Global Top-Grossing Mobile Games in H1 2026: Honor of Kings Tops List with Over $1 Billion Revenue, Chinese SLGs Secure Top Three Spots

Leading gaming analytics firms Sensor Tower and MobileGamer.biz recently unveiled the global mobile game in-app purchase revenue report for the first half of 2026, integrated with June monthly performance data to compile the Top 10 highest-earning mobile games worldwide. Statistics show that Tencent’s Honor of Kings claimed the top spot with cumulative H1 revenue exceeding $1 billion. Multiple homegrown Chinese strategy games dominated the top three rankings. Meanwhile, match-3 casual games and UGC platforms maintained steady performance, with leading titles across diverse genres sustaining robust commercial gains through long-term updates and limited-time events.

I. Core Ranking Data: All Top 10 Titles Surpass $500 Million in H1 Revenue

The statistics only cover developer revenue from App Store and Google Play in-app purchases, excluding platform commissions, third-party Android channels, web store transactions and advertising revenue, serving as a reliable industry reference. The complete Top 10 list is as follows:

1. Honor of Kings (Tencent)– H1 total revenue: $1 billion As the world’s flagship MOBA mobile game, Honor of Kings hit an all-time monthly high of $194 million in January, consistently generating $140–160 million monthly revenue for most months in 2026. Despite a mild dip to $110 million in June due to a content gap, it retained the H1 overall crown. Its revenue mainly stems from the Chinese domestic market. The launch of Journey to the West-themed character skins and Season 44 updates at the end of June drove a revenue rebound, sustaining popularity into early July.
2. Whiteout Survival (Century Games)– H1 total revenue: $723 million A benchmark Chinese 4X strategy title, it secured the No.1 spot in global monthly revenue in June 2026. Boosted by Children’s Day promotions, alliance campaigns and seasonal boss events, its June revenue surged, with stable monthly earnings hovering around $110 million. It emerged as the fastest-growing mobile game globally in the first half of the year.
3. LastWar: Survival (FunFly)– H1 total revenue: $693 million Another leading survival strategy title. After maintaining high monthly revenue of $120–135 million throughout 2025, its earnings slid continuously starting February 2026, falling to a post-launch low of $71 million in June amid cooling market enthusiasm.
4. Royal Match (Dream Games)– H1 total revenue: $680 million A cornerstone of the global match-3 casual segment, it regularly grossed over $100 million monthly in 2026. The global Royal Cup tournament and collaborative multiplayer events launched in mid-to-late June effectively activated player spending, keeping it firmly among top monthly global earners.
5. PUBG Mobile (Tencent)– H1 total revenue: $676 million The leading battle royale title rebounded in early 2026 after late-2025 revenue declines, hitting $133 million in February before gradual cooling. Its upcoming Transformers crossover is expected to drive player spending and user conversion this summer.
6. Gossip Harbor (Microfun)– H1 total revenue: $626 million A breakout Chinese puzzle-narrative hybrid game. Its June *Odyssey of the Deep Sea* themed event became a key revenue driver, with steady monthly revenue of roughly $100 million and faster year-on-year growth than Roblox.
7. Roblox (Roblox Corporation)– H1 total revenue: $625 million The world’s top UGC sandbox platform saw mild year-on-year revenue decline in H1 2026 due to a lack of viral in-platform mini-games. It topped global mobile download charts in June thanks to football, NBA and custom fashion content, projected to see revenue recovery during summer vacation.
8. Monopoly Go! (Scopely)– H1 total revenue: $604 million In-app purchase revenue on official app stores dropped notably from February as the developer guided users toward web-based top-ups, stabilizing at around $85 million monthly. Its June crossover with The Simpsons temporarily boosted user activity with themed collectibles and racing gameplay.
9. Candy Crush Saga (King)– H1 total revenue: $583 million The classic flagship match-3 game retained strong vitality. Excluding mild fluctuations in February and June, it maintained monthly in-app revenue near $95 million, ranking among top casual games when advertising income is included.
10. Kingshot (Century Games)– H1 total revenue: $545 million Century Games’ second strategy hit on the global top-ten list, posting steady revenue growth and hitting its H1 peak in May. Aggressive TikTok user acquisition secured strong growth momentum, forming a dual blockbuster strategy portfolio alongside Whiteout Survival.

II. Key Industry Trends Shaping Mobile Game Monetization in H1 2026

1. Chinese Games Gain Global Prominence; Strategy Segment Sees Duopoly

The top three positions were all claimed by self-developed titles from Chinese studios. Century Games landed two entries in the Top 10, highlighting Chinese developers’ dominant position in global SLG development. Tencent’s Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile together accumulated more than $1.6 billion in H1 revenue, making Tencent the world’s highest-grossing game publisher.

2. Refined Long-Term Operation Drives Sustained Growth for Leading Titles

All top-ranking games relied on regular version updates, limited-time events and IP collaborations to stabilize player spending. Strategy games leveraged periodic alliance and world boss gameplay; match-3 titles launched global competitive tournaments; competitive and sandbox games partnered with mainstream sports leagues and classic entertainment IPs. Fresh continuous content extended game lifecycles and reduced revenue volatility.

3. Genre Polarization Widens: Stable Casual Games Offset Cyclical SLG Fluctuations

Match-3 and narrative fusion casual games (Royal Match, Candy Crush Saga, Gossip Harbor) delivered smooth, steady revenue curves, while SLG and battle royale games experienced sharp fluctuations affected by content updates and competing products. UGC platforms like Roblox showed obvious seasonal revenue characteristics tied to school holidays and viral trending content.

III. H2 2026 Market Outlook

Industry analysts noted that total global mobile store spending dipped 7% month-on-month to $6.1 billion in June, marking the entry into a fierce stock competition phase. Looking ahead to the second half of the year: new Chinese-style skins for Honor of Kings and the Transformers collaboration of PUBG Mobile will continuously unlock revenue potential. Century Games will ramp up overseas marketing for Kingshot to narrow its gap against front-running titles. In addition, residual World Cup popularity and summer traffic in Western markets are expected to fuel new revenue surges for Roblox and football-themed mobile games.