Hot Five

10 trends shaping the industry, a F2P defence, and the making of 80 Days

Last week's top 5 stories

10 trends shaping the industry, a F2P defence, and the making of 80 Days

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 7 reasons why the Chinese mobile games market is a constipated mess for indies

    7 reasons why the Chinese mobile games market is a constipated mess for indies logo

    For the past 12 months PocketGamer.biz editor-at-large Jon Jordan has been doing his best to follow the eternally fascinating Chinese mobile game market.

    As a result, any assumptions he once had about the market are now dead and buried, replaced with new findings that are as impressive as they are disconcerting.

    One of Jordan's gravest realisations has been that the Chinese market is no place for indies, and, in order to stop them walking to their doom, he's listed 7 reasons why they should think very carefully before attempting to navigate one of the world's most dangerous marketplaces.

    "Most Chinese developers don't have the experience or funding to publish a game by themselves. That's why publishers have such an important role in the Chinese market compared to the western market," explained Jordan.

    "Even if a developer wants to self-publish, it is still quite difficult, mainly because of the problem of getting enough users.

    "Your game is one of thousands on dozens of Android app stores."


  • 4 4 things we learned at Gamescom and GDC Europe

    4 things we learned at Gamescom and GDC Europe logo

    GDC Europe and Gamescom combine to create one of the most exciting, terrifying, and entertaining weeks in the game industry calendar.

    Believe it or not, in between the drinking, the gaming, and the networking, there's also time to learn a few lessons from your fellow peers.

    However, even the most disciplined person won't be able to absorb everything, which is why we were on hand last week to take you through our 4 biggest takeaways from GDCE and Gamescom.

    "It's something of a social convention that, when meeting anyone new at a conference or event, the last thing you do when saying your goodbyes is exchange business cards," explained PocketGamer.biz editor Keith Andrew.

    "It's the equivalent of a quick kiss at the end of a successful first date: a nice way to sign off an encounter with a stranger without things being too awkward.

    "But you need to stop doing it. Indeed, if Rami Ismail of Vlambeer is to be believed, handing over your card should actually be the first thing you do."


  • 3 10 trends shaping the global mobile games industry

    10 trends shaping the global mobile games industry logo

    Keeping up with the mobile games industry is harder than juggling 3 elephants with your feet.

    At times it can feel like the industry is simply passing you by, with trends coming and going in the blink of an eye.

    Don't worry though, because journalist Will Freeman was on hand at PG Connects Helsinki 2014 to talk us through the 10 trends that are currently shaping the mobile industry.

    Monetisation, funding issues, publishing forms, and discovery all made the list, and, unsurprisingly, it's a must view for anyone looking to shoot for the stars and cement their place amongst industry greats. Don't get left behind.


  • 2 Madfinger's Marek Rabas on why F2P games need to focus on emotions not challenges

    Madfinger's Marek Rabas on why F2P games need to focus on emotions not challenges logo

    He might be in the minority, but Marek Rabas, CEO of Czech-based mobile dev Madfinger Games, isn't afraid to speak out about his love of free-to-play.

    Indeed, while it seems everyone else in the industry is eager to kick the monetisation model while it's down, Rabas wants to stop the fighting, and instead convince people to stand up and defend a model that he believes has changed the mobile industry for the better.

    "Free games are making a lot of money now - with the most successful among them puling in nearly $1 billion in annual revenue - and, understandably, a lot of companies want a slice of the action," said Rabas.

    "Developers are getting better and better at trying to find new ways to improve retention, monetisation, and, yes, some of them might utilise 'unethical' mechanics, but I believe that some developers use those techniques without really understanding the power they wield. They're a victim of their own naivety.

    "Of course, I also think that some developers consciously choose to employ those techniques."


  • 1 Rewriting the text adventure: The making of 80 Days

    Rewriting the text adventure: The making of 80 Days logo

    Those who've played inkle's stunning steampunk text adventure game, 80 Days, will know that it's one of the best titles to grace the App Store in 2014.

    The game's meticulously constructed universe, crisp visuals, and endless charm makes for a whirlwind adventure that'll live long in the memory.

    Of course, it's easy to heap praise upon the title after it has won over the critical and consumer masses, but, as we recently found out during a chat with inkle duo Joseph Humfrey and Jon Ingold, placing all of your bets on a text adventure game is a huge gamble.

    "We were chatting in a pub, just talking about things, when we happened upon the idea of Around the World in 80 Days," says Ingold.

    "We felt it was such a strong concept for a game because the goal is in the title, the score is in the title, and the game mechanics, like travelling, luggage, money, are obvious.

    "We talk a lot in the pub about various ideas, but occasionally an idea comes along that just seems so elegant, where everything just seems to fit together, that we can't not do it. That's what 80 Days gave us as a concept."


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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.