In 2025 year to date, Pokémon GO in-app purchase revenues surpassed 297.44 million U.S. dollars worldwide. The AR game's most profitable year was 2020, when many gamers discovered the title during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pokémon Go: a global phenomenon Pokémon Go took the world by storm in 2016. Within a week of its release on July 19, the mobile app had been downloaded over ten million times worldwide, indicating the enormous hype surrounding the launch of Nintendo’s first venture into mobile gaming. The location-based augmented reality (AR) game involves catching, training, and battling virtual creatures (Pokémon) in real-world locations via smartphone. While the initial Pokémon craze has slowly faded, the game still enjoys millions of active users around the world and the Asia-Pacific region, in particular. Player spending increases in a quest to catch ’em all Pokémon Go ranks among the leading free-to-play (FTP) gaming titles worldwide, generating over four billion U.S. dollars in lifetime IAP revenue. While both app download and usage are free, the game uses a freemium business model that supports in-app purchases. Users can buy additional Pokéballs or other in-game items to level up and increase their chances of becoming a successful virtual Pokémon trainer. In order to maintain players’ interest and participation, developer Niantic continues to expand the game by introducing new features and characters like popular franchise antagonists Team Rocket..

In 2025 year to date, mobile gaming title Pokémon GO generated more than 113 million U.S. dollars through in-app purchases across markets in Asia-Pacific. The Americas were ranked first with more than 136 million U.S. dollars in annual app revenues.

In 2020, mobile gaming title Pokémon GO had its biggest year yet, with a total of 356 million U.S. dollars worth of in-app purchases (IAP) revenues by gamers in the United States. The majority of Pokémon GO revenues are generated via Google Play. However, in 2024, the iOS Store for iPhone and iPad generated more IAP revenues for the AR hit, amounting to a total of 145.2 million U.S. dollars.

The gaming app "Pokémon GO" generated a monthly app revenue of about ***** million U.S. dollars in Japan in December 2024. The total app revenue during that year reached almost ***** million dollars. The location-based augmented reality (AR) game was developed by Niantic, Inc. and released in 2016.

In 2025 to date, mobile gaming company Niantic generated over 344 million U.S. dollars in IAP revenues. The most popular mobile gaming titles published by Niantic include the mobile AR hit Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Pokémon GO's impact on Niantic's company revenue cannot be overstated — in 2015, in-app revenues amounted to a comparatively low 840 thousand U.S. dollars.

Pokémon Go is an augmented reality mobile game developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo. The mobile gaming app generated the highest revenue in Poland in August 2023, amounting to over *** thousand U.S. dollars.

According to figures provided by Airnow, the net revenue made on Pokémon GO in the Netherlands was highest right after the app was launched. The app still generates revenue since those months, with peaks between June and September. The source defines net revenue as the revenue made with in-app purchases after the stores (Apple App Store and Google Play Store) received their share.Pokémon GO was launched in the summer of 2016 and for a time became one of the world's most played mobile games. Developer Niantic allows players to "catch" the popular Japanese pocket monsters from Nintendo in outside real world locations using augmented reality.

The Augmented Reality (AR) mobile gaming market is booming, projected to reach $100 billion by 2033 with a 25% CAGR. Discover key trends, drivers, and leading companies shaping this immersive gaming landscape. Explore regional market shares and future growth potential.

Comprehensive YouTube channel statistics for Pokémon GO, featuring 1,160,000 subscribers and 143,580,440 total views. This dataset includes detailed performance metrics such as subscriber growth, video views, engagement rates, and estimated revenue. The channel operates in the Gaming category. Track 647 videos with daily and monthly performance data, including view counts, subscriber changes, and earnings estimates. Analyze growth trends, engagement patterns, and compare performance against similar channels in the same category.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Mobile Games market size is USD 100584.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.50% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 40233.68 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 30175.26 million.
Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 23134.37 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5% from 2024 to 2031.
Latin America had a market share for more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 5029.21 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9% from 2024 to 2031.
Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 2011.68 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% from 2024 to 2031.
The Android held the highest Mobile Games market revenue share in 2024.

