Stillfront revenue declined 14% year-over-year during Q1 2026, though strong performances from Big Farm: Homestead and Supremacy helped offset weakness across other parts of the company’s gaming portfolio.
The Swedish gaming group generated SEK 1.3 billion ($143.9 million) in net revenue during the quarter, down from nearly SEK 1.6 billion ($166.8 million) in Q1 2025.
Despite the overall decline, Stillfront highlighted growing direct-to-consumer bookings and strong organic growth from selected key franchises as positive indicators for its long-term strategy.
Stillfront revenue falls alongside declining player numbers
Stillfront Group reported lower engagement across several of its major gaming brands during the quarter.
The company’s metrics showed:
- Daily active users falling from 7.8 million to below 7 million
- Monthly active users dropping from 41.3 million to 35.5 million
- Gross profit decreasing from SEK 1.3 billion to SEK 1.1 billion
- Adjusted EBITDA falling 23% year-over-year
Stillfront said the declines were partly tied to reduced investment in games outside its “key franchises” strategy.
Big Farm: Homestead becomes Stillfront’s biggest launch ever
The standout performer during the quarter was Big Farm: Homestead.
According to Stillfront, the title became the company’s most successful launch to date.
The broader Big franchise segment recorded:
- 78% growth in net revenue
- 88% organic growth
- Strong scaling through user acquisition investments
Stillfront also credited continued momentum from Sunshine Island for supporting the segment’s rapid expansion.
The company emphasized that scaling live-service farming games remains a central focus moving forward.
Supremacy franchise also delivered strong organic growth
Stillfront’s Supremacy 1914 franchise also posted positive results during Q1 2026.
The Supremacy segment generated:
- SEK 247 million ($26.7 million) in net revenue
- 9% year-over-year growth
- 15% organic growth
This made Supremacy one of the few major franchises within Stillfront’s portfolio to show strong upward momentum.
D2C bookings continue rising across Stillfront portfolio
One of the most notable trends in the report involved direct-to-consumer monetization.
Stillfront revealed that D2C bookings accounted for 44% of total bookings during the quarter, compared to 36% one year earlier.
The growing shift toward web shops and external payment systems reflects broader industry trends as publishers attempt to reduce reliance on:
- Apple App Store commissions
- Google Play fees
- Traditional mobile storefront billing systems
Many publishers now incentivize players to purchase directly through lower-priced web store offers.
Why D2C impacts net revenue reporting
Interestingly, the increase in D2C spending may partially contribute to lower reported net revenue figures.
Because publishers often offer discounts through web shops, total transaction values can appear lower despite stronger profitability.
Stillfront noted that while net revenue declined, gross margins actually improved from 81% to 84% thanks to higher D2C activity.
This reflects a growing industry-wide strategy focused on improving margins rather than maximizing top-line mobile store revenue.
Several Stillfront brands struggled during the quarter
While Big Farm: Homestead and Supremacy performed well, several other franchises experienced declines.
Stillfront reported weaker results from:
- BitLife
- Empire
- Albion
- Jawaker
The company said Jawaker’s performance was negatively affected by ongoing regional challenges in the Middle East.
Jawaker revenue declined from SEK 221 million to SEK 191 million year-over-year.
User acquisition spending remains aggressive
Stillfront also significantly increased investment in user acquisition during Q1 2026.
The company spent approximately 34% of total net revenue on UA efforts during the quarter.
Most of that spending supported:
- Big Farm: Homestead
- Supremacy
- Live-service scaling initiatives
This aggressive marketing strategy suggests Stillfront is prioritizing long-term franchise growth over short-term profitability improvements.
Stillfront doubles down on franchise-focused strategy
CEO Alexis Bonte reiterated the company’s strategy of concentrating resources around a smaller number of scalable gaming franchises.
Stillfront now appears focused on:
- Live-service ecosystem growth
- Long-term player retention
- Franchise expansion
- D2C monetization
- Community-driven engagement
The company believes concentrating investment around fewer high-performing titles will improve efficiency over time.
Mobile gaming industry increasingly shifting toward efficiency
Stillfront’s latest results reflect broader trends currently shaping the mobile games industry.
Many publishers are now prioritizing:
- Profit margins over raw installs
- D2C monetization systems
- Long-term live-service retention
- Franchise scalability
- More selective UA spending
As acquisition costs continue rising, publishers are becoming increasingly cautious about spreading resources across too many projects.
Final thoughts
Although Stillfront revenue declined during Q1 2026, the company’s strongest franchises continue showing healthy organic growth.
Big Farm: Homestead emerged as the company’s most successful launch ever, while Supremacy also delivered strong performance during the quarter.
At the same time, rising D2C bookings highlight how mobile publishers increasingly prioritize profitability and platform independence over traditional app store revenue models.
Stillfront’s long-term success may now depend on whether its franchise-focused strategy can sustain growth while broader player engagement trends continue softening.
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