Data Insights: Mobile Gaming Trends and Tencent's Massive Revenue
Perfect World’s mobile RPG Neverness to Everness, developed by Hotta Studio, reported impressive earnings of over $14.7 million in its launch month, following its April 21 release. The game, which has drawn comparisons to Grand Theft Auto for its blend of city exploration, supernatural elements, and activities like car collection, reached a daily revenue peak of $1 million on May 7.
In the US, Monopoly Go retained its position as the top-grossing mobile game in April, according to Sensor Tower data analyzed by Circana. The top 10 games by consumer spending included Royal Match, Last War: Survival, and Candy Crush Saga, with overall video game content spending rising 2% year-over-year to $3.84 billion in April. Year-to-date content spending is also up 3% to $16.67 billion, with Pixel Flow making notable progress, climbing to number 13 in the rankings.
On the advertising front, Vita Mahjong regained the lead in iOS mobile game ads in April, surpassing Oakever’s Tile Explorer. The Android chart saw Oakever’s Zen Word jump to the top position while Tile Explorer slipped to third. Oakever titles dominated the charts, claiming over a third of the top 20 positions.
Tencent Games reported an estimated $11 billion in revenue for Q1 2026, reflecting a 6.8% year-over-year increase. The company’s overall revenue reached RMB 196.5 billion ($28.92 billion), with net profit rising 19% year-over-year. Notably, domestic game revenue was RMB 45.4 billion ($6.68 billion), driven by popular titles like Honor of Kings and Valorant Mobile. Tencent's international gaming revenue also rose 13% year-over-year, largely due to increased earnings from Clash Royale and Valorant on PC.
Why it matters
Voodoo’s Castle Busters emerged as the top earner among artillery shooters in April, generating nearly $4 million. The game has surpassed 14 million downloads, achieving a revenue per download of $0.74. Meanwhile, mobile game in-app purchase revenue reached $20.6 billion in Q1 2026, a modest increase of 0.5% year-over-year. iOS game revenue saw a slight dip, while Google Play experienced a 14% rise in app revenue. Puzzle games led in IAP revenue, while overall mobile game downloads fell by 11.9% year-over-year, marking the lowest total since before the pandemic.
Original source
MobileGamer.biz
