Singapore – Leading measurement and analytics company Adjust released its annual Gaming App Insights 2025 report, revealing APAC’s role as a key driver of global gaming growth. Mobile game installs in the region rose 4% YoY in 2024, despite a 3% dip in sessions, signaling opportunities for marketers to refine retention strategies and maximize long-term player engagement.
“Despite market shifts, mobile gaming in APAC remains on a strong growth trajectory,” said April Tayson, Regional Vice President for INSEAU at Adjust. “As mobile-first adoption accelerates, it’s developers and marketers focusing on long-term player engagement — rather than short-term gains — who will be best positioned to thrive. Leveraging the power of AI-driven personalization and hybrid monetization, to name a few, will be key in building sustainable success in this dynamic industry.”
Globally, the report highlights a mixed outlook. While LATAM (+8% installs, +7% sessions) and MENA (+10% installs, +5% sessions) saw strong momentum, North America (-11% installs, -14% sessions) and Europe (-1% installs, -6% sessions) faced engagement challenges, underscoring the need for strategic adaptation.
Gaming sessions and installs increase globally, with the Philippines and Indonesia at the forefront of APAC
Adjust data shows that in 2024, hyper casual games led global installs (27%) but accounted for only 11% of sessions, highlighting high churn. In contrast, action games, with just 10% of installs, drove 21% of sessions and the longest average playtime (45.15 mins), indicating strong retention. Strategy apps saw the highest YoY install growth (+83%), while casino (+32%) and arcade (+23%) apps led in session growth, reflecting high engagement.
In APAC, the Philippines and Indonesia led in gaming app install and session growth. The Philippines saw a 4% increase in installs and 9% in sessions, while Indonesia recorded 21% growth in installs and 6% in sessions. Meanwhile, other markets showed mixed results: India saw a 2% rise in installs but a 1% drop in sessions, while Vietnam experienced a slight 0.3% uptick in installs but a sharp 18% decline in sessions.
In terms of regional session lengths, APAC had a slight increase with users logging in 34.84 minutes per session in 2024 compared to 34.32 minutes in 2023, and longer than the global average of 30.75 minutes per session. Indonesia recorded the longest gaming sessions in 2024, at an average of 44.31 minutes, with the Philippines (43.4) and Singapore (39.14) following closely. Thailand and South Korea remained strong – both exceeding 35 minutes.
ATT opt-in rates are seeing incremental growth globally, especially APAC
Gaming App Tracking Transparency (ATT) opt-in rates increased slightly in Q1 of 2025 to 40% from 38% in the same quarter of 2024. Big contributors to this growth are attributed to India (from 43% to 44.2%), Indonesia (from 54.2% to 58.6%), Malaysia (from 46.9% to 51.9%), Philippines (from 41.6% to 47.4%), Singapore (from 26% to 29%) and Thailand (from 49.7% to 51.4%)
Globally, arcade games saw the most significant growth, with opt-ins jumping from 42.4% to 59.3%. Sports (54.1%), casino (38.3%), and action (45.9%) games also saw gains, while hyper casuals experienced a slight drop.
Key overall shifts Adjust observed in the mobile gaming industry globally in 2025 include:
- AI-driven personalization enhancing player engagement: AI is revolutionizing in-game experiences and predictive retention strategies.
- Hybrid monetization is on the rise: Developers are increasingly blending in-app purchases (IAP), ads, subscriptions, and battle passes to diversify revenue streams.
- Cross-platform play expands: Seamless transitions between mobile, PC, and console are increasing retention and lifetime value (LTV).
- New UA frontiers emerge: Connected TV (CTV), influencer marketing, and alternative app stores are reshaping game discovery.
“With APAC’s sustained momentum, marketers need to stay agile in adapting to evolving player behaviors,” April added. “Success will depend on embracing diverse monetization models, optimizing user acquisition across new channels, and continuously refining engagement strategies to keep players invested in the long run”. For additional findings and industry best practices, download the full report here.
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