The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt caused a surge in online activity no thanks to lockdowns and quarantines. As a result, several online platforms including gaming, video streaming, chatting, and video calling services enjoyed a hike in profits as well as user activity.
Gaming has always been a popular form of online entertainment, but the pandemic has boosted its activity even further. This is why new titles have made their way into the top 5 list of most downloaded games, causing disruption between the names that usually take the leaderboards.
Here is the latest list of the most downloaded mobile games as of November and December this year.
1. Among Us
The recently popularized social deduction game Among Us has unsurprisingly taken the top spot in the list. The indie game took the internet by a storm as soon as it was released, racking up downloads on PC as well as Android and iOS. It currently stands at more than 53.2 million monthly installs on smartphones and the number is continuously increasing.
One of the reasons behind its success is that it not only has very little system requirements but is also extremely cheap. It can also be played completely free on Android and iOS with a variety of cosmetics to unlock with just a few dollars. You can party up with up to 10 players and play a handful of different maps and settings.
2. Shortcut Run
Shortcut Run is also one of the titles that have recently gained popularity. While it does not come close to Among Us in numbers, the mini-game has still gained its fair share of popularity through ads. It currently stands at 35.2 million monthly installs gained from both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
The idea of the game is simple. You go through a tight race course among other players online, but the twist is that you can collect as many wooden planks as you want and create shortcuts between the track as you go. First to reach the finish line gets you the most points and you can also get bonus points afterward.
3. Join Clash 3D
Similar to Shortcut Run, Join Clash 3D is another mini-game that has recently gained attention through ads. It does not compete with the aforementioned titles in terms of downloads, but it has millions of installs and most of them came through the US.
The goal in this game is to increase your number of allies as much as you can before reaching the end. You run through an obstacle course with various traps and enemies and collect allies to increase your crowd. In the end, you brawl against the enemy player’s crowd, and whoever has the bigger group wins.
4. Garena Free Fire
Developed by 111 Dots, battle royale game Garena Free Fire is not a new name on the list. It became the most downloaded mobile game worldwide in 2019 and is consistently seen among the most downloaded games. It has now taken a spot in the top 5 once again in terms of monthly downloads.
Free Fire is strikingly similar to PUBG and that is one of the reasons behind its success as it offers a viable alternative to the massively popular shooter game. The game received its latest update this month with plenty of new cosmetics and weapons to unlock and there are new maps set to launch soon as well.
5. Subway Surfers
Subway Surfers is a classic name that needs no introduction. Launched around 8 years ago, Subway Surfers is still kicking and has attracted attention once again due to the pandemic. It currently has 3 million monthly downloads and continues to generate more than $400,000 in revenue a month.
The game is no different from before, but over the years, it has received a lot of visual polish, new characters, and unique power-ups with new updates. Its latest update is right around the corner and it is set to bring even more content to the game. Unfortunately, however, there are still no new maps.
