In recent years, South Korea's influence in the global anime-style games market has gradually increased, with several high-performing titles emerging, such as "Goddess of Victory: NIKKE" and "Limbus Company." Among them, SmileGate's "Epic Seven" stands out particularly, as it has remained at the top of the Korean Google Play IAP charts since its launch in 2018, according to data from AppGrowing. Source:AppGrowing Last month , SmileGate's new title "Chaos Zero Nightmare", launched in multiple regions worldwide.On its launch day, the game topped the iOS free charts in multiple countries including the U.S., Japan, and South Korea. Within just ten days of release, "Chaos Zero Nightmare" is expected to generate over $10.95 million in revenue. Source:AppGrowing Game producer mentioned in a […]

Here is an analysis of the global non-gaming App user acquisition marketing trends for October 2025, based on ad data from 50 countries/regions and 28 global media platforms, according to AppGrowing's report. In October 2025, tool apps continued to account for the largest share of active advertisers among global applications, with the highest proportion of new advertisers as well, rising further to 27.55%. Beyond tools, categories with over 10% share of newly advertised apps include life, Health & Fitness, Food & Drink, Entertainment, Educational. The top three categories for ad volume perspective were Shopping, Entertainment, and Books & Reference. Short-drama app continued its growth trend in October after an uptick in ad volume in September. In contrast, the volume of […]

"Foreign players are learning Song Dynasty history through the game." Since its global launch on November 7, NetEase's MMORPG "Sword of Justice" has generated trending discussions across major social media platforms worldwide. In the game, players explore the Hongqiao Bridge in Bianjing, experiencing the scenery of 'Qingming Shanghe Tu'. Through interactive storylines, they also engage with classical Chinese poetry. This international release has successfully introduced traditional Chinese cultural elements and aesthetic values to global gaming audiences. From the very first day of launch, the game dominated charts in multiple countries, topping the free sections of App Store and Google Play in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and other nations.   01. Light Character Progression + Heavy Social Interaction As a highly culturally […]

On July 10, 斗羅大陸：獵魂世界, an MMO adapted from the popular Chinese web novel Soul Land（斗罗大陆）, officially launched in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Malaysia. Following its debut, the game quickly broke into the top 10 on Taiwan’s iOS grossing chart. This article analyzes its advertising strategy based on data from AppGrowing. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, 斗羅大陸：獵魂世界 launched a total of 13,014 ad creatives, spanning 8 regions and 11 ad platforms. The majority of ads—approximately 82%—were in In-Feed format, followed by Rewarded Video, which accounted for around 8%. In terms of creative formats, images made up 19%, while videos accounted for over 45%, with standard video formats comprising 77% of all video content, and vertical video contributing around 32%. Ad […]

MARVEL Mystic Mayhem, a new superhero IP mobile title co-developed by NetEase and Marvel, officially opened pre-registration across multiple global markets at the end of May. With its full launch expected by late June, the game has already ramped up a large-scale user acquisition campaign. Drawing on data from AppGrowing, this article analyzes the game's advertising strategy in the lead-up to release. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, MARVEL Mystic Mayhem has launched a total of 3,336 ad creatives, spanning 29 countries and 8 ad platforms. The vast majority of placements—over 95%—have been in-feed ads, followed by rewarded video, which accounts for roughly 3% of placements. In terms of ad formats, videos dominate with over 68% share, including standard video (67%) […]

Here is an analysis of the global non-gaming App user acquisition marketing trends for May 2025, based on ad data from 50 countries/regions and 28 global media platforms, according to AppGrowing's report. In May 2025, the global non-gaming app advertising landscape continued the trends observed last month. Tool apps remained the dominant category in terms of total active ad campaigns, with new entries accounting for a record-high 16.06%. Meanwhile, entertainment apps saw a surge in total ad impressions, overtaking shopping apps to claim the top spot. However, when measured by the number of unique creatives, shopping apps still led by a wide margin. 01.Top Non-gaming App Developers & Apps According to AppGrowing, this month's ranking of top global advertisers saw a […]

Over the past year, AI-powered apps have entered a phase of rapid growth. According to data from AppGrowing, the number of active AI app campaigns in Q4 2024 rose by 20% compared to Q1. While mature markets like North America and Europe remain key battlegrounds, emerging regions such as Southeast Asia are drawing increased attention for their vast untapped potential. As competition intensifies, the question for developers is how to seize the opportunities these emerging markets present. One answer may lie in the strategies of local players. Vietnamese developer Xtech began exploring the AI space in late 2023 and has since made generative AI its strategic priority for 2024. The company recently launched PixArt: AI Photo Generator (hereafter referred to […]

Netmarble has officially launched Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, a fully licensed MMORPG developed under HBO’s globally recognized Game of Thrones IP. Leveraging data from AppGrowing, this article offers a detailed analysis of the game’s international advertising strategy. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad has rolled out a total of 1,167 ads, spanning 41 regions and 4 ad platforms. In terms of ad format, rewarded video dominates the mix, accounting for more than 61% of total placements, followed by native ads at approximately 19%. As for creative formats, video content takes the lead, making up over 78% of all creatives. Of this, standard video represents around 50%, while vertical video accounts for 28%. Ad Volume Trends The campaign […]

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 […]