No. 1 in 20+ Countries: What’s Working for Gangstar Mirage City?
A closer look at the ad activity and creative choices behind Gangstar Mirage City’s rise to No. 1 on free app charts in more than 20 countries.
Daniel Brooks
Creative Strategy Analyst
Published
Updated
Gangstar Mirage City ads combine substantial creative volume with several ways to introduce an open-world game. According to CreativeScope data, the August 2–September 1, 2026 window included 3,614 tracked creatives for Android and 1,166 for iOS. Video accounted for roughly three-quarters of each store’s creative cohort. The examples below show how skits, gameplay explanations, and city-life montages make different use of that format.
Key Takeaways
- Android had about 3.1 times as many tracked creatives as iOS, while video’s share was similar: 76.3% and 75.6%, respectively.
- Facebook appeared in 54.91% of Android ad plans and 46.61% of iOS plans. TikTok appeared in a larger share of iOS plans: 29.01%, versus 10.98% on Android. These are coverage signals, not budget shares.
- The selected videos range from a performer-led skit to a gameplay explanation and related square and portrait montages.
- For UA teams, the practical opportunity is to test the opening, amount of gameplay detail, and frame treatment as separate creative decisions.
Data Scope: Android and iOS
The two store listings are measured separately over the same fixed window, August 2–September 1, 2026. Creative counts are deduplicated within each game record; ad plans are tracked advertising records.
| Metric | Android | iOS |
|---|---|---|
| Store listing | Gangstar Mirage City: Online | Gangstar Mirage City |
| Listed publisher | Level Infinite | PROXIMA BETA PTE.LIMITED |
| Review period | Aug 2–Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 2–Sep 1, 2026 |
| Tracked creatives | 3,614 | 1,166 |
| Tracked ad plans | 11,692 | 2,199 |
| Video creatives | 2,757 | 882 |
| Video share of creatives | 76.3% | 75.6% |
| Creatives with reuse signals | 1,111 | 271 |
| Cohort lifetime estimated impressions | 199,920,431 | 46,253,586 |
Source: CreativeScope data. Video share equals video creatives divided by all tracked creatives for the same store and window. Reuse signals describe tracked reuse, not proven duplication of video files. Estimated impressions are global lifetime estimates for the selected creative cohort, including observations outside the reporting window; they are not impressions delivered during August 2–September 1. Counts do not measure spend or results.
An August 19 Burst in New Creatives
The activity summary highlights August 19 on both stores: 701 newly tracked creatives for Android and 212 for iOS. The following selected dates show that new assets continued to enter the tracked set afterward.
| Date in 2026 | Android new creatives | iOS new creatives |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 19 | 701 | 212 |
| Aug 20 | 402 | 177 |
| Aug 21 | 453 | 122 |
| Aug 24 | 192 | 69 |
| Aug 26 | 231 | 94 |
| Aug 27 | 295 | 99 |
| Aug 28 | 176 | 119 |
Selected dates from the activity summary, within August 2–September 1. Newly tracked creatives are first observations in the dataset, not production dates. This table is not the complete daily series and does not measure daily active creatives.
Different Market and Channel Coverage
Saudi Arabia leads the returned Android market summary, while Turkey leads iOS. Comparing the same markets reveals a different coverage mix: Turkey appears in 19.60% of iOS ad plans and 6.28% of Android plans.
| Market | Android plans | iOS plans |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 8.04% | 13.37% |
| Thailand | 7.60% | 13.73% |
| Indonesia | 6.83% | 9.50% |
| Brazil | 6.53% | 10.60% |
| Turkey | 6.28% | 19.60% |
| United Arab Emirates | 6.12% | 13.37% |
| Mexico | 5.04% | 12.73% |
| Malaysia | 4.38% | 8.55% |
Meta placements account for broad coverage on both stores. TikTok appears in 638 iOS plans and 1,284 Android plans; its share is higher on iOS because that store has a smaller total plan count.
| Selected channel | Android plans | iOS plans |
|---|---|---|
| 55.01% | 46.61% | |
| 54.91% | 46.61% | |
| Audience Network | 54.68% | 46.61% |
| Threads | 54.68% | 46.61% |
| Messenger | 19.12% | 30.56% |
| AdMob | 29.21% | 18.10% |
| TikTok | 10.98% | 29.01% |
| YouTube | 6.59% | 6.87% |
| AppLovin | 1.96% | 3.00% |
Both tables cover August 2–September 1, 2026. Percentages use 11,692 Android plans or 2,199 iOS plans as the denominator. A plan can cover multiple markets and placements, so percentages are not additive. Selected rows are not the complete coverage list. Coverage does not establish country-level impressions, spend, or platform performance.
The Opening Changes What Viewers Follow
The live-action example makes a performer the main subject. The Google example shows the game interface and moves from immediate actions into business systems. The montage pair introduces customization, vehicles, and social scenes in a short tour of the city.
Each structure gives the footage a different job. A skit needs a clear connection between the situation and the game. A walkthrough needs a sequence viewers can follow. A montage needs enough time for each activity to register before the next scene arrives.
The square Meta and portrait AppLovin videos also separate story from packaging. Their closely matching scene order remains recognizable even though the frame treatment changes. That observation is limited to this pair; it does not establish a reuse strategy across all ad networks.
