Apple's App Store is easily one of the largest digital stores in the world, generating billions of dollars in revenue every year. It is so big that it forms an international economy of its own, an ecosystem that rivals many other industries in terms of size and consumer demand. iPhone and iPad users download millions of apps from Apple's App Store every year, whether paid or free, whille games are an important part of Apple's digital storefront.
According to a CNBC analysis, the Apple App Store made $64 billion in revenue in 2020, which we can all agree is a very, very big number. For many games developers it represents a lucrative opportunity, especially if they can get a boost from Apple itself. This boost might come shortly since Apple has announced the winners of its 2021 App Store Awards, which also reveals the year's most popular titles.
The winners were selected by Apple's global App Store editorial team "for delivering exceptional quality, innovative technology, creative design, and positive cultural impact." The awards include iPhone Game of the Year; iPad Game of the Year; and Apple Arcade Game of the Year.
The winner of the iPhone Game of the Year is Riot Games' League of Legends: Wild Rift, while Netmarble Corporation takes iPad Game of the Year with Marvel Future Revolution. Meanwhile, Apple Arcade's Game of the Year is won by the delightfully picaresque Fantasian, from Mistwalker.
The most popular App Store game this year was Among Us, which was the most downloaded free iOS title, while Minecraft took the top spot for most downloaded paid iOS game, in both the US and the UK. The most popular Apple Arcade games included Sonic Racing, Mini Motorways, Cut the Rope Remastered, and Skate City, among others, for Apple's subscription game service. The award-winning Fantasian did not feature in lists of the most popular Apple Arcade games, which were topped by Sonic Racing in the UK and The Oregon Trail in the US.
Last year's winners, Best Games of 2020, included Genshin Impact for iPhone Game of the Year; Legends of Runeterra for iPad Game of the Year; and Sneaky Sasquatch for Apple Arcade Game of the Year.