For a long time, the anime-style mobile gaming scene thrived on variety. Collectible card battlers, puzzle hybrids, tower defense spin-offs, even rhythm-based RPGs all had their moments in the sun.
But in 2024–2025, the market looks very different. Despite hundreds of new releases every year, two gameplay types now dominate the top of the charts: turn-based RPGs and action RPGs (ARPGs).
This compression of gameplay diversity isn’t accidental. It reflects deeper market forces player expectations, production realities, and monetization strategies that are pushing developers toward proven formats. But while the consolidation may seem limiting, it also points to where innovation will happen next.
The Current State of the Market
Let’s start with the numbers. According to FoxData (2025):
● Turn-based RPGs account for ~41% of total anime-style mobile game revenue.
● ARPGs hold ~35%, driven by blockbuster open-world titles.
Together, they control over three-quarters of the entire revenue pie.
Compare this to just five years ago, when genres like collectible card games (CCGs) like Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game and rhythm-RPG hybrids made up a much larger share. In 2019, for example, CCGs alone represented nearly 20% of the top-grossing titles across Japan and China. Today, their presence in the top 20 is nearly negligible.
What we’re witnessing is a natural selection of genres: only those that align with both player demand and industrial-scale publishing pipelines are surviving at the top.
Why Turn-Based RPGs Still Reign Supreme
Despite the popularity of real-time action combat, turn-based RPGs have proven incredibly resilient. Games like Fate/Grand Order and Honkai: Star Rail continue to deliver billion-dollar revenues year after year.
Here’s why turn-based formats remain a backbone:
1. Accessibility Across Devices
Turn-based systems perform smoothly even on mid- to low-tier smartphones, making them more inclusive for global audiences. This is particularly important as publishers expand into emerging markets where device penetration varies.
2. Content Pipeline Efficiency
Designing and balancing turn-based encounters is more scalable across global pipelines. Developers can push out new story chapters, bosses, and character kits without the same complexity that real-time ARPG combat requires.
3. Narrative Alignment
Turn-based structures emphasize strategy and character synergy, which pairs naturally with narrative-driven storytelling, a core pillar of anime-style games.
The result? Turn-based RPGs remain the revenue backbone, even as flashier formats grab headlines.
The ARPG Boom
On the other side of the spectrum, ARPGs are seeing explosive growth thanks to titles like Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, and Wuthering Waves. These games lean into open-world exploration, dynamic combat systems, and immersive worldbuilding, all of which appeal to players seeking more “console-like” experiences on mobile.
Key drivers of ARPG growth include:
● Rising Mobile Hardware Power – With flagship smartphones now rivaling handheld consoles, players expect high-fidelity action experiences on mobile.
● Cross-Platform Play – ARPGs often launch on multiple platforms (mobile, PC, PlayStation), expanding both reach and prestige.
● Community Engagement – Open worlds and dynamic combat generate endless content for streamers, cosplayers, and fan creators, fueling organic marketing.
According to AppMagic (2024), Genshin Impact alone pulled in over $1.2 billion globally last year, cementing the ARPG’s place at the top of the genre hierarchy.
👉 Curious how the dominance of ARPGs and turn-based RPGs is reshaping game development priorities? You’ll want to read the full report. [Download it here].
Why Other Genres Are Struggling
It’s not that other genres aren’t being developed, they just aren’t breaking into the upper echelon of profitability.
● Rhythm Games – Still popular among core fans (Project Sekai continues to do well in Japan), but monetization potential is lower compared to gacha-driven RPGs.
● CCGs – Once dominant, they’ve declined as RPGs integrated collection mechanics directly into their core systems.
● Puzzle Hybrids – Titles like AFK Arena proved auto-battlers can work, but the model hasn’t scaled within anime-style aesthetics in the same way.
The harsh reality: in a world where top-tier games are global, industrial-scale productions, genres that can’t sustain high-fidelity pipelines and fandom ecosystems are being crowded out.
What This Means for Developers
For studios and investors, the dominance of ARPGs and turn-based RPGs presents both challenges and opportunities.
Innovation Will Happen Within, Not Beyond
Expect less experimentation with entirely new genres, and more with hybrid mechanics inside these two dominant forms. For example, turn-based RPGs integrating roguelike systems, or ARPGs adding competitive PvP modes.
Rising Production Standards
Both genres now demand AAA-level quality with full voice acting, cinematic storylines, and expansive worldbuilding. This raises the barrier to entry for smaller studios.
Content Cadence as a Differentiator
With gameplay frameworks largely standardized, success will hinge on how efficiently studios can deliver new characters, events, and expansions without burning out their pipelines.
Looking Ahead: Will Diversity Return?
Some analysts argue that genre compression is cyclical. Once players tire of formulaic ARPGs and turn-based RPGs, new formats could rise. For example, the integration of AI-driven procedural storytelling or mixed-reality gameplay might spark the next wave of innovation.
In the short term, though, the writing is clear: if you want to compete at the top, you’re either building a turn-based RPG or an ARPG. Everything else is a gamble.
Final Thoughts
The anime-style mobile market isn’t shrinking in creativity but it’s consolidating around the formats that maximize global scalability, production efficiency, and monetization.
For players, that means more polished, content-rich ARPGs and turn-based RPGs. For developers, it means the bar is higher than ever. Success requires industrial pipelines, global publishing strategies, and long-term IP ecosystems that can sustain content for years.
👉 Get the full insights in our report. [Download it here].
Top comments (0)