With Over 400,000 Advertisers Analyzed, the 2026 Global Mobile Gaming Marketing Trends White Paper Decodes How Growth Is Being Won

W it h
Over
400,0 00
Adve rtis ers
Analy ze d ,
th e

2 026
Glo bal
Mobile
Gam in g
Mark e tin g
Tre n ds

W hit e
Pap er
Deco d es
How
Gro w th
Is
Bein g

W on

A s
th e
glo bal
mobile
gam in g
mark e t
sh if t s
fr o m
ra p id
exp an sio n
driv e n
by
new
use r

a cq uis it io n
to
an
in cre asin gly
co m petit iv e
battle
fo r
exis tin g
use rs ,
2025
mark s
a decis iv e

t u rn in g
poin t
fo r
mark ete rs
world w id e
.

A gain st
th is
backd ro p,
Socia lP eta ,
in
co lla bora tio n
wit h
Sin gu la r
an d
Aark i
, off ic ia lly

r e le ase s
th e

2 026
Glo bal
Mobile
Gam in g
Mark e tin g
Tre n ds
Whit e
Pap er
. The
re port
is

p ow ere d
by
co re
data
su pport
fr o m
Fun ta p
Gam es
and
en ric h ed
wit h
exclu siv e
in sig hts
fr o m

i n dustr y
le aders ,
in clu din g
Rza in
Consu lt in g ,
Tw o
& Half
Gam ers ,
Gam ig io n ,
Pla ya b le

F acto ry ,
AdQ uan tu m ,
Mobid ic tu m ,
as o m eh d i. c o m ,
Yo do 1,
Gam eli g h t,
Refo rg ed
Lab s,

a n d
Jam pp
.

T he
whit e
paper
off e rs
an
in -d epth
vie w
of
th e
la te st
glo b al
mob ile
ga m e
mark e tin g
tr e nd s,

u nco ve rin g
se ve ra l
crit ic a l
sh if ts :

● The
mark e t
co ntin ues
to
gro w
ste adily — but
uneve nly — wit h
adve rtis e r
sca le
and

cre ativ e
it e ra tio n
ra te s
in cre asin g
ye ar
ove r
ye ar.
Casin o
tit le s
are
su rg in g,
while

s h ort- fo rm
vid eo
cre ativ e s
have
beco m e
th e
do m in ant
fo rm at.

● To p-p erfo rm in g
tit le s
are
co nso lid atin g
th eir
posit io ns,
eve n
as
new
bre ako ut
hit s

em erg e.
Kin gsh ot
, a ca su al
SLG
tit le ,
beca m e
a sta nd out
phen om enon,
whil e
th e

hyb rid
gam e
ca te gory
co ntin ues
to
heat
up.

● Sin gula r
in sig hts
re ve al
th at
use r
acq uis it io n
is
movin g
to w ard
gre ate r
dis cip lin e
and

sta ndard iz a tio n,
wit h
cre ativ e
ve lo cit y
and
mea su re m en t
so phis tic a tio n
beco m in g
th e

co re
co m petit iv e
le ve rs .
Channel
div e rs if ic a tio n
is
in cre asin gly
esse ntia l
fo r
ris k

mit ig atio n.

● Aark i
in sig hts
hig hlig ht
a sh if t
to w ard
re te n tio n-le d
gro w th ,
where
fu ll- fu nne l

orc h estr a tio n
betw een
UA
and
re ta rg etin g
ca n
in cre ase
use r
li f e tim e
va lu e
by
up
to

20% .

● Lookin g
ahead
to
2026,
su cce ss
will
be
driv e n
by
deep er
ga m ep la y
hyb rid iz a tio n,

AI- p ow ere d
cre ativ e
eff ic ie ncy,
an d
lo ca liz e d
opera tio n s
fo cu se d
on
maxim iz in g

exis tin g
use r
va lu e.

T o
fu rth er
enric h
th e
re port’s
str a te gic
depth ,
Funta p
Gam es
, a le ad in g
Sou th east
Asia n

p ublis h er,
co ntr ib ute d
exclu siv e
fir s t- p a rty
data
on
str a te gy
gam e
publis h in g— off e rin g
ra re

v is ib ilit y
in to
one
of
th e
most
co m petit iv e
genre s
in
th e
glo bal
mark e t.

