Global app revenue soared 16.9 per cent year-over-year to hit $19.5 billion last quarter.

Sensor Tower reports that mobile games revenue hit $14.6 billion in Q1 2019, growing 12.3 per cent year-over-year and accounting for 76 per cent of total app revenue.

59 per cent of this revenue came from the App Store, at $8.6 billion - a 10.3 per cent year-over-year increase. Google Play saw a larger 15.4 per cent increase but still trailed at $6 billion.

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Game downloads were slower to grow, only up 1.9 per cent to 9.7 billion, suggesting players are spending more on a smaller number of games. App Store downloads actually decreased by 9 per cent to 2.2 billion, which Sensor Tower attributes to China’s approval freeze.

Eight of the top 10 mobile games in Q1 hailed from Asia, led by Tencent’s Honor of Kings. Elsewhere in the top 10, PUBG Mobile managed to enter the chart, displacing rival Fortnite.

In the wider app marker, Apple still leads with the App Store raking in 64 per cent of all revenue at $12.4 billion. Google is catching up, however, increasing its share 20.2 per cent to Apple 15.0 per cent, taking in $7.1 billion.

It should be noted that Sensor Tower does not track Android stores in China.

Find out more about global mobile games market trends at Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle on May 13th to 14th or at Pocket Gamer Connects Hong Kong on July 17th to 18th.