GameStop's eBay bid, Xbox's leadership reset and Candy Crush's marketing lessons | Week in Views

GameStop's eBay bid, Xbox's leadership reset and Candy Crush's marketing lessons | Week in Views

The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories

The Battle of Polytopia World Championship returns with a $10,000 prize pool

Esports Tournament

The Battle of Polytopia World Championship returns with a $10,000 prize pool

More than 10,000 players entered the tournament qualifiers in 2025

Flexion launches Exprexion to help expand mobile game monetisation beyond Apple and Google

Flexion launches Exprexion to help expand mobile game monetisation beyond Apple and Google

The company is pushing for a more decentralised future for mobile game distribution

Latest

Gamefam teams up with Borussia Dortmund for FIFA Super Soccer on Roblox

New Partnerships

Gamefam teams up with Borussia Dortmund for FIFA Super Soccer on Roblox

The event introduces exclusive Borussia Dortmund-themed quests and rewards for players

How Chinese game makers leverage AI

Pgc Summit Shanghai

How Chinese game makers leverage AI

Discover how the world's biggest games market is running ahead at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai this July

New release roundup: Gambonanza, The Rhymatory, Perchang World, and more

New release roundup: Gambonanza, The Rhymatory, Perchang World, and more

We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week

InMobi acquires mobile growth platform MobileAction

InMobi acquires mobile growth platform MobileAction

Deal will help expand InMobi's advertising services

Exclusive: Kohort raises $7m to build UA AI agents for mobile

Exclusive: Kohort raises $7m to build UA AI agents for mobile

The company's suite of AI tools have been trained on $6bn of historical UA spend

All Stars, ASMR and IRL experiences: Candy Crush’s marketing strategy unwrapped

Marketing Moves

All Stars, ASMR and IRL experiences: Candy Crush’s marketing strategy unwrapped

We meet with King’s marketing team to discuss strategy, branding, and how to advertise a 14-year-old game

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Editor's Picks

Xsolla partners with PocketGamer.biz for regional Top Game Maker reports

Xsolla partners with PocketGamer.biz for regional Top Game Maker reports

We’ll be celebrating the top developers and publishers across the UK, Nordics, Europe, China, Southeast Asia, MENA and more

The Top 30 US Mobile Game Makers of 2026

Us Best Of 2026

The Top 30 US Mobile Game Makers of 2026

The US movers and shakers of the last 12 months revealed!

Why copying best practices won’t help your company grow

Industry Insights

Why copying best practices won’t help your company grow

Nikita Guk explains why copying best practices from successful studios rarely works and what actually drives organisational performance

Opinion

<blockquote>Studios are born around talent, so the fact that international talent is permanently relocating here tells you everything.</blockquote>

Studios are born around talent, so the fact that international talent is permanently relocating here tells you everything.

Aïda Figuerola on why Spain and Barcelona are becoming key gaming hubs

<blockquote>The residual value in your cohorts is effectively collateral.</blockquote>

The residual value in your cohorts is effectively collateral.

Martin Macmillan looks at how studios can better understand long-term player value

#Pocket Gamer Connects

The Nordics’ biggest B2B games event is back

The Nordics’ biggest B2B games event is back

What to expect as Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics returns this October

Meet companies like Sony, Landfall, Raw Fury, Rovio and Sybo this May

Pgc Summit MalmÖ

Meet companies like Sony, Landfall, Raw Fury, Rovio and Sybo this May

See who you could do business with at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Malmö

Scopely, Gameloft and Tilting Point join speaker lineup in Barcelona this June

Pgc Barcelona 2026

Scopely, Gameloft and Tilting Point join speaker lineup in Barcelona this June

Global games leaders take the Pocket Gamer Connects stage

Pgc Summit MalmÖ

Connect, pitch and learn at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Malmö

Business making and market insight at the heart of the Nordic games industry on May 27th to 28th

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Industry Voices

LVL Zero founding partner Krish Anurag on selecting studios, equity-free funding and building India's global game pipeline

