SocialPeta sorted out the top 20 global mobile games by advertising. In addition to the overall rankings for mobile game advertising across all genres, it also has introduced new rankings for popular sub-genres such as Casual Games, and Strategy Games, hoping to assist more people in the mobile gaming industry who are trying to understand the changing trends of the global mobile market.
The overall performance of global mobile games in in January:
- Mini-game scores madly, Bingchuan Network reinvests in “Save the Doge” in Japan;
- Intensive advertising in Europe and America, puzzle games also use AI for user acquisition;
- “One Stroke Drawing” emerges as a new favorite in mini-game advertising, with both Century Games and Matchingham Games advertising.
Top 20 Mobile Games by Advertising in January 2024
1. Mini-game scores madly, Bingchuan Network reinvests in “Save the Doge” in Japan.
The idle card mobile game 【マジックカード】 published by Bingchuan Network, was officially released on March 5, 2023. According to SocialPeta, 【マジックカード】 has cumulatively deployed creatives for 330 days, with nearly 8,700 deduplicated creatives deployed in January alone. The specific deployment on the iOS platform is as follows:
- Video creatives under 30 seconds account for 77.2%;
- The majority of video creatives are in portrait orientation, 720×1280, constituting approximately 94.99%;
- In the last 30 days, image type creatives only represent 1.51% of the total advertising;
- The most common size for image creatives is landscape, 1200×628, making up about 42.86%.
【マジックカード】 is actually the Japanese version of Bingchuan Network’s 2023 hit mini-game【Hero Clash】. Since Bingchuan Network initiated the doge trend, the doge icon has transformed into a perennial favorite on the charts, with both mid-core and casual mobile games incorporating doge elements into their game icons or creatives. From the creatives alone, it still follows the classic gameplay of drawing lines to save the doge combined with intentional failure mechanics. Interestingly, the background music (BGM) for【マジックカード】 creatives often uses Douyin sound effects, without much localization adaptation.
2. Mini-Game Advertising update! Braindom also embraces One Stroke Drawing.
The puzzle mobile game【Braindom】 published by Matchingham Games, was officially released on May 19, 2020. According to SocialPeta,【Braindom】 has cumulatively deployed creatives for 1312 days, with over 10,000 pieces of creatives deployed in January alone. The specific deployment on the Android platform is as follows:
- Creatives were deployed in a total of 68 regions, with the main focus on the United States, Vietnam, and Germany markets;
- Video creatives under 30 seconds account for 92.3% of the total;
- The majority of video creatives are in portrait orientation, 720×900, constituting approximately 35.88%;
- In the last 30 days, image type creatives represent 15.83% of the total deployments;
- The most common size for image creatives is square, 1080×1080, making up about 93.53%.
As a well-known puzzle mobile game【Braindom】 that has been released for many years and still enjoys popularity, its creatives primarily focus on in-game level recordings, unique level displays, and intentional failures. However, on January 22, 2024, 【Braindom】 unexpectedly updated its game icon to the currently popular One Stroke Drawing mini-game and also showcased the latest One Stroke Drawing gameplay in the five images displayed in the app store. This shift is also reflected in the game【Braindom】‘s advertising strategy, SocialPeta found a significant number of creatives featuring a mix of real-person short video intros and in-game gameplay demonstrations.
Top 20 Mobile Casual Games by Advertising in January 2024
1. Puzzle mobile games also use AI for acquisitions?
The matching casual game 【Okara Escape】 published by Jets Group, was officially released on August 10, 2023. According to SocialPeta,【Okara Escape】 has cumulatively deployed creatives for 161 days, with approximately 2000 pieces of creatives deployed in January alone. The specific deployment on the iOS platform is as follows:
- Creatives were deployed in a total of 25 regions, with the main focus on the US market;
- Video creatives under 30 seconds account for 94.6% of the total;
- The majority of video creatives are in landscape orientation, 1080×1920, constituting approximately 29.84%;
- In the last 30 days, image type creatives represent a high proportion of 56.95% of the total advertising;
- The most common size for image creatives is square, 1024×1024, making up about 63.87%.
