Beyond the basics: new strategies for the growth of mobile games in Spain

The acquisition of users is no longer as simple as before; Today, more nuanced strategies are needed to face the increase in costs, changes in privacy and greater competition. Mobile games are not slowing down, but growth strategies are reaching their limits. In 2024, the Games registered 46 300 million downloads, 5 billion advertising impressions and 390 billion hours of play. With more than 300,000 advertisers planned by 2025, CPIs are increasing, segmentation is being reduced and user acquisition channels are under pressure.

The growing mobile games market in Spain

Spain is one of the most connected countries in Europe, with the seventh largest Internet audience, with more than 42.5 million users in 2023. Its mobile games market is constantly expanding, with income that is expected to reach the 441 million dollars in 2025with annual growth of 4.02 % to 2030. By the end of the decade, the number of mobile games users is expected to increase to 14.2 million, with a penetration that will go from 25.3 % in 2025 to 30.2 % in 2030. The average income per user (ARPU) remains strong, with 36.78 US dollars in 2025which is a lucrative opportunity for games of games applications.

Panorama of market devices and opportunities

In the Spanish market for smartphones, Samsung and Xiaomi lead the way With 27 % and 25 % market share, respectively, while Oppo is gaining land remarkably. This diverse presence of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) highlights the potential of mobile OEM advertising as a strategic channel to reach the increasingly wide audience of video games in Spain. The rise of the adoption of smartphones in the country, together with the growing interest in immersive game experiences, feels the basis for innovative strategies for the acquisition of users that take advantage of both urban centers and emerging regional markets.

The old user acquisition strategies are no longer enough. So what is the way to follow?

Find the players that really matter

Most marketing professionals have no difficulty getting impressions, the real challenge is to reach the right players: those who stay, interact and spend.

In Spain, competition is growing and acquisition costs are increasing. With 60 % of players actively participating in mobile games every week, the audience is there, But converting scope into real value requires more intelligent segmentation, localized creatives and diversification beyond Google and Meta.

When family channels stop climbing

Often, the problem is not the budget, but the fatigue of using the same saturated channels. Even teams with good resources are running with obstacles. What worked before does not give results. Roas’s objectives are still high, traffic costs more, creativity mixes and attribution is increasingly difficult. If the basics are breaking, what is still working?

Creativity wins, but the moment and adjustment are important

Most marketing professionals agree that creativity drives facilities. The question is what formats offer real quality and how to maintain sustainable production.

Better performance teams combine formats such as playable, videos and banners depending on the behavior of users. They perform faster tests, focus on interaction and choose adequate locations for creativity. But even excellent creativity will fail if it appears in the wrong place.

Therefore, more and more teams resort to formats that seem like a discovery, instead of an interruption. And once your message arrives, how do you know if it really worked?

Better data mean better decisions

The changes in Apple’s privacy policy and Android updates have hindered the monitoring of the ROI. The teams are forced to collect incomplete data from different platforms.

Some are resorting to channels that offer direct reports based on events. Mobile device manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi and OPPO, for example, provide clear and complete information without user level. A better measurement also opens the door to a better monetization.

Balance ads to keep players and income

For games that use both purchases within the application and advertisements, the balance is fundamental. If there are too many interstitial ads, the players leave. If there are very few, the income suffers.

What works are the advertising formats that seem part of the product. This includes videos with reward and native locations that present the game without interrupting the flow. And the way your game is discovered determines what the players expect below.

Is your game discovered where it matters?

The retention does not begin the first day. Start at the moment a player sees your application for the first time.

The teams that act soon to avoid the loss of customers or attract players again tend to obtain a stronger LTV.

The discovery plays an important role here. Trust surfaces, such as selected stores or devices notifications, usually even exceed the best creative ads. So where is your game really discovered?

How mobile OEM channels are changing the user acquisition game

No channel alone will solve the user acquisition challenges in 2025 or 2026. Growth will reach the teams that experience soon, go beyond the Google, Apple and Meta bubble, and integrate creativity with smarter data strategies.

A channel that is gaining deserved attention is mobile OEM advertising. AvowMobile OEM advertising specialist, has been a pioneer in access to dynamic preloads, outstanding locations and system notifications in multiple OEM. These locations offer real visibility at the device level, not just another fleeting impression.

The diversification between different manufacturers of original equipment and alternative application stores allows marketing professionals to access unique user bases and reduce dependence on saturated platforms.

To help video game marketing professionals to take advantage of this opportunity, Avow has developed Ready Player Win: The Mobile OEM Advertising Playbook for Gaming Apps. This practical guide is based on extensive experience with video game studies, manufacturers of original equipment and measurement partners.

Avow OEM Gaming Playbook guide is available for Read here.