Candy Crush Earns an Average of $633,000 Per Day in 2024

Over a decade after its launch, the iconic mobile puzzle game Candy Crush Saga still earns an astounding average of $633,000 per day from in-app purchases and advertising. With over 293 million monthly active users as of 2022, this sugary smash hit continues to dominate the casual gaming market.

In this in-depth guide for gamers and entrepreneurs alike, we‘ll analyze Candy Crush‘s impressively sweet daily revenue streams and the ingredients that keep players coming back for more:

A Massive Money-Maker Since 2012

Candy Crush first launched in 2012 and rapidly became one of the most financially successful mobile games by pioneering the "freemium" model — gameplay is free, but extra features and power-ups cost money.

According to app analytics firm SensorTower, Candy Crush earned over $1.5 billion in worldwide gross revenue in 2018 alone, with U.S. players accounting for about 34% of that figure.

Fast forward to 2023, and Candy Crush still earns over half a million dollars every single day in the United States through in-app purchases and advertising:

So 10 years after its initial explosion onto the mobile scene, what is still drawing in players — and more importantly their wallets?

Millions Addicted to Simple, Satisfying Gameplay

At its core, Candy Crush Saga utilizes a format almost as old as gaming itself — match pieces on a tile-based board to clear them and progress.

This accessibility combined with polished graphics, tempting power-ups and dopamine-inducing sounds makes progression satisfying and addiction easy.

According to psychologists, Candy Crush is perfectly designed to manipulate the reward centers of our brains — when we complete challenges or unlock new levels, we feel a sense of satisfaction that keeps us coming back.

"Candy Crush shares many features with slot machines and other casino games that incorporate ‘intermittent variable rewards‘ to keep players hooked and spending money." — Dr. Andrew Zakhari, Psychologist

And for many, that addiction comes with a high cost…

"Whales" Spend Thousands Per Day

In any free-to-play game, the vast majority of revenue comes from a tiny group of players known as "whales" — usually less than 10% of the total userbase.

For Candy Crush, King revealed that some whales spent upwards of $2,600 in a single day:

"There have been people that spend thousands a day. Our heaviest player at one point spent $2,600 in a day." — Tommy Palm, King

While that level of spending is an extreme outlier, it‘s entirely possible for devoted Candy Crush fans to drop $50 – $100 per day buying gold bars to exchange for extra moves, boosters and lives without waiting.

Just how much have these sweet-toothed spenders contributed so far?

Over $1 Billion Yearly from U.S. Players

According to analytics firm Data.ai, Candy Crush generated a staggering 1.28 billion dollars just from U.S. based in-app purchases in 2021:

With revenue continuing to grow annually both domestically and worldwide, it‘s clear Candy Crush still has an insatiable userbase even after a decade.

Millions Daily Across Platforms

Part of what makes Candy Crush so profitable is that it attracts a highly diverse demographic across multiple platforms.

According to Data.ai intelligence, Candy Crush has over 80 million daily active users worldwide in 2022. And while mobile makes up the majority, millions also play daily through Facebook and on PCs:

This cross-platform accessibility allows Candy Crush to monetize users across generations and geographic locations — making its dominance even harder to overthrow.

Bought for Billions by Activision Blizzard

Candy Crush‘s parent company King knows just how valuable their sugary cash cow is. That‘s why Activision Blizzard purchased King for a staggering 5.9 billion dollars in 2016.

At the time, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick praised Candy Crush‘s loyal fanbase and sustainable profits:

“Candy Crush is an extraordinary phenomenon that delights players every day. We see tremendous opportunities for Activision Blizzard and King to innovate together.” — Bobby Kotick, Activision CEO

And that investment has only continued to pay off, with Candy Crush making up a substantial portion of Activision‘s $8.8 billion yearly earnings.

So while console titles like Call of Duty take up most of the spotlight, this casual mobile juggernaut continues funding the company‘s growth behind the scenes.

The Future Still Looks Sweet

Despite some analysts predicting its eventual demise, Candy Crush has shown its staying power over 10 years and counting.

And King is working hard to keep the candy flowing with regular content updates, in-game events, prime-time TV advertising and more. 2022 saw a host of much-anticipated new features:

• New episodic content
• Seasonal Challenges & Battle Passes
• Candy-themed collaborative events across Activision titles like Call of Duty

While doubts over gaining new players emerge as competition increases, Candy Crush still possesses one of the most lucrative and dedicated userbases in mobile gaming.

Veteran fans eager to splurge on sweet power-ups will continue driving profits for years to come. Because for millions, matching colorful confectionary icons and clearing hundreds of delectable levels simply never goes out of style.

So if recent history shows us anything, Candy Crush should have no issues pulling in another billion in 2024 — one satisfying swipe at a time.