Like a lobster boiling in a once cool cooking pot, the past couple of years have seen the temperature rising in the mobile games industry.
Yet, more than any other year, 2017 highlighted regional differences.
While Western markets could be described as being on a rolling simmer, things are very different in China, Japan and South Korea, which have been reignited by the release of huge games that appeal to local audiences, as well as more long term structural trends.
Two-speed states
The result has seen very different strategies being employed by US and European developers, who are learning fast how to streamline their businesses and make their games more efficiently.
This environment is also forcing some big changes as companies position themselves for future growth, whether that be in terms of new products, new technologies or consolidation.
Elsewhere in the world, however, the mobile games business remains all about capturing market share; something that’s resulted in the fast adoption of consumer trends, aggressive marketing, vibrant M&A activity and large scale funding.
So, in that context, these are the 10 most significant news stories from PocketGamer.biz; significant because they highlighted some of those deeper trends.
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