Top Mobile Game Ad Creatives and Advertising Trends in January 2026
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In January 2026, SocialPeta analyzed global mobile games with the maximum downloads, advertising activity, and revenue performance across both the App Store and Google Play.
This report aims to help mobile game publishers, marketers and developers better understand the latest shifts in user demand and competitive dynamics within the global mobile gaming market.
Overview: Global Mobile Games Performance in January 2026
- Backed by over RMB 1.2 billion in revenue, Arknights: Endfield significantly ramped up its user acquisition efforts, launching more than 16,000 ad creatives across both iOS and Android.
- Slow-life DIY gameplay outpaced big-budget productions, with Heartopia topping the free charts after deploying nearly 19,000 ad creatives.
- Following its collaboration with Jujutsu Kaisen, Free Fire experienced a substantial revenue surge across both versions.
RMB 1.2 Billion in Revenue: Arknights: Endfield Gains Momentum on Console Platforms
It can be said that since its launch, Arknights: Endfield has been a true traffic magnet in the gaming industry, generating as much controversy as it has hype. The official announcement that it surpassed RMB 1.2 billion in revenue within just two weeks of launch has further fueled industry speculation—particularly regarding the so-called “black box” revenue from global PC and PlayStation platforms, which is rumored to account for as much as 70% of total earnings. Interestingly, another title with an exceptionally high proportion of global console revenue is the Unreal Engine 5 mobile blockbuster Infinity Nikki, which was previously disclosed in an internal memo that global console platforms contributed an astonishing 80% of its total revenue.
Advertising Strategy Behind Arknights: Endfield
- Official launch: January 22, 2026
- Earliest ad placements: October 2023
- Large-scale promotion: Initiated during the third closed beta
- Pre-launch warm-up: 30 days
- Total deduplicated creatives: ~16,000
- Android share: 80%+
- Peak daily creatives: 3,702 on January 23
Key characteristics of its advertising strategy include:
- Video creatives dominated (74%+), primarily horizontal 640×360 formats
- English was the core language, supported by Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and several secondary markets
- A long pre-launch buildup, combined with an aggressive launch burst and reward-driven post-launch messaging to sustain growth
In terms of creatives, Arknights: Endfield largely follows the traditional formula for big open-world anime-style titles: PV mashups + map transitions + character showcases + combat demonstrations + endorsements from foreign influencers appearing on camera. For example, footage of controlling a character to wander through the open world while lingering on the swaying tail of a kemonomimi character can deliver a direct hit for players who are particularly fond of furry aesthetics.
After going through third-beta recharge rebate arrangements, a short-term global payment bug, as well as optimization and onboarding issues, Arknights: Endfield still ranked among the top performers in revenue within the open-world anime game segment. It can be said that the game managed to navigate a controversy-filled 1.0 launch period relatively smoothly.
Slow-Life Simulation Reaches the Top: Heartopia Eight Years in the Making
As a “rule-breaking” simulation mobile game, Heartopia carries an abundance of labels: eight years in development, the highest-grossing Animal Crossing–like mobile title, and even achieving higher global rankings than Arknights: Endfield, which launched during the same period. Heartopia truly holds what feels like a textbook underdog-turned-champion narrative.
From a gameplay perspective alone, Heartopia can hardly be considered innovative. It centers on a cozy slow-living experience combined with extensive DIY customization, and notably lacks the mandatory main storyline quests typical of conventional games. Players are free to design and decorate their own homes while enjoying outdoor activities such as fishing, cooking, gardening, birdwatching, and bug catching.
Marketing Performance of Heartopia
- Official launch: January 8, 2026
- Pre-launch campaigns: Began in October 2025
- iOS ad placements start: October 14, 2025
- Cumulative advertising period: 121 days
- January deduplicated creatives (both platforms): ~8,000
- Peak daily creatives (past 30 days): 1,057 on January 15
Marketing insights show:
- Video creatives dominated (97.33%), mainly vertical 720×1280 formats
- Traditional Chinese represented 46.39% of the copy, with Japan as the largest market
- Creatives focused on gameplay demos, customization features, and influencer-driven content
Key Takeaways for Mobile Game Marketers
- High creative volume drives performance: Massive ad creative output powers the launch and growth of both blockbuster open-world and casual simulation mobile games.
- Video-first remains dominant: Video creatives take the absolute lead for game promotion, with horizontal and vertical formats tailored to different game types and user habits.
- Localization matters: Targeted language and regional layout of creatives align with market preferences, elevating the reach and appeal of game advertising.Long-term buildup with staged promotion works: Phased marketing from pre-launch warm-up to launch burst sustains game exposure and user growth effectively.
- Format and content matching game attributes works: Ad creative content and presentation formats tailored to core game features strike a chord with target players accurately.
To better understand how advertising performance translates into download growth and revenue outcomes, we further analyzed the top mobile games with the highest download volumes in January 2026.
By analyzing January 2026 campaigns, SocialPeta highlights how leading publishers leverage ad creatives to maximize visibility, downloads, and user engagement—providing actionable insights for marketers aiming to refine their mobile advertising strategies.
For more in-depth analysis of mobile game ad creatives and global UA trends, visit www.socialpeta.com
