Unity (NYSE: U) has released the '2025 Mobile Game Trend Insights,' which outlines the outlook for the mobile game industry this year.
Unity experts presented six predictions: expansion of reward-based marketplaces, increased utilization of reward-based advertising, the importance of long-format playable ads, accelerated adoption of advertising models for subscription apps, the revival of mid-market games, and accelerated global expansion of developers in the Asia-Pacific region.
Eyal Hendelman, senior director of Offerwall business and strategy, noted that many apps and networks are currently providing reward-based experiences, expecting that advertisers who have felt the impact of reward-based advertising will invest more in advertising budgets. He specifically projected that this year, reward-based marketplaces will expand beyond gaming and mobile into non-gaming apps and the web.
Experts also anticipate that hybrid casual games will lead the mobile gaming advertising market, resulting in changes in advertising strategies.
Samantha Benjamin, growth and operations director at Supersonic Games, stated that hybrid casual games have secured both scale and audience simultaneously, establishing themselves as a key advertising channel. She emphasized that advertisers will actively utilize reward-based video (RV) ads that enable immersive storytelling.
In puzzle games, long-format playable ad materials are expected to have a positive impact on user acquisition.
Svetlana Matley, head of design and creative consultant, said, "Typical short ad formats direct users to the store after a few clicks, but long-format playable ads maintain user engagement by prompting downloads at the moment users are deeply immersed in the game, just before completing specific challenges or clearing levels."
She also explained, "The creation of various creatives utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) will play an important role in maintaining continuous immersion throughout the user experience."
The trend of actively adopting advertising models in subscription apps is also expected to accelerate. Sandra Amir, senior director of growth partnerships at Unity, analyzed that due to market saturation and increasing consumer price sensitivity, the profitability of subscription models is gradually declining. Meanwhile, the trend of consumers preferring discounts on subscription fees or additional features in exchange for watching advertisements is on the rise.
As a result, more subscription apps are expected to adopt a model that offers basic services for free while monetizing advanced features to secure additional revenue sources and pursue long-term growth.
Stuart Knox, senior director of game partner support and growth, explained that the mid-market PC and console game market is reviving and ongoing new experiments and challenges are occurring between blockbuster games and indie games.
Eric Chi, Unity's Grow APAC GM, conveyed positive messages about the global expansion and influence of Asia-Pacific (APAC) mobile game developers. Developers from China, Korea, and Japan are expanding their presence in the global mobile game market beyond their domestic markets, and this trend is projected to grow further.