$116 Billion Was Spent On Mobile Games In 2021

According to new mobile statistics from App Annie, the mobile gaming market broke a number of records in 2021, including a massive surge in app spending, playtime, and more.

As the State of Mobile 2022 Report explains, $116 billion was spent in total on mobile games in 2021, while total app store expenditure was $170 billion in 2021, which was an increase of 19% since 2020.

In 2021, in appears that Roblox hit number one for consumer spending, with Genshin Impact following behind. As for monthly active users, PUBG Mobile took first place, with Roblox coming in second, followed by Candy Crush, Free Fire, and Among Us.

Additionally, "more time than ever before" was spent on mobile apps, reaching 4.8 hours per user, per day in the top mobile-first markets. The report also indicates that mobile services remain in high demand with global consumers downloading over 435,000 apps per minute, while mobile app advertisements are on track to hit $350 billion in 2022, after surpassing $295 billion in 2021.

In other mobile gaming news, Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games and publisher of Grand Theft Auto, acquired the FarmVille company Zynga for $12.7 billion. In a press release, Take-Two said this is a "transformative combination" of companies that makes Take-Two "one of the largest and most diversified mobile game publishers in the industry."

"This strategic combination brings together our best-in-class console and PC franchises, with a market-leading, diversified mobile publishing platform that has a rich history of innovation and creativity," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. Following the acquisition, it's possible that fans could see the company's IP--including Grand Theft Auto--make its way to mobile devices in one way or another.