Mobile Gaming Industry Explained: Monetization, UA, Trends

Learn how mobile games grow, attract players, and thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.

What you'll learn
- Explain the key players in the mobile gaming industry (developers, publishers, ad networks, MMPs, DSPs) and how they interact.
- Differentiate between common mobile game revenue models (IAP, ads, and hybrid) and understand how they impact game design and monetization.
- Describe how user acquisition works in the mobile gaming ecosystem, including concepts like CPI, ROAS, and LTV, and how to analyze growth strategies.
- Understand how ad revenue is generated and optimized, including mediation platforms, ad formats, and best practices for increasing eCPM and fill rates.
- Identify current industry trends and challenges (such as privacy changes, hybridcasual, and AI in creatives) and evaluate future opportunities in the mobilegame

Requirements
- No prior experience in the mobile gaming industry is required.
- A general interest in mobile games or how games make money is helpful.
- Basic understanding of business or marketing concepts is a plus, but not necessary.
- No special tools or software are needed—just a computer, tablet, or phone to watch the course and take notes if desired.

Description
Understand the business behind the games you play.

The mobile gaming industry is a multi‑billion‑dollar ecosystem, but how does it really work? In this course, you’ll learn who the key players are, how games earn revenue, and how developers use user acquisition and publishing strategies to grow.

Whether you’re a student, an indie developer, or someone just starting a new role in the industry, this course will give you a clear, practical overview of:- Revenue models like in‑app purchases (IAP) and advertising- How user acquisition (UA) works and why LTV matters- The role of publishers, MMPs, ad networks, and mediation platforms- Current market trends, challenges, and opportunities

By the end, you’ll understand not just how games are made — but how they succeed.

No prior experience is required—just an interest in how games succeed. By the end, you’ll understand the systems that power mobile games and be ready to apply these insights to your own career or project.

Whether you’re a student curious about the industry, an indie developer looking to monetize your first project, or someone who’s just landed a job in gaming and wants to get up to speed quickly, this course will give you the knowledge you need.

Who this course is for:
- Students or graduates interested in learning how the mobile games business works.
- Indie or small game developers who want to understand monetization and user acquisition.
- Professionals looking to enter the mobile gaming industry and seeking a broad overview.
- New hires or those just starting out in the industry who want to quickly get up to speed on key concepts.
- Anyone curious about how mobile games make money and grow in today’s market.
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