Match-3 Games Statistics (2026): 30+ Data Points on Revenue, Top Titles, and Staying Power
Candy Crush Saga and its spin-offs earned more than $1.4 billion in a single year and stayed a top-10 grossing mobile game in 2025 — over a decade after launch (AppMagic; Sensor Tower, 2026). Match-3 anchors the puzzle genre, which ranks third by mobile revenue every year since 2019 (Sensor Tower, 2026). Its secret is longevity: a roughly five-year commercial half-life dwarfs hybrid-casual's nine months (industry analysis, 2026). We aggregated data from AppMagic, Sensor Tower, and cross-industry analyses, plus dozens of other primary sources to compile this report. Match-3 is the genre that refuses to age.
Key Takeaways
- Candy Crush earned $1.4B+ in a year and stayed a 2025 top-10 grosser (AppMagic, 2026).
- Royal Match was a top IAP-growth driver of 2025 (Sensor Tower, 2026).
- Match-3 has a ~5-year commercial half-life (industry analysis, 2026).
- Puzzle (match-3's home) ranks 3rd by revenue since 2019 (Sensor Tower, 2026).
- Homescapes earned $470M; Gardenscapes $412M in a year (AppMagic).
- Block Blast! led casual downloads at ~303M in 2025 (AppMagic, 2026).
- Puzzle is the No. 2 genre by time spent (Sensor Tower, 2026).
- Puzzle carries higher UA spend share than revenue share (Sensor Tower, 2026).
Tile and matching-logic fans can play free browser puzzles like Find in Mind on Genzopia.
Revenue: Decade-Old Giants Still Rule
Match-3 revenue is dominated by veterans. Candy Crush's continued top-10 presence proves the format's monetization compounds rather than fades.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Candy Crush (one year) | $1.0B+ (franchise $1.4B+) | AppMagic |
| Homescapes (one year) | $470M | AppMagic |
| Gardenscapes (one year) | $412M | AppMagic |
| Royal Match (one year) | $410M | AppMagic |
| Fishdom (one year) | $343M | AppMagic |
Outlier: Candy Crush stayed a top-10 grosser in 2025, over a decade after launch (Sensor Tower, 2026). Simple matching logic also powers browser puzzles like Block Painter.
Staying Power vs. the Rest of Casual
The defining match-3 stat is durability. While hybrid-casual hits burn out in months, match-3 franchises compound over years.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Match-3 commercial half-life | ~5 years | Industry analysis, 2026 |
| Hybrid-casual half-life | ~9 months | Industry analysis, 2026 |
| Puzzle revenue rank | 3rd since 2019 | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
| Puzzle time-spent rank | 2nd | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
| Top IAP-growth genres (2025) | Strategy, shooter, puzzle | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
Match-3's longevity is why publishers pay premium acquisition prices — see our user acquisition and CPI statistics.
Downloads and New Entrants
The download charts show the format evolving. Block and arrow puzzles now rival classic match-3 for installs, keeping the category fresh.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Block Blast! downloads (2025) | ~303M | AppMagic, 2026 |
| Candy Crush downloads (2025) | ~98M | AppMagic, 2026 |
| Tile Explorer downloads (2025) | ~75M | AppMagic, 2026 |
| Most-downloaded game (May 2026) | Arrows Puzzle Escape | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
| Puzzle download rank | Top 4 genres | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
Outlier: block and arrow puzzles surged in 2026, showing the matching-mechanic family keeps reinventing itself (Sensor Tower, 2026). See the full picture in our puzzle games statistics.
Match-3 Games by the Numbers: Summary Table
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Candy Crush (one year) | $1.0B+ | AppMagic |
| Candy Crush franchise | $1.4B+ | AppMagic |
| Homescapes | $470M | AppMagic |
| Gardenscapes | $412M | AppMagic |
| Royal Match | $410M | AppMagic |
| Fishdom | $343M | AppMagic |
| Match-3 half-life | ~5 years | Industry analysis, 2026 |
| Hybrid-casual half-life | ~9 months | Industry analysis, 2026 |
| Puzzle revenue rank | 3rd since 2019 | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
| Puzzle time-spent rank | 2nd | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
| Block Blast! downloads (2025) | ~303M | AppMagic, 2026 |
| Candy Crush downloads (2025) | ~98M | AppMagic, 2026 |
| Most-downloaded (May 2026) | Arrows Puzzle Escape | Sensor Tower, 2026 |
Methodology and Sources
We prioritized methodology-backed intelligence sources, cross-referenced title revenue across AppMagic and Sensor Tower, and used 2025–2026 data with per-title annual figures noted. Every stat is attributed inline to its source.
- AppMagic — Match-3 and puzzle title revenue/downloads
- Sensor Tower — State of Gaming 2026
- Cross-industry genre-lifespan analysis (2026)
Last updated: July 2026.
We update this page quarterly with the latest data.
Games in this post
Frequently asked questions
How much does Candy Crush make?
Candy Crush Saga and its spin-offs earned more than $1.4 billion in a single year and remained a top-10 grossing mobile game in 2025, more than a decade after launch (AppMagic; Sensor Tower, 2026).
What is the top match-3 game in 2026?
Royal Match was among the strongest revenue growth drivers of 2025 alongside Candy Crush, while block-puzzle Block Blast! led casual downloads at ~303 million (Sensor Tower; AppMagic, 2026).
How long do match-3 games last?
Match-3 titles have an unusually long life — roughly a five-year commercial half-life — far longer than hybrid-casual's nine months (industry analysis, 2026).
Why are match-3 games so profitable?
They monetize through many small repeated purchases (boosters, lives, moves) across years of daily play, keeping decade-old titles at the top of the revenue charts (AppMagic, 2026).