The user acquisition company Gamelight has released exclusive data and insights on the state of mobile gaming in 2023. Their Mobile Gaming Index by Gamelight: Most Played Games in 2023 analysis stands out because it uses an AI algorithm to analyze user behavior and playing patterns, providing playtime per active user in each gaming vertical and region. This sheds light on who’s playing what and where.
The resulting statistics reveal not just the most downloaded or highest-earning games, but rather which games are keeping their players engaged the most, maximizing both joy and potential monetization opportunities. The analysis includes playtime (in minutes) per active user for each gaming vertical, as well as the Top 10 rankings of the most-played mobile games on Google Play and the App Store. Gamelight’s data includes users in the US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, and Korea.
The insights also reveal the average playtime for four distinct categories on iOS and Android: Casual, Mid-Core, Social Casino, and Action games.
2023’s most played games
One of the most played games across the United States and Europe is Monopoly GO!, ranked as number one in both countries for playtime per active user. Meanwhile, Candy Crush Saga maintains a strong position, appearing in the Top 10 ranking for playtime in every single country. SuperPlay’s Dice Dreams is another popular game, appearing in all country rankings except for South Korea. Additionally, Royal Match shows up high in the rankings across countries, with the exception of France. Other games with strong presence in certain regions include Coin Master, Gardenscapes, Clash Royale, and Clash of Clans.
Leading Genres
The analysis shows that casual titles dominate the rankings, being the genre with the highest playtime across all the presented countries, except for the UK’s iOS users who show a slightly higher playtime on Social Casino. Midcore games are popular among iOS users in the United States and France, while Android users across countries favor games of the Action genre. Social Casino exhibits steady presence across all countries and platforms, indicating a consistent and dedicated user base for this genre.
Country specific insights
The data also reveals specific insights tied to each country. For example, the United Kingdom’s iOS users show a preference for anime-styled RPG games, and the United States users favor casual games with Monopoly GO! being the most played game by Android users. Germany’s Android users have lower playtime across all genres compared to iOS users, displaying a significant gap between the two platforms. In France, there is a diverse blend of game genres, while Japan and Korea show preferences for games that align with their culture.
Key takeaways
Four key takeaways from the data are:
• Android users have lower average playtime than iOS users across the countries
• The casual mobile genre dominates the market globally
• Top recurring titles consistently secure high rankings
• Japan has the highest overall playtime and dedicated user base
If you would like to read the full report, you can get your copy here.
