SuperScale, a mobile revenue growth engine, recently released its "Good Games Don’t Die" report, providing insights into the challenges and trends within the mobile gaming industry. Based on interviews with 500 game developers in the UK and US, the report highlights significant findings:

The study reveals that a notable 83% of launched mobile games don't survive beyond three years, with 43% facing cancellation during development, showcasing the competitive nature of the mobile gaming market.

Peak revenue for 76% of launched games occurs within the first year, while only 4% reach this pinnacle in the second year, emphasizing the importance of early success. Despite the popularity of incorporating live ops for ongoing engagement, 38% of developers do not release regular content or updates. Less than half provide monthly updates, resulting in only 5% of games receiving support seven years post-launch.

Despite high failure rates, 78% of developers prefer working on new game projects. However, over a third feel industry uncertainty hinders new game development, and 30% perceive the current market as too difficult to succeed in.

Two-thirds of studios have faced layoffs, downsizing, or budget cuts, and 29% of developers have reduced their user acquisition budgets, indicating financial challenges for some development teams.

In a related study focusing on the UK games industry workforce, 68% of game studios need assistance in filling crucial vacancies, highlighting a substantial demand that surpasses current studio capacities. This underscores challenges faced by the industry in maintaining a skilled and complete workforce.

Source; adapted from an article by Gizem Yilmaz, Author of Archives for Mobile Marketing Reads.