Data & Research

Fate/Grand Order bucks China’s dominance as the top grossing global mobile game

Crunching the data with App Annie

Fate/Grand Order bucks China’s dominance as the top grossing global mobile game

This article is part of an ongoing series of data-driven articles from PocketGamer.biz and App Annie highlighting trends in the mobile games sector.

It’s finally happened. After a month at the top, Call of Duty: Mobile is no longer the most downloaded mobile game in the world.

It’s still performing well in that respect of course at #3.

But hypercasual games have retaken the top spot with SayGames’ Sand Balls at #1 and Good Job Games’ Fun Race 3D at #2.

Both companies have taken over the mantle as leading publishers of very simple, very accessible mobile games from the likes of Voodoo and Ketchapp, who popularised such experiences.

It’s also worth noting that there are still plenty of well-known games in the most downloaded chart.

Battle royale games are represented by PUBG Mobile and Free Fire, while perennial favourite Subway Surfers is sitting pretty at #6 over seven years on from its release.

Mario Kart Tour’s time in the top 10 is over, though.

When it comes to the most popular mobile games in terms of weekly engagement numbers, battle royale/shooters continues to dominant.

Not only are PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty: Mobile in the top 2 positions, but Free Fire and Game For Peace (the Chinese version of PUBG Mobile) also feature.

Candy Crush Saga and Anipop fly the flag for more casual mobile gaming, but the majority of games on this chart are action-oriented.

But, as ever, what really matters is the top grossing chart, and here there is a surprise.

Japanese RPG Fate/Grand Order is very successful of course - it’s one of the 23 games to generate over $1 billion dollars - but for it to rank as the top grossing global game this week just demonstrates the power of its live operations team to monetise its relative small audience of players.

Aside from that game, the chart is much as expected. Action-based Chinese games feature heavily: PUBG Mobile, Game For Peace and MOBA Honour of Kings.

Indeed, even Call of Duty: Mobile has slipped out of the top 10.

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Contributing Editor

A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon is Contributing Editor at PG.biz which means he acts like a slightly confused uncle who's forgotten where he's left his glasses. As well as letters and cameras, he likes imaginary numbers and legumes.