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iOS game downloads are boosted by up to 150 percent when featured by Apple

Just how significant is exposure from Apple for iOS games? Very—by as much as 500 percent in South Korea.

David Craddock

May 5, 2016 2:45 PM

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Hundreds, if not thousands of new games pour onto the iOS App Store every month. A select few get handpicked by Apple to occupy primo real estate on the front page of the storefront. Just how important is Apple's golden touch for downloads?

The numbers don't lie. According to a report published on App Annie (via Gamasutra), games featured on the App Store "experienced the most lift with a median 140% increase, with South Korea’s Games downloads rising by a staggering 500%."

App Annie explained how it arrived at those amounts. Using its App Annie Intelligence software, the site canvased five different countries based on their market maturity. After gathering data, representatives from App Annie talked to developers to transmute all those big numbers into firsthand accounts of how being featured affected their business.

"Strong featuring doesn’t necessarily ensure the success of a title, but it goes a long way in launching and sustaining a successful app," said Disney Interactive Games senior VP Chris Heatherly.

Gamasutra's Christian Nutt points out that App Annie's report purposely excludes data pertaining to a game's first 60 days of availability because its analytics haven't had a chance to even out. Furthermore, the report zeroes in on top placement in the overall store. Getting top bidding in a particular category of games can boost downloads as well. Plus, it's easier to rise to the top of a single category than to compete against every single app in the entire store.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.