The latest analysis by GameRefinery, A Liftoff Company, of the US, China, and Japan’s key mobile game markets, has just been released. GameRefinery analysts have picked their top updates from June for each country, including new releases, special events, and game updates.
June marked a significant month for the mobile market, with a trio of real-life events incorporated into LiveOps strategies for some of the biggest mobile games. Fortnite invited players to celebrate the world’s biggest tennis tournament with the Race to Wimbledon, rainbow trails brightened up the world of League of Legends: Wild Rift as part of Pride Month, and wedding dresses graced Japan’s biggest titles to mark Bride Season.
The halfway point of the year was a major milestone for several other popular games too, including Diablo Immortal, which celebrated its first anniversary by collaborating with Diablo 4. Harry Potter: Magic Awakened finally made its way over to the US and Japan after a strong reception in China, with initial figures suggesting a strong launch. It remains to be seen how the game will fare long-term, especially given that the game has been on a slow decline in China following its solid opening period.
Key findings from the report are:
- Pride Month: A number of games celebrated Pride Month with special events, including League of Legends: Wild Rift, whose free Pride event was split into two simple halves. Players first had to complete a single match to win some Pride-themed decorative items. The second part saw players completing ten more games to win Pride emotes; all they had to do was wear their Pride decorative items as they took part, encouraging players to show their support for Pride by simply playing the game.
- Harry Potter: Wizarding fans in the US (and Japan) finally got their hands on Harry Potter: Magic Awakened at the end of June, which has been thriving in China for quite some time. The title has ranked high in the download charts (top three in the US) and is steadily rising to become of the highest-grossing titles on the market. The IP-based game combines MMO and RPG elements with a card-based tactical battler.
- Tennis/Wimbledon: Several mobile games hosted events inspired by Wimbledon. These included Fortnite’s Race to Wimbledon, which sees players racing through London to reach Wimbledon, and a “Wimbleworld experience” in Roblox which has been visited more than 12 million times. Tennis Clash has also launched a new season to coincide with the event, featuring a unique match kit players can use on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
- Dragon Ball Z: To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Dragon Ball Legends launched a special event featuring iconic characters from the anime, both old and new, causing daily revenue to spike by almost 500% on iOS in Japan.
- Diablo: Diablo Immortal celebrated the hugely successful launch of Diablo 4 on PC and consoles, as well as its one-year anniversary, with a special crossover event consisting of a series of events that caused daily revenue and downloads in the mobile game to spike by over 500% on iOS (US).
Diablo Immortal celebrated the hugely successful launch of Diablo 4 on PC and consoles, as well as its one-year anniversary, with a special crossover event consisting of a series of events.
The Merciless Monstrosity event had players teaming up against a world boss from Diablo 4, while the Dread Pilgrimage event consisted of several tasks, revealing an upcoming new class. The monetized content included exclusive Lilith-themed cosmetics and items through the Battle Pass, limited-time special gacha, and limited-time offers – including a subscription deal. The first anniversary celebrations of Diablo Immortal also started with events such as Justinian’s Favor. Combined, these events caused daily revenue and downloads in the mobile game to spike by over 500% on iOS (US).
The full report can be accessed on GameRefinery’s website.
