According to the report published by Sensor Tower, IP-based mobile games are among the top revenue-generating game lists, especially in the US mobile game market. It is stated that IP (Intellectual Property), which is a very useful marketing tool for the sector, is likely to become important for the post-IDFA period, and IP-based licensed games generate very high revenue.
Which are the most revenue-generating IP-based mobile games?
The five most revenue-generating IP-based mobile games; Pokémon GO, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, Marvel Strike Force, and Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle. These games generated a total of $1.4 billion in revenue in the US during 2020.
According to the presented report, it is stated that three of the top 10 revenue-generating mobile games of 2020 in America are IP-based. This trio includes Pokemon GO, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty: Mobile games. Pokemon GO manages to be the most revenue-generating name of this trio, with 480 million dollars of player spending in 2020. The total number of downloads of the top 10 IP-based games in the US in 2020 increased by 31.1 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year, and the main source of this increase was recorded in the reports as Call of Duty: Mobile. In contrast, for the top 10 non-IP-based games, there was a 3.9% decrease in total downloads. Considering all these data, it is stated that in 2020, 23% of the total player spending in the USA was IP-based games.
IP-based mobile games accounted for 34 percent of the revenue from licensed mobile games in the US in 2020 or one-third. Pokémon GO leads the list of IP-based mobile games for the third time in a row in 2020. In addition, after a successful debut in 2019, Call of Duty: Mobile rose two places in 2020 and ranked 3rd.
The future of IP-based mobile games
The genre with the highest revenue percentage from licensed games is specified as mid-core games. These mid-core games include action, RPG, and shooter games. In addition, although puzzle-type mobile games are one of the largest mobile gaming markets in the US, only 5 percent of its revenue comes from IP-based games.
With a change in the mobile game market after IDFA, popular IPs may become more important in raising awareness and acquiring new players. Licensed games coming in the coming days include Diablo Immortal, Apex Legends, and Battlefield. These names point to a strong growth trend seen among shooters and RPG games using licensed IP.
