The implications
- The effect of cross-play and cross-progress
- The facts
- The implications
- Do purchasable cosmetic items translate from core gaming platforms to mobile?
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Strong gaming revenue growth
- Other app categories are catching up
- Gaming remains main app category for purchasing
- Game franchises continue to expand to mobile
- Gaming revolutionised with cross-play and cross-progress
- Mobile an emerging eSport segment
- Innovation creating new trends in mobile gaming
Market Size and Forecast
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- Gaming revenue growth to continue
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- Figure 5: Forecast for the value of the UK mobile gaming market, 2013-23
- Other app categories closing the gap
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- Figure 6: Mobile gaming and total mobile device app revenue in the UK Apple App Store and Google Play, 2013-23
- Figure 7: Top app categories on the UK Apple App Store and Google Play, by revenue, H1 2018
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- Gaming the largest app category for purchasing
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- Figure 8: App purchasing, July 2018
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- Figure 9: In-app purchasing, July 2018
- Game franchises continue to expand to mobile
- Gaming revolutionised with cross-play and cross-progress
- Cross-play in a competitive environment
- Spend on mobile advertising increases
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- Figure 10: Mobile adspend as a proportion of total digital expenditure, 2010-17
- Mobile an emerging eSport segment
- Innovation creating new trends in mobile gaming
- Augmented reality and real-time location services
- Massively-multiplayer games
- Increasing pressure to protect children in games
- Messenger apps offer instant-access social gaming
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Candy Crush a lesson in game longevity
- ROBLOX offers users an immersive gaming world
- Niantic maintain a dedicated following
- Pokémon ties mobile gaming with the Nintendo Switch
- Epic Games bypasses Google Play with Android Fortnite release
- ASUS ROG smartphone a high-spec device for gaming
Market Share
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- Candy Crush a lesson in game longevity
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- Figure 11: Top mobile games on the iOS App Store, by UK revenue, H1 2018
- Figure 12: Top mobile games on Google Play, by UK revenue, H1 2018
- ROBLOX offers users an immersive gaming world
- Niantic maintain a dedicated following
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Bethesda announces RPG based on the Elder Scrolls series
- Pokémon ties mobile gaming with the Nintendo Switch
- New Apple iPhones renew focus on gaming
- Epic Games bypasses Google Play with Android Fortnite release
- EA revives its Command & Conquer series with a mobile game
- Google maps supports location-based games
- Location-based gaming expands with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
- ASUS ROG smartphone a high-spec device for gaming
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- Figure 13: The ASUS Republic of Gaming smartphone
- Apple removes independent gambling apps
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Niantic and King’s advertising reflects dominant position in mobile gaming
- TV and digital display advertising lead promotional materials
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- Figure 14: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on mobile gaming, Aug 2017-Jul 2018
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Gaming branches out beyond dedicated gaming apps
- Those that play mobile games do so regularly
- Short-burst gaming formats lead mobile genres
- Adventure and Action games have significant room for growth
- Virtual currency creates an in-game economy
- Consumable purchases ideal for single-player gaming
- Cosmetic items are gaming’s solution to “pay-to-win”
- Mobile gaming still most often done alone
- Battery life an important barrier to regular gaming
Gaming App Usage
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- Gaming branches out beyond dedicated gaming apps
- Those that play mobile games do so regularly
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- Figure 15: Regularity of app usage, by category, July 2018
- Women match men on mobile gaming
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- Figure 16: Regularity of gaming app usage, by gender, July 2018
Genres Played
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- Short-burst gaming formats lead mobile genres
- Adventure and Action games have significant room for growth
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- Figure 17: Genres of mobile game played, July 2018
In-game Purchasing
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- Virtual currency creates an in-game economy
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- Figure 18: Purchasing of in-game currency, July 2018
- Consumable purchases ideal for single-player gaming
- Cosmetic items are gaming’s solution to “pay-to-win”
- Randomised bundles help maintain an item economy
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- Figure 19: Types of purchases made in mobile games, July 2018
Game Discovery
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- Word of mouth most likely to prompt discovery
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- Figure 20: Motivations for game downloads, by all users and in-app purchasers, July 2018
- Brand awareness through mobile and console game spin-offs
- Game trailers remain an effective promotional tool
Social Gaming
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- Mobile gaming still most often done alone
- Social gaming most popular with friends
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- Figure 21: Social mobile gaming, July 2018
- Competing for rewards an appealing aspect
- In-game communication is not yet refined on mobile
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- Figure 22: Appeal of social gaming, July 2018
Barriers and Incentives to Gaming
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- Battery life an important barrier to regular gaming
- Daily rewards a simple way to foster loyalty
- Data usage not a deal-breaker
- Dedicated gaming devices pique the interest of over a quarter of gamers
- Multi-platforming provides additional revenue streams
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- Figure 23: Barriers and incentives to mobile gaming, July 2018
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations, and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Market forecast
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- Figure 24: Forecast of UK mobile gaming revenue, 2018-23
- Forecast methodology
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