Assassin's Creed Identity's future uncertain, six tips for holistic UA, and how to get a job at Goodgame
February has dawned on us, and while we wait to finally shake winter off and bring the warmth and joy of spring into our lives, it's always fun to look back on the hottest articles of the last week of January.
Leading the way is our HR interview with Goodgame Studios, a 1,200 strong German developer who are looking to build their business even bigger.
Second, we have our 11 favourite talks from Pocket Gamer Connects London 2016, for those of you who are too busy to check them all out.
Third on the list is Vungle's Head of Demand, Tanya Lee, who offers up six tips on developing a holistic user acquisition strategy.
And finally, Ric talks about why he loves Vainglory despite hating MOBAs, and after a lengthy soft-launch, things are looking uncertain for Assassin's Creed Identity.
Have a look through and see what you can learn.
#5: After 17 months in soft launch, Assassin's Creed Identity quietly removed from App Store
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After 17 months in soft launch, Assassin's Creed Identity quietly removed from App Store »We've been keeping track of Assassin's Creed Identity in our Soft Launch list for quite a while now, with some of us feeling that this meant it may never see the light of day.
So it wasn't entirely surprising to us when we noticed that the game had quietly been removed from the App Store with no word from Ubisoft about the game's state.
That's not entirely the end of the story, however. Our big brothers at Pocket Gamer noticed a new trailer for the game showing a February 25th release date, which was almost immediately taken down.
With still no official word from Ubisoft, it's anyone's guess what will happen to the game, though fingers crossed we get some answers soon.
#4: I hate MOBAs (but I love Vainglory)
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I hate MOBAs (but I love Vainglory) »Our Ric (hey, that's me!) might be best known for being a bit of a Promiscuous Gamer, but every now and then he finds one game that makes him consider settling down.
And despite his initial hatred of the MOBA genre back in the early days, Super Evil Megacorp's mobile MOBA Vainglory has him coming back for more on a nightly basis.
It's a game that neatly bypasses the usual eSports nonsense by removing actual human interaction and introducing elements that keep matches comparatively short.
Or as Ric writes, "if someone's unhappy with me, they just send me a sad face, and I carry on ignoring them and stealing their kills for my own monetary benefit."
#3: Six tips for an effective, holistic user acquisition strategy
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Six tips for an effective, holistic user acquisition strategy »With the cost of user acquisition getting higher all the time, everyone's looking for ways to cut down on their spend while still getting the users coming in.
To help on that front, Vungle's Head of Demand, Tanya Lee, has come up with six tips for an effective, holistic user acquisiton strategy.
This includes integrating social aspects into your game, building loyalty with existing fans, and working with influencers in the gaming space, such as YouTubers.
On the latter topic, Lee says "By combining an influencer campaign with other marketing initiatives, companies will reach a broader audience and increase awareness around a launch."
#2: The top 11 talks from Pocket Gamer Connects London 2016
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The top 11 talks from Pocket Gamer Connects London 2016 »Obviously, every talk at Pocket Gamer Connects London 2016 was excellent, but with our small team here at PG.biz we can only cover so much.
We managed to write about 44 talks, all of which can be found here, but if you've not got the time to check them all out, we compiled a list of our top 11 talks (in no particular order.)
There's a wide range to check out, covering topics like working on licensed IPs, securing a publisher in the Asian market, and redefining success.
And, of course, there's Oscar Clark's wonderfully bizarre Pecha Kucha presentation, which has to be seen to be believed.
#1: How to get a job at Germany's largest game developer Goodgame Studios
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How to get a job at Germany's largest game developer Goodgame Studios »One might think that 1,200 employees is probably enough to run a mobile game developer, but Goodgame Studios in Germany would disagree.
With the company looking to expand further and bring more people into the fold, we decided to ask Head of HR and Talent Acquisition, Ina Bourmer, a few questions about what it takes to get a job at Goodgame.
"We are convinced that a combination of analytical, more rational thinkers and creative people creates a very productive work environment," said Bourmer.
And on the topic of getting into the industry, she says "if you are passionate about what you do, and continue developing your skills, it’s definitely doable, so never give up!"
