Jest Emerges from Stealth with $7M to Challenge App Store Dominance via Messaging Games

Jest challenges Apple and Google with a 90/10 revenue split for messaging games, leveraging RCS to bypass traditional app stores.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 26, 2026, 9:21 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from TechCrunch

The RCS Revolution

Jest’s entry into the market capitalizes on a fundamental shift in mobile communication. With Apple adopting iOS 18 in 2024 and Google reporting over a billion daily RCS messages by mid-2025, the "sticky" surface of the messaging inbox has become a viable gaming platform. Unlike traditional mobile games that require a visit to an app store, Jest games launch directly in a browser from a chat link. This frictionless entry comes at a time when traditional mobile game downloads have seen consecutive year-over-year declines, dropping 8.6% in 2025 alone.

Developer Incentives and the 90/10 Split

The most disruptive element of Jest is its economic model. Developers keep 90% of their earnings, a sharp contrast to the industry-standard 70%. Furthermore, Jest has introduced a "revenue-sharing network effect":

Monetizing Studio: Receives 70% of revenue.

Acquiring Studio: Receives 20% (if they brought the user to the platform).