A year of wins, upsets, and lessons in Mobile Games

2024 is wrapping up as I write this, it’s hard to believe how quickly the year has flown by. One moment, it felt like we were just stepping into the year, and in the blink of an eye, here we are, reflecting on moments that seemed to pass in an instant. That’s truly how this life works. Let me keep the sentiments aside and talk about the essence of this article: the mobile gaming industry. Another amazing year I should say, there’s no denying that we saw some amazing new mobile creations popping up, while the industry had a lot of news to share. Let me put together the piece and share my GamingonPhone’s Mobile Games Year in Review for 2024.

2024 was a year for grand releases

Self explanatory isn’t it? 2024 was undeniably a standout year for handheld gaming. From thrilling swashbuckling RPGs to puzzle games that tugged at our heartstrings, the year had something for everyone. How many big games did we see really? Wuthering Waves, Honor of Kings, Zenless Zone Zero, Blood Strike, the hits just kept on coming, with the list stretching far beyond these standouts.

Wuthering Waves in particular made a lot of notice, when it earned over $36 million in mobile revenue in less than a month, a clear sign it was destined to be a massive hit. Meanwhile, Honor of Kings proved it wasn’t pulling any punches, hitting an incredible 50 million downloads and amassing $100 million in revenue within its first month. I will share more of these landmark moments for games in a dedicated section below.

Game genres are always an intriguing topic to dive into. While we haven’t seen too many “out-of-the-box” concepts lately, it would be unfair to say mobile gaming hasn’t delivered some truly creative gems this year. From quirky ideas to fresh takes on familiar genres, there’s been plenty to keep us entertained. In my opinion, the biggest genres were RPG and Strategy, and it’s not exactly surprising. The market has been shaped in a way that these two have remained fan favorites for quite some time.

Apart from the big names I mentioned in the article, there were releases of Squad Busters, Solo Leveling: ARISE, Ash Echoes, Age of Empires Mobile, and Disney Speedstorm. Several other names were part of this journey. The simulation genre had some good launches with Love and Deepspace, BTS Cooking On: TinyTAN Restaurant, and Neko Atsume 2: Kitty Collector to name a few, with a few more coming next year.

With the big guns making headlines, it’s time to shine a light on the smaller gems that quietly won the hearts of fans. The indie scene ate well, we had some stellar games that dropped on our mobile devices that we loved to play. Balatro made headlines, while we had Please, Touch The Artwork 2, BROK the InvestiGator, Slash Quest, The Abandoned Planet, Auto Priates: Captains Cup, and a lot more to name.

As part of our effort to acknowledge this forefront, we at GamingonPhone introduced a dedicated feature section called Indie Spotlight. This section highlights hidden gems in the indie game world and offers our readers some fantastic recommendations. With this space, you can dive deeper into the minds of developers, engaging them in conversations about various topics and gaining insights into their creative journeys, so give this section a read if interested.

Never fun without controversies

The gaming industry in 2024 was no stranger to controversy, with several incidents stirring discussions among fans and critics alike. The year kicked off with Twitch facing backlash in Korea as streamers protested its policy changes by flooding the platform with adult content.

MapleStory, one of Nexon’s flagship titles, was hit by an item manipulation controversy, which hit KRAFTON and Com2uS as well. Meanwhile, KRAFTON found itself again embroiled in legal trouble over allegations of sexual assault and wrongful termination.

On the Apple front, there are plenty of things to discuss. Their introduction of sideloading for iOS devices in the EU marked a significant policy shift, but reports of additional fees and restrictions for third-party app stores drew criticism. Ongoing disputes with Epic Games continued, especially after Apple terminated Epic’s developer account and later was accused of blocking the Epic Games Store launch but later worked it right.

That didn’t stop Apple from making headlines. The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) also loomed large, forcing Apple to allow third-party app stores, which could radically alter the mobile ecosystem. In Japan, Apple’s dominance was challenged, with growing pressure for third-party app stores to be allowed, further intensifying with the EU scrutiny of the tech giant’s practices.

It was also rumored to be first in line to face fines under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, further extending the issues for the global giant. On the brighter side, at the end of the year, reports were suggesting Apple is working on a game-focused iOS App Store, complete with social features and achievements. So creating a user-friendly experience and expanding its audience is something that we have seen in common among the giants in this space.

