Ever wondered what popular RPG titles mobile players are flocking into? What games they’re spending their hard-earned paychecks on? Well, according to the game market analysis firm App Annie, these are the 10 best selling mobile RPG in 2020 so far. Let’s take a look at what the best mobile gaming has to offer for the first half of this year. Note: while this article is based on App Annie’s top 10 consumer spending chart, specific titles’ monthly estimates had to refer to Sensor Tower’s data since App Annie doesn’t make its data open to the public.
10. Star Wars: Galaxies of Heroes – Fanservice Always Helps
Opening this list is the five-years-old hero collecting mobile RPG. The game features not only characters from the movies and Disney-approved cartoon series, but also fan-favorite Knights of the Old Republic characters such as Revan (both in a white-colored “Jedi Knight” costume and as Darth Revan), Bastilla, and HK-47. It generated 500,000 downloads with $6 million in revenue on Android. Maybe that fanservice aspect helps with keeping its popularity among Star Wars fans.
9. MARVEL Strike Force – The Best Marvel Crossover on Mobile?
While console gamers only got LEGO Marvel, Ultimate Alliance 3, and the somewhat lukewarm Marvel’s Avengers to scratch their Marvel mash-up itches for the past few years, mobile gamers have been enjoying at least eight different crossover titles. One of the most popular ones is the 2018 team-building RPG Strike Force. The game acquired $20 million and 600,000 downloads through App Store and Google Play in August alone.
8. Summoners War – South Korea’s Rep for Best Selling Mobile RPG
First launched in June 2014, this monster-and-hero-collecting RPG still has much life in it. Early this month the game runs a collaboration with Street Fighter V. It also hauled in $16 million with close to 300,000 downloads on iOS and Android worldwide in August. Not bad for a six years old game.
7. The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross – The Few Anime-Themed RPG on This List
The only anime adaptation and the youngest title on this best selling mobile RPG list. Grand Cross first launched in March 2020 and so far has enjoyed quite a success, with $14 million revenue and 800,000 downloads on Android and iOS in August alone. Will it stay relevant until next year, though? We’ll have to wait and see.
6. RAID: Shadow Legends – Meme-Worthy, But Effective
You’ve definitely heard all about it on YouTube when your favorite content creators suddenly plugged the game in the middle of their videos. An annoying tactic to promote one’s product, sure, but it seems to work just fine for Plarium Games. Just last month RAID gained a total of $18 million in revenue with 1.6 million downloads from Google and Apple app stores.
5. Fantasy Westward Journey – China’s Best Selling Mobile RPG
A Chinese-exclusive MMORPG that seems to be pretty popular in the region. The developer NetEase has made a sequel title for PC, spinoffs on both mobile and PC, and even a tie-in cartoon series that you can easily watch with English subtitles on YouTube as you can see above. Fantasy Westward Journey is noticeably more popular on App Store, in August it got 100,000 downloads and $42 million; compared to less than 5,000 downloads and $200,000 on Play Store.
4. Dragon Quest Walk – Not Just Another GO Clone
Augmented reality game with a Dragon Quest theme. It was — and still is — the second-highest-grossing location-based mobile game after Pokemon GO. In just four months after Walk was first released in September 2019, it gained $201 million in revenue. And in August, the game managed to pull in another $22 million and 50,000 downloads on both iOS and Android. You could dismiss it as just another GO clone but it has filled a specific niche in Japan.
3. Fate/Grand Order – The Gacha Fans’ Favorite
A title that needs no introduction for mobile and Gacha games enthusiasts. Other than the PlayStation brand, this mobile RPG is Sony’s biggest cash cow in the video game market. As of 2019, the poster child of mobile anime games has grossed over $4 billion worldwide. And just last month it gained a total of $82 million and 200,000 downloads globally (including China’s separate app). Still, that massive monthly numbers only managed to put Grand Order into the third place.
2. Pokemon GO – Better Idea Than The Main Titles?
After four years Pokemon GO is still going strong thanks to its unique gameplay mechanics that blends well with Pokemon‘s core concept and consistent community support from Niantic. Last month the game gained two million downloads and $56 million in revenue on the App Store. While Google Play version raked in $60 million with three million downloads.
1. Monster Strike – Still Claimed The “Best Selling Mobile RPG” Title
Even Fate/Grand Order couldn’t topple this one’s throne.
The oldest game on this list, but not a name that’s well-known outside of its home, Japan. Since its release in 2013, Monster Strike has stayed as one of the best selling mobile RPG in the country. By 2019 the game has generated $8.12 billion total revenue. It also has been adapted into several anime series along with two theatrical anime film, with a third movie releasing on November 6. But its popularity doesn’t seem to stick globally. Monster Strike‘s South Korea server went down in 2016, the North American server has already been shut down since 2017, and they closed its Chinese server twice in 2015 and late last year. You’ll have to use third-party apps like QooApp if you want to try this game today.
Have you played any of them? Share your thoughts on these games in the comments below.
