App Store gaming revenue hit $52.5B in 2025: report

Sensor Tower has published its State of Gaming 2026 report, providing a comprehensive analysis of how the mobile, PC, and console gaming markets performed in 2025 and what to expect in 2026. The report reveals that the App Store generated a record $52.5 billion in gaming revenue last year, a modest 0.6% increase year over year, but still enough to top Google Play ($30 billion) and Steam ($11.7 billion) combined.

This achievement is particularly noteworthy given the broader market context. While mobile gaming revenue grew by just 1% overall in 2025, consumers spent more on apps than on games for the first time ever. The gaming market still saw impressive engagement, with 444.63 billion total hours spent gaming worldwide.

The revenue dominance of the App Store stands in stark contrast to download patterns. The App Store logged 7.8 billion downloads in 2025, down 5.7% from the previous year. Meanwhile, Google Play reached 42.4 billion downloads, down 7.3%, and Steam saw 857 million downloads, up 6% year over year. This disparity highlights how iOS users tend to spend more per download compared to Android users.

New game releases tell a similar story. The App Store saw an 11.4% increase to 55,300 games in 2025, while Google Play experienced a 45.9% surge to 150,000 new titles. Steam's 20,000 new releases represented an 8.4% increase. The rapid growth on Google Play suggests Android's lower barriers to entry continue to attract developers, even if those users monetize less effectively.

Steam's performance deserves special mention, as it posted the fastest year-over-year growth at 13%, reaching $11.7 billion in revenue. This growth trajectory suggests PC gaming continues to gain momentum, though it still lags far behind mobile platforms in total revenue.

One platform dominated the 2025 gaming landscape: Roblox. The user-generated content platform maintained an average of nearly 450 million monthly active users, including almost 100 million from iOS devices. Roblox's cross-platform reach and appeal across demographics made it the top app for male and female audiences in the US across all ages 18-54.

For older gamers, traditional puzzle and word games held strong appeal. The New York Times Games app took the #1 spot for users aged 55 and up, reflecting the enduring popularity of casual gaming among older demographics.

Among specific game titles, Clash Royale ranked second for male gamers, while Block Blast! was the second most popular for female gamers. These rankings demonstrate the continued segmentation of gaming preferences across gender lines, though platforms like Roblox are bridging those gaps.

The report's findings underscore the unique economics of the iOS gaming ecosystem. Despite having fewer downloads and new releases than Google Play, the App Store generates significantly more revenue per user. This premium positioning has helped Apple maintain its gaming revenue lead even as the overall market growth slows.

For developers, these trends suggest that while Android offers a larger potential audience, iOS users remain more valuable from a monetization perspective. The challenge for game developers continues to be balancing the need for broad distribution with the desire for premium revenue per user.

The full State of Gaming 2026 report provides additional insights into emerging trends, including the growing importance of cross-platform play, the continued rise of subscription gaming services, and the impact of AI on game development and player experiences.