Digging deeper into genre performance reveals how uneven the mobile gaming landscape is. Role-playing games (RPGs) dominated in revenue, raking in $2 billion from in-app purchases with a solid 7.2% success rate. Strategy games came next, generating $352 million and a 3.8% success rate. But simulation games took the crown in reach, amassing over 1 billion downloads and boasting the highest success rate at 10.2%, a sign of strong user engagement and retention.
The path to success remains steep: only 1.9% of new titles broke the $1 million revenue mark, while a staggering 62% earned nothing, underscoring the highly competitive, saturated, and unforgiving market for newcomers.
As developers seek alternative growth models, direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies are gaining traction. A recent EU-based developer survey found that 23% of the respondents have adopted D2C models, and 12% are actively building them. However, 62% have yet to implement such strategies.
“The shift in mobile is clear – players are spending more, but on fewer, better-supported games,” said Chris Hewish, President, Communication & Strategy at Xsolla. “For developers, combining hybrid monetization and distribution strategies is essential to long-term sustainability.”
72% of developers now embrace hybrid monetization models, which combine IAPs, subscriptions, and advertising to maximize revenue and reach broader audiences. As monetization evolves, these models, alongside LiveOps and strategic IP collaborations, shape the blueprint for mobile success in 2025 and beyond.
For more information and to access the Q2 2025 Edition of “The Xsolla Report: The State of Play,” visit: xsolla.pro/xsolla-report-q2
