App & Game Trends 2025: The Growth Game Changed
๐ Installs are getting more expensive.
๐ Retention is harder to win.
๐ฐ Only games built for long-term value will survive 2025.
Based on insights from App & Games Trends 2025 (Adjust)
Hereโs what the data is clearly telling us ๐
๐ฏ 1๏ธโฃ Games still dominate global ad spend
โข Games account for ~60โ63% of total ad spend across Android & iOS
โข iOS continues to lead in value density and ARPMAU ๐
๐ UA isnโt dead. Blind UA is…
LTV-driven acquisition is now the baseline.
๐ฎ 2๏ธโฃ Installs โ Value: genre roles are crystal clear
โข ๐งฉ Hyper Casual โ ~27% of total installs (scale first)
โข โ๏ธ Strategy โ +83% installs YoY (fastest-growing genre)
โข ๐ซ Action โ 21% of total sessions (strong engagement)
๐ Some genres buy users.
Others build businesses.
โธป
๐ 3๏ธโฃ Growth hotspots are shifting: LATAM & MENA
โข ๐ง๐ท LATAM: +9% installs YoY
โข ๐ธ๐ฆ MENA: +7% installs YoY
โข Lower CPI, longer sessions, improving monetization potential
๐ Prime regions for mid-core Strategy, Action/Shooter, and Hybrid-casual with strong LiveOps.
โธป
๐ 4๏ธโฃ Southeast Asia is diverging
โข ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia: +21% installs YoY ๐
โข ๐ป๐ณ Vietnam: -18% sessions YoY โ ๏ธ
๐ Vietnam is entering a post-scale phase:
content saturation, rising CPI, and weaker retention driven by shallow gameplay & LiveOps fatigue.
๐ฐ 5๏ธโฃ ARPMAU is rising, and so is CPI
โข Strategy, Casino, and select RPG sub-genres still lead monetization
โข ๐บ๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ท remain top-tier value markets
โข CPI increased YoY across most mature regions
๐ Only products with hybrid monetization, personalization, and strong retention can sustain this cost structure.
โธป
๐ 6๏ธโฃ ATT is no longer the main bottleneck
โข Opt-in rates are improving:
โข ๐น Arcade: 59.3%
โข โฝ Sports: 54.1%
โข ๐ซ Action: 45.9%
๐ Clear value exchange + smart UX outperform privacy fears.
๐ฎ Strategic Outlook โ What Actually Wins in 2025
2025 wonโt reward teams that scale faster โ
it will reward teams that design for value from day one.
๐น From volume to value in UA: move beyond CPI toward payback time, cohort LTV, and retention-adjusted ROI.
๐น Hybrid monetization as a core system: IAP, Ads, Battle Passes, and Subscriptions working together, personalized by behavior.
๐น AI embedded across the funnel: from creative testing and pricing to churn prediction and offer timing.
๐น LiveOps depth with cross-platform thinking: mobile as the entry point, PC & Console extending lifetime value.
In 2025, success wonโt come from making games people try.
But from building ecosystems players choose to stay in.
