Independent app marketplace Uptodown has revealed the most downloaded games on its platform since its inception in 2011.

The firm noted that 10 years ago only two per cent of its users downloaded games onto mobile devices. However, with over 130 million users each month, 85 per cent of current Uptodown users access the platform from an Android device, highlighting the shift from PC to smartphone usage.

In recent years, battle royale games have dominated the top charts, with Uptodown users showing a bias for PUBG Mobile. In 2021, PUBG Mobile and its variations, PUBG Mobile Lite and the South Korean version of the game, dominated the top three downloads on the platform.

Android Bias

Despite the battle royale dominance, Uptodown noted that there has been a "re-emergence" of genres that were first introduced on PC and consoles, including real-time strategy, puzzle games, and MOBAs.

The top three most downloaded games on the platform per year can be seen below:

2011

1. Need for Speed Shift
2. PES 2011
3. Talking Tom Cat

2012

1. Plants vs Zombies
2. Need for Speed Shift
3. Angry Birds

2013

1. Candy Crush Saga
2. Pou
3. Angry Birds

2014

1. Candy Crush Saga
2. Subway Surfers
3. Pou

2015

1. Plants vs Zombies 2
2. Subway Surfers
3. Geometry Dash

2016

1. Clash of Clans
2. Pokémon GO
3. Subway Surfers

2017

1. Clash of Clans
2. Clash Royale
3. Subway Surfers

2018

1. Free Fire
2. Fortnite
3. PUBG Mobile

2019

1. PUBG Mobile
2. Free Fire
3. Clash of Clans

2020

1. PUBG Mobile
2. PUBG Mobile Lite
3. Fortnite

2021

1. PUBG Mobile Lite
2. PUBG Mobile
3. PUBG Mobile (Korean version)