Licensed Adventure Games - Exploring the State of Play in 2025
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Whether you’re a fan of video games or like to regularly frequent online casinos, you’ve probably encountered a number of enthralling adventure-themed titles.
In fact, adventure games comprised the second most popular video game genre in 2024, in a market with approximately three billion players globally. Adventure-themed games are also incredibly popular at online casinos, particularly iconic franchises like Gonzo’s Quest and El Dorado City of Gold.
But how will this genre continue to evolve in 2025, and what role do licensed adventure games play in driving growth?
Adventure Slot Games - What Helps Them to Stand Out?
In the iGaming market, slots account for around 70% of the total gross gaming yield (GGY). Within the vertical, adventure-themed slots account for a huge number of individual slots, with only retro, fruit machine-inspired games slightly more commonplace.
You’ll also find a growing number of licensed adventure slot games available online. These are games that have been derived from existing television or movie franchises, such as Indiana Jones, Lara Croft and Robin Hood. They’re now published by a broad selection of gambling brands, like some of the best gambling sites in Canada.
These titles elevate the adventure game genre significantly by utilizing iconic characters and familiar story narratives. Take Lara Croft: Temples and Tombs, for example, which has been developed by Microgaming and combines stunning visuals with a reimagination of the main character’s look and persona.
The game itself is also high variance and high octane, eschewing traditional paylines and offering 243 ways to win. It features a competitive return-to-player (RTP) rate of 96.06% too, while you can wager anywhere between $0.20 and $20 per spin online.
What About Console Games?
Not only are licensed adventure game titles taking over the iGaming market, but they’re also making their mark among console players.
After generating an approximate revenue of $7.7 billion in 2023, console adventure games were second only to first-person shooters and accounted for around 15% of the market. However, they’re projected to claim a 17.1% console market share this year, while showcasing impressive and sustained growth of +6.9%.
Interestingly, this particular market will be influenced by remastered versions of classic licensed games in 2025. For example, Tomb Raider IV-VI is currently being remastered and reimagined for the digital age, creating a series of adventures for a new generation of players to enjoy.
This is an exciting and potentially lucrative trend for 2025 and beyond, with the demand for classic adventure games growing year-on-year.
Are Licensed Adventure Games Being Played on Mobile?
Across most countries, mobile users account for around 80% of players in the online gambling industry. So, online casino players are increasingly likely to access themed and licensed adventure games on the move, with the advent of HTML5 technology ensuring that slots are now available across various device types.
However, while adventure games (both licensed and otherwise) are also growing to dominate the console gaming market, they’re slightly less popular among mobile players. Instead, puzzle games account for around 15% of all mobile revenues globally, with the vast majority of this income being generated in Japan, China and South Korea.
Casual (14.6%) and role-playing games (11.6%) account for a combined 26.2% of the mobile games market, followed closely by simulation and strategy titles. Overall, adventure games rank eighth among the most popular mobile game genres, accounting for around 4.4% of the marketplace.
The Last Word
In the realm of online casinos and console gaming, adventure games are becoming increasingly popular and dominant. Themed and licensed titles are in particularly high demand here, thanks to the allure of iconic pop-culture figures such as Lara Croft, Indiana Jones and Robin Hood.
We expect 2025 to see adventure games become the dominant driver of console gaming revenues, thanks in part to the comprehensive remastering of older classics. They’ll also continue to offer variety and enjoyment to online casino players, many of whom are casual gamblers who are inclined to select games with familiar players, iconic themes and immersive gameplay.
Of course, adventure games aren’t as popular among mobile players. However, this is largely thanks to the small and compact nature of smartphone displays, which are arguably more suited to puzzle games and simulations.
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