Action & Strategy Drives Majority of Mobile Revenue Despite Install Drop

The global games market is showing a widening split between engagement-driven monetization on mobile and growth-led expansion on PC and console, according to new data from Sensor Tower. The latest deep dive into Action and Strategy genres indicates that while mobile downloads are contracting, in-app purchase (IAP) revenue continues to dominate the segment.

Across platforms, Action and Strategy titles remain the largest revenue drivers, accounting for more than half of all mobile IAP spending. However, growth dynamics differ significantly by platform. On PC and console, titles such as Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders are contributing to year-over-year increases in both unit sales and revenue, reinforcing demand for high-production, premium experiences.

On mobile, the trend is shifting in the opposite direction. Install volumes are declining, but publishers are extracting more value from existing users. The report points to a deliberate pivot away from user acquisition toward retention and monetization, with live operations, social features, and progression systems taking priority over scale.

This recalibration comes amid sustained pressure in key genres. Mobile RPG revenue has declined for four consecutive years, with no immediate reversal in 2026. Meanwhile, Action titles—despite occasional surges driven by releases like Dungeon Fighter Mobile—have failed to maintain momentum, posting a 30% drop following a temporary rebound.

The data suggests structural fatigue in traditional monetization models. The long-dominant gacha system, which underpinned mobile RPG growth through 2023, is losing effectiveness. Developers are increasingly exploring hybrid mechanics and engagement loops inspired by other genres, particularly 4X strategy, which previously demonstrated scalable monetization through long-term player investment.

On PC, however, niche subgenres are expanding rapidly. Deckbuilders have emerged as a standout category, led by Slay the Spire 2. Within three months of release, the title generated nearly as much revenue as the entire deckbuilder segment did in 2025. Importantly, the report notes that this growth did not significantly cannibalize competing titles, which still retained over a quarter of category revenue.