The Top 7 Most Played Mobile Games of All Time

In an age where mobile devices are an extension of ourselves, the most played mobile games have established themselves as a cornerstone of digital entertainment. At CCC International, we believe these games have transcended beyond mere pastimes as they have become cultural phenomena! Join us as we explore these digital playgrounds and discover the role of mobile game localization in their success.

Key Takeaways:

• The most played mobile games 2023 brought to the forefront of digital entertainment include Clash of Clans, Royal Match, and Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game.
• The most played mobile games of all time include Candy Crush Saga, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Gardenscapes: New Acres.
• The most popular mobile games reached their success through gameplay, regular updates, and mobile game localization services.

Table of Contents:

• An Overview of the Mobile Games Industry
• What Makes a Mobile Game Popular?
• What Are the Most Played Mobile Games?
• CCCI – Professional Game Localization and Customer Support Services

When did mobile games become popular? It was in 1997 when Nokia introduced its pre-installed “Snake” game in its 6100 series. From there, mobile games evolved from simple 2D graphics to more complex ones, along with the rise of smartphones and app stores. Now, we have endless lists of the best action RPG games, puzzles, and more!

Forecasts for the mobile gaming sector are highly optimistic. Experts anticipate a global revenue of USD 98.74 billion in 2024 and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.39% up to 2027. By the end of the said year, the flourishing market may have a value of USD 118.90 billion and an estimated user base of 19 billion.

The most played mobile games 2023 brought to the forefront of this industry include Clash of Clans, Royal Match, and Magic Tiles 3: Piano Game. Now, we can’t help but wonder how these games garnered such success. Here are some common factors that make a mobile game stand out:

• Gameplay: Gameplay is about intuitive controls, rewarding progression systems, and balancing challenge and achievability.
• Visual and Audio Effects: High-quality graphics, pleasing art styles, and immersive soundtracks enhance a game’s appeal and overall experience.
• Updates: Mobile games get many players when developers release updates and fresh content to keep the game community lively.
• Customer Support: In-app purchases, bugs, and other issues can affect a player’s satisfaction, and customer support services address these concerns.
• Accessibility: Successful mobile games are available on various mobile devices, reaching a broad demographic. Game localization also allows global gamers to enjoy a game in their own language and culture.

Pro Tip: Work with professional game localization service providers to ensure that your game reaches global audiences seamlessly.

Candy Crush Saga is a match-three puzzle game by King launched on April 12, 2012. The game ushered in a new mobile gaming era, trailblazing among freemium applications and crossing the USD 1 billion revenue mark.

Candy Crush Saga is the sixth highest-grossing mobile game in history, with 210 million monthly users. In 2015, the game reached its zenith of monthly active users with 327 million! Candy Crush Saga has been downloaded over 3.4 billion times, securing its place among the most popular mobile games ever released.

Call of Duty: Mobile took the mobile gaming world by storm after it launched as a free-to-play title in October 2019. During the game’s first month, it garnered 88 million downloads globally! And in July 2023, it raked USD 32.68 million from in-app purchases. Call of Duty: Mobile’s total gross revenue has surpassed USD 1.27 billion, making the game a heavyweight in the industry.

Among Us is that game that thrusts players into a high-tech spaceship, an earth-orbiting base, a surface outpost on a distant planet, the Henry Stickmin-inspired Airship, or the Fungle, and teaches you about teamwork and deception. Innersloth deemed the game’s full vision in mid-2020, and Twitch and YouTube streamers contributed to its popularity.

Among Us has accumulated a revenue of USD 86 million since its release. In October 2020, the game had 60 million daily players; in November, it had 500 million monthly active users. In 2022, Among Us had 530 million downloads, sustaining its place as one of the top mobile games.

Mini World launched in 2017, soaring to the top of free-to-play sandbox game charts. Currently, the game has a community of hundreds of millions of registered players from at least 30 countries! Mini World is all about the artistry of creation, allowing gamers to construct various items within a meta-universe. You can play puzzles, complete combative challenges, or parkour. In this game, everything is made by players for players.

Sonic Dash is an exhilarating title brought to life by Hardlight Studio and launched by Sega on March 7, 2013. The game tasks players with dashing through varied environments while collecting rings and avoiding obstacles, embodying the spirit of the Sonic franchise.

Note: With its downloads surpassing the 400 million mark globally, Sonic Dash is the most downloaded game in the Sonic series.

Helix Jump, an engaging action game developed and published by Voodoo, debuted in 2018. The game was one of the most popular games of the year it was released, most probably because of its simple yet addictive gameplay. The objective is to guide a bouncing ball down through a series of platforms while avoiding obstacles and reaching the bottom without falling off. Years after its launch, Helix Jump maintains a solid player base, with about 206 million active users.

Gardenscapes: New Acres, launched in 2016, is a casual, story-driven, match-three puzzle game. By the time 2019 came to a close, the game had become the fifth highest-earning puzzle game, amassing USD 1.5 billion from in-app purchases alone. In May 2021, Gardenscapes remained Playrix’s most downloaded game, boasting over 461.41 million downloads.

The most popular mobile games need expert linguistic teams to meticulously translate and review in-game text, dialogue, and UI elements so the game can reach a global audience. At CCC International, we pride ourselves on being a top-tier professional mobile game localization services and customer support provider!

We understand the crucial role localization plays in the success of a game, and we work closely with developers to ensure that every aspect of their game resonates with players from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. When you’re ready to take your game global and make it one of the most played mobile games, CCCI is ready to help. Contact us today to get started!