The results of 2021: Lexi Sidow from App Annie about the main thing for the year

We continue to summarize the results of 2021 together with top managers and experts of the gaming industry (and related ones). Next up is an interview with Lexi Sydow, head of marketing research at App Annie.What event or trend of 2021 do you consider central within the industry?

On the threshold of 2022, we are witnessing the transformation of the global economy.

This is due to hybrid and completely remote work models, sports at home, telemedicine, the emergence of new financial opportunities and types of entertainment. All this now fits in the palm of our hand.

AR plays an important role in shopping and communication. For example, AR filters have become an integral part of Snapchat, which ranked sixth in the list of the most downloaded social apps in the world in the first half of 2021.

As of November 2021, Pokémon GO remains the most popular AR game, ranking tenth in MAU among all mobile titles in the world (excluding China). In the USA, according to this indicator, Pokémon GO is second only to the online platform Roblox.

The AR/VR segment has traditionally attracted a lot of attention, but right now we are seeing increased interest in applications and games related to the metaverse. This is evidenced by the position of Roblox, which in November took the first place in MAU in the world. Unlike VR, such games and applications do not require additional equipment, but create immersive sensations on users’ devices.

We expect that the possibility of creating UGC worlds in which users can interact with each other in real time through their virtual avatars will continue to attract an audience (and money). Now metaverse-related applications are on the rise, and in 2022 users can spend over $3 billion in them.

What does the mobile industry expect in 2022?Platform holders and mobile device manufacturers will play an important role in the application economy in 2022.

Google Play is expected to account for 70% of all downloads and 35% of all revenue next year. Android devices have a much wider price range, which allows more consumers around the world to go online. This is one of the decisive factors in the spread of mobile devices in emerging markets such as Brazil, India and Indonesia.

The development of infrastructure and the deployment of 5G among mobile operators can improve the overall level of online user interaction. This is especially true from the point of view of reducing delays and lags, which can seriously affect mobile gaming (it accounts for half of all the time that users spend on games). Battle royals like PUBG are excellent examples of online multiplayer games that value the quality of the connection.

This will improve interaction with the Internet and expand the use of mobile services — especially in markets focused primarily on mobile. We expect this trend to take shape in 2022 as smartphones spread and the number of mobile device users increases.

Given the growing interest in fintech and financial literacy, mobile shopping, food and grocery delivery, as well as fast delivery services like Getir, we can expect further development of geolocation and AI services in 2022. This also applies to dating apps that allow you to search for partners around the world and are one of the most profitable categories of apps in stores. This indicates the value of such services for users. For example, Tinder ranked third in consumer spending in the third quarter of 2021, behind only TikTok and YouTube.