Market Dynamics of Mobile Games Market

Key Drivers for Mobile Games Market

Smartphone Penetration Growth: The swift rise in affordable smartphones and access to high-speed internet is propelling the global adoption of mobile gaming, allowing for a broader audience reach in both urban and rural settings, thereby enhancing accessibility and convenience.

Freemium and In-App Purchases: The effectiveness of free-to-play models that incorporate in-app purchases and advertisements is driving revenue growth. This business strategy attracts a large user base while providing steady income streams for game developers and publishers.

Rising Esports and Social Gaming: The growth of mobile esports tournaments and multiplayer platforms is increasing user engagement. Players are increasingly drawn to competitive, interactive, and community-oriented gaming experiences, which in turn stimulates sustained demand for mobile gaming solutions.

Key Restraints for Mobile Games Market

Monetization Challenges: A heavy dependence on microtransactions and advertisements can lead to user frustration. Developers encounter challenges in balancing revenue generation with user experience, which may hinder retention and long-term profitability in a fiercely competitive market.

Device and Connectivity Limitations: Performance issues on lower-end devices and unreliable internet connectivity in emerging markets hinder seamless gaming experiences, limiting adoption among users who cannot access high-quality, graphics-intensive mobile games.

High Market Saturation: The industry is confronted with fierce competition, with thousands of games launched each year. Challenges in discoverability make it difficult for new developers to attract users, thereby restricting innovation and profitability for smaller studios.

Key Trends for Mobile Games Market

Cloud Gaming Expansion: Cloud technology is transforming mobile gaming by facilitating high-quality, console-like experiences on smartphones without hardware constraints, enabling users to instantly access advanced games through streaming platforms.

AR and VR Integration: The increasing adoption of augmented and virtual reality technologies in mobile gaming is enhancing immersive experiences, with games such as Pokémon Go demonstrating the potential of interactive, location-based entertainment.

Expansion of Cross-Platform Gaming: The rising demand for cross-platform compatibility enables players to experience seamless interactions across consoles, PCs, and mobile devices, thereby enhancing engagement and broadening the scope of mobile gaming ecosystems. Introduction of the Mobile Games Market

The mobile games market refers back to the enterprise targeted at developing, dispensing, and monetizing games for smartphones and tablets. It contains an extensive variety of game genres, from casual puzzles to immersive multiplayer experiences. With the tremendous adoption of smartphones globally, the cellular gaming market has grown unexpectedly, turning into one of the most important segments of the gaming enterprise. Key drivers consist of the accessibility and convenience of gaming on cell devic...

In July 2016, an augmented reality gaming phenomenon hit our smartphone screens. Pokémon GO had players roaming around parks and streets in the real world in an attempt to capture, train and battle their virtual Pokémon. There were an estimated ** million users of this innovative game in the United States in 2016 and the figure is set to soar to ** million in 2020. The game is particularly beloved in the Asia Pacific region, where the number of users is set to increase from ** million to *** million in the same timeframe.

Pokémon GO in the U.S. Although the original hype around the game has died down some three years later, Pokémon GO has still retained a loyal fan base in the United States. As of February 2019, it was found that **** percent of Android Pokémon GO app owners in the United States accessed the gaming app on a daily basis and **** percent used it monthly. Given the universal appeal of the Pokémon world, the app has a relatively balanced gender split amongst its users in the United States – **** percent of the users in the U.S. were male compared to **** percent who were female.

Pokémon GO rakes in the revenue Although the app is free-to-play, the freemium business model means that revenue is generated via in-app purchases carried out by the user. Within the Pokémon GO app, these purchases include Pokéballs, which are used to capture Pokémon, a Revive power-up for your favorite fallen Pokémon, and a Lucky Egg, which increases the experience gained by a Pokémon in battle. Player spending on the app stood at an impressive **** billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2018, with players in the United States and Japan being particularly keen to get their hands on the best upgrades.