India On The Rise

LVL Zero founding partner Krish Anurag on selecting studios, equity-free funding and building India's global game pipeline

"The best teams aren't building just for India. They're building from India for players across the globe"

Behaviour Interactive layoffs and Pokémon TCG Pocket’s staying power | Week in Views

Behaviour Interactive layoffs and Pokémon TCG Pocket’s staying power | Week in Views

The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories

How Brazil is accelerating games as a cultural export

How Brazil is accelerating games as a cultural export

Brazil Games' Patrícia Sato discusses why the organisation set up an accelerator program and the importance of games as a cultural export

“Burnout is essentially design failure”: The Mobile Mavens weigh in on player burnout

“Burnout is essentially design failure”: The Mobile Mavens weigh in on player burnout

The Mobile Mavens discuss how studios manage player burnout and build long lasting player relationships

“I've seen inconsistent availability of computer science subjects and low take-up for girls”

Aurora Awards Uk

“I've seen inconsistent availability of computer science subjects and low take-up for girls”

Nicky Ormrod on the need to go back to school to fix the gender imbalance in games

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#MENA

Savvy Games Group and Roblox sign MoU to grow Saudi Arabia’s game development ecosystem

New Partnerships

Savvy Games Group and Roblox sign MoU to grow Saudi Arabia’s game development ecosystem

Partnership focuses on game development training and education initiatives

Turkish mobile studio Mindtail raises $2m for AI-driven puzzle games

Turkish mobile studio Mindtail raises $2m for AI-driven puzzle games

The studio aims to triple its team size after the funding round

Afrime Studios founders on funding Unyverse and building for 670m players of colour

Global Ambition

Afrime Studios founders on funding Unyverse and building for 670m players of colour

“We've been in rooms where the vision is clear, the opportunity is clear, and you still feel the weight of scepticism that isn't evenly distributed"

Africa Is Mobile

"If players are not consistently returning and genuinely enjoying the experience, no payment model will succeed"

Maliyo Games’ founder Hugo Obi on mobile monetisation in Africa, execution gaps and why retention matters more than pricing

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Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions

Astrocade raises $56m to expand AI-powered games creation platform

Astrocade raises $56m to expand AI-powered games creation platform

The company claims its platform now generates hundreds of millions of plays monthly

Griffin Gaming Partners launches $100m indie games fund

Funding For Games

Griffin Gaming Partners launches $100m indie games fund

The fund has already backed 15 game projects

Eve Online studio CCP rebrands to Fenris Creations as Google takes minority stake

Eve Online studio CCP rebrands to Fenris Creations as Google takes minority stake

Fenris has partnered with DeepMind to train AI and explore new gameplay experiences

EA signs multi-year licensing and partnership deal with Brazilian Football Confederation

EA signs multi-year licensing and partnership deal with Brazilian Football Confederation

Deal includes licensing rights and plans for joint marketing activities.

Mistplay acquires MAF’s MyChips to boost rewarded play platform

Mistplay acquires MAF’s MyChips to boost rewarded play platform

Deal expands Mistplay's rewarded LoyaltyPlay global partner network across North America, APAC and Europe

Supercell to acquire Merge Mansion studio Metacore as 160 jobs could be cut

Supercell to acquire Merge Mansion studio Metacore as 160 jobs could be cut

Growth ambitions failed to materialise at the Finnish developer

GameStop submits $55bn bid to acquire eBay

GameStop submits $55bn bid to acquire eBay

Ryan Cohen set to lead combined company if deal closes

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Jobs News

Microsoft reshuffles Xbox leadership as Asha Sharma pushes turnaround

Leadership Change

Microsoft reshuffles Xbox leadership as Asha Sharma pushes turnaround

The Windows company will discontinue Copilot on console and begin winding down the mobile version

Wizards of the Coast declines to recognise MTG Arena union

Wizards of the Coast declines to recognise MTG Arena union

Workers say an NLRB election is now expected within weeks

Jam City co-founder Joshua Yguado steps down as CEO after 16 years

Leadership Change

Jam City co-founder Joshua Yguado steps down as CEO after 16 years

Kabam CEO Chul-min Sim will serve as chief executive of both companies following his appointment

