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App Store developers have earned $260 billion since the marketplace launched

New figures shared by Apple indicate creators earned $60 billion in 2021.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

January 11, 2022

1 Min Read

App Store developers have earned over $260 billion since the mobile marketplace launched back in 2008.

Last year, Apple revealed lifetime App Store revenues had topped $200 billion, indicating developers pulled in around $60 billion during 2021. 

According to the company, the latest lifetime revenue figures come after the storefront "set a new yearly record for App Store developer earnings."

The iPhone maker neglected to provide a comprehensive revenue breakdown, so it's currently unclear how much video games earned specifically. We do know, however, that Among Us topped the freemium charts over the course of 2021, while Minecraft dominated the top paid charts.

Roblox, Project Makeover, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Subway Surfers were the other major players on the top free charts, while Heads Up!, Bloons TD 6, Monopoly - Classic Board Games, and Geometry Dash flanked Minecraft on the top paid charts.

Apple also noted that holiday spending between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve increased year-on-year, with the storefront witnessing double-digit growth on 2020, when users spent $1.8 billion on digital goods and services over that period.

About the Author

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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