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It has never been a better time to be an avid gamer or a mobile game developer. In large part due to improved hardware capabilities in smartphones and enhanced network connectivity, mobile games today generally have better graphics and perform better with less battery drain than similar games developed only a few years ago. The global mobile gaming market was valued at around $100 billion in 2024 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3 percent until 2029, reaching an estimated market size of $161.84 billion.
To meet the varied interests of mobile gamers, developers are creating games spanning multiple genres, including action, driving, strategy, simulation, and puzzle. Many popular titles, including Candy Crush and Merge County, are considered hyper-casual as they are relatively easy to play with repetitive actions and usually require minimal investment. However, mid-core, a mobile gaming genre in which games offer more immersive and engaging experiences, has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Below is a breakdown of the mid-core mobile gaming genre, how it differs from casual and hyper-casual, and its growth potential.
Mid-Core Game Elements
In many cases, mid-core games are trimmed-down mobile versions of popular console and PC titles, i.e., Call of Duty: Mobile, Diablo Immortal, and PUBG Mobile. Whereas casual games are easy to play and usually have only or two objectives, mid-core games require skill and strategy and often a greater time commitment. They also typically feature side quests, explorable open worlds, and a social component. Casual games, like Candy Crush, emphasize individual play, whereas many mid-core games allow users to connect with other players for greater engagement and player retention.
Mid-core games are named as such because they're in between casual and hardcore games. In many cases, mid-core titles are distilled versions of hardcore games with easier to learn controls and instructions. This makes them attractive to both avid console/PC and casual mobile gamers. Retro Bowl, a popular football mobile game, is a good example of a mid-core title. Its games are quick, and users can control players with a simple swipe of the screen rather than having to master the complex controls used in comparable console titles.
"It's not perfect but it's very fun and deliberately addicting for football fans like me," wrote reviewer Sebastian Nail. "Its simple control scheme and short games make it an easy pick up and play game but it's true to life season lengths and use of (more or less) actual teams make it feel very legitimate."
Growth of the Midcore Gaming Market
With console/PC gamers looking for more engaging mobile titles and casual gamers seeking games with a little more complexity, the mid-core gaming market has exploded in recent years. Mid-core games now account for roughly 35 percent of mobile gaming revenue in the Apple App Store. PUBG Mobile, one of the most downloaded mid-core games, has made more than $10billion in revenue since its inception. Genshin Impact, another popular mid-core title, ranked second in total downloads (39 million) in the adventure genre in 2023.
Higher User Acquisition Costs
Because they generally have more gameplay features and take longer to develop, mid-core games have a higher user acquisition cost than casual or hyper-casual games. On average, these games have a cost per install(CPI) of $2.03 ($0.73 on Android and $3.86 on iOS), although some titles have a CPI as high as $30. Costs are significantly higher on iOS because there are significantly fewer iPhone users than Android.
CPI also differs by region. In 2022, the Latin America market had a relatively low CPI of $0.27, while the North American market had a CPI of$5.45. Shooter games tend to have the highest CPI, but also offer the greatest return on ad spend (ROAS). RPGs have the lowest CPI, but also typically have a lower ROAS than other genres.
Greater Revenue Potential
While the CPI is usually higher for mid-core than casual games, mid-core games have greater revenue potential, often with multiple revenue streams. These include in-app purchases (IAP), subscriptions, skins, and cosmetics. IAP is the fastest-growing mobile gaming revenue stream and projected to expand at a CAGR of 34 percent until 2027. IAPs accounted for $1.5billion of the $2.6 billion mobile gaming revenue in India, one of the world's biggest markets, in 2022. It's expected to account for more than half, or $4.6billion, of gaming revenue in the country by 2027.
Mid-core games can also earn revenue through battle passes, an increasingly popular monetization strategy with progressive rewards earned through player performance, both driving engagement and revenue. Goddess of Victory: Nikke and League of Legends: Wild Rift are among the many mid-core games with free and premium rewards offered through battle passes. League of Legends is also one of many games to have in-battle pass stores, where players can purchase exclusive items within a certain period.
