This report aims to help mobile game publishers, marketers and developers better understand the latest shifts in user demand and competitive dynamics within the global mobile gaming market.
Overview: Global Mobile Games Performance in January 2026
- Backed by over RMB 1.2 billion in revenue, Arknights: Endfield significantly ramped up its user acquisition efforts, launching more than 16,000 ad creatives across both iOS and Android.
- Slow-life DIY gameplay outpaced big-budget productions, with Heartopia topping the free charts after deploying nearly 19,000 ad creatives.
- Following its collaboration with Jujutsu Kaisen, Free Fire experienced a substantial revenue surge across both versions.
Top 20 Mobile Games by Advertising Activity
RMB 1.2 Billion in Revenue: Arknights: Endfield Gains Momentum on Console Platforms
It can be said that since its launch, Arknights: Endfield has been a true traffic magnet in the gaming industry, generating as much controversy as it has hype.
The official announcement that it surpassed RMB 1.2 billion in revenue within just two weeks of launch has further fueled industry speculation—particularly regarding the so-called “black box” revenue from global PC and PlayStation platforms, which is rumored to account for as much as 70% of total earnings.
Interestingly, another title with an exceptionally high proportion of global console revenue is the Unreal Engine 5 mobile blockbuster Infinity Nikki, which was previously disclosed in an internal memo that global console platforms contributed an astonishing 80% of its total revenue.
Advertising Strategy Behind Arknights: Endfield
- Official launch: January 22, 2026
- Earliest ad placements: October 2023
- Large-scale promotion: Initiated during the third closed beta
- Pre-launch warm-up: 30 days
- Total deduplicated creatives: ~16,000
- Android share: 80%+
- Peak daily creatives: 3,702 on January 23
Key characteristics of its advertising strategy include:
- Video creatives dominated (74%+), primarily horizontal 640×360 formats
- English was the core language, supported by Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and several secondary markets
- A long pre-launch buildup, combined with an aggressive launch burst and reward-driven post-launch messaging to sustain growth
In terms of creatives, Arknights: Endfield largely follows the traditional formula for big open-world anime-style titles: PV mashups + map transitions + character showcases + combat demonstrations + endorsements from foreign influencers appearing on camera. For example, footage of controlling a character to wander through the open world while lingering on the swaying tail of a kemonomimi character can deliver a direct hit for players who are particularly fond of furry aesthetics.
After going through third-beta recharge rebate arrangements, a short-term global payment bug, as well as optimization and onboarding issues, Arknights: Endfield still ranked among the top performers in revenue within the open-world anime game segment. It can be said that the game managed to navigate a controversy-filled 1.0 launch period relatively smoothly.
Slow-Life Simulation Reaches the Top: Heartopia Eight Years in the Making
As a “rule-breaking” simulation mobile game, Heartopia carries an abundance of labels: eight years in development, the highest-grossing Animal Crossing–like mobile title, and even achieving higher global rankings than Arknights: Endfield, which launched during the same period. Heartopia truly holds what feels like a textbook underdog-turned-champion narrative.
From a gameplay perspective alone, Heartopia can hardly be considered innovative. It centers on a cozy slow-living experience combined with extensive DIY customization, and notably lacks the mandatory main storyline quests typical of conventional games.
Players are free to design and decorate their own homes while enjoying outdoor activities such as fishing, cooking, gardening, birdwatching, and bug catching.
Marketing Performance of Heartopia
- Official launch: January 8, 2026
- Pre-launch campaigns: Began in October 2025
- iOS ad placements start: October 14, 2025
- Cumulative advertising period: 121 days
- January deduplicated creatives (both platforms): ~8,000
- Peak daily creatives (past 30 days): 1,057 on January 15
Marketing insights show:
- Video creatives dominated (97.33%), mainly vertical 720×1280 formats
- Traditional Chinese represented 46.39% of the copy, with Japan as the largest market
- Creatives focused on gameplay demos, customization features, and influencer-driven content
Gameplay Showcase
Influencer On-Camera Endorsement
Top 20 Mobile Games by Revenue
App Store Revenue Highlights
- Royal Match topped the revenue charts in January with approximately $80M in single-platform revenue, up 11.3% MoM.
- Gossip Harbor generated about $52M, marking a 9.4% month-over-month increase.
- Driven by its Jujutsu Kaisen collaboration, Free Fire recorded roughly $21M, up 13.9% MoM.
Google Play Revenue Highlights
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang generated over $12M in single-platform revenue in January, surging 152.2% MoM following an intensive event rollout.
- Genshin Impact recorded approximately $12M in January revenue, up 34.2% MoM, driven by the launch of the “Satellite Moon Goddess” banner.
Top 20 Mobile Games with the Maximum Downloads
App Store Download Leaders
- Arrows – Puzzle Escape reached approximately 4M single-platform downloads in January, up 33% MoM amid steady growth in the casual puzzle category.
- Disney Solitaire recorded around 3M downloads, increasing 42.3% MoM, driven by its Disney IP integration.
Google Play Download Leaders
- Roblox led the download charts in January with over 24M single-platform downloads, rising 30.4% MoM.
- Vita Mahjong recorded more than 13M downloads, surging 52% MoM, driven by sustained user acquisition efforts.
Conclusion
The global mobile games with the maximum downloads in January 2026 reflect intensifying competition driven by large-scale user acquisition, cross-platform revenue shifts, and diversified monetization strategies.
High-budget open-world titles, slow-life simulation experiences, and IP-driven collaborations collectively shaped market momentum, while aggressive creative deployment and localized advertising continued to define growth across both the App Store and Google Play.
For more mobile game marketing data, advertising insights, and download trend analysis, you can visit SocialPeta’s official website.
