"In a few years, we won’t think of DTC as an alternative. It will simply be how the most successful games operate"

Image credit: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

New research suggests that direct-to-consumer (DTC) spending on mobile was around $17 billion in 2025.

That's according to a report from Appcharge and GDC, which says that DTC spending accounts for 15% of the $113.3 billion that Newzoo estimates for in-app sales during 2025. That means this segment of the market is worth $17 billion for the year.

At the moment, the majority of games industry respondents are exploring DTC – that's 42% of companies, while 16% are testing the concept. 12% are scaling up their DTC business. This is a new segment for a lot of firms, with 73% saying that they are at least "somewhat confident" in their understanding of the sector.

45% of respondents make less than 10% of their revenue from DTC, while 17% make between 10% and 29%. 10% make 30-49%, with another 9% making 50-69% of their revenue from DTC.

8% make 70-89% of revenue from this business, but 11% make over 90%.

Growth projections for the space are mixed, too. AppMagic believes that DTC spending will increase by 26% year-on-year in the United States alone. The company says that 30% of Monopoly Go's recent revenue has come from DTC, adding that in the middle of 2025 this share was "several times lower".

25% of respondents believe their DTC revenue will stay flat, while 8% forecast a decline. 11% say that there will be a sub-5% increase. 18% reckon their DTC revenue will rise by 18%.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 63% of respondents said that increasing revenue is the main reason why they are turning to DTC. Meanwhile, 53% said that building a direct relationship with players is the primary objective, while 45% said that they want to "improve monetisation opportunities".

50% of respondents said that making players aware of their DTC business is the primary challenge, 41% said that it's player acquisition, while 36% said scaling the operation is the main issue.

"Studios aren’t just building web stores," Appcharge's CEO and co-founder Maor Sason wrote.

"They’re hiring for roles that didn’t exist two years ago, rethinking how they operate, and facing demands the app store model never required.

"The publishers who committed to this early aren't just ahead on revenue. They know their players better, they retain them longer, and they have more control over where the business goes next.

"In a few years, we won't think of DTC as an alternative. It will simply be how the most successful games operate, with large studios generating 50%+ of their revenue by selling directly to their players."

Earlier this year, Appcharge said that DTC is a "core new revenue system" for developers.

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