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90% of top 100 grossing mobile games feature seasonal events

Game Refinery crunches the numbers

90% of top 100 grossing mobile games feature seasonal events

According to a new report by GameRefinery, 90 per cent of the top 100 grossing mobile games include seasonal events.

Within the US market, the most significant seasonal events are New Year, Lunar New Year, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Outside of the US, region specific seasonal events, such as the Quixi festival in China or Sakura in Japan prove to be successful revenue generators.

Furthermore, 40 per cent of the top 100 games in the US iOS market are collaborating with brands for partnership events.

9 out of 10

During events, the most profitable revenue streams are limited-time skins, characters, and weapons sold through themed currency and special seasonal gacha.

Seasonal events can also prove successful outside of its native region. Genshin Impact’s 2021 Lunar New Year event, Lantern Rite, saw Western revenues rise from $200,000 to $1.25 million in one day.

Common seasonal event types include user interface changes to represent the seasonal event, event-related offers, and playable content with specific tasks and goals.

The report details that events are an efficient method to test new features and trends. For example, Township developer Playrix implemented two trending mobile game features during tis 2020 Christmas event, mini-games and renovation mechanics.

GameRefinery’s report suggests that successful events can lead to the re-engagement of the existing player base, alongside the acquisition of new players.

You can read the full report here.


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