Puzzle & Dragons to go offline in Europe, Subway Surfers gets SYBO TV, and Brawls Stars' Eastern future
Supercell is one of the top mobile games developers around, so industry eyes are always on the company’s performance.
Its latest title Brawl Stars was seemingly set to be its next billion-dollar hit, but the soft launch doesn’t appear to be setting the Western market alight.
Could it be however that the title is set to take off in the East? Our analysis certainly caught our readers’ attention as the most read article of the week.
Elsewhere, another hugely recognisable brand in mobile, Subway Surfers, is in the headlines again. Developer SYBO is setting up a video streaming platform called SYBO TV as it looks to extend the franchise into new areas.
GungHo, takeovers and China
Meanwhile, GungHo made our Hot Five for the last week with the news that it’s shutting down the European version of its highly lucrative Puzzle & Dragons game.
Finally, Zynga is reported to be attracting takeover interest from other developers, and Taptica division CEO Rivi Bloch tells us despite China’s gaming crackdown, the government is unlikely to want to lose its crown as the world’s biggest games market.
#5: "I don’t think the Chinese government is ready to lose its title as the world’s biggest games market"
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"I don’t think the Chinese government is ready to lose its title as the world’s biggest games market" »China is the world’s biggest games market, so when the Chinese government makes new rules for the sector, as it so often does, it can affect the entire industry.
Most recently there has been a freeze on new game licences as the new body running approvals, the State Administration of Radio and Television, restructures.
This is all coming ahead of a number of new regulations that include limited game releases and gameplay time restrictions.
Despite the games industry seemingly having a target on its back from Chinese authorities, Taptica division CEO Rivi Bloch says the government won’t want to see its biggest companies fail.
#4: Report: Zynga attracts takeover interest
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Report: Zynga attracts takeover interest »Words With Friends developer Zynga has been busy with M&A activity of its own over the past few years.
It’s bought NaturalMotion and more recently Harpan Solitaire, Peak Games’ card games and Gram Games.
But according to a report it’s now thought to be on the receiving end of takeover interest from other developers.
Sources claim no formal talks have taken place yet, but the company has received preliminary approaches.
#3: GungHo to shut down Puzzle & Dragons in Europe
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GungHo to shut down Puzzle & Dragons in Europe »Puzzle & Dragons is one of the highest grossing mobile games ever, generating billions of dollars in revenue.
Much of that success has largely come from developer GungHo’s homeland, Japan.
The title has struggled to replicate that performance abroad and now its publisher has taken the drastic decision to shut down the European version completely.
The server will go offline on December 10th and all support will end by January 21st 2019.
#2: Subway Surfers developer SYBO set to tap into video streaming with new platform
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Subway Surfers developer SYBO set to tap into video streaming with new platform »Subway Surfers is one of the most recognised IPs on mobile.
And SYBO is looking to take advantage of its pervasiveness on the platform by extending its reach elsewhere.
To that end, it’s set to launch a new video streaming, content creation and distribution platform.
Named SYBO TV, the platform is expected to go live in Q4 2018.
#1: Is Supercell's Brawl Stars set to rise in the East rather than the West?
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Is Supercell's Brawl Stars set to rise in the East rather than the West? »Brawl Stars has been in soft launch for over a year now and all eyes are on whether Supercell will give it a global release.
On the face of it at least, the brawler hasn’t been a runaway success so far in terms of the Finnish studio’s ultra-high standards, trending down the Western charts. Could it be set to become Supercell’s highest-profile kill?
Perhaps not. There’s some hope for the title: it could make an unexpected turn and rise in the East.
We analysed its performance so far and ask what the future holds for a game whose quality is little in doubt, just its revenue potential.