I .
Glo bal
Mobile
Gam e
Mark etin g
Tre n ds
in
2026 :
Fro m
Tra ffic

C om petit io n
to
Refin ed
Opera tio ns

I n
2025,
th e
glo bal
mobile
gam in g
mark e t
un derw ent
cle ar
str u ctu ra l
sh if t s .
Mark e t
data

s h ow s
th at
th e
avera g e
month ly
num ber
of
mobile
gam e
ad ve rtis ers
exce ed ed
84,0 0 0
,
r e pre se ntin g
a 21.9 %
year-o ver-y ear
in cre ase
, wit h
a pe ak
of
ove r
90 ,0 00
ad vertis ers
in

J u ne
. New
adve rtis e rs
acco unte d
fo r
23.4 %
of
th e
to ta l
th ro u ghou t
th e
ye ar,
sig n alin g

s u sta in ed
mark e t
vit a lit y .

C re ativ e
it e ra tio n
has
beco m e
th e
co re
battle fie ld .
On
ave ra ge,
82 .5 %
of
ad ve rtis ers

l a u nch ed
new
cre ativ es
each
month
, up
14.6 %
year
over
ye ar
. The
pro portio n
of
new ly

r e le ase d
cre ativ e s
peake d
at
63.2 %
in
Dece m ber
. Vid eo
cre a tiv e s
dom in ate d
th e
la n dsca pe

a t
74.1 %
, wit h
sh ort-fo rm
vid eo s
under
30
seco nds
acco untin g
fo r
58 %
, re in fo rc in g
th e

t r e nd
to w ard
lig hte r,
fa ste r
co nte nt
co nsu m ptio n .

C ate gory
dyn am ic s
co ntin ue
to
evo lv e .
The
RPG
ca te g ory
main ta in e d
th e
hig hest

i n ve stm ent
in te nsit y ,
ave ra gin g
ove r
80 0
cre ativ es
an nually
. Mea nw hile ,
Casin o
gam es

e m erg ed
as
a bre ako ut
cate g ory
, wit h
adve rtis e rs
acco untin g
fo r
47%
of
th e
se gm ent
(u p

2 2.7 %
Yo Y
) and
cre ativ e s
re pre se ntin g
22.3 %
(u p
13.9 %
Yo Y
),
makin g
it
th e
fa ste st- g ro w in g

v e rtic a l.

R egio nally ,
Euro pe
re m ain ed
th e
most
activ e
mark e t
wit h
an
ave ra ge
of
46,0 00
ad ve rtis ers

p er
month
, while
Hong
Kong,
Macau ,
an d
Ta iw an
re co rd e d
th e
hig h est
cre a tiv e
in te n sit y
at

1 22
cre ativ es
per
ad vertis er
per
month
, fo llo w ed
by
North
Am eric a
and
Ocean ia
. Fro m
a
p la tfo rm
pers p ectiv e ,
Andro id
ad vertis ers
acco unte d
fo r
nearly
80%
ove ra ll,
ye t
fo r
mid –

t o
hard -c o re
tit le s,
over
32%
of
cre ativ e s
ra n
on
iO S
, re fle ctin g
th e
pla tfo rm ’s
co nce n tr a tio n

o f
hig h-v a lu e
use rs .

I I.
Sin gula r
In sig hts :
Mobile
Gam e
UA
Shif ts
fr o m
“V o la tili t y ”
to

D is cip lin ed
Gro w th

I n
2025,
mobile
gam e
use r
acq uis it io n
fin all y
move d
beyo n d
pro lo ng ed
vo la til it y
and
ente re d

a phase
defin ed
by
dis cip lin e
and
ra tio nal
sca lin g.
Acco rd in g
to
Sin gu la r
data
, glo b al

g am in g
ad
sp end
gre w
at
a lo w
sin g le -d ig it
ra te
ye ar
over
year
, sig na lin g
re new ed

c o nfid ence
wit h out
an
exce ss
re tu rn .

Q uarte rly
perfo rm ance
patte rn s
beca m e
in cre asin gly
pre dic ta ble .
Q1
be gan
ca utio usly ,
wit h

m odest
quarte r-o ve r-q uarte r
in sta ll
declin es
as
te am s
prio rit iz e d
eff ic ie n cy
an d
le arn in g.
Q2

s a w
budgets
gra dually
lo ose n
as
perfo rm ance
sta biliz e d .
Q3
deli v e re d
a meanin gfu l

r e bound,
fu ele d
by
cre ativ e
optim iz a tio n
and
li v e
opera tio n s.
By
Q4
, desp it e
in te nsif ie d

h olid ay
co m petit io n,
in cre ase d
budgets
did
no t
ero de
re tu rn s— many
adve rtis e rs
main ta in ed

s ta ble
RO I,
bre akin g
th e
his to ric a l
patte rn
of
pe ak-s e aso n
pe rfo rm an ce
deca y.

