The Asia market has become the most lucrative and influential region in the global mobile games industry.
Companies in countries such as Japan, South Korea and China are highly successful at home and are increasingly expanding around the world through global game releases, international partnerships and M&A. These markets also offer lucrative opportunities for Western publishers.
To give you a deeper insight into this key region, each week we’re rounding up all the news from PocketGamer.biz and around the web. Don't forget to keep up with the news throughout the week on the Asia section of our site.
Got any news leads about the Asia market you'd like to share? Email PocketGamer.biz senior editor Craig Chapple at craig.chapple@steelmedia.co.uk.
You can gain more insights into the Asia markets on the East Meets West track at Pocket Gamer Connects Seattle, which takes place on May 13th to 14th. PGC will be heading to Hong Kong on July 17th to 18th.
China’s games regulator approves nearly 100 new games including Game of Thrones and Angry Birds
There remains a significant backlog but Chinese regulators have approved yet another batch of game licences, this time including foreign IP.
Hatch partners with Samsung to bring 5G games service to South Korea
5G is rolling out in South Korea, bringing with it new possibilities for cloud gaming. One company getting straight in on the act is games streaming service Hatch.
Global mobile user spending to reach $156 billion by 2023
The global mobile apps industry is forecast to continue to grow, with China, Japan and the US expected to lead the charge.
Why NetEase is shooting up battle royale with stylish, team-based title Disorder
After massive success with battle royale hit Knives Out, NetEase is getting back in the shooter game with new release Disorder.
Is Brawl Stars set to knock it out the park in China as Supercell’s latest billion-dollar success?
Ahead of its China launch, we look at how Brawl Stars is performing around the world, highlighting a particularly excellent performance in South Korea.
Animoca raises $3.3 million and acquires German developer Stryking
The Hong Kong-floated games publisher and blockchain specialist is continuing its acquisition spree, powered by an extra $3.3m for its war chest.
Nippon Ichi Software stock nosedives after Disgaea RPG suffers maintenance woes after launch
It's not been a great time for Japanese developer Nippon Ichi Software, with the troubled launch of its Disgaea RPG on mobile having a negative impact on its shares.
Mobvista revenue from programmatic advertising grew 99 per cent in the wake of its IPO
The GameAnalytics owner increased revenues year-over-year to $435 million for 2018.
India police lift PUBG Mobile ban in Ahmedabad
After over 20 reported arrests, the temporary ban on PUBG Mobile in the Indian city of Ahmedabad has been lifted.
PUBG Mobile introduces in-app subscriptions for sixth season
Tencent's PUBG Mobile has introduced new monetisation features just as it hit $65 million in revenue in March alone.
Niantic details worldwide summer events for Pokemon Go in 2019
US developer Niantic is hosting another series of real-world events this summer for Pokemon Go, including in Asia.
Weekly global mobile games charts: PUBG Mobile hits top spot in the US Google Play grossing charts
PUBG Mobile has shot to the top of the US Google Play top grossing chart and up to fourth on the App Store. In China meanwhile, Perfect World has retained its grip on the top grossing spot over Honor of Kings.
