Key Takeaways
- PUBG launches social features that increase revenue 73% WoW.
- FunPlus’ pirate-themed 4X app enters the top 30 strategy apps.
- MY.GAMES soft launches a zombie shooter.
PUBG Drives Big Revenue with Social Features
Earlier this month, PUBG Mobile released two social features that create several new avenues for player spend, leading to a 73% WoW revenue increase. In these features, players build and decorate a home with other players, visit each other’s homes, play mini-games together, and buy items for their homes.
With these features, PUBG Mobile seems to be creating a social meta space to compete with Fortnite. Fortnite is set to return to iOS in the EU this year, which is PUBG Mobile’s second-largest market for revenue. Read our full analysis of these social features.
A Pirate-Themed 4X App Enters the Top 30
FunPlus’ Sea of Conquest: Pirate War has ranked among the top 30 strategy apps since early February, just one month after its launch. The app incorporates many features similar to those in FunPlus’ other 4X apps, such as State of Survival and Guns of Glory, but tailored to its pirate theme. Innovations include a home base that players build on a sailing ship and an infamy stat that penalizes players as they progress. See our full analysis of Sea of Conquest.
MY.GAMES Soft Launches a Zombie Shooter
Zombie State’s gameplay draws heavy inspiration from Bethesda’s Mighty DOOM but shifts from a third-person to a first-person perspective and uses more realistic graphics, gorier animations, and more challenging levels. Developer MY.GAMES has a shooter, War Robots, in the 20 top-grossing action apps, as well as another zombie-themed shooter, Left to Survive, in the top 100. For more info, check out our full teardown of Zombie State.
Boss Battles, Custom Quests, & Combat Traits
Top core apps released several innovative events last month:
- In Cookie Run: Kingdom, players battle bosses to advance individual and server-wide progressions.
- In Identity V, players interact with NPCs to craft a unique perfume based on their responses to multiple-choice questions.
- In Garena Free Fire, players choose one of five upgradable combat traits to use each match.
Read our full teardowns of all notable releases.
More Top Insights
- Driving Social Interactions Outside of Apps — Product Design Toolkit
- Alternative Distribution Is Unprofitable for Most — Profitability Report
- App Store “Featuring” Boosts Downloads — UA Report