A new report reveals that midcore titles are driving significant revenue on iOS in the United States
A recent report from analytics firm LiftOff shows that midcore games are contributing to 35% of total gaming revenue on iOS in the United States. The report provides valuable insights into the performance of midcore titles in the current mobile market. Furthermore, it highlights the dominance of the strategy genre, with 70% of the top-grossing midcore games falling into this category.
One notable finding from the report is the difference in cost per install (CPI) between shooters and strategy games. Shooters had a CPI of $7.47, while strategy games had a significantly lower CPI of $2.77. RPGs had the lowest CPI at just $0.60. This suggests that developers may find it more cost-effective to create strategy games in the midcore genre.
When it comes to day seven return-on-ad-spend (D7 ROAS), shooters and strategy games were almost on par. Shooters had a D7 ROAS of 6%, while strategy games had a slightly lower D7 ROAS of 5.4%. However, the report acknowledges that midcore games struggle to achieve the same ROAS rates as casual gaming genres.
The Head of Analytics at GameRefinery, a LiftOff company, Joel Julkunen, commented on the appeal of midcore games for developers. He stated, “Midcore games are such an enticing prospect for developers, as their enhanced depth enables them to build a more dedicated fanbase with a reliable revenue stream. Those looking to create midcore games must maintain a sizable LiveOps content output to keep players engaged. They also drive a constant flow of in-app purchase (IAP) bundles and gachas to boost their monetization efforts and attain top-tier status.”
What does this mean for the industry?
The report’s findings shed light on the strong performance of midcore games overall, despite previous challenges from hypercasual and now hybridcasual games. In the top 200 grossing mobile games worldwide, midcore titles surpass casual games by a significant margin. Additionally, the report highlights the growing trend of developers utilizing external web stores, such as Supercell, to effectively monetize their titles.
Two specific case studies mentioned in the report are Marvel Snap and Honkai: Star Rail. These games demonstrate how midcore titles with their depth and engagement can effectively capture an audience, even in the face of more casual game options. With the observed slowing growth of hypercasual games, this report may serve as an early indicator that midcore is on the rise in terms of popularity.