The alternative app store specialist’s revenue is expanding at a rate 45x the growth of the games market as a whole*.
Flexion (NASDAQ:FLEXM), the games marketing company, announces its revenue grew 9% to year-end December 2024, with the majority of the gains coming from its business placing major developers’ games on the alternative app stores. This compares with a growth rate of just 0.2% for the games industry as a whole in 2024*.
Since its IPO in 2018, the company has built a well-positioned games marketing business around the alternative stores and grown annual revenue 50-fold to almost US$100 million. Its game portfolio represents several billion US$ in gaming IP for alternative market partners like Samsung, Amazon, Huawei, OneStore, and Xiaomi.
“With the Digital Markets Act (DMA) coming into force in Europe and recent legal actions in the US, mobile game developers have felt a new-found freedom to explore their market options,” says Jens Lauritzson, Flexion’s CEO. “We’ve already moved beyond the era when Google and Apple controlled everything. Developers are looking for alternatives that offer better margins, and additional audiences and revenue. Partnering with Flexion opens up a range of market channels with very little up-front investment.”
Flexion currently distributes more than 30 high-profile titles on the alternative stores. Top-tier games in the Flexion portfolio make on average US$ 10 million a year based on Q4 2024 run rate. That’s income in addition to their Google and Apple revenue with a business model that adds little to their costs.
In Q4 2024, Flexion-serviced games were, on average, generating 9.3% through the alternative stores of the revenue they made on Google Play. This is a significant boost for Flexion’s partners without major costs or effort.
“If you scale for the size of the stores, the alternatives massively out-performed Google in Q4 for our games,” says Jens. “This is exciting both for Flexion’s business and for the future of the games industry as a whole. We’re seeing the beginning of a sea change in games marketing.”
A host of major signings in the last 12 months has been driven by developers’ new focus on alternative markets. In particular, King chose to introduce its game Candy Crush Solitaire© on the alternative app stores simultaneously with its Google and Apple launches.
Among others, Flexion also signed up:
- War Machines from Wildlife Studios
- War Robots from MY.GAMES
- Gossip Harbor from Microfun
“We’re seeing just the beginnings of a major shift in how top-tier developers address their markets,” says Jens. “Using Flexion to access alternative stores is an easy first step into the post- Google and Apple world. Many developers are already looking at their options beyond that and Flexion will be right there with them providing the technology and expertise they need to maximise the potential of their games.”
* Source: Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2024
About Flexion
Flexion grows revenue and audiences for games. Our mission is to become the leading games marketing company. We offer unique game distribution and influencer marketing services to top grossing developers around the world. Flexion boosts game revenue and audiences for games by maximising their performance in new alternative app stores, including the Amazon, Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and ONE Stores. In 2022, the company acquired Audiencly GmbH, a leading game influencer marketing agency. Flexion Mobile Plc is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market, Shortname: FLEXM. Certified Adviser is FNCA Sweden AB. http://flexion.games