Niko and AppMagic have recently published a document, breaking down the data and analysing various factors within the mobile gaming world in 2022.

The research provided focuses on mobile gaming genres in Asia & the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) that contributed nearly 80% of the region’s mobile game spending during 2022: RPGs, Strategy games, MOBAs, puzzle games, and Battle Royale games.

We've published a new FREE downloadable report in collaboration with @AppMagicRocks looking at five key mobile game genres in Asia and MENA.

The bulletin provides analysis on market sizing, player profiles, and rankings across key metrics.

Download here:https://t.co/CHPzklQryj pic.twitter.com/GkTBMsNnHa

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) July 10, 2023

For each metric and category, genres were scored from 1 to 10, with 1 denoting poor performance and 10 denoting excellent performance within that specific factor. A final genre score between 1-10 was then calculated by using a weighted average of the four category scores, providing an approximate value of how each genre performs relative to each other, which is shown below:

Total Genre Score (Averages of all factors)

RPG: 6.6
Battle Royale: 6.4
Strategy: 6.1
MOBA: 5.8
Puzzle: 4.9

Monetization

Scores:
RPG: 7.7
Battle Royale: 6.0
Strategy: 6.0
MOBA: 5.4
Puzzle: 4.9

Based on the information gathered in the bulletin, RPGs generate the highest revenue and have the best monetization score. Puzzle games have the highest number of downloads but the lowest revenue per download. However, puzzle game players tend to have higher average incomes compared to players of most other genres, except for RPG players. Strategy games have an above-average monetization score due to their revenue ranking and the percentage of players who make in-game purchases. 

MOBAs perform exceptionally well in Asia and MENA regions, especially compared to Western markets. They have the second-highest revenue per download among the genres discussed. While their high revenue per download and total spending contribute to their monetization score, players of this genre tend to have lower incomes and spend less on gaming overall. Battle Royale games have an average monetization score of 6.0 among the genres covered. They rank first in terms of the percentage of players who have made in-game purchases in the past year (55.1%). However, their total revenue is the lowest among the genres discussed.

Engagement

Scores:
RPG: 6.8
MOBA: 6.4
Puzzle: 6.0
Battle Royale: 5.6
Strategy: 5.2

In terms of engagement, RPG players have the highest average annual income and a more balanced gender distribution compared to other genres. RPG games, including their sub-genres, continue to dominate mobile ranking charts, especially in South Korea where they accounted for 75% of core game revenue in 2022. On the other hand, puzzle gamers show the lowest level of engagement in terms of hours played, with an average of 3.9 hours per week.

Strategy gamers are the least dissatisfied with the games they play and are more likely to try new games in the same genre. The genre performed well in Asia and MENA regions in 2022 but experienced declines in the Western market. MOBA gamers rank first in terms of hours played per week and display the highest loyalty towards their preferred game. This makes the MOBA genre challenging to break into due to the dominance of a few titles in the region. MOBA games have the highest engagement score, ranking first in average hours played per week (6 hours) and player lifespan. The player base of MOBA games is the youngest among the genres covered in this bulletin, and it has a more equal distribution of male and female players compared to battle royale and strategy games.

Esports

Scores:
Battle Royale: 9.5
Strategy: 7.5
MOBA: 6.0
RPG: 4.0
Puzzle: 3.0

The RPG genre has the second lowest esports score primarily because most RPG games lack a competitive esports component. Additionally, RPG players are less likely to engage in activities related to esports, such as streaming esports events, aspiring to compete in esports, or attending esports events in person. Whereas, Puzzle game players are the least likely to be esports fans, stream esports events online, or have aspirations to participate in professional or amateur esports tournaments.

Interestingly, the strategy genre has a high esports score among its players. 65% of strategy game players are fans of esports, and they are more likely to attend esports events in person and aspire to compete in esports at a professional or amateur level. While both the Battle Royale and MOBA genres have a significant number of esports tournaments and prize pools, the Battle Royale genre surpasses MOBA in other esports metrics, such as viewership.

Appeal

Scores:
RPG: 6.8
Strategy: 6.0
MOBA: 5.6
Puzzle: 5.2
Battle Royale: 5.2

According to the information provided, RPG has the highest appeal score among the covered genres. It is more likely to attract both male and female gamers compared to other genres. Although the majority of RPG players are male (61%), this percentage is lower than in other genres where male players can make up 70% or more.

Meanwhile, strategy games have the second-highest appeal score. Players from this category are less likely to be dissatisfied with the game they are playing and more inclined to try new games within the same genre. MOBA games have the youngest player base among the covered genres. They also have a relatively balanced distribution of male and female players compared to battle royale and strategy games.

On the other hand, puzzle games have a comparatively low appeal score, but they have a relatively even split of male and female gamers, second only to RPGs. Puzzle games tend to appeal more to older gamers, as they have the highest average age of players among the covered genres. The Battle Royale genre has a narrower appeal compared to others. It is more likely to attract male players significantly more than female players. Additionally, players of this genre are more likely to be dissatisfied with the game they are playing.

Conclusion

Puzzle games dominated the number of downloads within the 5 genres with well over twice the amount of RPGs and had the largest appeal to an older audience overall. Comparatively, RPG was genre that scored the most in the Monetization, Engagement and Appeal factors, due to its very high number of downloads and purchases per download, showcasing very good financial success. The strategy genre comes in second for appeal, with Strategy game players being less likely to be dissatisfied with their game of choice and more likely to try more games in the genre.

In comparison, taking the Esports score by far was the Battle Royale genre, with well over twice the score of most of the other genres. There were high levels of content consumed, tournaments played or just general esports fans that played Battle Royale games, which contributed to the very high Esports score given to the genre. MOBA games showed the most loyalty, with a lot of players tending to stick with their game of choice for the long run and lead to a lot of in-app purchases for the games.

For more details on the data breakdown, you can visit Niko’s website page.