2022 Mobile Insights Report

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  1. The best game experiences emerge from insight-based innovations. As the world of mobile games continues to evolve, accessing the right insights can help industry partners grow their business and delight users with top-of-the-line experiences. The 2022 Mobile Insights Report is the first in a series of four to help game developers figure out where to go next.

    The global view

    In this report, the global view includes countries within APAC, EMEA, and North America, as well as Mexico and Brazil.

    Today’s mobile players are competitive and seek out games that recognize and reward winners. They value diversity across characters and storylines, and pay attention to whether a game offers accessibility features. Though mobile players are fans of current trends such as cross-platform gameplay and cloud games, their eyes are on the future as they excitedly await the enhanced experiences that the Metaverse, AR, and VR promise to bring.

    Ensure your mobile game reaches its full potential by diving into the four sections of the report that will help you…
    01

    01

    Design your game

    A powerful game design is built on a foundation of insights. To scale up and grow your mobile games business, a strong – yet flexible – foundation is key. Having a deep understanding of player behavior and priorities can help set your game up for success.

    01 01

    Player behavior

    Mobile players often begin to start playing games when they feel bored. The overall global trend also reveals that they generally stick with playing 1-3 games at the same time.

    Why do mobile players start playing games?

    Why do mobile players start playing games?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    How many different games are mobile players usually playing at any given time?

    How many different games are mobile players usually playing at any given time?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Localization

    Localization

    Games designed with a local context in mind boast a competitive edge. Our research shows that it’s important for mobile players, particularly those in Brazil and APAC, to play in a familiar virtual environment, one that’s been localized to their country or region.

    How important is it to mobile players that a game's content is localized to their country or region?

    How important is it to mobile players that a game's content is localized to their country or region?

    EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

    VERY IMPORTANT

    MODERATELY IMPORTANT

    SLIGHTLY IMPORTANT

    NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Upcoming game features

    Upcoming game features

    Mobile players want their virtual worlds to reflect the rich variety of the world they live in. For their next game, mobile players are seeking diverse characters as well as a greater level of personalization when creating their own characters.

    What features are mobile players interested in
    engaging with in new games?

    What features are mobile players interested in engaging with in new games?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Google Cloud Data and Analytics

    Prioritize features by unifying your understanding of your players across regions and games.

    Diversity, equity, and inclusion

    Beyond seeking diversity in characters, mobile players across age and ability divides are also looking for diverse storylines they can immerse themselves in. Our research shows that all groups, especially younger audiences and those with disabilities, place a high value on having accessibility options.

    How important is it to mobile players that games feature any of the following (% ‘Extremely Important’ and ‘Very Important’)?

    How important is it to mobile players that games feature any of the following (% ‘Extremely Important’ and ‘Very Important’)?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device (segmented by ability and age) Note: Those who chose not to disclose whether they have a disability were not included in the “Ability” segment.

    How important is it to mobile players that the games they play have accessibility options?

    How important is it to mobile players that the games they play have accessibility options?

    All of the values in the below chart are listed in %.

    EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

    VERY IMPORTANT

    MODERATELY IMPORTANT

    SLIGHTLY IMPORTANT

    NOT IMPORTANT AT ALL

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device (segmented by ability and age) Note: Those who chose not to disclose whether they have a disability were not included in the “Ability” segment.

    02

    02

    Launch your game

    The moment a player first comes across a game is one of the most critical junctures for a mobile games business. How do players discover your game, and why do they decide to play? Learning the motivations and expectations behind these moments can unlock opportunities for future optimization.

    02 02

    Game discovery

    Mobile players come across potential new games in app stores, on social media, or through the recommendations of friends and family. Before deciding to play, they check the genre of the game: is this a genre they’ve played before, and enjoyed?

    How do mobile players discover new or upcoming games?

    How do mobile players discover new or upcoming games?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    What influences mobile players to try out new games?

    What influences mobile players to try out new games?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    App campaigns

    Ensure that your game gets discovered by promoting your mobile game on Google Search, Play, YouTube, and more.

    Google Analytics

    Capture first-party data that you can use to understand player behavior and enhance app performance marketing.

    Google Play store listing experiments

    Convert more visits to installs with store listing experiments by testing your icon, screenshots, videos, and game description with an actual Google Play audience.
    Pre-registration

    Pre-registration

    More than half of the mobile players surveyed reported pre-registering for games, motivated by the idea that they’ll be one of the very first players.

    How often do mobile players pre-register for
    an upcoming mobile game?

    How often do mobile players pre-register for an upcoming mobile game?

    OFTEN

    SOMETIMES

    RARELY

    NEVER

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Why do mobile players pre-register for
    an upcoming mobile game?

    Why do mobile players pre-register for an upcoming mobile game?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=19,878 global respondents 18+ that pre-register for upcoming mobile games at least rarely

    Google Play pre-registration

    Capture early consumer interest and accelerate launch performance with pre-registration on Google Play.

    App campaigns for pre-registration

    Drive early installs and high value users to your game on Android during the pre-launch stage.
    Translations

    Translations

    Getting communication right matters. An overwhelming majority of mobile players say that the translation quality of their games are pretty good, but there’s an opportunity for improvement in EMEA and APAC.

    How do mobile players rate the quality of translations in their language in the games they play?

    How do mobile players rate the quality of translations in their language in the games they play?

    EXCELLENT

    GOOD

    FAIR

    POOR

    VERY POOR

    I'M NOT SURE

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Google Play translation services

    Localize your app experience for users around the world by translating your store listing page, app strings, and in-app products.

