Garena’s Free Fire recently celebrated its 8th anniversary with a high-profile crossover featuring the popular anime IP Naruto, which helped the title re-enter the top 10 grossing games on the U.S. iOS chart. Having launched in 2017, Free Fire has maintained eight years of consistent operations. This article leverages AppGrowing’s data to analyze the game's current advertising strategy. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, Free Fire has run 279,164 ads across 95 regions and 10 ad platforms. In terms of format, native ads dominate the mix, accounting for over 50%, followed by rewarded video ads at nearly 34%, and in-stream video at around 9%. When it comes to creative formats, images account for roughly 47%, while videos make up over 44%. […]

Recently, DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE, the card game adaptation of the iconic anime IP Dragon Ball, made a striking comeback into the top 10 grossing games on the U.S. iOS chart. Originally launched in 2015, the game has now been live for a full decade. This article, based on data from AppGrowing, takes a closer look at the game’s advertising strategy behind its renewed momentum. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE has run a total of 9,039 ads across 9 regions and 62 ad platforms. The majority of these were Rewarded Video ads, accounting for over 60% of placements. In-Stream Video ads followed with nearly 21%. In terms of creatives, videos made up over 45%, […]

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 […]

At the end of June, YuYu Hakusho: Slugfest, a card-based RPG adapted from the classic anime IP YuYu Hakusho, opened pre-registration in several European markets including the UK, France, and Germany. The game is expected to officially launch later this year. This article analyzes its advertising strategy based on data from AppGrowing. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, YuYu Hakusho: Slugfest ran 5,491 ads across 19 regions and 7 ad platforms. The majority of these ads—98.67%—were in-feed formats, followed by rewarded video, though the latter accounted for less than 2%. In terms of ad creatives, image-based assets made up approximately 54%, while video creatives accounted for more than 45%, with landscape video representing over 34% and vertical video around 11%. Ad […]

Earlier this month, Saint Seiya: Galaxy Soldiers, a 3D card-based RPG adapted from the iconic anime IP, launched in the Japanese market and quickly shot to No.1 on the iOS free games chart. This article leverages data from AppGrowing to analyze the game’s advertising strategy. Ad Placement Overview According to AppGrowing, Saint Seiya: Galaxy Soldiers ran 1,260 ads across 7 ad platforms, all targeting the Japanese market. Ad formats were dominated by in-feed placements, accounting for nearly 60% of all impressions. Banner ads followed with over 17%, while rewarded videos made up approximately 10%. Around 60% of creatives were static images, with video formats making up over 37%. Standard video ads accounted for 26%. Vertical video formats made up about […]

Generative AI is no longer just a buzzword—it’s becoming the backbone of a new wave of mobile apps. According to AppGrowing, active AI app campaigns jumped 20% from Q1 to Q4 2024, marking a clear acceleration in the space. As global competition heats up, Southeast Asia is gaining traction as a growth frontier. One standout is Vietnam’s XTECH, which made generative AI its strategic focus in 2024 and recently launched its flagship photo app, PixArt. In this exclusive interview, AppGrowing talks with XTECH’s CMO Minh Chau Pham and CGO The Anh Tran about the evolving role of generative AI in mobile, and how they’re building for both local users and global ambitions. The following is the edited transcript of the […]

Persona5: The Phantom X, the mobile spin-off of Atlus and SEGA’s blockbuster Persona 5 IP, officially launched in the U.S. market in late June 2025—and quickly soared to the top of the iOS free games chart. The launch follows the enduring global success of Persona 5 Royal, which, according to internal SEGA data, has now sold over 7.2 million copies worldwide as of June 2025. Leveraging this powerful brand legacy, the mobile title was supported by a robust user acquisition campaign. Based on data from AppGrowing, here’s a closer look at the game’s international ad strategy. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, Persona5: The Phantom X ran a total of 1,329 ad creatives, spanning 23 regions and 4 ad platforms. Rewarded […]

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 […]

Adapted from the hit manga series Kaiju No. 8, which has sold over 18 million copies in Japan alone, Kaiju No. 8: The Game officially opened global pre-registrations in late April and is expected to launch by the end of August. Based on data from AppGrowing, this article examines the game’s international advertising strategy. Ad Campaign Overview According to AppGrowing, Kaiju No. 8: The Game has run a total of 2,569 ads across 6 regions and 9 ad platforms. Ad formats: In-Feed ads dominate the campaign, accounting for more than 96%, followed by Rewarded Video at about 3%. Creative formats: Video and image creatives are used almost evenly, with video making up approximately 50% (41% standard video, 19% vertical video) […]