In a significant milestone for the casual gaming scene, LeDo Games’ hit title Happy Eliminate recently won the “Most Popular Mobile Single-Player Game” award at the prestigious Golden Plume Awards, often dubbed the Oscars of the gaming industry in China. This recognition highlights LeDo’s growing influence in the highly competitive match-3 market and reaffirms its position as one of the country’s leading mobile game publishers. In an industry where competition is fierce, such achievements are no small feat.
China’s mobile gaming market is notoriously cutthroat, but LeDo Games has maintained a strong foothold in the casual gaming segment. As a latecomer, Happy Eliminate broke through the clutter with an impressive daily active user base of 5 million. Meanwhile, the company’s endless runner titles Temple Run and Subway Surfers continue to dominate the genre. Temple Run, still ranking among the top five casual games in China after three years, has surpassed 500 million downloads—half of which come from Chinese users. Subway Surfers also remains consistently in the top 10 with over 20 million monthly active users. From Fruit Ninja to Temple Run, Subway Surfers, Monument Valley, and now Happy Eliminate, LeDo Games has stuck to its winning formula: licensing globally successful titles and deeply localizing them for the Chinese market.
Fruit Ninja serves as a perfect case study. LeDo Games has localized and operated the game in China for over five years, releasing a new version every 28 days on average to keep up with evolving player preferences. Over 30 percent of the game’s players now come from China, making it a goldmine for developer Halfbrick. In contrast, many other titles launched around the same time have vanished without a trace, with some failing to survive even a single year. The mobile gaming market has reached a turning point—growth is slowing, competition is fiercer, and product turnover is accelerating. As the demographic dividend fades and truly innovative products become scarce, the market is no longer what it used to be.
According to data from TalkingData, while China’s mobile gaming sector continues to grow, the pace has slowed dramatically. The growth rate of mobile game developers plunged from 13.7% in Q2 2015 to just 1.7% in Q2 2016. At the same time, user expectations have evolved rapidly over the past four to five years. As internet infrastructure improves and smartphones become more accessible, players now demand more from mobile games than ever before. Single-feature games no longer suffice. Reports from the Game Publishing Committee and Gamma Data show that innovation, social features, faster update cycles, and improved visuals are now essential—especially in casual games—if companies want to win user loyalty.
Even titles like Fruit Ninja are feeling the heat. Users crave novelty and deeper engagement. The global success of Pokémon Go is proof of just how hungry the market is for fresh, groundbreaking experiences. It’s one of the few titles in recent years that genuinely redefined mobile gaming.
LeDo Games executive Su Meng revealed that the company is collaborating with several international studios and plans to launch more innovative casual games in 2017 to elevate the gaming experience for Chinese users. Su added that long-term success in gaming requires substantial investment in both operations and branding. On one hand, LeDo is exploring global multi-region publishing strategies. On the other, it is investing in broadening game IP into entertainment franchises.
With the casual mobile gaming scene rapidly evolving, platforms like Melbet Login are becoming invaluable for players looking to stay ahead of the curve. Whether tracking downloads, analyzing game trends, or connecting communities, Melbet Login provides insights into what’s rising and what’s fading. For users seeking more than just another clone, Melbet Login helps spotlight the games that truly push the envelope in innovation and fun.