APAC mobile gaming sessions rise as paid acquisition grows

Adjust has released its Gaming App Insights Report: 2026 Edition, which shows higher mobile gaming sessions and stronger paid user acquisition activity in Asia-Pacific.

The data points to a broader shift in how gaming companies are pursuing growth, with greater emphasis on retention and long-term player value rather than installs alone. Globally, the paid-to-organic ratio rose 61% year on year, while APAC recorded a 45% increase, from 2.05 to 2.97.

The report tracks top-of-funnel, engagement, retention and acquisition cost metrics across gaming subgenres, regions and countries. Strategy games posted the strongest session growth, up 57% year on year, followed by casual games at 37% and hyper-casual titles at 31%.

Install growth was strongest in slots, casino and casual games. Slots rose 46%, casino titles 22% and casual games 19%, while hyper-casual, role-playing, simulation and word games also recorded gains.

APAC trends

Across APAC, engagement remained broadly steady. Sessions per user per day edged up from 1.69 to 1.70, suggesting activity held firm even as competition for attention intensified.

Several markets outperformed the regional average. Japan recorded a 3% rise in sessions, from 1.76 to 1.81, while Singapore and Thailand also reported 3% growth. Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam each posted 2% increases.

Retention was similarly stable across the region. Day 1 retention held at 20%, in line with other regions. Japan led APAC at 25%, followed by Singapore at 23%, Thailand and Indonesia at 21%, and South Korea at 20%.

The report also noted a gradual improvement in user consent for tracking. Globally, App Tracking Transparency opt-in rates reached 39% in the first quarter of 2026, up from 38% a year earlier.

While modest, the increase suggests mobile marketers may be regaining some visibility into campaign performance after privacy changes made attribution more difficult. Higher consent rates can help publishers link user acquisition spending to downstream engagement and monetisation.

Shift in focus

Gaming companies are taking a more selective approach to growth, with stronger focus on retaining valuable users, refining creative output and measuring the user journey more closely from acquisition through ongoing play.

"As mobile gaming matures, growth is becoming less about scale alone and more about precision," said Tiahn Wetzler, Director of Marketing at Adjust.

"Studios are increasingly focused on retaining high-value players, optimizing creatives and channels, and building ad-to-experience flows that favor sustained play over fast turnover. Understanding where true long-term value comes from, and the ability to connect acquisition, engagement, and monetization data for fast decisions is now a necessity," said Wetzler.

The findings suggest APAC remains one of the most closely watched regions for mobile gaming publishers, particularly as paid acquisition becomes more competitive and studios seek markets where engagement remains resilient. The combination of stable daily sessions and solid retention provides a benchmark for comparing country performance across the region.

Adjust also highlighted broader themes shaping the sector, including direct-to-consumer models, AI-generated creatives, live operations, reward-led mechanics and cross-platform strategies. Together, these trends reflect an industry trying to balance rising acquisition costs with the need to retain players longer and improve returns from existing users.

For marketers and developers, the report offers a snapshot of where activity is rising fastest by genre and where user quality may be strongest by market. Strategy games led session growth, while APAC's stable engagement and retention metrics suggest both mature and emerging markets in the region continue to offer room for sustained player activity.

"Across APAC, we're seeing gaming companies become increasingly sophisticated in how they approach growth," said April Tayson, Regional Vice President for INSEAU at Adjust.

"Studios are moving beyond pure install growth and focusing on building deeper player relationships through smarter acquisition, stronger retention strategies, and better measurement across the full player journey. Markets across Southeast Asia in particular are showing strong engagement and retention potential, making the region one of the most dynamic environments for mobile gaming today," added Tayson.