P la tfo rm
str a te gie s
co ntin ued
to
div e rg e .
Andro id
dom in ate d
in sta ll
vo lu m e
due
to
sca le
and

C PIs
ty p ic a lly
40–60%
lo w er
th an
iO S
, whil e
iO S
re m ain ed
th e
prim ary
driv e r
of

m onetiz a tio n
eff ic ie ncy.
Leadin g
adve rtis e rs
tr e ate d
th e
pla tfo rm s
as
fu ndam enta lly
dif f e re nt

e co syste m s— sca lin g
on
Andro id
while
optim iz in g
fo r
va lu e
on
iO S.

M easu re m ent
matu rit y
em erg ed
as
a de fin in g
adva n ta ge.
Adve rtis e rs
adop tin g
mult i- to uch

a ttr ib utio n
and
modele d
co nvers io n s
gain ed
cle are r
cro ss-c h an nel
vis ib ilit y
and
off s e t

s ig nal
lo ss
on
iO S,
enablin g
fa ste r,
more
co nfid e nt
decis io n-m akin g.
Sin gula r
em phasiz e s

t h at
co m petit io n
in
2026
will
ce nte r
on
tr a nsfo rm in g
fr a gm ente d
data
in to
clo se d -lo op

d ecis io n
syste m s
th at
su pport
su sta in ab le
gro w th .

I II.
The
Aark i
Pla yb ook:
A Full- F u nnel
Gro w th
Fra m ew ork

R ed efin in g
th e
Futu re
of
Mobile
Gam in g

A s
acq uis it io n
co sts
ro se
12%
year
ove r
year
whil e
use r
gro w th
exp an ded
by
ju st
2%
, Aark i

i n tr o duce s
a Full- F unnel
Gro w th
Fra m ew ork
th at
un if ie s
use r
acq uis it io n,
re ta rg etin g,
and

l if e cycle
mark e tin g
in to
a co ntin uous
le arn in g
syste m — th e
Aark i
In fin it y
Loop
.

R ete ntio n
has
beco m e
th e
new
co re
pe rfo rm ance
metr ic .
Aark i
data
sh o w s
th at
over
95%
of

m obile
gam e
users
ch urn
wit h in
30
days
. The
so lu tio n
lie s
in
sh if tin g
fr o m

p erfo rm ance -fir s t
mark e tin g
to
re te n tio n-le d
orc h es tr a tio n
, where
UA
an d
RT
opera te
as

o ne
syste m — deliv e rin g
up
to
20%
hig her
LT V
. Cre ativ e
in te ll ig en ce
ana ly sis
fu rth er

i n dic a te s
th at
str u ctu re d
cre ativ e
re fr e s h
cycle s
im pro ve
perfo rm an ce
sta b ilit y
by
30%
,
m akin g
cre ativ e
ve lo cit y
a co ntr o lla ble
le ve r
fo r
gro w th .

T he
Fan ta stic
Fiv e:
New
Rule s
of
Rete n tio n

● Rete n tio n
sta rts
on
Day
0
Build
engagem ent
dir e ctly
in to
onb oard in g
to
de m on str a te
va lu e
befo re
th e
fir s t

purc h ase .

● Measu re
re la tio nsh ip
dep th ,
not
ju st
re ac h

Focu s
on
engagem ent
fr e quency,
se ssio n
depth ,
and
re a ctiv a tio n
co st
to
asse ss
tr u e

use r
va lu e.

● Refr e sh
befo re
fa tig ue
sets
in

CTR
ca n
dro p
by
up
to
45%
afte r
fo ur
exp o su re s
wit h out
re fr e sh — makin g
pro activ e

it e ra tio n
esse ntia l.

● Reactiv atio n
is
R&D

Win nin g
RT
in sig hts
sh ould
co ntin uo usly
fe ed
back
in to
UA
optim iz a tio n .

● Scale
what
work s,
pau se
what
pla te au s

Sta ble
re activ a tio n
budgets
le ad
to
sm ooth er
RO I
cu rv e s
and
lo w er
vo la til it y .

A ark i
em phasiz e s
th at
fu tu re
co m petit iv e
ad va nta ge
lie s
in
bu ild in g
eco sys te m s
of
user

n urtu rin g
ra th er
th an
tr a ffic
co nsu m ptio n
, enab le d
by
un if ie d
da ta ,
cre ativ e
in te ll ig en ce ,

a nd
dis cip lin ed
pacin g.

