The following analysis of mobile games marketing trends for May 2025 is based on advertising data from AppGrowing across 50 countries and regions, and 28 global media platforms.
In the latest AppGrowing data on mobile game ad distribution by category, Casual, Entertainment, and Puzzle games ranked in the top three.
Entertainment remained the top genre for new creatives, accounting for 28.58% of all new ads. Casual games showed strong creative refresh momentum, with new creatives making up 26.93%, narrowing the gap with Entertainment. Meanwhile, Puzzle, Adventure, and Arcade also exceeded 10% in new ad share.
In terms of total ad volume, Casual and Puzzle again led the pack, with nearly identical levels of ad output. RPG, Simulation, and Entertainment rounded out the top five.
When it comes to ad formats, video remains dominant, accounting for 74.33% of creatives, while images make up 25.33%. Videos between 16 and 30 seconds are the most widely used, representing 53.69% of total video assets.
01.Top Mobile Game Developers & Mobile Games
According to AppGrowing’s ad monitoring data, there was significant reshuffling among top advertisers in May. Matchingham Games claimed the No.1 spot, replacing former leader Oakever Games, which fell to second. Teos Oyun and Playrix saw explosive growth in ad volume, landing them at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
Notably, hard-core game publishers showed stronger presence in the top ranks this cycle. Yotta Games and IGG both broke into the top 10. FunPlus ramped up its investment in titles like DC: Dark Legion™, climbing to No. 19. Meanwhile, Century Games shifted focus to new title Kingshot, reaching No. 22.
In the product-level Top 30 ranking, major changes were also observed. Braindom overtook Jigsawscapes® to claim the top spot, with the latter dropping to sixth. Brain Who? Tricky Riddle Tests and One Line took second and third.
Though hard-core games still account for a relatively small share of top titles, 4X games dominate this segment. Yotta's The Grand Mafia cracked the top 10, while Mafia City ranked No. 26. IGG had two SLG titles on the list, and Eworld added one more.
02.Top Pre-registering Games
On the pre-registration front, Eskyfun's 神諭：魅影冰姬 topped both Google Play and the App Store charts. As its launch approaches, Habby's Wittle Defender gained momentum, ranking No. 8 on the App Store and No. 5 on Google Play.
Also worth watching is Umamusume: Pretty Derby, a game that fuses Japan's unique horse racing culture with anime aesthetics. Originally released in Japan in 2021, it generated over $100 million in its first month.
Another notable title is KAIJU NO. 8 THE GAME, based on a hit manga series with over 18 million copies sold in Japan. The game has already surpassed one million pre-registrations.
03. Habby Global Advertising Layout
In April, Habby soft-launched Wittle Defender in select regions. Following Capybara Go! and Archero 2, this marks the studio's third title released within a year. The game follows Habby's signature hybrid formula: light gameplay with mid-core progression. Gameplay-wise, Wittle Defender combines in-session roguelike tower defense with out-of-session card-based progression.
However, ad spend is still focused on Archero 2 and Capybara Go!, which together account for over 50% of Habby's ad volume. Regionally, the company has prioritized Tier-1 markets, with the top seven regions being the US, Taiwan of China, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, France, Australia, and Canada.
In terms of ad trends, Wittle Defender showed a dip-and-rise pattern in May. Daily ad volume dropped from over 1,200 at the beginning of the month to under 500, but rebounded as launch approached.
The game's creatives lean heavily into gameplay showcases while amplifying appeal through meme culture. One standout asset splits the screen into four tiers to show increasing player power over time—tapping into the satisfying progression loop. Each stage is paired with large emoji reactions, aligning with Gen Z’s visual language. The ad closes with a bold key visual and a strong call-to-action to download.
