Dominant
Mobile has shifted from downloads to spending
The mobile question is no longer how many installs but what each installed player is worth, and the genre that answered it best is already cooling. Chinese publishers now hold most of the 4X top slots.
Where it stands
Mobile download growth has stopped while spending accelerates: downloads rose 0.8% year over year against a 10.6% rise in in-app purchases, and among the top ten markets only India and Pakistan grew downloads at all. Apps overtook games on mobile IAP revenue in 2025, $85.6B against $81.8B. Inside games, 4X strategy was the one genre adding both, up 5% on downloads and 5% on revenue in H1 2026 while mobile free-to-play downloads fell 12%, then turned in Q2, down 12% and 10% quarter on quarter.
Further reading
The timeline, consequences and objections for this trend are not written yet. What it is and its reading list are above.