It's the Most Wonderful Time ... for Mobile Gaming

If you're not playing the latest mobile game during the holidays, you're clearly missing out.

According to a new study from mobile marketing automation platform Tapjoy, the holiday season drives mobile game engagement.

Tapjoy surveyed 20,929 mobile game users in EMEA and the US and found that eight in 10 respondents reported playing more often over the holidays.

More than a quarter (28%) said they play an additional 1 to 2 hours of mobile games per day, and another 19% play anywhere from 3 to 4 extra hours. In all, just one in five said their playing time doesn't increase during the holiday season.

The study also found that many mobile gamers tend to download new games during the holidays. More than seven in 10 said they intend to.

For the most part, respondents plan to download two to four new games (31%). In addition, more than one-tenth (12%) said they'll likely download five or more. Action, puzzle and strategy are just some categories of new games they plan to download.

Not only are more people playing mobile games, but they're making in-app purchases as well. Data from Sensor Tower revealed that consumer spending on premium mobile games as well as in-app purchases within Apple's App Store totaled $8 billion worldwide in Q3 2017—a 29% increase year over year.

Mobile gaming spending on Google Play during that same period reached roughly $4.5 billion, an increase of 22% from last year.