Report updated Apr 6, 2026
Mahjong Soul
v2.7Fans of Japanese Mahjong and anime culture who enjoy character-driven progression, social gaming, and competitive tournament play.
What Is Mahjong Soul?
Launched Nov 26, 2019
Updated Mar 2026
What users think iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
What does it look like?
What are the key features?
Playable anime-style characters with full Japanese voice acting and deep progression systems
In-game guided lessons designed to help beginners learn the rules and strategies of Mahjong
Ability to connect with friends to practice skills and play together
Dedicated platform for organizing and participating in official Mahjong tournaments
Extensive item lineup for personalization and interactive character emojis for in-game communication
What do users think? iIndependent intel reports to help builders create better apps or enhance existing ones. Still in beta, accuracy and relevancy get better every day. For informational purposes only.
βRecent user voice shows a excited sentiment. Users appreciate educational value and gameplay quality, but report predatory gacha/cosmetics and technical stability & performance.β
What Users Love
Very good Mahjong tutorial. now I'm able to play Mahjong.
tutorial explanation was verryyy clear, and learning the game was easy and fun!
very fun, the rules are details, almost like playing real mahjong.
well made game with no adds
Pain Points
The gacha aspect of this game just feels downright predatory and unreasonably unfair.
I wish the skins were not as much goonbait so I actually could feel comfortable playing in public.
every time I open the app it takes 10 minutes to get to the main screen.
Game crashed in a ranked match, re-opened the game immediately and didnt redirect me back to the match.
High confidence Β· 37.8K reviews available
What are the pros and cons?
Pros
- Industry-leading onboarding/tutorial system
- High-quality ACG production values and voice acting
- Strong cross-platform account integration
- Robust tournament infrastructure
Cons
- Technical performance issues (load times, crashes)
- Polarizing sexualized character designs
- High friction in gacha monetization
What is the market outlook?
Growth Opportunities
- Introduce non-sexualized cosmetic themes to broaden appeal
- Expand into advanced stat-tracking and analytics
- Improve server-side match recovery systems
Market Threats
- Direct competition from Riichi City
- Regulatory risks regarding gacha mechanics
- Community perception of 'rigged' RNG damaging competitive integrity
Who competes with Mahjong Soul?
The Nemesis
Kemono Mahjong
Michael Starling
Targets the same niche of character-centric Riichi Mahjong but with a specific focus on anthropomorphic character designs.
Targets the same niche of character-centric Riichi Mahjong but with a specific focus on anthropomorphic character designs.
Peers
Competes for the same user demographic looking for high-production value, competitive tabletop adaptations with ACG themes.
Cross-Platform Competitive Play
Broad ecosystem competitor for players seeking strategic depth and collectible character/card systems.
Battlegrounds Mode
Shadowverse CCG
β 4.2 (2K)Cygames, Inc.
While a CCG, it shares a near-identical target audience of ACG fans who enjoy high-stakes competitive strategy and gacha progression.
While a CCG, it shares a near-identical target audience of ACG fans who enjoy high-stakes competitive strategy and gacha progression.
What are the key takeaways?
Mahjong Soul is a exciting games app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 4.7/5 rating from 37.8K reviews, it excites its users from users. Users particularly appreciate educational value, though predatory gacha/cosmetics remains a common concern.
Best for: Fans of Japanese Mahjong and anime culture who enjoy character-driven progression, social gaming, and competitive tournament play.
How much does it cost?
Model: freemium
Monetization relies on a 'gacha' or cosmetic-driven model, focusing on character acquisition and personalization rather than pay-to-win mechanics.
iOS Version
2.7
Android Version
4.0.18_GP
Release Date
Nov 26, 2019
iOS Price
Free
Android Price
Free
Developer
YOSTAR LIMITED