From the data from SocialPeta, it’s evident that 【Okara Escape】 has a relatively high proportion of image creatives. The content of these image creatives often depicts stories featuring two to three women in conflicting or opposing situations, with the use of poses and tones to enhance the dramatic effect. Additionally,【Okara Escape】 notably employs AI drawing tools to create several sensual image creatives to complement its spot-the-difference gameplay.
2. Dog + Drawing Lines: The Renaissance of Puzzle Games
The casual puzzle game【Burrow Land】 published by VGF Global, was officially released on August 27, 2019. According to SocialPeta, 【Burrow Land】 has cumulatively deployed creatives for 1603 days, with approximately 7500 pieces of creatives deployed in January alone. The specific deployment on the Android platform is as follows:
- Creatives were deployed in a total of 63 regions, with the main focus on the US, UK, and Vietnam markets;
- In the last 30 days, HTML creatives represent a high proportion of 61.18% of the total deployments;
- Playable ads account for a significant 38.36% of the creatives in the last 30 days;
- In the last 30 days, media distribution was mainly concentrated in casual, board, and simulation mobile games.
The creative content of 【Burrow Land】 tends to be diverse and varied. It includes not only common themes such as IQ mockery, beauty enticement, hero saving beauty, intentional failure, but also incorporates popular elements like MBTI.
Top 20 SLG Mobile Games by Advertising in January 2024
1.Light SLG Prefers Numeric Growth Acquisition
The light SLG mobile game 【Last War:Survival】 published by Efun Games, was officially released on December 1, 2023. According to SocialPeta,【Last War:Survival】 has cumulatively deployed creatives for 120 days, with approximately 4000 pieces of creatives deployed in January alone. The specific deployment on the iOS platform is as follows:
- Creatives were advertised in a total of 68 regions, with the main focus on the markets of the United States, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, China;
- Video creatives under 30 seconds account for 35.9%;
- The majority of video creatives are in square format, 1080×1080, constituting approximately 24.57%;
- In the last 30 days, image type creatives represent approximately 15.45% of the total deployments;
- The most common size for image creatives is square, 1080×1080, making up about 13.46%.
Drawing from the success of【Top War】，【Last War:Survival】 similarly positions itself as a SLG mobile game with light casual gameplay as its main selling point. From the creatives, video creatives account for as much as 83.84%. Apart from directly incorporating the numeric growth strategy into the game icon, the acquisition strategy of 【Last War:Survival】 remains classic, featuring numeric growth, card selection, parkour, and intentional failure.
2. Sci-Fi SLG Mobile Games Prefer Traditional Acquisition
The sci-fi SLG mobile game【Nexus War: Civilization】 overseas published by the brand Phantix Games under the supervision of YOTTA GAMES, was officially released on February 4, 2023. According to SocialPeta,【Nexus War: Civilization】 has cumulatively deployed creatives for 623 days, with approximately 3000 pieces of creatives deployed in January alone. The specific deployment on the Android platform is as follows:
- creatives were advertised in a total of 69 regions, with the main focus on the markets of Australia, Canada, and the United States;
- Video creatives under 30 seconds account for 14.9% of the total;
- The majority of video creatives are in portrait orientation, 720×1280, constituting approximately 16.24%;
- In the last 30 days, image type creatives represent approximately 41.09% of the total deployments;
- The most common size for image creatives is square, 1080×1080, making up about 45.08%.
As a sci-fi SLG mobile game that integrates multiple elements such as sci-fi, interstellar, alternate worlds, and mecha,【Nexus War】 primarily focuses on world-building, map displays, and character showcases. The acquisition strategy follows traditional tropes such as overcoming challenges, hero rescues, monster battles for leveling up, and recruiting followers.
The above is the latest release from SocialPeta, including the January 2024 Global Mobile Game Rankings, as well as the Top 20 Rankings for Casual Mobile Games, and Strategy Mobile Games in terms of advertising. For more mobile marketing data, please visit SocialPeta.
