South Africa Mobile Gaming Statistics in 2023

South Africa Mobile Gaming Statistics in 2023 for Android
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In South Africa, gaming represents only a small slice of consumers’ annual media and entertainment spend. Nevertheless, mobile gaming is growing fast, with the best year-on-year growth rates of any media type, including books, magazines, cinema, music, and podcasts. Considering the country’s high rates of smartphone penetration this should come as no surprise. South Africa, as with much of the world, is increasingly mobile-first when it comes to gaming.

In this article, we will provide a number of detailed mobile games statistics and insights into the South Africa Android game market with focus on mobile games only. We will cover a number of topics, including: how many South African game publishers exist on the Google Play Store, how many mobile games they have released, and how South African mobile games have performed compared to the global average. The data is aggregated based on address, such that only major game publishers and ones with valid South African addresses on the Android market have been considered. Furthermore, all download statistics are estimates.

How Many Mobile Game Publishers Are from South Africa?

There are more than 229 South African publishers on Google Play out of all 194,897 game publishers. One of the biggest South African publishers are Wild Foot Games, Distinct Media, iGindis Games, Guinea Pixel, SMART GECKO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (PTY) LTD, IdealTech.online, Bestmobs International, JBC Interactive, Mosola Game Studios, TnTGameWorks . Less than 1% of all game publishers on Google Play are from South Africa. Find the biggest app publishers with our App Market Explorer.

Percentage
Globally
South African
Publishers
vs
Total
Publishers

How Many Mobile Games Are from South African Publishers?

There are more than 541 games from South African publishers on Google Play out of the 541,618 games. Mobile Games with most downloads of South African publishers are . Less than 1% of all mobile games on Google Play are from South African publishers. Filter for mobile games by publisher country with our tool here.

Percentage
Globally
South African Mobile Games
vs
Total Mobile Games

How Are Mobile Games from South African Publishers Rated?

The average rating of 541 games from South African publishers on Google Play is 3.69 out of 5 stars. This is less than the overall average rating of all mobile games of 3.93 stars. Mobile Games from South African publishers on Google Play have on average 838 ratings. This number is higher than the average number of ratings of all games, which is 6,588 ratings. Sort by the best rated game or by the game with most ratings directly in our App Market Explorer.

Average rating of
South African Mobile Games
3.69 stars
Average #Ratings of
South African Mobile Games
Average rating of
All Mobile Games
3.93 stars
Average #Ratings of
All Mobile Games

How Many Downloads Do Mobile Game from South African Publishers Get?

Mobile Games by South African publishers have an average of 139.03k downloads. Overall they get more downloads than the average of all mobile games which is 562.1k. We offer also more detailed download estimates for any app.

Download Statistics
Average Downloads Per South African Mobile Game
Average Downloads Per Mobile Game

How Do South African Mobile Games Monetize?

8% of games by South African publishers are paid. That is a higher value of paid mobile games compared to the overall games, where 4% are paid. 75% of games by South African publishers include ads. That is a higher value compared to the whole world, where 72% games have ads. 27% of games by South African publishers make use of In-App Payments to monetize. That is higher than the average of 20% of games.

Paid Mobile Games monetization paid South African Paid Mobile Games8% Overall Paid Mobile Games4%
Ads monetization ads South African Include Ads75% Overall Include Ads72%
In-App Billing monetization iap South African In-App Billing27% Overall In-App Billing20%

Do South African Mobile Games Publishers Release on both iOS and Android?

18% of games of South African publishers are available on both Google Play and iTunes. Overall they put more effort in publishing on both stores, compared to the average publisher with 17%. Use our iOS to Android Matching API or Android to iOS Matching API to find the same app across stores.

South African Mobile Games
Available on Both Stores
Overall Mobile Games
Available on Both Stores

Who Are the Top 15 South African Mobile Game Publishers Based on Downloads?

The following are the top publishers from South Africa that accumulated most downloads.

sdks
1 Wild Foot Games

Wild Foot Games is on position 1 of the biggest South African game publishers. Wild Foot Games is a South African mobile game publisher that builds 3D animal simulators. They work in small, focused, high performance teams and maintain a friendly, open environment where all team members share their knowledge. Wild Foot Games has developed many mobile games, including Spider World Multiplayer, Horses of the Forest, Clan of Griffin, Wild Dog Survival Simulator, and more. They own 64 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 63.84m+ times.

63.84m+
64
2 Distinct Media

Distinct Media is on position 2 of the biggest South African game publishers. Distinct Media is a mobile game publisher based in South Africa that creates engaging, iconic games that take you to a simulated world of awesomeness! Distinct Media has produced the games Tornado Strike Zone, Its TITANIC, Nuke Em All, Nuclear STRIKE bomber, and more. They own 6 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 6.49m+ times.

