Russian Mobile Games Market: Key Highlights of 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on people’s mobile phone usage, leading to a surge in both the total number of mobile app users and, notably, mobile game players.
In 2020, the Russian mobile games market experienced remarkable growth, positioning it as a lucrative sector within the gaming industry. According to Statista, mobile games emerged as the primary revenue driver, with a total income of $1.5 billion by the end of the year. Russian users also contributed to this growth, as the Average Revenue per User (APRU) in mobile games reached $42.10 in 2020, compared to $40.15 in 2019.
The lockdown period attracted a new audience to mobile gaming, showcasing the vast potential of games as a popular online entertainment medium. People started playing more frequently and for longer durations. According to Statista, the number of mobile gamers in Russia increased by 18%, reaching 35.83 million. Furthermore, Superdata and Wargaming reported that the mobile game audience had already reached 66 million people in the first half of 2020.
Top Mobile Games Based on Monthly Active Users
Brawl Stars, a MOBA mobile video game developed by Supercell, secured the top position in terms of active users in Russia. Minecraft: Pocket Edition, a collaborative effort by Mojang Studios and Xbox Game Studios, followed closely in second place. Roblox, a virtual universe for gaming created by Roblox Corporation, claimed a strong third position.
Top Mobile Games by Revenue in 2020
The title of revenue leader among mobile games in Russia for 2020 was claimed by Hero Wars – Hero Fantasy Multiplayer Battles developed by Nexters. Brawl Stars, which already held the top position in terms of user activity, also secured the second spot in revenue. Gardenscapes: New Acres, a free-to-play mobile game by Playrix, rounded out the top three. Statista compiled their own ranking of mobile games by revenue, providing a monthly breakdown. In November 2020, their data indicated that the multiplayer game World of Tanks Blitz for iOS and Android, developed by Wargaming.net, topped the revenue charts, earning over $1.3 million. Homescapes, another free-to-play game by Playrix, closely followed in second place with revenues reaching $1.288 million. Hero Wars claimed the third spot in November’s revenue rankings.
Top Mobile Games by Downloads
The title of downloads leader in Russia was claimed by My Talking Tom Friends, a free-to-play game developed by Outfit7. Brawl Stars also secured a prominent position in this category, ranking second in terms of downloads. PUBG Mobile, the official mobile version of PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS developed by Tencent Games, took the third spot in the downloads rankings in Russia.
Source: App Annie Intelligence, The State of Mobile 2021
Most Popular Mobile Game Genres in Russia
In the first half of 2020, RPG games emerged as the highest revenue-generating genre in Russia. While strategy games remained among the top three most popular genres among Russian mobile gamers, they experienced a decline of nearly 10% in revenue during the first half of the year.