I V .
2025
Str a te g y
Gam e
Mark e tin g
In sig h ts :
Com petit iv e
Dyn am ic s

a n d
Cre ativ e
Tre n ds
in
4X
Gam es

I n
2025,
str a te gy
gam es
co ntin ued
to
an ch or
th e
glo b al
mob ile
mark e t,
driv e n
by
hig h
use r

v a lu e
and
lo ng
lif e cycle s.
Am ong
th e m ,
4X
str a te g y
gam es
dem onstr a te d
exce ptio nal

r e silie nce
th ro ugh
gam epla y
hyb rid iz a tio n
and
re fin ed
liv e
op era tio ns.

D ra w in g
on
it s
glo bal
publis h in g
exp erie n ce ,
Funta p
Gam es
outlin es
th e
early
in dic a to rs

r e quir e d
fo r
glo bal
sca la bilit y .
To
re m ain
co m petit iv e ,
D1
re te n tio n
must
re ac h
30–3 5%

( 3 5–40%
on
iO S)
, while
D7
re te n tio n
sh ou ld
exce ed
15–1 8%
. Tit le s
wit h
D1
belo w
25%

f a ce
str u ctu ra l
dis a dva nta ges
in
paid
UA
au ctio ns.

S ocia l
in te gra tio n
pro ve d
decis iv e .
Ove r
60%
of
pla yers
must
jo in
an
Alli a n ce
befo re
Day

3 to
su sta in
healt h y
D7
re te ntio n.
Allia nce
partic ip an ts
ge nera te
3–4×
hig h er
pla ytim e
th an

s o lo
pla ye rs ,
re in fo rc in g
th e
ce ntr a l
ro le
of
so cia l
mech anic s.

F ir s t- w eek
behavio r
analy sis
sh ow s
ave ra ge
da ily
pla ytim e
of
40–6 0
min u te s
, wit h
co re

p aye rs
re ach in g
1.5 –3
hours
. 4X
gam es
re ly
on
hig h-fr e q u en cy,
varia b le -le n gth

s essio ns
— 8–12
per
day
, sp lit
betw een
sh ort
ch eck-in s
an d
deep
enga gem ent.
By
Day
7,

p la ytim e
div e rg es
sh arp ly :
Allia nce
pla ye rs
main ta in
45+
min ute s
, whil e
so lo
pla ye rs
dro p

b elo w
20
min ute s
. Pla ye rs
accu m ula tin g
600
min u te s
(1 0
hours )
in
th e
fir s t
wee k
are
5×

m ore
lik ely
to
co nvert
.

C re ativ e
tr e nds
co ntin ue
to
evo lv e ,
wit h
AI- g en era te d
co nte n t
em erg in g
as
a majo r

e ff ic ie ncy
le ve r.
To p
cre ativ e s
ty p ic a lly
fo llo w
a str u ctu re
of
AI
ch ara cte r
hook
→ gam ep la y

s h ow case
→ em otio nal
re so nan ce
, ofte n
in co rp ora tin g
lig h t
horro r
or
fa m ily -c o nflic t

n arra tiv e s.
Futu re
gro w th
will
be
driv e n
by
deep er
hyb rid iz a tio n— su ch
as
SLG
tit le s

i n te gra tin g
ca su al
min i- g am es— and
cu lt u ra lly
ad apte d
th em es
lik e
wuxia .

F unta p
Gam es
re co m mends
str e ngth en in g
la un ch
re a din e ss
th ro ugh
hyb rid
onbo ard in g
,
m an dato ry
so cia l
syste m s
, and
early -s ta g e
tim e
co m pre ss io n
, whil e
va lid atin g
sca la bilit y

t h ro ugh
paid
UA
befo re
glo bal
ro llo ut.

C ase
Stu die s
& Mark et
Covera g e

T he
re port
als o
analy ze s
th e
fu ll- y e ar
mark e tin g
cycle s
of
fo ur
hig h ly
re p re se nta tiv e
tit le s:

● Maple S to ry :
Id le
RPG
(c la ssic
IP
id le
RPG )

● New
Mahjo ng
Wonders ™

● Gossip
Harb or
, a to p-p erfo rm in g
merg e
tit le

● Kin gsh ot
, a bre ako ut
ca su al
SLG
hit
th ro u ghou t
2025

S pannin g
nearly
100
pag es
, th is
whit e
pape r
deli v e rs
th e
most
co m pre h ensiv e
data
and

f o rw ard -lo okin g
in sig hts
to
su pport
yo ur
glo b al
exp an sio n
str a te gy.

D ow nlo ad
yo ur
co py
to day
an d
sta y
ah ead
in
an
in cre a sin gly
co m petit iv e
mobile

g am in g
mark et.