Casting an eye on app store optimisation, data.ai has highlighted the most searched words consumers use to find mobile games on the iOS App Store in 18 countries in its State of Mobile Gaming Report 2022.

Data.ai highlighted that non-specific searches, such as 'game', 'games', or 'gaming', appeared very frequently across the countries analysed and ranked in the top three searched terms in eight countries.

Non-specific keywords revealed a regional split, with western countries’ searches yielding casual and hypercasual games, such as Project Makeover, Hair Challenge, and Subway Surfers, whereas APAC markets preferenced 'core' games, such as Battlegrounds Mobile India and Honor of Kings/Arena of Valor.

The everlong search

The most specific searched for mobile game in 2021 was Roblox which appeared in the top three search terms in 10 countries. Roblox was the most searched for keyword in Germany, Mexico, and Thailand.

Other games that were often searched for explicitly included PUBG Mobile, Minecraft, Free Fire, Clash Royale, Free Fire, and Ludo King.

Data.ai's report highlighted that despite years of using the App Store to find games, consumers are still at a loss of what keywords to use for specific searches. However, the hypercasual industry has clearly grasped where consumers are searching and have tailored their ASO strategy to this.

Outside of the App Store, a recent report from Mozillion found that Minecraft, Free Fire, and Genshin Impact are the most searched for mobile games on the web, with 18 games reaching over one million monthly searches each month between January 2021 and 2022.