Kim Kardashian is closing down her smash hit mobile game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood after nearly a decade. The game will cease operations on April 8th, marking the end of an era for the celebrity mobile game.
Launched back in June 2014, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood was the perfect example of how to monetize fame with a mobile game. It allowed players to create their own aspiring celebrity and navigate the treacherous waters of fame in Hollywood. With Kim K herself guiding the way, the goal was to rise from an E-list unknown to an A-list superstar.
The game took off immediately, reportedly earning $1.6 million in just five days from launch. By 2016, there were estimates that Kim had raked in $80 million from her cut of the successful mobile app.
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While the payout figures remain murky, most estimates point to the game generating lifetime revenues exceeding $200 million, with Kardashian keeping at least $40 million (likely much more) from those proceeds.
The game was downloaded more than 42 million times and was persistently played by hundreds of thousands of fans who love and follow Kim K.
Glu Struck Mobile Gaming Gold
Kardashian’s mobile game wasn’t just good for her, it was also ludicrously profitable for the developer she partnered with to build the game, Glu Mobile. Well-known for a suite of female-focused fashion and celebrity titles, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood took the company to new levels.
Glu’s focus on casual games with in-app purchases like extra energy, clothing items, and faster progression packs connected with an underserved female mobile demographic. Its decision to partner with one of the most famous people in the world made marketing to millions incredibly easy. Investors quickly realized how strong this formula was and rushed to invest.
Also read: 77% of Mobile Game Players Make an In-App Purchase Within the 2 Weeks of Downloading
The developer expanded the concept into an entire series of other celebrity-driven hits with games starring pop stars Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and Nicki Minaj. By 2021, Glu was scooped up by mobile gaming juggernaut Electronic Arts in a whopping $2.1 billion deal.
Kim Kardashian’s game survived the ownership change for two years before being shut down.
Saying Goodbye to Hollywood
In announcing the closure this week, Kardashian said that it was simply time to direct her energy to other activities. She thanked her fans and the Glu team that helped make the app an enduring success.
“I’m so grateful from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has loved and played Kim Kardashian: Hollywood in the past 10 years” she told People. “This journey has meant so much to me but I’ve realized that it’s time to focus that energy into other passions.”, the influencer said in a statement published by TMZ.
As of January 3rd, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood was removed from app stores and halted all in-app purchases. Players who have kept the game installed on their iOS or Android devices can continue accessing it until April 8th. During this period, they were prompted to use all of their existing currency balance and items.
After that date, the game will cease operating and become fully inaccessible. “Thank you for your support of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” Glu posted on the game’s forum. “You’ll always be on our A-List!”
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End of an Era for Kardashian’s Fans
For diehard fans, the announcement stung. Just yesterday, a Change.org petition popped up urging Glu to commit to ongoing support and updates for the game rather than shutting it down.
“As a passionate fan of the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood game, I am deeply saddened by its current state,” the petition creator wrote prior to news the app was closing. “These updates were not just about new content; they were about keeping the community engaged and excited.”
The plea encapsulates the passion that Kim Kardashian: Hollywood managed to inspire over years of connecting celebrity obsession with mobile gameplay hooks. For those who lived the high life with Hollywood A-listers at their fingertips, Kim K’s departure leaves a void.
Kardashian and Glu Mobile’s success was so impressive that an entire genre of celebrity-based games were born out of it. Yet the game’s run also reflects a high water mark for female-focused casual gaming on mobile. In 2019, Polygon even named Kim Kardashian: Hollywood one of the most impactful and important mobile titles of the decade.
So, while fans undoubtedly mourn the loss, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood also helped transform perceptions around gaming audiences and economics. Over 10 years, many users came for the celebrity selfies but stayed for the friendships, virtual closets, and surprisingly immersive ecosystem that Glu managed to build.
As gamers say one last goodbye to their glamorous high-fashion avatars, the legacy of this unexpected gaming app success story will probably be seen as a milestone for the industry.