Legal Battle
Did the European court just give cheats a thumbs-up?
Futura’s head of digital practice Alina Davletshina shares on the impact of Sony’s case against Datel
Best Of The Best
Asian developers dominate as 2024's top 10 new mobile games surpass $3 billion
Dungeon & Fighter: Mobile, Love and Deepspace, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket and others led the way for new games’ success this year
Podcast | Episode 40
Games industry trends 2024 review | 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 and what's inside this week's episode 40...
Afk Acceleration
The nuance of a successful sequel: Balancing familiarity and refreshing experiences in AFK Journey
We spoke with AFK Journey executive producer Jiangyuan about design philosophy, player feedback and more
Infold Income
Infinity Nikki is series’ strongest launch with $4m in four days on mobile
It has been outperformed by Infold Games’ other 2024 title, Love and Deepspace
New Partnerships
Xsolla partners with StarNest to launch game development academy in Azerbaijan
Xsolla is also considering establishing its regional headquarters in Baku
Podcast | Episode 39
Mobile's hot new releases and the loot box investigation unpacked | 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 and what's inside this week's episode 39...
Nikki Now
Infinity Nikki launches today as series’ first cross-platform game
Infold Games’ franchise has grown from dress-up origins to "cosy" open-world adventure
Indefinite Delay
Nintendo delays Alarmo clock public sales in Japan
Non-Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will have to wait before purchasing the alarm clock
Pokemon Power
Pokémon TCG Pocket matches 91% of Pokémon Go’s launch month revenue through the power of playground rumours
Secret missions, 90s nostalgia and online speculation set TCG Pocket apart from the competition
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Usiku Games' Rolex Oduor on how to get a career as a sound designer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
New Partnerships
Nazara and Lysto pen Letter of Intent to launch The Growth Protocol
New initiative designed for digital marketing and growth applications on the blockchain
Resilient Growth
Apple's App Store ecosystem in China hits $519 billion in developer sales
Developers kept over 95% of the revenue without paying commissions
Investment News
Nazara continues M&A push with Funky Monkeys and LearnTube investments
The firm has also pumped $17.74m into subsidiaries to boost ownership
Job Losses
Report: Lilith Games cuts 40 staff as Project Party undergoes changes
Title has not been cancelled, according to reports
Spending Sensation
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket skyrockets to $200m in first month
The collectible card game is already the third most successful Pokémon title on mobile
Acqusitions
Tencent acquires majority stake in Wuthering Waves developer Kuro Games
Studio claims it will remain independent following the deal
Acqusitions
Nazara subsidiary Nodwin Gaming acquires Trinity Gaming for $2.8 million
Games and esports firm plans to strengthen Trinity’s portfolio in emerging markets like Southeast Asia, Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East
Gaming Trends
India's competition watchdog launches probe into Google's real-money gaming policies
The investigation is expected to conclude in next two months
Regulations
Vietnam issues Decree 147/2024 to regulate online games and internet services
The decree enforces stricter regulations on unlicensed games and gambling apps
Seasonal Surge
Monster Hunter Now surpasses $250m in time for Season 4 monsters and a new AR feature
The addition of customisable Palicos promises new opportunities to "get creative with AR"
Accelerator Program
Bahrain's Riyada Business Accelerator Program is now accepting applications for tech start-ups
The program is offering entrepreneurs six months of guidance and support with funding opportunities
Investment News
Nazara nets $100m to accelerate strategic acquisitions and expansion plans
“We have our work cut out in front of us to deploy the capital diligently to create significant shareholder values,” said CEO Nitish Mittersain
Ramping Up Revenue
"Unconventional characters" and "respect for creative freedom" drive Reverse: 1999’s $100m success
We sit down with Bluepoch’s development team on building a successful gacha with a brand-new IP
Dissolved
Bandai Namco Online to shut down after 16 years of operation
There's no word on whether staff are going to be affected by this move
Funding News
KGeN secures $10 million for web3-powered ‘gamer controlled’ economies
The latest raise brings the company's valuation to $500 million
Cloud Gaming
MTN and Telecoming partnership brings cloud gaming to mobile in South Africa
Players in the region can now stream Steam titles directly to their smartphones
Sinking Spending
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis surpasses $100 million
Square Enix’s RPG hits the mobile milestone after over a year and slowdown in monthly revenue
Critical Hit
Game Analysis: The winning formula behind Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
Jakub Remiar takes a deeper look at how the latest Pokémon game is securing more than $4 million a day
Acqusitions
Game District acquires majority stake in Türkiye’s Gleam Games
Gleam Games CEO is now chief strategy officer at Game District
Partnership
Xsolla and Com2uS forge strategic partnership to offer payment and backend services to developers
Both companies are looking to expand their collaboration with new directions for cooperation
Pokemon Power
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket surges past $100 million in 17 days
The card collector game is averaging almost $6.4 million per day in player spending
Funding For Games
Merak Capital launches $80 million fund to support MENA games start-ups
The accelerator consists of a brief virtual bootcamp, followed by a 14 to 16 week core program
Six Month Milestone
Solo Leveling: Arise hits 50m players and $139m revenue in first six months
But player spending in Netmarble’s RPG is on the decline
Dual Listing
Art outsourcer Winking Studios begins trading on the London Stock Exchange
Market cap projected at £66 million
Investment News
Funstop Games secures $5 million to accelerate game development and expand globally
The studio will use the funds to accelerate its development efforts and expand its portfolio
Jobs In Games
Jobs in Games: Dash Studios' James Ohia on how to get a career as a chief technology officer
In this series, we highlight the talented team members working in the games industry and how they got their break
Monster Money
Monster Hunter Now’s Carnival Global a "roaring success" with 151% revenue surge
The paid event was a global adaptation of Now’s first in-person event, Carnival 2024: Shibuya
Mena Market
MENA start-up investments decline 52% to $134 million in October
UAE start-ups raised $61.8m across 15 deals, while Saudi Arabia-based start-ups secured $50m from over 21 deals
New Studio
Tencent’s Lightspeed Studios opens new Japan studio
Experienced game director Hideaki Itsuno will helm Lightspeed's Japan studio
Investment News
Animoca Brands raises $10m to expand metaverse platform Mocaverse
This latest round follows previous funding totalling $31.88 million
Universal Appeal
Why the universal language of games means you don't have to rely on localisation
Angry Birds, Tetris and Candy Crush Saga are examples of gameplay attracting global appeal, says YallaPlay CEO Kareem Seddik
Awards Winners
Jordan Games Awards 2024 Winners revealed
Ceremony celebrates the best and brightest across the country
Pgc Jordan
Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan begins today
Two-day conference features star speakers, the Jordan Games Awards, networking opportunities, and much more
Mena's Rising Star
How government investment is fueling rapid growth in the MENA region
The fast-growing market is levelling up its gaming ecosystems and development talent
Esports In Mena
British International School Riyadh partners with NES to propel esports education in Saudi Arabia
The partnership is in line with the KSA's Vision 2030 initiative
Nikke Numbers
Goddess of Victory: Nikke celebrates second anniversary and nearly $900m on mobile
Shift Up’s popular gacha game is celebrating its second anniversary from a past antagonist’s perspective
New Offerings
Kakao Games partners with Lionheart Studio for triple-A MMORPG game codenamed Project Q
The upcoming game will launch for PC and mobile next year
Pocket Power
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket surpasses 10 million downloads and $23m revenue
Japan makes up 45% of player spending during the game's opening five days, followed by the US
Mario Music
Nintendo Music brings classic game soundtracks to mobile devices
App features music from hit IPs like Mario and The Legend of Zelda, but fails to credit artists