Hot Five: Record D2C sales, WWDC26 takeaways, and Two Desperados secures $20m

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) Two Desperados secures $20m in user acquisition financing from PvX Partners

Two Desperados has secured $20 million in UA financing from PvX Partners.

The funding is expected to enable accelerated growth and marketing activities to expand the reach of existing and future titles.

2) Revealed: Mobile publishers share their record D2C sales

Playtika’s Q1 was another record breaker for D2C revenue, up almost 63% year-over-year.

SciPlay, Modern Times Group, Stillfront and others also saw a D2C rise during the quarter.

3) Games are getting match ready for the FIFA World Cup 2026

EA has no FIFA World Cup licence in 2026, but plenty of other studios are making the most of the event.

World Cup-themed events, modes and more are appearing in games from Konami's eFootball to Roblox.

4) 6 key takeaways from WWDC26: AI and child safety - but where are the games?

Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote marked Tim Cook's final appearance as CEO at the annual developer conference.

AI was a key focus, with an expanded Apple Intelligence taking centre stage.

5) Candy Crush All Stars crowns 2026 champion: 10 contenders, hardcore levels and $1m on the line

PocketGamer.biz was invited to the Candy Crush All Stars Live Final, where 10 players competed for a share of a $1m prize pool.

The final round saw German player Max face off against Brazilian player Luana, both newcomers among a number of returning players.