    OP-ED

    How to win the launch

    Nothing is more important to a game’s ultimate success than getting the launch right. The launch is a developer’s best opportunity to generate buzz for something new, or rev up excitement if the title has an existing fan base. It’s when games enjoy their highest level of awareness, so it’s worth taking the extra time to make sure you get it right.

    Maria Pacheco

    Strategic Partnerships,

    Google Play Games

    Prepare for launch

    Take this short quiz to help you optimize your game’s success. Your journey to building a better game starts here.
    03 03 03 03 03

    03

    Grow your business

    As trends come and go, it’s important to keep an eye on emerging insights to stay engaging and relevant. Keep up-to-date on shifts in user behavior, including sentiments on advertising and monetization, to keep your business thriving.

    03 03 03 03 03

    Mobile in-game spend

    Around the world, mobile players have been prioritizing their spend on in-game currency and unlocking special items or content and are primarily driven by a desire to speed up their progress in the game.

    What mobile in-game benefits have mobile players spent money on over the past six months?

    What mobile in-game benefits have mobile players spent money on over the past six months?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=13,999 global respondents 18+ that have spent real money in a mobile game within the past six months

    Why do mobile players make purchases within
    games using real money?

    Why do mobile players make purchases within games using real money?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=15,937 global respondents 18+ that have spent real money in a mobile, PC, or console game within the past six months

    Google Play Billing

    Grow your revenue by selling products within your game using Google Play Billing.
    Mobile in-game advertising

    Mobile in-game advertising

    When done right, ads can enhance the user experience. 40% of mobile players report that ads have a positive to very positive effect on their gameplay and 35% report that ads have no effect. An overwhelming majority have at least a slight interest in the content of the ads they come across, and most tap through to earn an in-game incentive.

    What kind of effects do in-game ads have on mobile players’ gameplay experience?

    What kind of effects do in-game ads have on mobile players’ gameplay experience?

    VERY POSITIVE

    POSITIVE

    NEUTRAL/NO EFFECT

    NEGATIVE

    VERY NEGATIVE

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=17,249 global respondents 18+ that currently play games that feature in-game ads

    How interested are mobile players in the content of the in-game ads they see?

    How interested are mobile players in the content of the in-game ads they see?

    EXTREMELY INTERESTED

    VERY INTERESTED

    MODERATELY INTERESTED

    SLIGHTLY INTERESTED

    NOT INTERESTED AT ALL

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=17,249 global respondents 18+ that currently play games that feature in-game ads

    How often do mobile players tap on in-game ads for each of the following reasons?

    How often do mobile players tap on in-game ads for each of the following reasons?

    All of the values in the below chart are listed in %.

    FEW TIMES A WEEK

    ONCE A WEEK

    FEW TIMES A MONTH

    ONCE A MONTH

    FEW TIMES A YEAR

    NEVER DONE THIS

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=12,710 global respondents 18+ that have intentionally tapped on an in-game ad

    AdMob

    Increase your ad revenue with engaging ad formats and access to 200+ ad networks competing in real time for your impressions.

    Game trends

    When considering the future of games, mobile players are immensely excited by the opportunities in AR, VR, and the Metaverse. In the short-term, they are looking to engage with cross-platform gameplay and cloud games.

    What game trends do mobile players want
    to interact with in the future?

    What game trends do mobile players want to interact with in the future?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Google Cloud

    Understand and serve players everywhere with planet-scale cloud infrastructure.
    04

    04

    Retain your community

    Good retention builds player loyalty and fosters a strong community. Accessing the right engagement insights can help your business prioritize features and updates to keep players coming back, and staying connected.

    04 04

    Retention & churn

    What brings a mobile player back to a game? They love a good, engaging story, and continue to play as long as they’re having fun. If a mobile player encounters too many bugs or too many ads, they’ll put the game down.

    What keeps mobile players interested in
    continuing to play a game?

    What keeps mobile players interested in continuing to play a game?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    What causes mobile players to quit playing a game?

    What causes mobile players to quit playing a game?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Firebase Crashlytics

    Track, prioritize, and fix stability issues faster with Firebase’s powerful, realtime crash reporter.

    App campaigns for engagement

    Reconnect with the players who have installed your game by showing them relevant ads across Google Search, Display, YouTube, and more.

    Firebase Remote Config

    Dynamically control, change, and optimize your game’s configuration to test new features, deliver personalized experiences, and drive the outcomes you want, without publishing a new version.

    What kinds of social features do mobile players
    use when playing games?

    What kinds of social features do mobile players use when playing games?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    How do mobile players interact with other
    players outside of the game?

    How do mobile players interact with other players outside of the game?

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, n=23,364 global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device

    Are mobile players in groups or communities related to games?

    Are mobile players in groups or communities related to games?

    All of the values in the below chart are listed in %.

    YES

    NO

    I’M NOT SURE

    Google/VGM, “Mobile Insights Report”, January 2022, Online survey, Global, global respondents 18+ that primarily play games on their mobile device (segmented by ability and age) Note: Those who chose not to disclose whether they have a disability were not included in the “Ability” segment.

    Google Cloud Vertex AI

    Improve the player experience by applying AI capabilities to areas like content moderation, chat translation, toxicity detection, and more.

    YouTube

    Build deeper connections with your audience by posting to the Community tab in YouTube.

    Firebase Cloud Messaging

    Send targeted messages and notifications to re-engage players across platforms at no cost.