Last War: Survival climbed four spots to become the highest-earning mobile game worldwide in December 2024, with Pokémon TCG Pocket securing the second position. MONOPOLY GO! took third place, while Royal Match and Roblox completed the top five in global revenue rankings.
Top Mobile Games by Revenue and Downloads
According to Sensor Tower’s App Performance Insights, FirstFun’s Last War: Survival emerged as the highest-grossing mobile game worldwide in December 2024. The game’s success was fueled by its Christmas Celebration event, launched on December 23, featuring festive activities and exclusive rewards. Additionally, aggressive advertising campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok boosted user acquisition, resulting in unprecedented engagement and in-app purchases. These efforts made December the game’s most lucrative month to date.
Pokémon TCG Pocket Climbs to the #2 Spot
The mobile adaptation of the legendary Pokémon card game, Pokémon TCG Pocket, claimed the second spot in global revenue rankings. Its Mythical Island update on December 17 introduced exclusive card packs with rare Pokémon, enticing players to spend more. The Mass Outbreak Event on December 26 further enhanced engagement by giving players more opportunities to battle specific Pokémon. These strategic updates propelled the game’s global revenue past $390 million, with significant contributions from Japan, the U.S., France, Taiwan, and Germany.
MONOPOLY GO!, Royal Match, and Roblox Round Out the Top 5
MONOPOLY GO! secured the #3 spot, while Royal Match and Roblox took fourth and fifth places, respectively, solidifying their positions as top performers.
Mobile Gaming Revenue Hits $6.98 Billion in December
December 2024 saw global consumer spending on mobile games through the App Store and Google Play reach $6.98 billion, a 5.1% increase compared to November. The United States led the revenue charts with $2.2 billion, accounting for 31.8% of worldwide revenue, followed by China (15.6%) and Japan (15.6%).
Honkai: Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero Lead Holiday Growth
miHoYo’s Honkai: Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero experienced exceptional revenue growth during the holiday season. Major updates and events drove player engagement:
- Honkai: Star Rail introduced version 2.7 on December 4, featuring a new story arc and the highly anticipated character Fugue, launched on December 25. This propelled the game to climb 24 spots to rank #18 globally.
- Zenless Zone Zero released version 1.4, adding S-Rank Agents and a new chapter, pushing the game up 34 positions to #22 in revenue rankings.
GIRLS’ FRONTLINE 2: EXILIUM Sees Global Success
GIRLS’ FRONTLINE 2: EXILIUM, a turn-based RPG, achieved remarkable growth, climbing to the #5 spot for worldwide revenue growth and ranking #38 globally. Its unique post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting and captivating character designs resonated with players, earning $29 million in revenue during its global rollout, particularly in Japan, South Korea, the U.S., and Taiwan.
Top Downloads of December 2024
For downloads, Garena Free Fire retained its position as the most downloaded mobile game globally. Block Blast! came in second, followed by Roblox, Subway Surfers, and Pokémon TCG Pocket, rounding out the top five.
With blockbuster events, strategic updates, and record-breaking revenues, December 2024 has set a high bar for mobile gaming’s performance. The industry’s continual innovation ensures an exciting year ahead for both developers and players.
According to Sensor Tower’s App Performance Insights, Garena Free Fire was the most downloaded mobile game worldwide in December 2024, adding over 35.2 million downloads and bringing its lifetime total to an impressive 1.82 billion. India led with 42% of these new downloads, followed by Indonesia at 17.8% and Brazil at 6.3%. The Winterlands: Aurora event, launched on December 4, brought a frosty theme to the Bermuda map and introduced a new character named Koda, enhancing the festive experience for players.
Block Blast!, a block puzzle game by Hungry Studio, secured the #2 spot globally, amassing 367 million downloads to date since its March 2022 launch. The game remains popular in markets like the United States, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Philippines, thanks to its minimalist flat art style and tabletop-themed design, which appeal to hypercasual gamers. Throughout 2024, Hungry Studio’s user acquisition strategy leaned heavily on social media, with Instagram and TikTok playing key roles. According to Sensor Tower’s Pathmatics Advertising Insights, TikTok accounted for over 90% of the game’s ad impressions in the U.S. in December alone, highlighting the platform’s effectiveness in reaching its target audience and sustaining success.
For the full ranking of the top 10 mobile games by downloads, please see the chart above. Note: Data from third-party Android markets is excluded.
The remaining titles in the top five by downloads are Roblox, Subway Surfers, and Pokémon TCG Pocket, respectively.
In December 2024, mobile game downloads worldwide across the App Store and Google Play exceeded 4.18 billion, marking a 6.4% increase from the previous month. India led the market with 647 million downloads (15.5% of global downloads), followed by the United States (8.2%) and Brazil (7.8%).
Notable Growth Performers
Two standout games in December 2024, Squid Game: Unleashed and Infinity Nikki, achieved remarkable growth, securing spots among the top 10 mobile games by download growth.
- Squid Game: Unleashed, a Battle Royale game published by Netflix, ranked #6 in worldwide download growth. Released on December 17, the free-to-play game, inspired by Netflix’s hit series, quickly became the most downloaded action game on the iOS App Store and Google Play in the U.S. Globally, it has surpassed 10 million downloads, with leading markets including the United States, Brazil, India, Mexico, and France, showcasing the impact of popular IP on mobile game success.
- Infinity Nikki, an open-world adventure game by Paper Games, creators of Love and Deepspace, claimed the #8 spot for global download growth. With its high-fantasy setting, dynamic camera mechanics, and 3D anime art style, the game has captivated fans of the studio’s previous titles. Since its global release in December 2024, Infinity Nikki has surpassed 5.5 million downloads, driven by strong adoption in China, the United States, Japan, and Thailand.
These trends highlight how engaging events, effective marketing strategies, and leveraging popular IPs can drive mobile gaming success across global markets.
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