In a recent revelation, SuperScale, the mobile game revenue growth engine, has exposed a stark truth about the industry. The “Good Games Don’t Die” white paper, released on November 22, 2023, reveals that a significant 83% of launched mobile games meet their demise within three years, with an additional 43% terminated during development.

This study, derived from interviews with 500 game developers in the UK and the US, conducted by Atomik Research for SuperScale, highlights challenges faced by the mobile game industry. Despite the high failure rate, an astonishing 78% of mobile game developers express a strong preference for new titles, presenting a conundrum for the $96.2 billion international mobile games industry.

The findings point to factors contributing to the industry’s struggles, from global recessionary pressures to the redundancy of over 6,000 developers in 2023 and a downturn in investment. The report uncovers that 32% of developers weathered layoffs, and almost a quarter teetered on the brink of shutting down their businesses.

The personal toll on individuals within the industry is not overlooked, with issues like loss of motivation, risk aversion, and increased commercial focus taking a toll. Among junior developers with less than one year of experience, 30% reported creative unfulfillment due to game cancellations.

Despite these challenges, the white paper points to untapped opportunities in ‘legacy games’—titles that no longer receive regular user acquisition investments or live-operation updates and those experiencing a decline in revenue. On average, a mobile gaming portfolio features 18 such legacy games, potentially holding significant commercial potential for developers and publishers.

Ivan Trancik, the CEO and Founder of SuperScale, emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift within the industry. Trancik comments, “83% of games flat-lining in the first three years is an eye-opening statistic, indicating a new mindset is needed within the industry.” He sees the findings as a wake-up call, providing actionable data for developers and publishers to maximize revenue across their portfolios.