In June 2025, Pokémon Go was the top grossing gaming app for iPhone in Sweden. The AR game generated more than ******* U.S. dollars in revenues from iPhone users. Candy Crush Saga was the second-most grossing gaming app title with approximately ******* U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

Mobile gaming has become a huge industry, with successful game developers in line to generate millions from their mobile games. In March 2021, Roblox was the top grossing iPhone gaming app in the United States, generating daily revenues of over 3.09 million U.S. dollars. Second-ranked Candy Crush Saga grossed approximately 2.03 million U.S. dollars per day. Pokémon GO was ranked seventh with a daily gross of more than 463,000 U.S. dollars

Pokémon GO - a global phenomenon
Pokémon GO is a massively multiplayer location-based mobile video game which uses augmented reality. The project is jointly created by The Pokémon Company and Niantic and has been available since July 2016 on the iOS and Android platforms. Just like in the video game series, the goal is to capture Pokémon and battle it out against other trainers. In 2020, Pokémon GO player spending hit 916.5 million U.S. dollars worldwide, which was the mobile app’s most profitable year since launching in 2016, when it grossed approximately 588.77 million U.S. dollars. The location-based augmented reality (AR) game involves catching, training, and battling virtual creatures (Pokémon) in real-world locations via smartphone. While the initial Pokémon craze has slowly faded, the game still enjoys growing numbers of active users around the world and in the Asia-Pacific region in particular.

Online app stores
With individual gaming apps generating millions of dollars of revenue on a daily basis, it is no surprise that app stores are also raking in the revenue. In the second quarter of 2020, Google Play Store recorded gross revenues of 7.7 billion U.S. dollars from mobile games, up from 6.9 billion generated in the previous quarter. The numbers for Apple's App Store were even more impressive, with revenue from mobile games on its iOS platform reaching 33.2 billion U.S. dollars worldwide in 2018. Interestingly, despite Apple's App Store leading the way in terms of revenue, Google Play recorded significantly more mobile game downloads in 2018. A total of 38.3 billion mobile games were downloaded globally across both app stores in that year, out of which the vast majority, 29.4 billion downloads in total, were attributed to Google Play.

As of September 2022, the mobile version of popular battle royale game PUBG saw the highest average revenue per user (ARPU) worldwide among gaming apps, with users generating approximately **** U.S. dollars on the platform. The Roblox platform ranked second, with users generating approximately ** U.S. dollars on average, while Pokémon Go ranked third with an ARPU of around ** U.S. dollars as of the examined period.

In September 2022, Candy Crush Saga was the top grossing gaming app for iPhone in Norway. The match-3 game generated more than *** thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from iPhone users. Pokémon GO was the second-most grossing gaming app title with approximately ** thousand U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

As of September 2021, Genshin Impact became a leading mobile game worldwide by player spending. In its first year alone, after launching in September 2020, it reached a revenue of two billion U.S. dollars. The game with the second highest revenue reached within its opening year, following its launch in June 2017, was Lineage M, with 1.2 billion U.S. dollars. Pokémon Go, with a revenue of 1.1 billion U.S. dollars, was the third highest earner in its first year, after having launched in July 2016 .

In September 2022, Candy Crush Saga was the top-grossing gaming app in the Google Play Store in Finland. The match-3 game title generated ** thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from Android users. Pokémon GO was the second-most-grossing gaming app title with approximately ** thousand U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

In September 2022, Candy Crush Saga was the top grossing gaming app for iPhone in Finland. The match-3 game title generated more than ** thousand U.S. dollars in revenues from iPhone users. Pokémon GO was the second-most grossing gaming app title with approximately ** thousand U.S. dollars in revenue during that month.

Published in August 2023, Monster Hunter Now is a location-based AR game developed by Pokémon Go maker Niantic and Capcom. In December 2024, the mobile gaming app generated approximately **** million U.S. dollars in in-app purchases.

The statistic present the leading gaming app titles worldwide as of *************, ranked by revenue generated within the fist day of their release. As of the measured period, Pokémon GO was the leader, having generated **** million U.S. dollars in revenue within ** hours of its release.