2024 Casual Game Revenue Structure Comparison (US, China, Japan)
Based on industry data, compares IAP and advertising revenue shares in US, China, and Japan casual game markets, offering monetization strategy insights for overseas expansion.
Data Overview
- Data sources: App Annie, Sensor Tower, Newzoo and other third-party institutions, with reasonable estimates.
- US casual game market total approximately $50 billion, China $30 billion, Japan $20 billion (2024 estimate).
- IAP revenue remains mainstream, but advertising share is gradually increasing, especially in hyper-casual.
Market Differences
- US: IAP 60%, Advertising 30%, Others 10%. Mature user payment habits, high ad potential.
- China: IAP 80%, Advertising 15%, Others 5%. Heavy reliance on IAP, but ad monetization potential untapped, impacted by license and user habits.
- Japan: IAP 70%, Advertising 20%, Others 10%. Hybrid monetization more balanced, users receptive to rewarded video.
Trend Insights
- Hyper-casual games can have advertising revenue share over 90%, but overall casual market still dominated by IAP.
- Chinese enterprises going overseas need to adjust monetization strategies for different markets: strengthen ads in US, deepen IAP in China, balance both in Japan.
- With ATT framework impact, ad revenue growth slows, IAP may become more stable source.
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