Hearthstone Mobile Revenue Thrives as PC Version Profits Slump

Blizzard’s thoroughly addicting card caper has been an extraordinary success story and translated superbly onto mobile platforms. Figures released by SuperData Arcade illustrate a massive shift in the financial benefits from PC to mobile. The graph below charts Hearthstone’s revenue stream from 2013-2015 and clearly shows how sharply the PC profits have declined.

During early 2015, the PC edition posted a digital revenue of approximately $17 million, but this has plummeted to around $7 million in only a few months. In contrast, the mobile profits catapulted from an estimated $2 million during early 2015 to over $10 million before mid-2015. This doesn’t necessarily mean the PC player base is dwindling though. Arguably, mobile customers are more inclined to make micropayments because the free-to-play business model is widespread on that platform. PC gamers are accustomed to full price releases and find it hard to justify a constant revenue stream. On another note, tablets and mobile devices cater more to the casual market and provide a gaming experience without the need for expensive hardware. The portability of these devices also means it’s easier to pay for content whilst being distracted by other leisure activities.

There’s no simple reason explaining why the mobile market is so lucrative. Many traditional gamers are opposed to the mobile platform but it seems publishers are relishing the financial benefits from a business model relying on microtransactions.

Thank you MCV for providing us with this information.