The App Store generated a record $52.5 billion in gaming revenue in 2025, according to Sensor Tower's State of Gaming 2026 report. This figure surpassed the combined revenue of Google Play ($30 billion) and Steam ($11.7 billion), despite the App Store experiencing only a modest 0.6% year-over-year growth.

While the App Store dominated in revenue, the picture reversed for downloads. The platform saw 7.8 billion downloads in 2025, down 5.7% from the previous year. Meanwhile, Google Play reached 42.4 billion downloads (down 7.3%), and Steam grew to 857 million downloads, up 6% year over year. The App Store also released 55,300 new games in 2025, far fewer than Google Play's 150,000 but ahead of Steam's roughly 20,000 releases.

Roblox emerged as the clear market leader, averaging nearly 450 million monthly active users in 2025, with almost 100 million from iOS. The platform topped charts across demographics in the US, leading among both male and female audiences aged 18-54. New York Times Games claimed the #1 spot for users aged 55 and up, demonstrating gaming's broad appeal across age groups.