2020 is set to be a record year for mobile gaming, as smartphones have become people’s primary source of connectivity and entertainment.
Mobile gaming already overtook PC gaming in 2014, and that lead is only widening. Gaming as a whole is set for a record year in 2020, with the launch of two new consoles: Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. Covid-19 is partly responsible for the growth, since more players are at home, locked away from jobs and other activities.
Mobile VS consoles & PC
While consoles have increasing popularity, mobile gaming takes the cake as the world’s preferred form of gaming. Mobile gaming is set to outshine PC gaming by 280% and console gaming by 310%. Games now represent 40% of total app downloads on iOS App Store and Google Play, good for 70% of the total app revenue.
Android VS iOS
Games are more popular on Android than iOS, showing how many gamers prefer Android over iPhone. iPhone users are heavy spenders however, spending 50% than their Google Play Counterparts.
Download spikes due to COVID-19
Covid-19 saw a record number of weekly game downloads, with a spike of 1.2 billion downloads in a single week. The downloads happened in phases, which synchronized with the government’s and business’ response to lockdowns and other containment measures. April 2020 saw users downloading 30% more than in January 2020, while March peaked at 35% more downloads.
Multiplayer games
As users search for more modes of connectivity, multiplayer games are growing in popularity. Players are looking for new ways to connect to each other, so we expect a further uptick in multiplayer game downloads.
Types of games
When we look at the genre of games that are in demand during COVID times, there are some clear trends. The genres with the biggest growth in downloads are trivia games, simulations, board games, casual games and adventure games. Some of the most popular games included Woodturning (simulation), Ludo King (board) and Gardenscapes - New Acres (casual). These were the most downloaded games during the ongoing COVID period.
In terms of time spent, board games and simulations saw the biggest growth, while action games still saw the most total time spent. Action game PUBG saw the biggest usage in terms of hours.
Summary
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