Creative Spotlight
The visual observations below come from a manual review of timestamped frames sampled across each full video. Estimated impressions describe the returned creative record, not audited platform impressions or exposure confined to the review window. The breakdowns do not quote or translate spoken dialogue.
A Live-Action Skit Before the Game
Sequence: Open on a room and skeleton prop, then a performer in a tan shirt. At about 9–13 seconds, the edit shows game promotional artwork on a monitor and laptop before returning to the performer. An animated logo transition leads to a game end card with app-store badges.
Close-ups and changes in gesture carry much of the visual activity. The performer remains the main subject, making this an example of a skit opening rather than an extended demonstration of the game’s systems.
Practical read: Define exactly when the performer’s situation connects to the game. A variant could bring that connection forward while keeping the rest of the edit stable.
Gameplay That Connects Action to Progression
Sequence: The first 13 seconds show city movement, a vehicle encounter, driving, and combat. Around 14–29 seconds, the edit introduces a business location, company registration, a map, looting, an upgrade, and an investment confirmation. Mission scenes and an in-game cash-conversion screen follow before the branded ending at roughly 45 seconds.
At roughly 47 seconds, this video gives business progression room alongside driving and combat. The visible interface helps connect what players can do immediately with what they can build toward.
Practical read: Test how much progression detail the explanation needs. Compare cuts that preserve the same opening and end card while varying the middle section.
A Square Tour of City Life
Sequence: A vehicle and city sequence leads into character customization at about 4–8 seconds. Heist, vehicle, outfit, and in-game economy screens follow. Group scenes appear around 18–20 seconds, followed by driving and club scenes, then a branded ending at approximately 27 seconds.
The square montage presents several reasons to inhabit the city, including self-expression and social activity. Branded artwork remains around the gameplay area as the featured activities change.
Practical read: Choose one scene to hold longer, such as character customization or a social activity. Keep the remaining sequence stable so the comparison addresses the emphasis of the montage.
A Related Montage in a Portrait Frame
Sequence: The portrait edit follows a closely matching progression to the square Meta video: vehicles and city scenes, customization, heist and inventory screens, an in-game economy screen, group activities, and club scenes. The game end card begins at roughly 27 seconds.
The portrait treatment uses more vertical space for branded artwork around gameplay. Its scene order closely matches the selected Meta video, but the files are different and their delivery contexts are not matched.
Practical read: Compare frame treatments within the same placement and market group. Check gameplay size and text legibility on a phone; the observed Meta and AppLovin records are not themselves a controlled test.
Ad media is shown for editorial analysis. Source: CreativeScope tracked creative records. Rights remain with the respective rights holders.
CreativeScope Take
The most useful distinction in this sample is between the subject that earns attention and the footage that explains the game. The live-action example emphasizes the performer; the walkthrough develops a sequence of systems; the montage pair gives a quick view of several activities.
For an open-world game, decide which experience the viewer should understand before choosing the opening and layout. A driving promise needs readable driving footage. A progression promise needs a visible connection between actions and advancement. A city-life montage needs enough space for customization and social scenes to remain distinct.
Turn the Examples Into a Focused Test Plan
Use these examples to frame questions for your own assets. Run comparisons within a consistent placement and audience, and define the creative change before producing the variants. The table below proposes experiments; it does not report results from Gangstar Mirage City.
| Test question | Change | Keep stable | Evaluate |
|---|---|---|---|
| When should the game enter the skit? | Move the first game connection earlier or later. | Performer, skit, runtime, and end card. | Retention around the transition to the game. |
| How much progression detail is useful? | Shorten or extend the business-system segment. | Opening action, scene order, and end card. | Retention through the explanation; completion rate. |
| Which activity deserves more time? | Extend one customization or social scene. | Other scenes, soundtrack, and total runtime. | Retention at that scene; click-through rate. |
| How large should gameplay appear? | Adjust the branded frame and gameplay area. | Aspect ratio, footage, timing, and copy. | Mobile legibility; retention and click-through rate. |
Use your own delivery and conversion data to decide which variants to continue. The estimated-impression figures attached to these examples can help organize a review, but they do not measure the outcome of any proposed test.
FAQ
What do these Gangstar Mirage City ads show?
The four selected examples show a live-action skit, an extended gameplay and progression demonstration, and related square and portrait montages of city activities.
Do the estimated impressions show which ad performed best?
No. These record-level estimates do not establish actual platform impressions, spend, conversion rates, CPI, or ROAS. Different observation periods and placements also limit comparisons.
Can this sample establish a channel-wide creative strategy?
No. It is a small editorial selection of creative records. It supports observations about the selected videos, not conclusions about the full campaign or each channel’s preferred format.
Explore More Open-World Game Creatives
Use CreativeScope’s Creative Search and Advertiser Intelligence to find mobile game ads, inspect their observed coverage, and compare creative treatments before writing your next brief.
Related reading: NTE’s launch and live-ops creative changes.
Data Notes
Source: CreativeScope data retrieved September 7, 2026. Aggregate reporting period: August 2–September 1, 2026, using Asia/Shanghai date boundaries. Android and iOS are separate store listings. The four selected videos illustrate specific creative treatments and are not an exhaustive campaign sample. Individual record dates can extend beyond the window. Market and placement labels can overlap. Global lifetime exposure estimates are not period impressions or audited performance. Visual descriptions come from timestamped frame review, with audio-assisted checks; uncertain spoken dialogue is not quoted or translated.
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