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28% of casual game installs from non-gaming publishers come from utility apps, Liftoff’s Casual Gaming Apps Report reveals

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Liftoff, the leading provider of marketing, monetization, and creative solutions for the mobile industry, and Singular, the end-to-end marketing attribution and analytics platform, today released their 2025 Casual Gaming Apps Report. The report, based on combined Liftoff and Singular data from February 2024 to February 2025, which includes 1.4 trillion ad impressions, 63 billion clicks, 2.5 billion installs, and $11.9 billion in ad spend, reveals that utility and entertainment apps drive the majority of non-gaming app installs for casual games.

Ads in utility and productivity apps account for 28% of non-gaming app installs for casual games, while 25% come from entertainment apps. Photo and social media apps also play an important role in converting users to casual gaming, accounting for a combined 25%.

Liftoff and Singular’s Casual Gaming Apps Report covers three main topics: an annual breakdown of benchmarks for advertising costs and revenue, the mobile game genres and subgenres driving the most installs, and the latest trends shaking up the casual gaming market.

Key findings from the report include:

Utility apps drive the most installs as advertisers look outside of gaming audiences

As the consumer app market share grows, more downloads come from outside the mobile game ecosystem, with utility apps being the main driver. In the sample, over half of the casual game installs from non-gaming apps are from utility and productivity apps (28%) and entertainment apps (25%). Photo apps and social media apps are similarly impactful, driving a combined 25% of installs from non-gaming apps, while health and fitness apps contribute the least at just 4%.

Hypercasual and hybrid puzzles revenue grows 240%

Following the success of apps like Twisted Tangle, Hexa Sort, and Block Jam 3D, games with simple yet addictive puzzle mechanics have captured the attention of casual game audiences. GameRefinery data reveals a huge increase in the US market share of these games within the top 500 grossing iOS titles, with market share surging collectively from $4.12 million in Q4 2023 to $13.99 million by Q4 2024. 

Mobile game CPIs are 907% higher on iOS

From February 2024 to February 2025, the average cost per install (CPI) for casual games was $1.41 on iOS and $0.14 on Android. In contrast, strategy, RPG, and tabletop games exhibited a higher CPI on both platforms, likely due to their niche audiences. While CPI is lower on Android, iOS still delivers more than 2x D30 ROAS on most game genres.

Minigame events are on the rise in top-grossing titles

Events are an essential element of strategy for casual gaming apps, and nearly all event types saw higher adoption rates in 2024. Minigame events, in particular, continued to grow between Q1 and Q4 2024, increasing by 31%. ‘Thinking’ minigames that feature varied mechanics saw the highest adoption rates. The minigames gaining the most popularity include digging, physics-based, and board game-inspired minigames. Other growing trends include co-op partner missions, seasonal albums, and win-streak events.

Match 3 games are making a comeback

After a long period of market saturation dominated by existing giants in the genre, Match 3 games are showing signs of a revival. New releases like Royal Kingdom and Truck Star have consistently ranked among the category’s highest-grossing games in 2024.

“As always, mobile games advertising is the most competitive marketing challenge on the planet. CTR for casual games is significantly higher than most genres, which is a big positive: you get a chance to make your case. What you do with that opportunity, of course, is up to you.” John Koetsier, VP of Insights, Singular 

“Casual gaming is a competitive market, but there’s plenty of growth potential for games willing to experiment and innovate. We’ve seen top games, including new releases and seasoned winners, rapidly scale their revenue by investing more in their live event strategies and monetization models. Finding what works is a process of trial and error, but having a partner with the newest insights into revenue drivers can make a huge difference.” Brendan Fraher, General Manager, GameRefinery

The post 28% of casual game installs from non-gaming publishers come from utility apps, Liftoff’s Casual Gaming Apps Report reveals appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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CDL Major II Announced at DreamHack Birmingham 2026

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Following the 2026 Call of Duty League (CDL) Season Announcement from Blizzard, we wanted to share details of the upcoming CDL Major II set for DreamHack Birmingham, taking place March 27-29, 2026.

