Approximately 50% of all app revenue worldwide comes from the games market. This article analyzes the key gaming app segments driving that growth. Here is a quick rundown of five popular gaming app categories in 2024.
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Gaming Apps
As the name implies, this represents a category of mobile gaming apps built for real-time team-based multiplayer battles. This genre encompasses mobile games whose themes revolve around battling enemy teams, completing short-term missions, and destroying opposition camps. The gameplay requires intelligence, action, and real-time strategy.
Although this gaming genre first emerged on PC, developers started creating their mobile versions sometime in 2015. They have since emerged as one of the most popular gaming apps in 2024 and previous years.
In 2024, statistics show that the MOBA gaming app industry holds the lion’s share of the esports market, accounting for 40.9%. Several mobile-first MOBA games have become the most-watched esports games worldwide. They are particularly popular in Asia and the United States. The most popular MOBA mobile game titles include League of Legends and Dota 2.
Casino Gaming Apps
In-app purchases in the casino gaming market reached US $3.05 billion in 2022. Surveys show that these purchases were made from over 1.16 billion casino gaming app downloads in the same year. Developing at an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.59%, the numbers clearly show that casino gaming apps will undoubtedly be among the most popular in 2024.
So, what is so unique about these types of gaming apps?
The easy yet correct answer is that people love casino games. Slots, roulette, baccarat, dice, poker, and the like have a unique allure that modern games can’t provide. However, showing up physically at land-based casinos and participating in the associated activities is too stressful for many people.
Casino gaming apps solve that problem by letting you play from the comfort of your preferred location. They have revolutionized the industry by delivering better gambling experiences. This feat was made possible due to the seamless introduction of new payment options, round-the-clock access, advanced customer care, and increased gaming possibilities. On top of all these benefits, premium casino gaming apps let you play for real money. According to Michael Graw, You can either use a native app, or you can use one of the many online gambling sites that are optimized for mobile use when playing on your mobile device, giving players even more convenience (source: https://sportslens.com/gambling-sites/apps/).
As a result, the daily active casino gaming app users number over 1.5 million. Talk about popular!
Battle Royale Gaming Apps
Battle Royale apps share strong similarities with yet offer stiff competition to MOBA gaming apps. This genre emerged from multiplayer mods in open-world survival games around 2017. After the Player Unknown’s Battleground game did impressively well in the early days, the free-to-play PUBG mobile versions followed in its steps to bring the total player count of the platform to an excess of 400 million.
As a result, numerous titles like Epic Games’ Fortnite Battle Royale have emerged, and these gaming apps are still huge in 2024.
The appeal of these gaming apps lies in the struggle for survival. The game’s premise is based on being the last man standing among several players in a virtual world. While many players have honed their combat and navigation skills, the truth is that there is no one correct way of playing. Players do what they can to ensure they outlive their opponents. Therein lies their difference from MOBA games — individuality. Unlike MOBA games, where teams are formed, everyone is for themselves in a battle royale.
As of 2022, the market size of these types of gaming apps was estimated at US $11560 million. It was projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1% to reach US $25309.65 million by 2032. Surely, it’ll be one of the popular ones in 2024.
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Casual Gaming Apps
It’s the year 2024. Almost everybody interested in casual gaming has played Candy Crush. And just like that, casual gaming apps are casually becoming one of the most popular types of mobile game.
Their ease of play and emphasis on delivering a calm experience using exciting sounds, bright colors, and animations leave a lasting impression on the senses. In addition, they have low system requirements and provide an ideal diversion from work or stress.
As you will expect, they have an estimated market size of US $20.48 billion in 2024. This market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.12% from 2024 to 2029, implying that it’ll remain one of the most popular gaming apps in 2024 and beyond.
Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing (MMORPG) Game Apps
These gaming apps allow players to role-play as a hero or champion who gets to evolve by developing skills, equipment, and skins. Although it is an old gaming genre, it is still very much popular in 2024 due to many reasons. A major one is that it allows players to identify with their chosen characters, thus developing a deeper connection with them.
Consequently, its market size is estimated to be US $25.34 billion in 2024. The most popular titles include Black Desert Online, World of Warcraft, Dungeon Hunter 5, Arcane Legends, etc.
These game apps were the top-grossing game segment from 2019 to 2022. And, just like many MOBA games, they were particularly popular in Asia. Most of them are also developed by Asian developers.
Despite stiff competition from other action-themed games, MMORP game apps remain one of the most popular gaming apps in 2024.
Conclusion
MOBA games blend skill development with the community, thus driving engagement. Casino gaming apps are thriving in offering convenience. Battle Royale games are helping gamers tap into their survival instinct, while casual and MMORPG gaming apps put players in the driver’s seat — and that’s why they all might remain popular in 2024.
