The forecast: Mobile app gaming has managed to hold on to its pandemic-driven success and then some, reversing our previous predictions that time spent gaming with mobile apps would decline in the US after 2020.
Dive deeper:
- Following a 15.9% increase in 2020, time spent gaming via mobile apps grew by 1.2% in 2021—or approximately 30 seconds—in daily average time.
- Gaming app time will make up around 13% of all US app time in 2022 and will remain above 12% for the foreseeable future.
- Higher engagement is driven by increased overall time spent with smartphones, as well as increased gaming app adoption among older smartphone users.
- Roblox and Discord drive gaming platform growth, especially among Gen Z users, while games like Pokémon Go and Candy Crush remain popular across generations
Looking ahead: US time spent gaming via mobile app will continue a slow but steady increase in years to come, evidencing gaming's increased popularity is more than just a pandemic phase.