American mobile game Diablo exceeded $100 million in revenue – on Apple and Google downloads – in less than two months since its launch on June 1, according to Sensor Tower data.
The gothic action thriller by Blizzard became one of the most downloaded apps on China’s Apple App Store when released on July 25, Sensor Tower said, ranking as the No-3 grossing game on the first day, and beating the former internet sensation PUBG into second spot a day later. Tencent Holding’s Honor of Kings took top spot.
The much anticipated release of Diablo was delayed in China last month, which turned out to be a temporary setback for local publisher NetEase, which suffered a 6.7% fall in the price of its shares.
The demon and witch slaying game faced a turbulent test from scrupulous Chinese regulators, with its licence granted in February and removed again, amid concerns over its violent and religious content.
Race to $100 Million
Sensor Tower rated Diablo one of the fastest video games brought to mobile to surpass the $100m mark, ahead of the likes of Fortnite and Nintendo.
Currently Americans are the top contributors, followed by players in South Korea and Japan, the data showed.
However, the game was released much later in China, Daniel Ahmad, a senior analyst at Niko Partners, noted. “We expect (China) to become its number 1 market in the next few weeks,” he said.
- By Alfie Habershon
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