Chart Rankings
March 2026 mobile game charts: Brawl Stars revenue rises nearly 50%
A deep dive into the global mobile game rankings across the App Store and Google Play
Industry Insights
From Game of War to Last Asylum: The evolution of 4x monetisation
Jakub Remiar discusses the evolution of 4x games and the rise of hybrid onboarding
All-in
Direct-to-consumer sales hit record levels again in Q4
Mobile games publishers continue to go all-in on D2C amid regulatory and court-led upheaval
Latest
Mario Money
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie jumps to $372.6m at box office in five days
Nintendo and Illumination’s sequel title follows 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the first film based on a game IP to surpass $1bn
Resurgence Revenue
The Division Resurgence makes $717,000 in first seven days
Ubisoft’s new shooter fell slightly short of Rainbow Six Mobile’s recent week-one earnings, but peaked higher
Developer Support
Codfish Academy partners with Dear Villagers to launch game pitching clinic in Portugal
Five selected teams will present their projects directly to a publisher with the potential to secure funding and publishing support
M&a Milestone
Games industry M&A hits $7.7bn in Q1 2026 led by Savvy Games Group
Mobile led M&A during the quarter, with deals by Scopely, NCCSOFT, Nazara and others
Strategic Alternatives
Playtika launches portfolio-wide strategic review
Company last launched a strategic review in 2022, which was suspended in 2024 over "ongoing uncertainty in Israel and Ukraine"
Culture And Creativity
UAE Ministry of Culture opens fifth cycle of national grant programme
The programme supports projects across fields including video games, film, music, publishing and design
Editor's Picks
Podcast | Episode 88
Unity copies the AppLovin playbook with Vector | Week in Mobile Games podcast
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 88...
Us Best Of 2026
The Top 30 US Mobile Game Makers of 2026
The US movers and shakers of the last 12 months revealed!
Exclusive Inside Look
Inside King’s London headquarters: "We have people in the London studio working on all of our titles"
PocketGamer.biz receives an invitation into King’s London office, to speak with president Todd Green and others
Opinion
Completely organically, players are sharing hundreds of photos of their pets and their stories with each other.
How Monopoly Go's Pets Season sparked 12,000 fan submissions and community engagement
The ad market is messy, but your game doesn't have to be. With the right controls, you can control the chaos.
Ivona Pinjak analyses player churn across ad networks, formats and platforms
#Pocket Gamer Connects
Pocket Gamer Connects
Why the games industry trusts Pocket Gamer Connects
In a deals-driven industry, the real value is in coming back
Pgc Barcelona 2026
Discover Barcelona's thriving games ecosystem on June 15th to 16th
Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona is your gateway to business in one of the world’s brightest games markets
Chinajoy
11 essential tips for maximising your time during ChinaJoy
Handy tips for managing Asia’s biggest game and entertainment expo
Pgc Summit MalmÖ
Why Malmö is the place to do games business this May
The Swedish games industry keeps growing, and Malmö is where the deals are happening
Industry Voices
Africa Is Mobile
"Ads remain the most common and viable monetisation model across Africa's gaming markets today"
Michael Oscar Esio shares his perspective on game monetisation, player behaviour and growth opportunities in Africa
Week In Views
Rec Room and Fire Emblem Shadows | Week in Views
The PocketGamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Industry Insights
From Helix Jump to Little Farm Story: How h8games reinvented itself
Oleg Batrakov shares on how the studio evolved after Helix Jump to create Little Farm Story
Mobile Mavens
The Mobile Mavens reflect on Epic Games' latest layoffs
Our Mobile Mavens weigh in on the layoffs and what they mean for the company and future of Fortnite
Africa Is Mobile
"After our five years of tests, we think only hybrid monetisation will work in Africa"
Kiro'o Games CEO Olivier Madiba discusses the realities of game monetisation in Africa, player behaviour and long-term growth across the continent
#MENA
Saudi Shares
Saudi Arabia raises Capcom stake to 6.04%
The increase has come less than one month on from the Electronic Gaming Development Company's 5.03% claim
Podcast | Episode 87
Was Epic's app store battle worth it? | Week in Mobile Games podcast
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 87...
