Spending on iOS and Google Play Games Now 4X Handheld Console Games

Consumers spend four times as much on games from the App Store and the Google Play Store than they do on games for gaming-optimized handhelds like the PlayStation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS, according to the newest report from App Annie.

The report points out that while Google Play game spending surpassed spending on handheld console games (both physical and digital) during the second quarter of 2013, App Store game spending continues to outpace both categories, bringing in far more revenue.

Back in July, App Annie reported that Google Play downloads had surpassed App Store downloads, but App Store revenue remains 2.3 times higher.

gamesrevenuecomparison
App Annie notes that games continue to lead app store growth, and during the second quarter of 2013, games represented approximately 40% of downloads from both Google Play and the App Store. Game sales in both app stores grew a significant amount from the Q1 2013 to Q2 2013 and represented 70% of total app revenue in both the App Store and Google Play.

The App Store and Google Play metrics that App Annie uses for its reports come from App Annie intelligence data, which is designed to offer global market data to publishers. As always, revenue estimates include paid downloads and in-app purchases, but not in-app advertising.

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Apple Northbrook

Apple Store Permanently Closing at Struggling Mall in Chicago Area

Tuesday February 18, 2025 8:46 pm PST by
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location. Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017. Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...

Top Rated Comments

bacaramac Avatar
150 months ago
Nintendo, you reading this. Develop for iOS and save yourself.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
haruhiko Avatar
150 months ago
I would have spent much more if Nintendo released their classic games on the App Store.:(
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trip1ex Avatar
150 months ago
This shows you one reason why Nintendo won't make games for iOS.

The 3ds and Vita have maybe an install base of 40 million worldwide right now and I'm rounding up.

The install base of smartphones is 1500 million.

37.5 times that of the 3ds/Vita install base.

Yet revenue of all games from all these small developers is only 4x that of the 3DS/Vita.

Then when you realize Nintendo accounts for most of that game revenue on the 3ds and that Vita game revenue is miniscule then you see one of the good reasons why they won't make games on iOS/Android.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ironman159 Avatar
150 months ago
Fact: if ports of Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart were released for iPhone, they would stay in the top 10 paid apps forever.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MattSepeta Avatar
150 months ago
Im surprised by this news.




Said no one, ever.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apolloa Avatar
150 months ago
Sadly so for Sony and especially Nintendo. At least Sony's PS plays Bluray discs. Who would have thought this before the advent of the App store and Google play.

They are like steamrollers, flattening everything in their path.

Eh what? You are proclaiming the entire console market is deteriorating? Because that is what your blueray comment implies. So....

hahahaha erm NO! It's about to be boosted like never before with new consoles, and unless you don't play console games or have lived under a rock, the console market is a massive part of the games industry which is worth more than the television industry, and that's globally.

So sorry to burst your bubble, but consoles aren't going anywhere and you are NEVER going to be able to match gameplay like The Last Of Us on a mobile or tablet. The big screen experience is too good.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)