2024 in the World of Mobile Games: What Will We Remember?

The year 2024 has come to an end! It brought us not only challenges and new colors to our lives but also a host of mobile games that captivated the world. Today, we take a closer look at the most profitable and most popular games of the year. All data is courtesy of AppMagic.

It’s no surprise that this category is dominated by free-to-play games, which generate revenue mainly through in-game purchases. Interestingly, the ranking includes both new projects and "veterans" that seemed destined for retirement. Here’s our list:

• Roblox

This cross-platform sandbox has proven its relevance once again. Thanks to several major updates, the game garnered an additional 218 million downloads last year!

• Block Blast!

Who would have thought that a revamped version of Tetris would become so popular? This year, the game was downloaded 217 million times, making up more than half of all downloads in its genre.

• Subway Surfers

The legendary runner is still "afloat." Remember its peak popularity during school days? More than a decade has passed, yet the game raked in 176 million downloads in 2024 alone!

• Ludo King

A collection of popular board games in a mobile format. Who would’ve guessed that such simplicity could result in over 172 million downloads?

• Pizza Ready

Despite the hyper-casual genre being in decline, this pizza simulator became a massive hit. It was downloaded over 171 million times.

Conclusion: The most downloaded games of this year are either tried-and-true classics or recent titles from the past few years. Players clearly favor stability and familiar projects.

The situation here isn’t much different. The highest revenue was generated by games that have already secured audience loyalty. Let’s take a look at the top earners:

• Honor of Kings

The ultimate champion: the game earned $1.8 billion this year! Notably, 96% of the revenue came from China. An impressive result, wouldn’t you agree?

• Monopoly Go!

Who doesn’t love Monopoly? Apparently, very few people. The game brought in $1.5 billion for its creators.

• Royal Match

Thanks to a clever marketing strategy, regular updates, and innovative level design, this game topped the match-3 genre, earning $1.4 billion.

• Roblox

Yes, Roblox makes the list again! This time, for its revenue—$1.2 billion, just from mobile devices.

• PUBG Mobile

No list would be complete without this cross-platform shooter. In 2024, the game brought in $1.1 billion, with more than 60% of that coming from the Chinese market.

As we can see, in the world of mobile games, everything revolves around time and loyalty. Classics like Subway Surfers and Roblox continue to break new ground, while the Chinese market remains the main driving force of the industry.

What surprises will developers bring us in 2025? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear: competition is getting fiercer, and players value content that has stood the test of time.

What was your favorite game this year? 🌟