In 2023, Russians spent $172 million on games in the Apple App Store, roughly 15.6 billion rubles. This figure, drawn from the State of Mobile Gaming 2024 research by data.ai and cited by Kommersant, highlights a pivotal moment in the country’s gaming market.
Analysts note that 2022 saw a 19.2% year-over-year increase, and they attribute last year’s dip to a shift in payments. A growing portion of purchases started to occur outside the App Store through built‑in payment systems that operate without Apple’s knowledge. When payments go through these external channels, developers typically face a 27% commission to the platform instead of the 30% rate charged for App Store transactions, a distinction that can influence consumer behavior and overall market size.
On the global stage, Russia stands 20th in App Store expenditure. The leading markets are the United States with about $14.8 billion, China with $11.2 billion, and Japan with $8.4 billion. In many countries, Apple’s ecosystem supports a variety of payment methods, including bank cards, mobile carrier billing, PayPal, and regional options. In Russia, users have a more limited set of choices, primarily relying on two telecom operators, MTS and Beeline, for purchases. This restricted payment landscape can help explain why Russian consumer spend on App Store games might lag behind other large markets, as potential buyers face greater friction when alternative payment methods are not readily available.
The Android ecosystem presents a contrasting picture. Since March 2022, Google Play has disabled payments in Russia, blocking not only new app purchases but also the ability to update previously acquired apps. Data.ai reports that Russian consumer spending on Google Play in 2021 reached about $715 million, placing the country ninth in global rankings at that time. This restriction on Android purchases further concentrates gaming activity within the iOS environment or pushes users toward alternative distribution routes, shaping how Russians engage with mobile gaming services.
Earlier statements suggested Apple planned to retire the Apple ID branding, signaling broader platform changes that could influence user authentication, payments, and app discovery in the Russian market. Across both major ecosystems, these dynamics reflect a broader pattern of how payment infrastructure, platform commissions, and regulatory actions shape gaming consumption in Russia. The evolving landscape continues to affect developers, publishers, and players who navigate these payment ecosystems, price points, and availability considerations in a market with unique constraints and opportunities. Attributions: data.ai State of Mobile Gaming 2024; Kommersant reporting.