Research methodology

How to Build a Reliable Top-Downloaded Games List

Important: Do not publish a “current top 10” ranking without verifying recent figures from reliable sources.

Download rankings can be misleading because sources may count different things. Some report lifetime downloads, others monthly installs, and some combine games with non-game apps.

Define the ranking first

Lifetime downloads or downloads during a specific year?
Google Play only, App Store only, or combined?
Worldwide or one country?
Games only, or all apps?

Use comparable sources

Prefer first-party company disclosures, official store information and established mobile market-intelligence reports. Avoid combining estimates from incompatible methodologies without clearly explaining the difference.

Record the evidence

For every title, save the source, publication date, measurement period, geography and whether the figure is reported or estimated.

State limitations

A good article explains what is not known. Exact combined lifetime downloads are often unavailable, and store counters may provide ranges rather than precise figures.

Refresh frequently

A current ranking should show a visible “last updated” date and be reviewed on a defined schedule.