Mobile devices have ushered in a new era of digital gaming over the last 15 years. Now, with roughly 3 billion players worldwide and a variety of options to seamlessly integrate relevant ads into gameplay, mobile gaming influencers are perfect partners to incorporate into your creator management strategy.
An overview of mobile gaming
Gaming then
Nokia first introduced the world to mobile gaming with Snake in 1997. Despite its massive popularity, the industry struggled to gain a strong footing over the next decade, especially in the U.S.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Home to most handset developers, Japan led the mobile gaming charge from 1999-2006. Some of the most popular games at the time included virtual pet games that incorporated newly released camera phone technology into gameplay.
It wasn’t until 2007 that mobile gaming really took off with the release of the Apple iPhone. The revolutionary iPhone software provided the mobile gaming industry with a new frontier for innovation and a simple way for new apps to be published via the App Store.
The Apple App Store first launched with 500 apps in 2007. By 2009, it had more than 100,000 apps with more than 2 billion downloads.
Mobile gaming now
Mobile users downloaded more than 55 billion mobile gaming apps worldwide in 2022. The top five most popular games were:
- Subway Surfers – 304 million downloads
- Stumble Guys – 254 million downloads
- Roblox – 208 million downloads
- Candy Crush Saga – 138 million downloads
- Race Master 3D – 128 million downloads
Due to the ease and addictiveness of these games, the mobile gaming industry now accounts for more than half of the global gaming market. And with a rise in high-fidelity games—games with more advanced graphics and complex gameplay—gamers can even get an experience similar to console and PC gaming.
Mobile gaming tomorrow
Mobile gaming innovation is still growing. In 2020, Google released its cloud gaming service Stadia on mobile, which can stream games to players in 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per second. Amazon has also released a similar service called Luna.
With cloud gaming services expected to exceed $5 billion in revenue by 2023, Netflix and other tech companies have also announced plans to jump on board with the latest mobile gaming trend.
How mobile gaming differs from other forms of gaming
One of the major ways that mobile gaming stands out is in the sheer volume of available games compared to other platforms. There have been about 700,000 games produced on iOS alone, compared to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, which have less than 10,000 games combined.
But because most popular mobile games are free or cost very little, developers have to find another way to make money. As a result, mobile games are rife with advertisements that raked in more than $5 billion in revenue in the U.S. market in 2021. That number is expected to grow to about $7.87 billion in 2024.
Mobile games include a number of different ad types, such as banner ads, advertisements that appear on load screens, in-game videos, etc.
But the most successful type of ad is reward-based. These rewards take the form of watching an ad to play the game for free, in-app payments to play the game without ads, or payments to gain a certain gameplay advantage. Whatever the case, gamers are more likely to watch an ad if they get something in return.
How mobile gamers differ from other gamers
Mobile games are more affordable, accessible, and easier to play than console and computer games. Because of this, mobile gamers occupy all age groups and social statuses.
The breakdown of mobile game users by age is as follows:
- 18-24 – 22.9%
- 25-35 – 30.6%
- 35-44 – 25.4%
- 45-54 – 14.4%
- 55-64 – 6.8%
Additionally, mobile gamers by income is nearly equal across the board, with 29.3% classified as low-income, 32.9% classified as medium-income, and 37.8% classified as high-income.
How DTC brands can relate to mobile gamers with influencer marketing
More than 70% of Americans play mobile games, which means about 230 million people are only a tap away from an online purchase at any given moment.
Most brands use influencers and content creators to promote games and gaming accessories. These creators make the perfect partners because they demonstrate how the game/accessory is played/used, give reviews, and provide commentary on the product or service. Because audiences see these influencers as experts in the gaming industry, their followers are far more likely to trust their recommendations over a traditional brand endorsement.
But because mobile gaming has such wide appeal, there is really no limit to the type of influencers that can be effective with mobile gamers. Regardless of the product or service, the most important thing a brand must do is make sure the influencer they choose aligns with their target audience. Mobile gamers can be found in virtually any niche, so selecting these influencers wisely is critical to the success of an influencer marketing campaign.
Top 20 mobile gaming influencers DTC brands should follow
Mobile game YouTubers
1. The Game Theorists
Game Theory, hosted by Matt Patrick (aka MatPat), dives deep into video game lore and covers the wide world of indie gaming. If you’ve ever wondered about the secrets hidden deep within your favorite video games, this is definitely the channel for you.
You can also find MatPat on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
2. iHasCupquake
Tiffy Garcia, aka Cupquake, is a variety gamer who is “attracted to the cute and dark side of things.” She uploads content to her channel almost daily and includes a variety of genres from horror to puzzle games.
Tiffy encourages her viewers to be respectful at all times to nurture a welcoming environment for her fans. She does, however, encourage constructive criticism to ensure the quality of her videos is always top notch.
You can also find Tiffy on Instagram, Twitch, and Twitter.
3. LaurenzSide
Lauren is a self-proclaimed “gaming comedian” based in New York City. The YouTube veteran fully embraces her “weird side” and is always ready to make her fans laugh either with her or at her.
Lauren uploads new videos to her channel every Thursday and Sunday and is perhaps best known for videos like her 24-hour “living as my Sims” character challenge and various Minecraft series.
You can also follow Lauren on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
4. theRadBrad
Bradley Colburn, better known online as theRadBrad, has accumulated more than 5.5 billion views on his channel since he started in 2006.
