When it comes to apps people download to their devices, mobile gaming is the overwhelming big winner. In a report recently released by Financesonline.com, mobile gaming now accounts for 59% of all global gaming revenue and is expected to surpass $200 billion in value by 2023. More people than ever before are downloading and playing mobile games. It’s predicted that over 181 million mobile users will be using their devices for gaming by 2025.
Consumers are also spending more on mobile gaming than ever before. In the first quarter of 2021 alone, consumers spent a total of $22.2 billion on mobile game-related purchases, an increase of 25% when compared to Q1 of 2020. Statista reports that on average, US consumers who play mobile games generated revenue of over $131 per user (ARPU) in 2021. It’s predicted that by 2025, ARPU will increase to over $163 (US).
Average Revenue Per User
As mobile gaming continues to explode in popularity, bad actors are looking to cash in. Cheats, unauthorized modifications, in-game boosts, and benefits are just some of the lures bad actors use to bring in their victims. Many of the enhancements and third-party upgrades these bad actors offer include malicious code and malware, seek unnecessary permissions, access sensitive information, and often result in the theft of personal data stored on mobile devices. In some cases, bad actors go so far as to hijack the gaming account altogether, stealing it from the legitimate owner to sell on the dark web.
With more people now than ever using mobile apps for entertainment and relying on them for a wide variety of everyday use, ensuring the safety of your consumers and the authenticity of their experience with your apps is absolutely critical for brand protection professionals. Rogue apps and misleading activity masquerading as your brand not only puts your customers' safety and security at risk but can lead to long-term repercussions for your brand. Having a robust mobile app enforcement plan in place can help reduce support costs, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty and protect both subscriber and in-game purchase revenue.
For more information on how to plan an effective mobile app enforcement program to compliment your overall brand protection strategy, we've published an informative guide that you can download here.
