APAC’s mobile gaming market has continued to show strength amid changing industry trends, according to Adjust’s newly released Gaming App Insights 2025 report. The annual study by the measurement and analytics company revealed that mobile game installs in the region grew by 4% year-on-year in 2024, even as gaming sessions dipped by 3%. This points to new opportunities for marketers to focus on refining retention strategies and building long-term player engagement.
April Tayson, Regional Vice President for INSEAU at Adjust, said, “Despite market shifts, mobile gaming in APAC remains on a strong growth trajectory. As mobile-first adoption accelerates, it’s developers and marketers focusing on long-term player engagement — rather than short-term gains — who will be best positioned to thrive. Leveraging the power of AI-driven personalisation and hybrid monetisation, to name a few, will be key in building sustainable success in this dynamic industry.”
Globally, results were mixed. Latin America and MENA regions performed strongly, with LATAM showing an 8% increase in installs and a 7% rise in sessions, while MENA recorded a 10% growth in installs and a 5% rise in sessions. In contrast, North America saw an 11% decline in installs and a 14% fall in sessions, while Europe experienced a 1% drop in installs and a 6% decrease in sessions. These results highlight the need for strategic adjustments in different regions.
Philippines and Indonesia lead growth in APAC
The report revealed that hyper casual games made up 27% of global installs in 2024 but accounted for only 11% of gaming sessions. This suggests high churn rates despite initial popularity. Action games, on the other hand, contributed just 10% of installs but drove 21% of sessions, recording the longest average playtime of 45.15 minutes. Strategy games saw the highest year-on-year install growth at 83%, while casino and arcade apps led session growth, rising by 32% and 23% respectively.
In APAC, the Philippines and Indonesia were the standout performers. The Philippines achieved a 4% rise in installs and a 9% increase in sessions, while Indonesia recorded impressive figures with a 21% surge in installs and a 6% rise in sessions. Other markets showed mixed trends. India experienced a 2% growth in installs but saw a 1% decline in sessions. Vietnam had a modest 0.3% increase in installs but recorded an 18% drop in gaming sessions.
Average session lengths in APAC slightly increased, with users spending 34.84 minutes per session in 2024, up from 34.32 minutes in 2023. This figure was also higher than the global average of 30.75 minutes. Indonesia recorded the longest sessions at 44.31 minutes, followed by the Philippines at 43.4 minutes and Singapore at 39.14 minutes. Thailand and South Korea also maintained strong engagement, both exceeding 35 minutes per session.
ATT opt-in rates on the rise in APAC
The report also found that App Tracking Transparency (ATT) opt-in rates continued to rise globally, particularly in APAC. In the first quarter of 2025, the global ATT opt-in rate grew to 40%, up from 38% during the same period in 2024. Key contributors to this growth included India, where rates rose from 43% to 44.2%, and Indonesia, which saw a jump from 54.2% to 58.6%. Malaysia increased from 46.9% to 51.9%, the Philippines from 41.6% to 47.4%, Singapore from 26% to 29%, and Thailand from 49.7% to 51.4%.
Globally, arcade games achieved the most notable opt-in growth, rising from 42.4% to 59.3%. Sports, casino, and action games also saw higher opt-in rates, while hyper casual games experienced a slight decline.
Adjust identified several key shifts shaping the mobile gaming industry in 2025. AI-driven personalisation is playing a growing role in enhancing player engagement and predictive retention strategies. Hybrid monetisation models, blending in-app purchases, advertising, subscriptions, and battle passes, are becoming more common to diversify revenue. Cross-platform play between mobile, PC, and console devices is also improving player retention and lifetime value. Meanwhile, new user acquisition (UA) channels such as connected TV, influencer marketing, and alternative app stores are changing the ways games are discovered.
April added, “With APAC’s sustained momentum, marketers need to stay agile in adapting to evolving player behaviours. Success will depend on embracing diverse monetisation models, optimising user acquisition across new channels, and continuously refining engagement strategies to keep players invested in the long run.”