On a more personal note, the tragic death of Lee Woo-ri, the voice actor behind the Korean version of ‘Cyno‘ in Genshin Impact, shocked the gaming community, reminding us of the human side of the industry. Meanwhile, Yoozoo Games made headlines for darker reasons, with a former executive receiving a death sentence for poisoning the company’s billionaire founder, a deeply troubling story that cast a shadow over the business side of gaming.

Busy businesses and landmarks

Something I loved about 2024 was how these big companies came forward and told us they wanted to step up their game in mobile gaming. It felt like these companies were slowly recognizing the massive potential in this space, which could truly be a game changer. There were so many announcements tailored to our devices, and it’s an exciting way to kick off 2025, I believe we’ll see at least a few of these promises come to life.

When it comes to business, it’s essential to take a closer look at the mergers and acquisitions that unfolded throughout the year. I remember last year we had some solid deals going through, and the trends have been on the same level, although financially we could see a couple of deals flexing the “bigger numbers“.

The year kicked off with Disney making waves with a whopping $1.5 billion equity stake in Fortnite maker Epic Games, while on a larger scale, the $2.8 billion acquisition deal by EQT on Keywords Studios made headlines. The same run extended until the end of the year, where we saw Miniclip clinching Easybrain from Embracer Group for $1.2 billion, while Modern Times Group (MTG) acquired Plarium, the studio behind Raid: Shadow Legends, for $620 million, both going through in November.

Playtika also made a move, bringing fellow mobile game studio SuperPlay for $700 million. Tencent Games not only had a great year in terms of releases but also eyed a few moves in the industry. The last month of the year gave us the news that the company acquired a 51% stake in Kuro Games, the creators of Punishing: Gray Raven and Wuthering Waves. There were also reports that the Chinese Tech Giant and the founding Guillemot family of Ubisoft are considering a potential buyout of the French game developer. 

I’ll expand on this section to touch on the financial side. The new launches consistently brought in a steady stream of revenue-generating announcements throughout the year. The most recent release, Pokémon TCG Pocket debuted with remarkable success, grossing $33 million in revenue and achieving 30 million downloads in its first week, later amassing an impressive $200 million by the end of its first month. Even though it suffered a lackluster release, COD Warzone Mobile earned over $200,000 and reached nearly 1.5 million downloads on its first day.

Revenue milestones dominated the headlines as established titles showcased their enduring appeal. MONOPOLY GO! continued its stellar performance, crossing $3 billion in lifetime revenue after previously reaching $2 billion just ten months post-launch. I know many players might not fully grasp why or how this game has become such a massive hit, but there’s magic about such games, and the next example is proof of it.

Another game in the casual game genre, Coin Master cemented its place as a mobile gaming juggernaut with over $6 billion in lifetime revenue which has made audiences love such easy-to-play titles. While Whiteout Survival surpassed $1 billion, Hero Wars: Alliance reached $1.5 billion, and Peak Games, the creator of Toon Blast, celebrated an impressive $5 billion milestone.

Other notable successes included Fallout Shelter, which saw its daily revenue surge tenfold following the premiere of its TV series. As a whole, in the last year, mobile games collectively achieved 40 billion downloads and generated $53 billion in revenue, shedding light on the industry’s growth and its ability to captivate audiences, which the trends will look to improve further.

Some promises that were left unfulfilled

This section is something that I didn’t plan initially but I decided there was a lot to cover on that front. Need For Speed Mobile was all in line to launch this year, every single hint pointed that we would be getting the title on our phones, but that left us dreaming. We did get a few tests in select regions, but that was all about it for the game. The same goes for Delta Force, but again, it has been confirmed for an early 2025 release.

This doesn’t end here. I can vividly recall reading countless announcements over the year with keywords like “postponed” and “delayed” popping up repeatedly. It felt like a recurring theme for many anticipated projects. Remember The Division Resurgence which was supposed to release sometime this year? Yeah, it has been postponed for the nth time now, alongside Rainbow Six Mobile. Assassin’s Creed Jade is another game that was delayed because of DreamStar. The ironic part? None of these games have even launched yet.

The sections above touched on some of the “letdowns” that will surely look to see a launch in the future. However, there were also promises that never fully materialized, like the end of operations for games that didn’t even get a proper global launch: Clash Mini, and Everdale, to name a few. I’ll dive deeper into these and other disappointments in my dedicated article reflecting on the year’s biggest letdowns.

It isn’t very pleasant when we’re promised a few mobile games, but they never make it to us. We could have given them more support and attention if they had. Hopefully, 2025 will be different, and we’ll finally get the new titles that were promised. Here’s to getting the best mobile gaming in the coming year, a virtual “tink of our glasses”.

