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 […]

Recently, Etheria: Restart, developed by XD Entertainment and built on Unreal Engine, officially launched worldwide. As a visually stunning anime-style team-based RPG, the game quickly broke into the top three on the U.S. iOS free game charts—an impressive feat for a new IP in a competitive category. In this article, we analyze Etheria: Restart’s global user acquisition strategy based on data from AppGrowing. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, Etheria: Restart ran a total of 1,070 ads across 41 regions and 7 major ad platforms. Rewarded Video emerged as the dominant ad format, accounting for nearly 50% of all placements. This was followed by In-Feed Ads, which made up more than 30%. In terms of creative formats, the campaign leaned heavily […]

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’s Seven Knights Re:BIRTH (세븐나이츠 리버스) recently launched in South Korea, swiftly climbing to the top of both the Google Play and iOS game revenue rankings. This article, based on data from AppGrowing, analyzes the advertising strategy behind its international rollout. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, Seven Knights Re:BIRTH has launched a total of 2,895 ad creatives across 12 regions and 11 ad platforms. The majority of these placements were in-feed ads, which accounted for over 63% of the total. Rewarded video ads followed, making up around 22%. In terms of creative formats, videos dominated, comprising over 62% of all ad creatives. Of these, horizontal videos made up roughly 33%, while vertical videos accounted for approximately 29%. Ad Volume Trends […]

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? […]

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 […]

At the end of April, Kakao Games officially launched the international version of ODIN:VALHALLA RISING—a Norse mythology-themed MMORPG developed using Unreal Engine 4. The game originally debuted in South Korea in 2021, where it continues to rank among the top-grossing titles. This strong domestic performance has set high expectations for its global release. This article analyzes ODIN:VALHALLA RISING’s international advertising strategy using data from AppGrowing. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, ODIN:VALHALLA RISING ran a total of 1,086 ads across 15 regions and 7 ad platforms.The majority of placements were in-feed ads, accounting for over 64%, followed by native ads at more than 16%. As for ad creatives, the mix between video and image formats was nearly even. Within the video segment, […]

At the end of April, NetEase officially launched the mobile version of its open-world survival game Once Human. Prior to its mobile launch, Once Human had already exceeded 20 million PC downloads globally, with 30 million pre-registrations for the mobile version, according to official figures. This article analyzes the game’s advertising strategy based on data from AppGrowing. Advertising Overview According to AppGrowing, Once Human ran a total of 4,052 ads across 42 regions and 11 ad platforms.The majority of placements were in-feed ads, accounting for over 41%, followed by rewarded videos at over 37%. In terms of creative formats, video dominated the campaign, making up nearly 86% of all ad creatives. Vertical videos alone accounted for close to 39%. Advertising […]