Hot Five: Game over for "Apple tax", Overwatch Mobile distribution plans, and Pokémon TCG Pocket beats Go in first six months

To help get you primed and ready for another week in mobile gaming, we’ve curated the biggest stories you need to know from the last seven days.

1) Pokémon TCG Pocket usurps Pokémon Go launch as it closes in on $1bn after six months

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket celebrated its six-month anniversary on April 30th with a new card expansion and $915.3 million in earnings to date.

The TCG giant has evidently captured Pikachu-like lightning in a bottle, therefore, even outperforming Pokémon Go’s first six months by 14%. This makes Pocket’s first half-year the most lucrative in franchise history on mobile, based on AppMagic estimates of player spending.

2) “Game over for the Apple tax” as US court rules publishers can freely link to off-store payments

A US judge has ruled that Apple must allow publishers to freely link to alternative payment systems outside the App Store without taking royalties in the US.

The ruling has come into force effective immediately, also demanding that Apple doesn’t track or audit transactions made outside of an app, or interfere with scare screens.

3) Blizzard selects Nexon for Overwatch Mobile distributions and a new Starcraft game

Blizzard has reportedly selected Nexon as its distribution partner for Overwatch Mobile and a new Starcraft title.

It was reported that Nexon, NCSoft and Netmarble all participated in the bidding process.

4) Infinity Nikki introducing multiplayer mode in major update tomorrow

Open-world fashion RPG Infinity Nikki has introduced new social features including co-op in its Version 1.5 update, Bubble Season.

Now, two players can play online in the new multiplayer zone Sea of Stars, with gameplay challenges like Bubble Trails and Bubble Escort available to tackle together.

5) EA layoffs hit hundreds in company wide restructuring

Electronic Arts has reportedly laid off hundreds of staff, with up to 400 employees impacted across Respawn Entertainment and the company more broadly.

EA has also cancelled two projects at Respawn, but the dev will continue to work on Apex Legends and the next Star Wars Jedi game.