Why mobile games can make money
In today's digital era, mobile games have become one of the most profitable entertainment industries in the world. Both large game companies and independent developers can make huge profits through mobile games. So, why can mobile games make money? This article will analyze it for you from multiple perspectives such as market data, user behavior, and business models.
1. Popular mobile game market data

The following are the popular mobile games and related data on the Internet in the past 10 days:
| Game name | Average daily active users (10,000) | Average daily income (10,000 US dollars) | Popular reasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Glory of the King" | 1500 | 500 | E-sports events drive popularity |
| "Original God" | 800 | 300 | New version update |
| "Egg Boy Party" | 1200 | 200 | Strong social attributes |
| "Pokémon GO" | 600 | 150 | Driven by offline activities |
2. The core reasons why mobile games make money
1. Huge user base
The popularity of smartphones has provided a large number of users for mobile games. According to statistics, there are more than 5 billion smartphone users worldwide, and more than 70% of them have downloaded mobile games. This huge user base provides a solid foundation for game monetization.
2. Diversified profit model
The profit model of mobile games is very flexible and mainly includes:
| Profit model | representative game | Revenue proportion |
|---|---|---|
| In-app purchase recharge | "Original God" and "Glory of Kings" | 60%-80% |
| Advertising monetization | "Happy Fun" | 20%-30% |
| Subscription | 《Roblox》 | 5%-10% |
| IP authorization | "Pokémon" series | 5%-15% |
3. High user stickiness and social attributes
Mobile games enhance user stickiness in the following ways:
- Daily login rewards
- Season pass mechanism
- Social gameplay (team, guild, etc.)
- E-sports competition system
4. Low development costs and rapid iteration
Compared with traditional console games, mobile games have shorter development cycles and lower costs. The development cycle of a medium-sized mobile game is usually 6-12 months, while console games often take 2-3 years. This allows mobile games to quickly respond to market changes and continuously launch new content.
3. Mobile game industry trends in 2024
According to the latest industry report, the mobile game industry will show the following trends in the future:
| Trend | Description | influence |
|---|---|---|
| The rise of cloud gaming | 5G technology promotes the development of cloud games | Lower the hardware threshold |
| AI generated content | AI-assisted game development | Improve production efficiency |
| Mixed monetization | In-app purchase + advertising combination | Increase ARPU value |
| Global distribution | Target emerging markets | Expand user scale |
4. Analysis of successful cases
Taking "Glory of Kings" as an example, its secrets of success include:
- Precise localized operations
- Continuous competition system
- Rich social functions
- New heroes and skins released regularly
In the eight years since this game was launched, its cumulative revenue has exceeded US$10 billion, fully proving the profit potential of mobile games.
5. Summary
The key to why mobile games can become money-making machines lies in their huge user base, flexible profit model, strong user stickiness and rapid development and iteration capabilities. With the advancement of technology and market development, the profitability of mobile games will further increase. For investors and developers, this is still a golden track full of opportunities.
check the details
check the details