Beyond the platform: Why mobile monetisation is entering a new era

For years, mobile video game revenue models operated on a simple equation: build a great video game, acquire players through the major app stores and accept the platform economics that come with reaching them. That model is now changing.

Across the global mobile video game market, regulation, competition policy and evolving platform strategies are steadily opening new possibilities around payments, distribution and player relationships.

The result isn’t simply pressure on Apple and Google to lower their fees. It’s a fundamental shift in how studios should think about revenue ownership.

A global regulatory shift is redefining platform economics

The regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented. 

In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act has forced Apple to rework its terms more than once. As of October 1st, 2026, all EU developers operate under a single set of business terms.

The per-install Core Technology Fee is gone, replaced by a 5% Core Technology Commission on sales through alternative app stores, web distribution and external purchase links.

Apple's own in-app purchase now carries a 26% commission (15% for small businesses and for subscriptions after year one). Alternative in-app payments carry 20% (10%). Purchases made through an external link within seven days carry a 15% (10%) store fee on top of the 5% commission.

For video game studios, however, the headline percentage is only part of the story.

The real opportunity is ownership of the player relationship

The bigger question is what happens when studios have greater control over how players discover, purchase and engage with their video games.

Alternative payment methods can reduce transaction costs, but they also introduce operational complexity. Tax, fraud, chargebacks, compliance, currencies and local payment preferences all become considerations for the studio. Player expectations also vary dramatically by market. In some regions, cards and digital wallets dominate. In others, bank transfers, carrier billing or local payment networks can be critical to conversion. 

That makes the monetisation strategy increasingly localised.

The winning approach will not necessarily be to “move everything off-platform”. It's about deciding where the platform provides enough value, and where a direct relationship creates more value for both studio and player.

D2C can become a strategic revenue channel

This is where direct-to-consumer (D2C) becomes strategically important. A studio-owned web shop, loyalty program, subscription, virtual currency portal or other direct channel can create additional revenue opportunities while giving developers something the traditional platform relationship rarely provides: a first-party commercial relationship with the player.

That relationship can support better personalisation, richer offers, cross-game engagement and greater flexibility around promotions. It can also diversify revenue beyond the constraints of a single storefront.

D2C shouldn’t mean simply recreating an in-app store on the web and hoping players follow.

The proposition needs to be compelling. Exclusive value, convenience, loyalty benefits, better bundles or experiences can give players a genuine reason to engage directly.

Monetisation needs to become more flexible and more local

As payment rules and platform fees evolve, studios will need to think beyond a single monetisation model. The most effective strategy may combine traditional in-app purchases with alternative billing, web shops, subscriptions, advertising, live-service offers and other revenue streams. The right mix will depend on the video game, the audience and the market.

This also means treating payments as part of the player experience rather than simply a back-end infrastructure decision. A payment journey that feels unfamiliar, inconvenient or insecure can undermine the benefits of a lower platform fee.

The commercial question therefore becomes more sophisticated: What combination of channel, payment method, offer and player incentive produces the strongest long-term value?

Beyond the platform at PGC Nordics

These are precisely the questions that we’ll be exploring at PGC Nordics, where Xsolla VP of strategic insights & market intelligence, global enterprise Ola Dokun, will be hosting a session on Tuesday, October 20th, on “The rulebook is being rewritten: building a direct-to-consumer strategy that lasts”.

In the session, Dokun will explore how developers can build stronger direct relationships with players, reduce dependence on traditional platform economics and create additional revenue opportunities through D2C.

The next phase of mobile monetisation won’t be about choosing between platforms and going direct. It will be about building a portfolio of channels, payment methods and player relationships, and knowing when each one creates the most value. 

For studios, platform diversification is becoming less of a theoretical opportunity and more of a core commercial capability. The question is no longer simply how much revenue a video game generates: it’s who owns the relationship that generates it.