April 2026's Movers and Shakers: Jam City's new CEO, Roblox's GM for Europe, Apple's Tim Cook stepping down, and more

April 2026's Movers and Shakers: Jam City's new CEO, Roblox's GM for Europe, Apple's Tim Cook stepping down, and more

Our regular roundup of the mobile games industry's movers and shakers

UK studios face heavier workloads as 62% report pressure from skill shortages

UK studios face heavier workloads as 62% report pressure from skill shortages

TIGA calls for stronger education and policy alignment in new report

More

#Regulation

EU's Digital Markets Act has

EU's Digital Markets Act has "not yet reached its full potential"

Cloud and AI markets are next in the Commission's enforcement crosshairs

Türkiye passes sweeping digital law restricting social media access for under 15s

Türkiye passes sweeping digital law restricting social media access for under 15s

Meanwhile, foreign gaming platforms with over 100,000 daily Turkish users must now appoint a local representative

India launches Online Gaming Authority with strict compliance mandates from May 2026

India launches Online Gaming Authority with strict compliance mandates from May 2026

Online money games are explicitly barred from recognition as esports under Indian law

Roblox workforce grows 24% to over 3,000 full-time staff

Roblox workforce grows 24% to over 3,000 full-time staff

The platform had a "banner year" in 2025 with hits like Steal a Brainrot and Grow a Garden

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More News

Perchang World launches as Apple Arcade exclusive, marking comedian James Acaster’s first games role

Acaster On Apple Arcade

Perchang World launches as Apple Arcade exclusive, marking comedian James Acaster’s first games role

The original Perchang gets a sequel 10 years later, designed with Apple Arcade in mind

IGDA Portugal launches to support local game developers

IGDA Portugal launches to support local game developers

The organisation aims to support sustainable careers for game developers across Portugal

Freecash returns to Google Play after policy review

Freecash returns to Google Play after policy review

Almedia is still working with Apple to restore Freecash on iOS

EasyWin closes second seed funding round at $20m valuation

Investment News

EasyWin closes second seed funding round at $20m valuation

The company expands its real-money gaming platform into 12 countries

Supercell taps action sports filmmaker Ty Evans for Clash Royale short film

Supercell taps action sports filmmaker Ty Evans for Clash Royale short film

The campaign creates a fictional extreme sport called “rhino riding.”

Gamescom LATAM 2026 welcomes record 154,000 visitors

Gamescom LATAM 2026 welcomes record 154,000 visitors

Attendance figures up by 17.5%

Unity launches open beta for Unity AI game development tools

Unity launches open beta for Unity AI game development tools

The new system is built directly into the Unity Editor

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Latest Videos

How to leverage incentivised rewards for high value UA

How to leverage incentivised rewards for high value UA

10:34 | 116 views

Rewarded Marketplaces & How Surprise Equals Engagement

Rewarded Marketplaces & How Surprise Equals Engagement

08:50 | 138 views

How D2C lets you 'take the power back' from app stores

How D2C lets you 'take the power back' from app stores

08:25 | 45 views

How D2C can build personal relationships | Liam Wiltshire from Tebex

How D2C can build personal relationships | Liam Wiltshire from Tebex

11:59 | 12 views

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Podcasts

Week in Mobile Games podcast: Episode 90

Podcast | Episode 90

Week in Mobile Games podcast: Episode 90

The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 90...

Podcast: The state of the UK games industry with UKIE CEO Nick Poole

Podcast: The state of the UK games industry with UKIE CEO Nick Poole

We discuss the challenges facing the UK's games industry and what developers need in the coming years to boost their success

Week in Mobile Games podcast: Episode 89

Podcast | Episode 89

Week in Mobile Games podcast: Episode 89

The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 89...

PocketGamer.biz Podcast: Skillz, Beamable and the live ops shift

PocketGamer.biz Podcast: Skillz, Beamable and the live ops shift

We unpack Skillz's acquisition of Beamable, what the future looks like for the two companies, and more

More