Flexion, a leading games marketing company, has achieved significant growth in revenue, boasting a 9% increase for the year ending December 2024. This impressive performance can be attributed to its successful distribution of major developers' games across alternative app stores.
To achieve this remarkable feat, Flexion has doubled down on its strategy of focusing on marketing games through alternative platforms. Since its initial public offering (IPO) in 2018, the company has experienced nearly a "50-fold" increase in annual revenue, reaching almost $100 million. This impressive growth can be attributed to its portfolio, which now includes several billion dollars' worth of games intellectual property (IP) distributed across partners such as Samsung, Amazon, Huawei, OneStore, and Xiaomi.
Flexion's alternative app store distribution model has proven highly effective, with over 30 games currently available on these platforms. Top-tier titles in Flexion's portfolio earn an average annual revenue of $10 million, in addition to their Google Play and Apple App Store earnings.
The era of alternatives is here, and it seems that the tide has turned in favor of mobile game developers seeking new market opportunities. With the Digital Markets Act (DMA) coming into force in Europe and recent legal actions in the US, developers are now free to explore alternative app stores that offer better margins, additional audiences, and increased revenue.
According to Flexion's CEO, Jens Lauritzson, "We've already moved beyond the era when Google and Apple controlled everything. Developers are looking for alternatives that offer better margins, and additional audiences and revenue. Partnering with Flexion opens up a range of market channels with very little up-front investment."
In recent years, Flexion has seen a surge in partnerships as developers increasingly turn to alternative app stores for growth. Notably, King launched Candy Crush Solitaire across alternative platforms at the same time as its Google and Apple debut. Additionally, Flexion added War Machines from Wildlife Studios, War Robots from My.games, and Gossip Harbor from Microfun to its expanding portfolio.
By doubling down on mobile app development strategies that focus on alternative app stores, Flexion has demonstrated its ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing market landscape.