Today we released Play’s 2024 Best of Awards, which honor the year’s most creative apps and games. Developers from Asia-Pacific took home over 60% of the awards — a testament to the creativity coming from the region, powered by millions of Android developers.
In the gaming category, Asia-Pacific developers took home 62% of all gaming awards handed out in the United States, Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia and Taiwan. Chinese studio FARLIGHT’s AFK Journey claimed the “Best Game” honor for its stunning visuals and immersive fantasy world, while Korea’s Devsisters Corporation took home the “Best for Google Play Games on PC” award for CookieRun: Tower of Adventures, delighting players with its adventurous gameplay across mobile and web.
Asia-Pacific developers picked up a third of the global awards in the entertainment apps category, with China and Korea emerging as powerhouses, particularly with mobile-friendly, short-form content. China’s DramaBox – Stream Drama Shorts won “Best for Fun” in Indonesia and Hong Kong, while Korea’s Vigloo – Premier Short Dramas snagged “Best Hidden Gem” in Korea, proving the strong appeal of drama shorts and showing how Play is critical for developers who aspire to go global. In fact, 85% of monthly active users of Korean-developed apps were based overseas in 2023.
Manga apps continued to thrive in Japan, where we recently launched a dedicated Comics space on Play to help fans discover new apps and content. SHOGAKUKAN INC’s MangaONE, which won the “Best App” award, redesigned its interface to celebrate its 10th anniversary, giving manga fans a fresh way to enjoy their favorite titles. JumpTOON, a new app from SHUEISHA INC. designed specifically for webtoons, snagged the “Best for Fun” award.
AI is also increasingly transforming app experiences, and developers from Asia-Pacific are leading the way. In India, almost 1,000 apps and games are using AI technology. One example is Hey Alle’s Alle – Your AI Fashion Stylist, which offers AI-powered personalized style advice based on occasion, body type and facial features. The app snagged both the “Best App” and “Best for Fun” awards in the country.
Singapore’s Notewise stood out with its AI-powered note-taking app, earning the “Best for Personal Growth” award in Taiwan and Hong Kong for making work and learning more efficient. China’s Starii Tech also made waves with Winkit – AI Video Enhancer, an app that allows users to create custom videos and animated avatars, winning the “Best Hidden Gem” award in several Asia-Pacific markets.