6.49m+
6
3 iGindis Games

iGindis Games is on position 3 of the biggest South African game publishers. iGindis Games, known simply as iGindis, aims to develop the best turn-based, strategy games for mobile devices. Based in South Africa, their games use Artificial Intelligence and enable users to make new friends around the world. iGindis Games has developed World Empire 2027, Europe Empire 2027, Asia Empire 2027, Middle East Empire 2027, and more. They own 7 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 1.89m+ times.

1.89m+
7
4 Guinea Pixel

Guinea Pixel is on position 4 of the biggest South African game publishers. Guinea Pixel is a South African mobile games publisher that builds Unity Games and Arduino Projects. They make fun games and create creative Arduino projects using electronics and 3D Printers. Guinea Pixel has built the mobile games Rock Guitar Solo (Real Guitar), Rock Guitar Solo (Real Guitar), Ultimate GIF Maker - with Boomerang Special FX, Retro Pixel Smasher: Arcade Platformer (Early Access), and more. They own 7 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 491.11k+ times.

491.11k+
7
5 SMART GECKO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (PTY) LTD

SMART GECKO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (PTY) LTD is on position 5 of the biggest South African game publishers. SMART GECKO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (PTY) LTD builds educational apps for kids. They believe that a child's education doesn't have to stop after school. So, they’ve made games for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices that will keep youngster's minds active outside the classroom. Their games are based on South Africa’s school curriculum. SMART GECKO SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (PTY) LTD has developed many games, including Rooikappie kinderstorie, Hansie en Grietjie Kinderstorie in Afrikaans, ABC Kinder Pret in Afrikaans, Free Hansie en Grietjie Kinderstorie in Afrikaans, and more. They own 49 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 239.39k+ times.

239.39k+
49
6 IdealTech.online

IdealTech.online is on position 6 of the biggest South African game publishers. They own 6 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 204.62k+ times.

204.62k+
6
7 Bestmobs International

Bestmobs International is on position 7 of the biggest South African game publishers. They own 10 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 172.17k+ times.

172.17k+
10
8 JBC Interactive

JBC Interactive is on position 8 of the biggest South African game publishers. JBC Interactive is a mobile gaming studio based in Cape Town, South Africa. They are a subsidiary of JB Concepts Media Group, a digital media company with online publications and websites serving a multitude of industries, both local and international, including: architecture, art, science, automotive, and more. JBC Interactive has developed a variety of games, such as BOXlogic - Think outside the box, QuantiCALC – Building cost estimator, Maze Mind - Can you escape?, Sudoku Ninja – For Sudoku Grandmasters, and more. They own 24 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 99.22k+ times.

99.22k+
24
9 Mosola Game Studios

Mosola Game Studios is on position 9 of the biggest South African game publishers. They own a single game that has been downloaded more than 86.77k+ times.

86.77k+
1
10 TnTGameWorks

TnTGameWorks is on position 10 of the biggest South African game publishers. They own 21 mobile games that have been downloaded together more than 86.08k+ times.

86.08k+
21

What Are the Most Used SDKs by South African Mobile Game Publishers?

The following shows which SDKs are most used by South Africa game publishers. To find out which mobile games integrate the following SDK use our App Market Explorer. We have also aggregated the worldwide Top Ad Network SDKs and other categories.

sdks
1 FMOD

64% of mobile games from South African publishers have FMOD integrated. In total 303 games.

64
303
2 Unity3D

64% of mobile games from South African publishers have Unity3D integrated. In total 303 games.

64
303
3 sdk icon Google Firebase

57% of mobile games from South African publishers have Google Firebase integrated. In total 271 games. Firebase is a mobile and web application development platform SDK that gives app builders the ability to develop their apps faster, without worrying about infrastructure. It includes functionalities like analytics, databases, messaging and crash reporting so developers can move quickly and focus on their users.

57
271
4 sdk icon Google Ads AdMob

51% of mobile games from South African publishers have Google Ads AdMob integrated. In total 243 games. Google Ads AdMob is a mobile advertising platform that enables users to monetize their mobile applications via in-app advertising. AdMob is based on the Google Mobile Ads SDK and serves over 200 billion ad requests a month, with over 1 million advertisers and 1 million apps currently running on the AdMob mobile ad network.

51
243
5 Google Ads AdMob Mediation Adapters

50% of mobile games from South African publishers have Google Ads AdMob Mediation Adapters integrated. In total 237 games.

50
237
6 sdk icon Unity Ads

47% of mobile games from South African publishers have Unity Ads integrated. In total 226 games. The Unity Ads SDK helps publishers integrate especially video advertisements, aimed at maximizing revenue and improving user experience, into their games. Unity Ads gives developers the ability to offer users a variety of rewards in exchange for watching videos, such as additional “life,” currency, score increases, etc.

