How Much Money Does a Mobile Game Studio Make?
A modest mobile game studio with two to three live titles typically earns $8,000 to $45,000 per month in combined revenue. Revenue Map's gametech presets model ARPDAU of $0.01 to $0.05 per daily active user, so each title sustaining 10,000 DAU contributes $3,000 to $15,000 monthly, and a studio's combined earnings scale with the number of titles that hold an active audience.
Studio economics differ from single-title economics in one structural way: portfolio diversification. A single game lives or dies on its retention curve, but a studio spreads risk across titles, genres, and monetization models. The cost is overhead: team salaries, tools, and publishing costs that sit above any one title's direct expenses. Revenue Map's presets model live-ops costs of $8,000 to $18,000 per month per title post-launch, so a three-title studio carries $24,000 to $54,000 in monthly team costs before profit.
The revenue math still runs through the same chain as a single game: installs decay through retention to a DAU base, and ARPDAU converts that base to daily revenue. But at the studio level, the question shifts from whether one title works to how many titles in the portfolio contribute positive margin after their direct costs. Most studios find that one or two titles carry the catalog while others cover costs or quietly lose money.
Revenue Breakdown
Mobile game studio revenue reference points, from preset assumptions
| Item | Typical range | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue per title at 10,000 DAU | $3,000 to $15,000 per month | ARPDAU of $0.01 to $0.05 times 10,000 DAU times 30 days | Revenue Map model templates |
| Studio portfolio (2-3 live titles) | $8,000 to $45,000 per month | Combined revenue across modestly successful titles in the catalog | Revenue Map model templates |
| Live-ops cost per title | $8,000 to $18,000 per month | Preset post-launch team costs for content updates, events, and balance | Revenue Map model presets |
| Cost per install by genre | $0.50 to $20 | Hyper-casual $0.50, mobile $2 to $4, PC/console and VR $15 to $20 | Revenue Map model presets |
| Starting investment per title | $50,000 to $300,000 | Preset investments: casual $50,000, mobile $200,000, PC/console $300,000 | Revenue Map model presets |
| Viable LTV-to-CPI ratio | 1.5:1 or better at Day 180 | Below 1:1, every install destroys value; the studio should sunset the title | Revenue Map model templates |
Sources: Revenue Map model presets (default investment, pricing and funnel assumptions in our industry templates), Revenue Map model templates (vertical research in each financial model), Revenue Map benchmark tables (the thresholds behind our free calculators), and honest industry ranges where our own data is thin. Ranges are planning bands, not guarantees.
What Moves the Number
Portfolio concentration risk
Most studios earn the majority of revenue from one or two titles. A studio with three live games at $10,000 each looks diversified, but if the top earner decays and the others never scaled, revenue halves in a quarter. The presets show how retention curves decay over time, making each title's contribution inherently temporary without continuous live-ops investment.
Genre mix and monetization depth
A hyper-casual studio ships many cheap titles at low ARPDAU and high volume, while a midcore studio ships fewer titles at higher ARPDAU but with larger investment per title. Revenue Map's presets model starting investments of $50,000 for casual games and $200,000 to $300,000 for mobile and PC titles, so the portfolio strategy sets both the upside and the capital requirement.
Studio overhead above title-level costs
Direct title costs like UA and live-ops sit inside each game's unit economics. Studio overhead like management, tools, office space, and publishing sits above them. A studio needs its portfolio to cover both layers, which is why a three-title studio at $30,000 combined monthly revenue may still lose money if team costs exceed that.
The hit-driven nature of gaming
Game revenue follows a power law. The presets model what a modestly successful title earns, but most titles a studio ships never reach 10,000 sustained DAU. Sustainable studios budget for a hit rate of roughly one in three to one in five, meaning portfolio revenue must cover the cost of titles that did not work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a small game studio earn per year?
How many games does a studio need to be profitable?
Do hyper-casual studios earn more than midcore studios?
What is the biggest cost for a game studio?
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