It's Monday, and that usually means it's time for another glimpse into the Master the Meta newsletter.
Master the Meta is a free newsletter focused on analysing the business strategy of the gaming industry, run by Aaron Bush and Abhimanyu Kumar. MTM and PG.biz have partnered on a weekly column to not only bring you industry moving news, but also short analyses on each.
However, it's the last Monday of the year, and the Master the Meta team is taking a well-earned break. With that, we thought we'd compile our favourite entries in 2020's MTM column. Whether you're a first-time reader or simply looking to catch up on the biggest industry developments you may have missed during a turbulent year, we've got you. Read on!
Master the Meta
1. Why Genshin Impact is far more important than you think
Love it or hate it, Genshin Impact took the world by storm this year and has significantly raised the bar on what can be achieved on mobile. The game made headlines, broke records, and earned record revenues. Master the Meta followed the game's success closely to offer an in-depth look at what it is that made this F2P Zelda-inspired epic a blinding hit all over the world.
2. Understanding Epic Games' app store crusade
The feud that defined 2020 came from two of the biggest companies in tech - Apple and Epic Games. Back in August, Epic introduced an additional payment system that gave iOS Fortnite players the option to bypass Apple's 30 per cent platform fee. In response, Apple booted Fortnite from The App Store. What ensued, was a long legal battle and a PR explosion as Epic prepared to peddle itself as a disgruntled underdog. Here, Master the Meta outlines Epic's actions and offers a deeper glance into app store operations.
3. How to win beyond console - the 6 paths to mobile
Just in case it's not overly obvious, we are a BIT mobile biased here. The mobile space has seen serious growth this year, and some of 2020's most notable releases (looking at you, Genshin and Among Us) are strong mobile titles. It's becoming more and more lucrative as a platform and will continue to grow in the years to come. Here, the MtM team showcases six ways to transition into the mobile market, as well as case studies from successful companies in the space.
4. Understanding gaming’s dark horse - Stillfront Group
Stillfront Group is an emerging games business that dominated the stock market this year. It has made a series of serious acquisitions in 2020, Storm8, Nanobit, Candywriter and Everguild to name a few. It also clocked in at 19 on our Top 50 Mobile Gamer Makers 2020 list. The snappy acquisitions of this Swedish outfit prompted the MtM team to conduct a timely analysis of the company, the co-founders, and its timeline over the last ten years.
5. Everything you need to know about the upcoming IDFA changes
IDFA gloom has been on the minds of every mobile advertiser throughout 2020, as Apple prepares to do away with its 'Identifier of Advertisers' feature. The IDFA helps mobile marketers deliver personalised and targeted advertising to users, and the death of that means advertisers and developers alike will need to refine how they implement ads and measure campaigns. The changes still loom, so now its a good time to read up on IDFA and how it'll affect the market.