47
226
7 sdk icon Google Play In-app billing

22% of mobile games from South African publishers have Google Play In-app billing integrated. In total 107 games. Google Play In-App Billing is an SDK that lets developers sell digital content on Android applications. It can be used to sell one-time products, rewarded products, subscriptions, and more.

22
107
8 sdk icon AppLovin MAX

20% of mobile games from South African publishers have AppLovin MAX integrated. In total 94 games. AppLovin's powerful analytics and marketing platform provides mobile game developers with the tools they need to monetize, publish, understand, and grow their businesses all in one SDK.

20
94
9 sdk icon Google Drive

19% of mobile games from South African publishers have Google Drive integrated. In total 92 games. The Google Drive SDK makes it possible for app developers to create mobile, web, and desktop apps that leverage Google Drive cloud storage. This includes reading, writing, and syncing files in Google Drive.

19
92
10 sdk icon Google Play Game Services

19% of mobile games from South African publishers have Google Play Game Services integrated. In total 92 games. Google Play Game Services is an SDK that provides cross-platform services that gives app developers the ability to easily integrate popular gaming features such as achievements, leaderboards, Saved Games, and real-time multiplayer on their tablet and mobile games.

19
92

What Are the Most Used Android Mobile Games Permissions by South African Publishers?

The following shows which android permissions are most frequently request by South Africa mobile games publishers. Use our App Market Explorer to filter the Google Play Store by mobile games with specific permissions.

sdks
1 Internet Access

android.permission.INTERNET makes it possible for app publishers to create network sockets and use custom network protocols within their apps. This permission is not required for internet connection however, as the mobile browser provides all apps with the ability to send data to the internet. 92% of the games from South African publishers use the Internet Access permission. Total 496 games.

92
496
2 Network Information Access

The android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE permission can be leveraged by app developers to enable their apps to view information about network connections. This information includes such things as which networks exist and which already have connections. 87% of the games from South African publishers use the Network Information Access permission. Total 470 games.

87
470
3 Phone Sleep Mode Preventation

android.permission.WAKE_LOCK gives apps the ability to prevent the phone they are running on from going into sleep mode. This is good for apps, like YouTube, that get extended periods of engagement that do not necessarily require the user to touch the screen or otherwise interact physically with the device. 46% of the games from South African publishers use the Phone Sleep Mode Preventation permission. Total 251 games.

46
251
4 Billing

The com.android.vending.BILLING permission is required for the integration of billing in android applications. 38% of the games from South African publishers use the Billing permission. Total 204 games.

38
204
5 Wifi Information Access

App publishers can leverage android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE to enable their app to view information about Wi-Fi networking. This includes whether Wi-Fi is enabled and the names of the connected Wi-Fi devices. 29% of the games from South African publishers use the Wifi Information Access permission. Total 159 games.

29
159
6 Install Referrer

Apps often advertise other apps. By leveraging com.google.android.finsky.permission.BIND_GET_INSTALL_REFERRER_SERVICE apps can make sure that installs of other apps launched via their ads are properly attributed. 28% of the games from South African publishers use the Install Referrer permission. Total 152 games.

28
152
7 Read External Storage

The android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission allows app developers to enable their apps to read the contents of user SD cards. 25% of the games from South African publishers use the Read External Storage permission. Total 134 games.

25
134
8 Write External Storage

android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE makes it possible for app developers to enable their apps to modify or delete the contents of users’ SD cards. 24% of the games from South African publishers use the Write External Storage permission. Total 132 games.

24
132
9 Start At Boot Time

android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED gives apps the ability to start themselves as soon as the system it is running on has finished booting. It should be noted, however, that this can often slow down the phone start time. In addition, it can slow down the device generally by enabling the app to run constantly. 21% of the games from South African publishers use the Start At Boot Time permission. Total 114 games.

21
114
10 Vibration

android.permission.VIBRATE makes it possible for app builders to give their apps control over the vibrating function of the devices they are running on. 20% of the games from South African publishers use the Vibration permission. Total 109 games.

20
109

What Are the Top 15 Mobile Games in South Africa?

The following shows the official Google Play mobile games top chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Mobile Games in South Africa's Grossing Top Chart?

The following shows the official Google Play Grossing mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Arcade Mobile Games in South Africa's Top Chart?

The following shows the official Google Play Arcade mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Highest Ranked Casual Mobile Games in South Africa?

The following shows the official Google Play casual mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Highest Ranked Racing Mobile Games in South Africa?

The following shows the official Google Play racing mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Highest Ranked Action Mobile Games in South Africa?

The following shows the official Google Play action mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Highest Ranked Simulation Mobile Games in South Africa?

The following shows the official Google Play simulation mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.

What Are the Top 15 Highest Ranked Strategy Mobile Games in South Africa?

The following shows the official Google Play stranegy mobile games chart of South Africa. There are no games from South African publishers. See the full chart here.