Disappointing dead ends

Alright, let me touch on something I usually avoid discussing: mobile game shutdowns. Honestly, it’s not a topic I enjoy covering, but there have been quite a few closures. Some of these were long-running titles with loyal communities, while others were newer releases that couldn’t quite find their footing before shutting down.

The year saw numerous games, both popular and niche, meet their end. Naruto x Boruto Ninja Voltage, Disney Mirrorverse, Brave Nine, Dead By Daylight Mobile, BLEACH: Eternal Soul, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp were among the notable titles that shut down their servers. On the same path were Artery Gear: Fusion, Konosuba: Fantastic Days, The King of Fighters ALLSTAR, Code Geass: Lost Stories, Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine, and Magic Chronicle: Isekai RPG, which announced service discontinuations, disappointing their loyal player bases.

Square Enix and NetEase Games overall had a pretty bad year when it came to their games bidding goodbye. While Nier Reincarnation, FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS, Romancing SaGa: Re;univerSe, Dragon Quest: Champions, and Dragon Quest Keshi Keshi were the names from Square Enix, MARVEL Super War, and Order & Chaos: Guardians from NetEase Games were also sunsetted.

Electronic Arts or EA Sports also had to downsize its staff following the closure of MLB Tap Sports and F1 Mobile Racing while also sharing the end-of-service announcements for two other titles, the long-time running The Simpsons: Tapped Out and what once looked to be a “solid promise“, UFC Mobile 2. Another title is Risk of Rain: Hostile Worlds, which showed promising glimpses but never materialized at the end.

It wasn’t just games; we also witnessed several studios shutting down for various reasons. There’s so much that happens behind the scenes, and it’s easy to overlook the struggles these studios face. One of the biggest news was NetherRealm Studios shutting down and its mass layoffs. Shipyard Games, backed by Supercell, shuttered its doors, while FreshCut, a gaming community platform for Roblox, ceased operations. Hypernova, the studio behind Mayanagari, reportedly shut down as well.

The trend of shutdowns extended to platforms like Twitch, where controversies and protests over changes in operations highlighted broader challenges in the gaming industry. Seeing how these bigger names also had to adjust to the moving trends, it is pretty clear it’s not an easy journey, to be honest, but all we can do is extend our sympathies and hope for better days ahead for those affected.

Looking forward to the next year

Next year is going to be awesome, I can feel it. There is a strong list of games that are going to be launched. There’s a stellar lineup of games on the horizon, and I couldn’t be more excited. Of course, it’s the new titles that have me hyped, but it’s also worth noting that many companies are stepping up their game in big ways.

Take EA Sports, for instance. After a tough year (only for their end-of-service announcements), they’re looking to bounce back in style. They’ve teased an open-world experience in their FC and Madden franchises, and there’s even talk of mobile versions in the mix. Plus, The Sims franchise has some exciting plans to offer more varied experiences, including narrative-driven mobile games. How cool is that?

Then there’s Microsoft, who is on a mission to redefine gaming. The team is taking Xbox beyond consoles and focusing on creating a whole new fan experience. While the Xbox Mobile Gaming App Store launch has been delayed, it’s clear they’re prioritizing market research to deliver something truly impactful. Honestly, I initially thought this might be a bit of a letdown. But hey, if a company promises to deliver a better experience, why not be optimistic about it?

Something that often goes underlooked is hardware when we discuss mobile gaming. I personally love these new shiny phones popping up and how gaming-oriented they have become. Just think about it, did we ever imagine console-quality games finding a home on our phones? Last year, Apple made waves with its iPhone 15 series, proving that it’s possible. And now, Android is gearing up to join the action with its impressive advancements.

Snapdragon 8 Elite chip has entered the market, and on god, the promise this chip has. It’s specifically built to make mobile gaming feel just as immersive and responsive as it would be on a console, and next year’s flagships will be insane. With innovations like these, it’s not hard to imagine a future filled with console-quality AAA games in our pockets. I, for one, can’t wait to see how far this goes.

TLDR of my last section: There’s no need to worry. Developers have always relied on creativity, and even with the rise of AI tools, it’s our minds that keep pushing the boundaries. Similarly, mobile gaming is set for a huge boom next year, and I’m excited about it. As an industry, we need to create more opportunities for passionate people around the world to get involved and grow. And to conclude, let me sprinkle some positivity, let us grow together!

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