Observed Signal · Nov 3, 2026 · Market Research · Source: GamesIndustry.biz · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Non-gaming Apps Beat Mobile Games in IAP Revenue Since 2016
According to a new AppMagic report marking its 10th anniversary, non-gaming apps such as TikTok and AI chatbots have led in-app purchase (IAP) revenue since 2016, surpassing mobile games. Mobile games last led in 2016. Honor of Kings and Free Fire remain top gaming titles but are outperformed overall. ChatGPT was the most downloaded app in 2025, while TikTok has been the top-grossing app annually since 2020. The report highlights significant revenue discrepancies among games: Among Us had 930 million downloads but only $52 million in IAP revenue, while Umamusume earned $1.6 billion from 19 million downloads. Some games, like Gossip Harbor, Kingshot, and Honor of Kings, continue to see revenue growth year-over-year, suggesting that despite the dominance of non-gaming apps, successful gaming franchises can still thrive.
This report provides significant market data on the shift in app revenue from gaming to non-gaming apps, which is relevant for mobile advertisers and marketers in the AdTech space to understand audience spend and platform shifts.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Non-gaming apps have led in-app purchase revenue since 2016, overtaking mobile games.
- TikTok has been the top-grossing app globally each year since 2020.
- ChatGPT was the most downloaded app globally in 2025.
- Honor of Kings led IAP revenue in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2026.
- Among Us achieved 930 million downloads but only $52 million in IAP revenue.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mapped“According to a new AppMagic report analysing data from the past decade to mark its 10th anniversary.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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July 2026 Top-Grossing Mobile Games
Monthly AppMagic estimates show major shifts in July 2026 in-app purchase (IAP) revenue across top mobile games. Honor of Kings returned to over $150M, Roblox surpassed $100M (its best since Dec 2025), and Gossip Harbor reached its highest chart position at just under $100M. PUBG Mobile and Pokémon Go each climbed to about $100M in IAPs, with Pokémon Go jumping from roughly $30M monthly since April to ~$100M driven by 10th‑anniversary events. The article lists ranked IAP earnings for games 11–20 (e.g., Konami’s eFootball at $68.7M) and notes other notable movers including titles from Playrix, Moon Active, Garena, Tencent, Mihoyo, and NetEase.
Top 10 Grossing Mobile Games H1 2026
A mid-year analysis using AppMagic estimates ranks the top-grossing mobile games of 2026 so far. Tencent’s Honor of Kings leads, hitting a record monthly IAP of about $194M in January and remaining the top earner despite a June dip. Chinese studios occupy the top three slots with Century Games’ Whiteout Survival and FunFly’s LastWar; LastWar saw a sharp revenue decline to $71M in June after stronger 2025 numbers. Dream Games’ Royal Match and other titles such as PUBG Mobile, Microfun’s Gossip Harbor, Scopely’s Monopoly Go, King’s Candy Crush Saga, Roblox and Kingshot show varying IAP performance and volatility. AppMagic’s estimates exclude store fees, ad revenue, webshops and some China Android IAPs, so figures represent publisher payout-estimates only.
Mobile IAP Falls 2% as Ad Spend Rises in H1 2026
Sensor Tower's H1 2026 Gaming Digital Market Index shows global mobile in-app purchase (IAP) revenue fell 2% year-over-year to $40 billion while downloads dropped 12% to 24 billion. Gaming ad spend grew 8% to $7 billion with ad impressions up 14% to 1.4 trillion. Honor of Kings reclaimed the top spot for IAPs. Tencent remained the leading publisher; Century Games climbed from fourth to second with a 45% IAP revenue increase. Strategy led genre IAPs ($9.3bn) while puzzle grew nearly 20%. Regional shifts included US IAPs down ~7%, China flat, and Europe up ~10%.
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