Hot Five

Why you don't need success to be successful, is the EC's F2P clampdown a farce, and should Apple's iPad sales dip cause concern?

Last week's top five stories

Why you don't need success to be successful, is the EC's F2P clampdown a farce, and should Apple's iPad sales dip cause concern?

Welcome to PocketGamer.biz's weekly rundown of the stories clocking up the hits, picking up the click-throughs and generally keeping the advertisers happy by serving up page views.

Or, if you'd prefer, the top five stories currently dominating our readers' attention.

Each week, we'll be counting down the biggest news from the previous seven days, giving just a glimpse of the industry's big issues, from five to one.

Handy for you, each headline in the list also allows you to click through to the article in full, so you can make sure you've not missed out on any of last week's big stories.


Click here to view the list »
  • 5 A new saga: Can Pyramid Solitaire Saga become another one of King's big hitters?

    A new saga: Can Pyramid Solitaire Saga become another one of King's big hitters? logo

    King's 'Saga' games have become synonymous with success, with the Anglo-Swedish firm wielding the word like a monetisation weapon of mass destruction.

    The likes of Candy Crush Saga, Papa Pear Saga, and Bubble Witch Saga have ensured King's pockets are always overflowing, and now the firm is attempting to add another game to it's team of 'Saga' heroes.

    Pyramid Solitaire Saga is said new recruit, and in last week's Charticle we found other whether it'll be able to live up to a name that its predecessors have worn so well.


  • 4 You don't need success to be successful: Kiwanuka co-creator Andrew Lim on dealing with the downs of development

    You don't need success to be successful: Kiwanuka co-creator Andrew Lim on dealing with the downs of development logo

    Success, both critical and financial, is often the ultimate goal for any budding game developer.

    Of course, there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone wants to be validated by their peers, regardless of what line of work they're in, and we all need money to pay the bills.

    Unfortunately though, success can be a poison, and as we become infatuated with achievement, the fear of failure can distort who we are, blurring our vision until we lose all perspective.

    That's why, according to CMA Megacorp's Andrew Lim, it's important for developers to remember that you don't need success to be successful.

    "I see great games all of the time that just don't come out because something's gone wrong. It varies from physical and emotional injuries to life taking a shit turn, and those are the things you can't predict, and they make us really vulnerable," said Lim.

    "[It's important to remember that] success isn't everything. Of course, it's easier to say that when you're winning, but I've been on the other side of it and sometimes life just gives you a bad hand, and there's not much you can do about that."


  • 3 Strength in numbers: Can indie bundles survive in a mobile market dominated by F2P?

    Strength in numbers: Can indie bundles survive in a mobile market dominated by F2P? logo

    It's impossible to deny that indie bundles were a revelation when they arrived on the PC gaming scene.

    The ability to purchase a batch of great, independent titles at prices that were impossible to resist opened up the indie market, granting small developers exposure, while ensuring companies such as Humble flourished.

    Naturally, it was only a matter of time until someone brought the concept to mobile platforms, and Jose Ira, founder of Android bundle service ikoid, was the man prepared to make that leap.

    Of course, mobile and PC are two very different beasts, and as free-to-play gaming continues to grow in stature, we couldn't help but wonder if there's a place for bundles on the modern mobile market?

    "I'd encourage other very small, financially unsuccessful developers like myself to include their game in a bundle, because why not?" said Ira.

    "But if your game has any sort of traction on Google Play, then it's probably not worth your time financially."


  • 2 Free-to-play free-for-all: Is the EC's F2P clampdown a farce?

    Free-to-play free-for-all: Is the EC's F2P clampdown a farce? logo

    Has there ever been a week where free-to-play gaming didn't make the news in one form or another?

    We're not so sure, and we wouldn't like to find out what'd happen if the seemingly impossible came to pass.

    Thankfully, the universe remained in balance this week, as our Mobile Mavens were on hand to discuss the European Commission's recent free-to-play ruling, which has resulted in Google removing the word "free" from any apps that use IAPs.

    Reluctant to change, Apple has yet to adhere to the Commission's guidelines, and as the pressure to conform continues to mount we asked our mobile experts to weigh in on this month's free-to-play debacle.

    "Free-to-play games are free - I don't see it as misleading. As long as an app offers a gaming experience that a user does not have to pay for, there should be no problem with listing that app as free," said Dave Castelnuovo, owner of Bolt Creative.

    "Although some games are fairly aggressive in how they up sell in-app purchases, a majority of users don't spend money in a typical free-to-play game which reinforces that there are free gaming experiences in most of these apps."


  • 1 Operation iPad: Is Apple's revolutionary tablet an endangered species?

    Operation iPad: Is Apple's revolutionary tablet an endangered species? logo

    Tablets are a mobile enigma. They landed as a novelty device that didn't really fill a void, but, for some reason, that novelty never wore off.

    The devices continue to stick around despite some people writing them off before they'd even hit shelves, but - with sales of Apple's iPad slipping for two quarters in a row - is the age of the tablet finally coming to an end? Have our self-indulgent slates become an endangered species?

    It's a tough question, but don't worry, because those are exactly the type that PocketGamer.biz editor Keith Andrew loves to sink his teeth into.

    "'It's just a big iPhone, except you can't actually make any calls on it,' crowed the cynical amongst us – no doubt myself included – when Apple lifted the lid off its debut iPad back in 2010," explained Andrew.

    "Apple's iPad, [however, is now] the king of the castle in the realm of tablets, and tablets as a whole aren't going to disappear anytime soon, but their growing dominance of the home scene has most definitely been checked.

    "Why? Ironically, commentators believe tablets are being squeezed out by notebooks and smart laptops - many of which now sport touchscreens and boast form factors remarkably similar to a large tablet - on one side, and 'phablets' on the other."


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What do you call someone who has an unhealthy obsession with video games and Sean Bean? That'd be a 'Chris Kerr'. Chris is one of those deluded souls who actually believes that one day Sean Bean will survive a movie. Poor guy.