Following the breakout success of Whiteout Survival, which sparked a wave of enthusiasm for the "simulation management + 4X" hybrid model, a number of publishers rushed to get in on the action.Most recently, EWORLD's prison-themed 4X game Lands of Jail has made a strong showing. According to Sensor Tower data, the game's revenue surged 342% in April alone, surpassing $4 million in combined iOS and Android revenue over the past month. The United States emerged as the top-grossing market, accounting for 33% of total revenue, followed by Germany with 13%. So, how did Lands of Jail leverage the unusual appeal of a prison setting to stand out? And what else contributed to its breakthrough performance in an increasingly saturated genre? […]

At the end of last month, Kunlun Tech released its 2024 financial report, introducing two new revenue segments: "AI Software Technologies" and "Short Drama Platforms.” The latter proved particularly noteworthy, generating over RMB 167 million (approx. $23 million), accounting for 2.96% of total revenue. Among these, DramaWave, launched in the second half of 2024, received prominent attention. According to the report, by the end of March this year, the app had achieved an annualized revenue run rate (ARR) of approximately $120 million and surpassed 10 million monthly active users (MAUs), placing it among the top five players in the sector. Launched in September 2023, DramaWave entered a market already dominated by early movers such as ReelShort, ShortMax, and DramaBox, all […]

Here is an analysis of the global non-gaming app user acquisition marketing trends for April 2025, based on ad data from 50 countries/regions and 28 global media platforms, according to AppGrowing's report. In April 2025, tool apps surpassed shopping apps to become the most heavily represented category among actively advertised non-gaming apps. Tools also accounted for the highest share of newly launched ad campaigns, comprising nearly 14% of all new advertising apps this period.Finance maintained its position as the third-largest category by active app volume. Despite maintaining a significant lead in total ad volume, the shopping category experienced a sharp decline, with ad impressions falling below 10 million. Entertainment, tools, and lifestyle apps followed in the rankings. Ad creatives continued […]

The following analysis of mobile games marketing trends for April 2025 is based on advertising data from AppGrowing across 50 countries and regions, and 28 global media platforms. In this month's breakdown of mobile game ad placements by genre, casino games saw a surge in new launches—new titles accounted for nearly 60% of all casino games currently running ads. Driven by this influx, the casino category overtook both casual and puzzle category to become the most advertised mobile game genre in April. However, in terms of ad volume, casual, puzzle, and RPG games remained the top three genres. Casino games, despite being highly dependent on paid acquisition, ranked only seventh in overall ad impressions. As for creative formats, video ads […]

In 2025, the global mobile advertising market has continued its steady upward trajectory, with both mobile games and non-gaming apps showing significant year-over-year growth in active advertising apps. According to AppGrowing, nearly 50,000 mobile games launched ad campaigns in Q1 2025, marking a 30.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024.For non-gaming apps, the number of advertised products reached approximately 109,000, up 43.7% year-over-year. To mark its fifth anniversary, AppGrowing has officially released the Creative & Strategic Trends in Global Mobile Advertising（2025Q1), offering a comprehensive analysis of advertising trends across the global mobile landscape. This report explores major market developments in Q1 2025, spotlighting advertising strategies across both gaming and non-gaming verticals. It provides deep dives into emerging categories […]

At the end of last month, LTGAMES established a new company, Keyin Technology, in Shenzhen, holding a 45% stake. The remaining shares are owned by Li Xinyu, who also heads LTGAMES's global short drama division.Notably, Li recently posted a job listing for a U.S.-based producer in Los Angeles. In fact, LTGAMES began laying the groundwork for this move back in October 2023, when it established Shenzhen Yunmeng Film & Television Technology Co., injecting RMB 3 million in capital. Less than three months later, its drama app, DramaLet, launched across multiple global markets. So, as a newcomer from the gaming sector, how has LTGAMES fared in the increasingly crowded short drama space? And what prompted this pivot at a time when […]

According to Sensor Tower, Century Games' Whiteout Survival has raked in a staggering $2 billion in global in-app purchase revenue—this figure excludes China's third-party Android channels. As the title celebrates this milestone, AppGrowing has detected the emergence of a new 4X game from Century Games that is beginning to make waves across global markets. In just one month, the game—Kingshot—climbed from around No. 200 to the top 50 on the U.S. iOS grossing charts. It also broke into the top five of the free games ranking and the top 100 grossing games on South Korea's Google Play store. After hands-on testing, it's clear that Kingshot signals Century Games' ambition to replicate the success of Whiteout Survival. 01.Medieval Theme Meets Casual […]

Here is an analysis of the global non-gaming App user acquisition marketing trends for March 2025, based on ad data from 50 countries/regions and 28 global media platforms, according to AppGrowing's report. In March 2025, Shopping, Tools, and Finance remained the top three app categories by share of active ad campaigns in global markets, mirroring the trends observed in February. Notably, Tools reclaimed the top spot in terms of new app launches, accounting for 13.55% of all new entries, while Entertainment also saw strong momentum, surpassing the 10% mark. In terms of advertising volume, Shopping apps continued to dominate, with their total ad impressions increasing further. They were followed by Entertainment, Tools, Travel, and Life apps—suggesting a broader surge in ad […]

The following analysis of mobile games marketing trends for March 2025 is based on advertising data from AppGrowing across 50 countries and regions, and 28 global media platforms. According to AppGrowing, casual, puzzle, and casino games remained the top three categories by share of mobile games advertising in March. Among newly launched titles, casino games led the pack with 34.62% of all new ad campaigns, followed by casual games at 22.09%. In terms of ad volume, both casual and puzzle games saw more than 1.2 million ads deployed, ranking first and second respectively. Notably, action games overtook strategy titles to break into the top five. Video creatives continued to dominate ad formats, accounting for 74.93% of all ads, while image […]

Last month, IYAGAME launched pre-registration for its prison-themed simulation + 4X mobile game, Lands of Jail, across Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. According to AppGrowing’s "Top Pre-Register" ranking, the game secured 2nd place on the App Store and 1st place on Google Play, demonstrating strong pre-launch momentum. Advertising Strategy Analysis Advertising Performance Based on AppGrowing data, Lands of Jail has deployed a total of 2,355 ad creatives, spanning 35 regions and 6 ad platforms. The majority of ads are In-Feed, accounting for over 95% of the total. In terms of creative formats, images make up 51%, while vertical videos account for 46%, achieving a relatively balanced mix between static and video content. Advertising Volume Peaks The game […]