Mobile gaming fuels $21B quarter as cross-platform strategies reshape industry growth

Global gaming revenues are reaching new heights, with mobile titles driving record in-app purchases and cross-platform integration redefining how publishers build and monetize franchises, according to new reports from eMarketer and Sensor Tower.

In Q3 2025, mobile gaming generated $21 billion in in-app purchase revenue worldwide — a level not seen since pandemic peaks, eMarketer reported. Strategy, puzzle, role-playing, and casino titles each surpassed $2 billion in quarterly revenue. Shooter games recorded the sharpest growth, rising 23.5% quarter-over-quarter, while puzzle and simulation games climbed nearly 8% and 7%, respectively.

Despite gaming’s massive audience and engagement, advertisers remain underinvested. Only 5% of global media spend currently goes to gaming, even as 88% of players cite relaxation as their main motivation and 67% of teens regularly play on mobile. In response, brands are beginning to explore formats like rewarded ads, which 64% of marketers see as effective for engagement, and partnerships tied to in-game rewards and events.

At the same time, the industry is undergoing a significant strategic shift toward cross-platform ecosystems that merge mobile accessibility with PC and console depth. Sensor Tower’s State of AI Apps Report 2025 highlights how mobile now serves as the entry point for new intellectual property (IP), delivering 52 billion downloads and $82 billion in annual IAP revenue. PC and console games, led by platforms like Steam, continue to anchor premium engagement, generating over $12 billion from one billion unit sales.

Publishers are increasingly leveraging mobile to feed high-value PC and console ecosystems through companion apps, “lite” mobile versions of premium games, and cross-play functionality. Titles like PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact, and Roblox are leading examples of this convergence, blending accessibility, monetization, and community-building across devices.