AppMagic vs Sensor Tower

King's Minecraft Blast returns in soft launch

King has returned its Minecraft Blast match-3 puzzle game to soft launch, now available on Google Play in Malaysia. The updated version features new game assets, a new trailer, and an expanded feature set including six new blockers, four new chapters, daily play rewards, a new Raid Tournament, a weekly leaderboard, and a customizable companion system. The game is a spin-off of Minecraft, developed in collaboration with Mojang Studios. It was previously soft launched on iOS in Malaysia and Canada in November 2025, but was removed from testing a month later. The new build shows significantly updated graphics and a new store description, emphasizing world-building and customization elements. This move indicates King's continued investment in the franchise, aiming to capture the mobile puzzle audience with a familiar IP.

• Minecraft Blast is back in soft launch on Google Play in Malaysia.
• The game features six new blockers, four new chapters, daily play rewards, a Raid Tournament, weekly leaderboard, and customizable companion system.
• The game is developed by King in collaboration with Mojang Studios.

Gameloft Sunsetting Minion Rush After 13 Years

Gameloft is shutting down Minion Rush, its long-running mobile game based on the Minions franchise, after 13 years. The game will be removed from app stores and in-app purchases disabled on October 30, 2026, with servers shutting down on January 29, 2027. Players can continue playing offline after server closure, but no content updates will follow. A special farewell event will run in October, with potential price and reward adjustments. Gameloft cited the evolving mobile gaming landscape as the reason for the wind-down. The game has nearly 500 million downloads and generated over $45.7 million in in-app purchases, according to AppMagic estimates.

• Gameloft will remove Minion Rush from app stores and disable in-app purchases on October 30, 2026.
• Minion Rush servers will shut down on January 29, 2027.
• The game has been downloaded nearly 500 million times and generated over $45.7 million in IAP revenue.

GTA-like mobile game OneState earns $85.6M from IAP

ChillBase, the Cyprus-based developer of the GTA-style mobile roleplaying game OneState, has reportedly earned $85.6 million in in-app purchases (IAP) since its launch in April 2022, according to AppMagic estimates. The game has seen 62.3 million downloads and currently generates over $5 million per month. Founder Matvei Lipatnikov declined to confirm the figures but noted that revenue from the web store would push the total higher. OneState avoids ad monetization to preserve immersion, instead relying on in-game purchases, including purchases made by player-run gangs. The studio, which started with 20 employees, now employs hundreds across multiple countries. Lipatnikov remains confident about the game's future, expecting a positive impact from the upcoming GTA 6 release.

• OneState generated $85.6 million in IAP revenue since launch in April 2022.
• OneState has been downloaded 62.3 million times.
• OneState currently earns over $5 million per month from IAP.

Mobile Game Spending Hits $6.57B in August, Honor of Kings Leads

In August 2026, global mobile game consumer spending reached $6.57 billion, a 1% month-over-month decline, according to Sensor Tower. Honor of Kings was the top-grossing game, while Roblox led downloads. The US contributed 28.6% of revenue, followed by China at 16.7% and Japan at 12.2%. Tencent-owned or published titles captured five of the top 10 revenue-growth slots, with Fate/Grand Order leading that ranking. Download growth was boosted by new releases like Gangstar Mirage City and Mystery Dumpling, while Roblox remained the most-downloaded game.

• Global mobile game consumer spending reached $6.57 billion in August 2026, down 1% month-over-month.
• Honor of Kings was the highest-grossing mobile game, supported by in-game events in China.
• Fate/Grand Order topped revenue growth rankings, driven by its 11th anniversary and Swimsuit Event 2026 in Japan.

Japan Mobile Game Revenue Tops $10B Despite Download Decline

Japan's mobile gaming market generated over $10 billion in in-app purchase revenue over the past 12 months, a 5.1% year-over-year decline, yet significantly outpacing South Korea and Taiwan. According to Sensor Tower's Japan Gaming 2026 report, downloads fell 5.4% to 585 million, ranking ninth in Asia. Player engagement remained stable at 16.7 billion hours. Konami's eFootball became the highest-grossing game, driven by World Cup activities, while Block Blast! led downloads. Puzzle games dominated downloads, while 4X strategy led revenue growth. The market's maturity is evident, with growth reliant on established titles and high spending rather than new installs.

• Japan generated over $10 billion in mobile game IAP revenue in the past 12 months, down 5.1% YoY.
• Japan recorded 585 million mobile game downloads in the same period, down 5.4% YoY.
• eFootball by Konami became Japan's highest-grossing mobile game from January to July 2026.

Sensor Tower Blog: New Insights on Home Improvement Retail Media and State of Digital Advertising 2026

New blog posts added: 'Home Improvement Built Momentum on Retail Media' and 'State of Digital Advertising 2026: How AI Integration and Streaming Growth Reframe Marketing Strategies'. Also, a new post about the Video Game Insights interface update.