Brad is best known for making videos to help his fans beat some of the toughest video game levels out there. He was dubbed the “king of the YouTube walkthrough” by FMV Magazine and is one of YouTube’s top gaming creators, according to the platform’s CEO, Susan Wojcicki.
More Rad Brad content can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, and Instagram.
5. Ali-A
Ali gained more than 17 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel playing a variety of console games but started a second channel that features a number of mobile titles.
Aside from his gameplay, Ali is known for his hilarious memes, often-criticized “clickbait” videos, and keeping his fans up to speed with the latest gaming trends.
You can also follow Ali on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Top TikTok mobile gaming influencers
1. Meeses Gaming
Emily, known online as Meeses Gaming, is a feminist gamer who prides herself on nurturing an inclusive environment for all her fans. Aside from streaming a variety of games, Emily loves to converse with her followers she refers to as “meeses pieces” about anything that is on their minds, but she is especially passionate about uplifting women in the gaming industry.
You can also follow Emily on Twitch and Instagram.
2. Chedli
Chedli Hassine is a French gamer whose mission is to connect as many people as possible for a more collaborative gaming experience. A self-proclaimed “geek and entrepreneur,” Chedl opened France’s first esports “gym” to help introduce the country to competitive gaming. His TikTok account is mostly just for fun as he goes about his daily life, but he does sprinkle in a dash of gaming content fairly regularly.
You can also follow Chedli on Twitch, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
3. Vampyro111
Vamp got his start posting about the game “Walls,” in which he has set multiple world records. He’s known for engaging with his audience regularly and posting content about some of the hottest mobile titles out there.
You can also follow Vamp on Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram.
4. nintendo.grl
Junna, better known online as nintendo.grl, is a West Asian gamer who is all about chill vibes, fun games, and a wholesome time. The 22-year-old medical science student got her start cosplaying and sharing her anime collection in TikTok but has since dived into playing games of every genre on her social channels.
You can also follow Junna on Twitch, Twitter, and Instagram.
5. kmzwisolation
Kmzwisolation is a Japanese creator duo that refers to their team as one “super creator.” The duo made a name for itself recreating Grand Theft Auto gameplay in real life but has since branched off to make a truly unique combination of gaming- and anime-related content.
Check out more kmzwisolation content on YouTube and Instagram.
Mobile game influencers on Instagram
1. Lachlan
Lachlan is an Australian gamer known best for his skill as a Fortnite Battle Royale player. He launched a professional esports team in 2020 called PWR, which has since expanded into a gaming, entertainment, and apparel brand. Lachlan is also known for his charitable endeavors, including a $15,000 pledge to Team Trees to take action against deforestation.
You can also follow Lachlan on Twitter and Instagram.
2. Loserfruit
Kathleen Beisten, better known as Loserfruit, is a professional gamer and one of the most popular female content creators in the gaming industry. Although she generally keeps her content lighthearted and fun, Loserfruit has been outspoken about the “darker side” of gaming and even appeared on 60 Minutes in 2017 to discuss obsessive fans and the cost that comes with immense internet fame.
You can also keep up with Loserfruit’s content on Twitch, Twitter, and TikTok.
3. Myth
Ali Kabbani, also known as Myth, first started creating content when he was 13 and has since accumulated more than 6 million followers on Instagram. Myth told The Netline he hopes his content can serve as both entertainment and inspiration. “If I could, you know, make somebody’s day. Show somebody that things don’t always have to be dark as they may seem. Help people work on themselves. Being a positive light for people, I think that is something that influences me heavily,” he said.
4. Ewok
Ewok is a young gamer from Los Angeles who got his start after streaming superstar TimTheTatMan invited him to participate in one of his streams. Ewok has since made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and become FaZe Clan’s first trans member.
You can also follow Ewok on YouTube and Twitter.
5. KSI
Olajide Olayinka Williams, better known as KSI, is a British internet personality who got his start creating gaming-commentary videos. He used his internet fame to catapult his music career and has landed on the Top 40 UK Singles Chart 14 times. In 2019, KSI took the second spot in The Sunday Times’ list of the UK’s top 100 influencers.
Top mobile gaming blogs
1. TouchArcade
Launched in 2008, TouchArcade is a mobile video game website that was named as a top 10 gaming blog by CNet. TouchArcade posts news stories about iOS and Android games and has a weekly podcast that covers the top mobile gaming news of the week.
2. Droid Gamers
Droid Gamers bills itself as the No. 1 source for Android gaming. The site hosts news and reviews, as well as information about hardware, tournaments, and everything else related to the Android gaming world.
3. Pocket Gamer
Pocket Gamer boasts a database of more than 6,000 mobile games. It also has news, reviews, an editor’s choice of favorite games, tips and guides, and even a tab filled with coupon codes for various mobile games.
4. GEEK Digital Board Games
GEEK Digital Board Games is a subsection of Board Game Geek. The blog produces regular coverage of mobile board games, including news, reviews, and in-depth analysis of a number of titles.
5. GameDaily
GameDaily offers its readers a comprehensive look at the gaming industry, including an impressive collection of mobile gaming news. For those who are more interested in the business side of mobile gaming, GameDaily is the blog to check out.
Key takeaway: Partner with mobile game influencers to capture a diverse, online audience.
The mobile gaming industry provides marketers a unique opportunity to captivate their target audience and compel them to take action in ways that aren’t possible through other digital gaming channels. By partnering with the right influencers, brands can get their message in front of a massive audience that is eager to view and interact with their content.
Learn more about influencer marketing: Influencer Marketing 101