  • The Call of Duty League is heading back to DreamHack after an incredible turnout at the last festival – but this time, things are getting even bigger. The DreamHack Birmingham CDL Major II will feature a brand-new 10-team format, intensifying competition and ensuring only the very best squads make it to the main stage.
  • The CDL Major II at DreamHack Birmingham will kick off with online qualifiers from February 13 to March 22, before culminating in a LAN Major tournament at DreamHack Birmingham from March 27–29, 2026. Fans can expect three days of non-stop action, high-stakes matchups, and an electric live atmosphere as the world’s top Call of Duty teams go head-to-head.
  • DreamHack has a long-standing history of bringing the world’s biggest gaming communities together under one roof, and this next stop in the CDL calendar continues that legacy, uniting fans, creators, and players in one of esports’ most passionate arenas.

Tickets for DreamHack Birmingham, including access to CDL Major II, are available now.

The post CDL Major II Announced at DreamHack Birmingham 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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THE UNIT EXPANDS GLOBAL FOOTPRINT WITH NEW OFFICE IN GIBRALTAR

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The Unit, a leader in product design and development for sports betting and iGaming, has announced plans to open a new office in Gibraltar, further expanding its international footprint.

The new location, which will open in Q1 2026, will complement existing offices in Ireland, Moldova, and the U.S., reflecting The Unit’s continuing growth and commitment to supporting its clients across multiple regions.

The Gibraltar office will serve as a regional base for product strategy, management, and design, as well as a hub for commercial engagement with both new and existing partners.

Gibraltar is one of the world’s most established gaming jurisdictions and home to a significant number of global sportsbook and casino operators. Strategically, the move coalesces many convenient synergies and economies of scale for The Unit, since it already serves multiple clients in Gibraltar, while the wider local talent pool will provide an ideal base from which to generate further growth. The Unit’s presence in the Territory will organically strengthen its partnerships and enable greater collaboration with clients across Europe.

Paddy Casey, Co-Founder of The Unit, said: “We’ve experienced exceptional growth over the past two years, and our expansion into Gibraltar is a natural next step. Establishing a dedicated office here allows us to be closer to many of our key partners, build deeper relationships within the local ecosystem, and attract some of the best talent in the business.

“It’s a location that has long been a hub for gaming innovation and expertise, and having a local presence will help us continue to deliver the class-leading service and product quality for which The Unit is known.”

The Unit delivers custom-built digital products for the sports betting and gaming industries, partnering with operators and suppliers to accelerate product roadmaps and bring ideas to market with speed and precision.

The post THE UNIT EXPANDS GLOBAL FOOTPRINT WITH NEW OFFICE IN GIBRALTAR appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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NEOWIZ and Kangwon Land Sign New Slot Software Agreement, Joined by Massive Gaming’s Expertise

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NEOWIZ and Kangwon Land, Inc. signed a new Slot Software Development Agreement, with NEOWIZ’s subsidiary Massive Gaming(MVG) supporting co-development under the partnership.

The agreement marks the next stage in the long-standing partnership between NEOWIZ and Kangwon Land, which began in August 2021.

The initial collaboration mainly focused on resource supply and functional division, but the new agreement expands NEOWIZ’s and MVG’s roles to jointly lead software development using Kangwon Land’s platform and infrastructure. The partners aim to accelerate innovation and strengthen their global competitiveness in the slot gaming market.

Having been formally signed by NEOWIZ and Kangwon Land, the new agreement establishes a development framework in which NEOWIZ and MVG jointly lead the software development process, while Kangwon Land focuses on hardware manufacturing and casino deployment.

This structure enables the three companies to build a tightly connected and efficient co-development ecosystem.

According to the agreement, Kangwon Land will own the offline slot machine software, while NEOWIZ and MVG will hold the intellectual property (IP) rights for the online slot game version.

“We are delighted to take our partnership with Kangwon Land to the next level, built on the deep trust we have established since 2021,” said George Cho, CEO & Director of MVG. “Through our integrated development partnership, we aim to introduce innovative slot content that will be recognised in the global market.”

Since their first collaboration agreement in 2021, NEOWIZ, MVG, and Kangwon Land have continuously expanded their partnership.

In 2022, NEOWIZ and MVG provided graphic and sound resources from their online slot title Shen Shou Wan Fu to Kangwon Land, which officially launched the game as a physical slot machine at its casino in 2024.

The post NEOWIZ and Kangwon Land Sign New Slot Software Agreement, Joined by Massive Gaming’s Expertise appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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