Over 95,000 mobile games were downloaded every minute in 2025

• Strategy was the only mobile genre to grow revenue, downloads and time spent.
• Sensor Tower’s data reinforces mobile as the primary reach engine for games in 2025.
• Of the 52bn total game downloads across mobile and PC/console, 50bn came from mobile alone.

More than 95,000 mobile games were downloaded per minute on average in 2025 as installs reached 50 billion for the year.

That's according to Sensor Tower's State of Gaming Report, which showed that while installs are slowing with a decline of 7% year-on-year, revenue proved more resilient as in-app purchases climbed 1.4% year on year to $82bn, with average IAP revenue per download reaching $1.62.

Google Play accounted for 81% of all game downloads, with the App Store contributing 15%. Free-to-play continues to dominate mobile distribution, making up 96% of downloads overall and 99% on Google Play.

While the App Store delivered fewer installs than Google Play, it generated disproportionately higher in-app purchase revenue and showed stronger penetration among high-value users, particularly in the US.

The report also found that in-app purchase growth was driven by stronger retention and engagement strategies in a maturing market. Live ops, timed events and IP collaborations played a central role, while ad spend patterns reflected this pivot. 

Continuos growth

On the games front, strategy emerged as the standout genre on mobile, the only category to post gains across revenue, downloads and time spent. Titles such as Last War: Survival and Whiteout Survival ranked as the top two revenue-generating mobile games of the year.

Mobile also remains the lowest friction channel for audience acquisition due to smartphone penetration and free-to-play access. In contrast, PC and console growth is constrained by hardware costs and premium pricing models.

In terms of IP, Monopoly Go! pushed Monopoly to the top spot for mobile IAP revenue, while Roblox also stands out, with the majority of its massive cross-platform player base coming from mobile.

The report further found that ad strategies are also evolving. YouTube, historically more PC and console focused, gained a greater share of mobile ad budgets in 2025 as publishers targeted high-value audiences instead of maximising downloads.

"2025 proved the strength of the PC/console ecosystem, fueled by viral indie hits, high-quality double-A experiences and reliable triple-A pipelines - anchored by the year's top-selling title, Battlefield 6. With GTA VI still ahead, that momentum will only accelerate into 2026," said Sensor Tower CEO and co-founder Oliver Yeh. 

“Meanwhile, mobile has entered a more mature phase. While downloads are harder to scale, opportunity has shifted to favour developers who prioritise retention, monetisation, and innovation, with tactics like webstores and IP partnerships driving sustainable growth."

You can access the full report here.