Master Plan
Savvy Games Group's CEO on M&A, China and rising Eastern influence
We speak to Brian Ward about how it works with its growing empire, Scopely's freedom, and opportunities in growing sectors like UGC
Acquisitions
ByteDance to sell Moonton to Savvy Games Group in $6bn deal
The move marks another major expansion for Savvy Games Group
Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions
Freedom Regained
Quantic Lab exits Embracer Group
The transition took effect on April 1st, 2026, marking the end of Quantic Lab’s period within the Embracer portfolio
Acqusitions
LY Corp acquires majority stake in Kakao Games with $198m investment
Kakao will remain a strategic partner despite stepping down to second largest shareholder
Esports
Esports Foundation selects 40 clubs for $20m partner program ahead of 2026 Esports World Cup
Participating clubs can receive up to $1m each to expand their brands and fan engagement ahead of the tournament
Fund Raise
Nazara raises over $50m to fund acquisitions and AI-led expansion
The new capital will be used to build AI-enabled gaming businesses designed for international markets and support recent acquisitions
Crossovers
Tetris and Space Invaders team up for first-ever in-game crossover event
The crossover blends more than 75 years of arcade history across two of gaming’s most iconic franchises
Investment News
Maxim Krippa becomes co-owner of Burny Games expanding long-term investment role
Burny Games has surpassed 65m downloads across a portfolio of roughly ten mobile titles
Acqusitions
Mistplay completes acquisition of Connected Rewards to link gameplay with real-world loyalty programs
The deal integrates Connected Rewards into the LoyaltyPlay platform
Jobs News
Closure
Rec Room to shut down after failing to achieve profitability from 150m players
The company cited shifts in the VR market and broader games industry pressures as key factors behind the decision
Jobs News
Nodwin Gaming appoints chief strategy and investments officer ahead of potential IPO
He will lead mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy and fundraising to support the company's global expansion
Job Losses
Epic layoffs spark launch of ‘Awesome People List’ job site for more than 1,000 displaced staff
The platform allows hiring managers to browse candidates across engineering, design, production, community management, and security roles
Job News
Metasports appoints head of marketing to scale Hitwicket globally
He will lead user acquisition, brand, and partnerships across Metasports’ growing portfolio of sports games
Industry Decline
TIGA clamours for government support as UK game dev jobs fall at record rate and startup activity collapses
CEO Richard Wilson calls for better tax incentives and support initiatives to compete on the global stage
#Regulation
Mobile Mavens
"This is a fundamental shift in the way that games are rated": The Mobile Mavens on PEGI's new rules
Our Mobile Mavens share their insights on PEGI's updated age rating criteria and what it means for the wider games industry
Apple Troubles
German publishers urge antitrust fine against Apple ATT
Industry groups say Apple’s proposed ATT changes fail to resolve competition concerns
Security Review
Report: Trump administration reviews Tencent gaming investments over security concerns
Officials are assessing whether the company’s investments pose potential national security risks.
Child Safety
UK consultation on kids’ online lives: what the video games industry needs to know
Celia Pontin explains the UK government’s consultation on keeping children safe online
More News
Next Generation
India’s LVL Zero incubator unveils first cohort of 10 games startups
Each startup receives an equity-free grant of $10,000 as well as mentorship and publisher access
Russia Exit
Apple pulls App Store billing in Russia
Decision follows ruling that the tech giant had breached sanctions against the country with App Store payout
Milestone
PlayDucky rolls out volcano and lava pool maps in new Melon Sandbox update
PlayDucky said it paid more than $1m to creators in 2025 through its in-game mod marketplace
Studio Closure
Coffee Stain Malmö shuts down months after Embracer spinoff
The studio employed 17 staff, though it remains unclear whether the entire team has been laid off
Planetary Plans
Closed beta for HoYoverse’s Petit Planet will feature new neighbours and enhanced Starsea Voyages
Fans can sign up for the beta test coming April 21st, available on PC and mobile
Milestone Magic
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery surpasses 160m downloads eight years after launch
The developer said players have logged more than 100.7bn minutes in the game since its 2018 debut
Sonic Shift
Sonic Rumble rebranded to Sonic Rumble Party as it adds new features and removes game modes
The party royale has made an estimated $1.6m on mobile
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Podcasts
Podcast
PocketGamer.biz Podcast: Data doesn't solve problems - decisions do
We talk with GameAnalytics head of BD and customer success Falko Boecker to discuss data, AI and finding the right insights
Podcast | Episode 86
The final word on GDC | Week in Mobile Games podcast
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 86...
Podcast | Episode 85
The future of Xbox and Pokémon's 30th anniversary | Week in Mobile Games podcast
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 85...
Podcast | Episode 84
Scopely's $1bn Loom Games deal and Matthew Ball's State of Video Games report | Week in Mobile Games podcast
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 84...