Hot Five
Hot Five: Xbox layoffs, AppLovin's growing ad spend and Lilith Games' new hit
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz over the past week
Youtube Playables
YouTube Playables expands to more than 50 markets including the EU and Nordics
Playables are interactive games and experiences playable through YouTube apps and its website
New Offerings
Meta unveils Horizon Create and Studio for AI-powered game creation
Published games can be distributed across Facebook, Instagram and Horizon
Pgc Nordics
Save up to €145 on PGC Nordics before Mid Term prices end!
Essential conference set to bring 800 of the world's leading games companies together on October 20–21
Week In Views
Xbox's major reset continues and reflections on AppLovin's studio acquisitions | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Regulations
Europe's triple-threat for mobile gaming
The EU Kids Act, Digital Fairness Act and EU Digital Services Act for some uncomfortable challenges for the mobile games industry in the European Union
New Games
New release roundup: Simon’s Cat World, Solitaire 1380, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Boom, and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Investment News
Kingnet invests $298m to join consortium behind $684m Wemade deal
The consortium is preparing to acquire a 40.25% stake in Wemade
New Offerings
Qualcomm unveils two flagship Snapdragon chips for mobile and AI gaming
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 is the company’s most powerful mobile platform
Legal Proceedings
Roblox loses bid to halt Los Angeles County child safety lawsuit
The county alleges Roblox failed to adequately protect children from sexual exploitation
Game Update
Supercell’s mo.co heads back into beta as studio plans major changes
The current game will continue under low maintenance
Pgc Summit Montreal
Meet publishers and investors through Connector SpeedMatch at PG Connects Summit Montréal
Essential connections in Canada on November 10th within MIGS
Regulation
Daily log-in bonuses and activity streaks under threat in EU Kids Act
Wiggin’s Isabel Davies and Peter Lewin share on the EU Kids Act and games
Funding News
Circle Games raises $25m in Series A led by Tencent
The Istanbul-based studio has now raised $32.25m in total
Anniversary
"We were born out of the restructuring of an animation company and we always believed in the power of storytelling"
We catch up with Sea Monster CEO and co-founder Glenn Gillis as the company celebrates its 15th anniversary amidst the changing African games market
Patents
Xbox patents ad-credit system for ads during gameplay
Players could receive ad-free play credits after viewing advertisements
Top Performers
Mobile games generate $6.6bn in August as Honor of Kings leads player spending
Roblox topped worldwide mobile game downloads, with global downloads reaching 3.76bn
New Offerings
Golf Clash launches $100,000 Bryson DeChambeau backyard challenge
Ten golf creators will compete for a chance to face DeChambeau
New Offerings
MBRIF and Dubai Future District Fund partner to expand UAE startup opportunities
MBRIF members can be introduced to DFDF’s network of fund managers
Pgc Nordics
Rovio's Wille Miljas to speak at PGC Nordics
The director of product marketing at Rovio will help examine the state of the Nordic games industry in Helsinki this October
Pgc Nordics
The top 5 sessions you can’t miss at PG Connects Nordics
Featuring Netflix’s Next Games, Colossal Order, LuDic AI, Remedy Entertainment and Embark Studios
Milestone
Jest hits $1m run-rate after enabling in-app purchases
Fund II will provide up to $1m for mobile games and entertainment apps
From Concept To Candy
The secret ingredients behind the art of Candy Crush Saga
Candy Crush Saga artists Silvia Toma and Emil Sellström discuss creative rules, experimentation and "craving something to torpedo our calorie goals"
Collabs Corner
September’s Collabs Corner: Naruto in Free Fire, KPop Demon Hunters in Monopoly Go, Duo goes to battle in Brawl Stars, and more
The latest crossovers in mobile games, all in one place
New Partnerships
Pokémon Go partners with European Space Agency for space-themed event
The event runs from October 4th 2026, to April 30th 2027
Flying Light
Starform's Lou Fasulo on staying at 26 people, AI-native development and who really funds a live game
The Metalstorm studio head opens up about what AI changed, what it can't and why growth is a cost decision
New Offerings
Discord revamps age verification checks
More than 90% of users will not be asked to confirm their age
Industry Outlook
No "single model" for growth, says Newzoo
Mobile remains the largest gaming platform as it looks set to generate $121.1bn in 2026
Shutdown Imminent
Mario Kart Tour enters final lap with Anniversary Tour ahead of shutdown
Bowser was the most-used driver, followed by Peach and Toad
Afk Arena Arrivals
AFK Arena brings Kaiju No. 8 characters in-game with crossover starting today
Kafka Hibino and Kikoru Shinomiya arrive in Esperia after a spatial disturbance
Pgc London
Three essential partner events joining PG Connects London 2027
Get ahead of the hottest topics with the AI Gamechangers Summit, Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit and PC Connects
Restructure
Xbox to cut 268 jobs as it shakes up studio structure
Microsoft Casual Games now reports into King as UK studio Ninja Theory could be shut down
Alternative Distribution
"The friction around alternative distribution is starting to come down"
Flexion general manager Victor Horbach discusses the changing mobile distribution landscape and why developers should diversify how they reach players
Pgc Jordan
Save up to $254: PG Connects Jordan Super Early Bird ends this week
Join us in Amman this November 7th and 8th to engage directly with Jordan's vibrant games ecosystem
Market Report
Japan generates $10bn in mobile game revenue despite declining downloads
Japan recorded 585m mobile game downloads, down 5.4% year over year
Layoffs Imminent
Xbox plans hundreds more layoffs and studio consolidation
The cuts follow 1,600 Xbox layoffs announced in July
New Game
Sanrio to launch first Sanrio Games mobile title in January 2027
The company will hold a launch celebration event in Yokohama on January 14th
Coins And Critters
Lilith Games finds a new hit as Clash of Critters makes $45.6m in four months
The game’s fourth month, between August and September, has been its most lucrative yet in player spending
Interview
Windup Minds' Bernie Yee on Plants vs. Zombies, UA costs and the wrong lessons from free-to-play
The PvZ 2 producer opens up about gentle monetisation, why mobile was off the table for his new studio and what F2P actually requires
Spending Surge
AppLovin grows 60% Y/Y rounding to $20bn in annual platform ad spend
CEO Adam Foroughi spoke on stage at the All-In Summit 2026
New Offerings
Zynga Ads+ brings 100 mobile games to advertising offering
The company calls it a “Game Path Optimisation” approach
Funding News
Nex raises over $150m to take Nex Playground global
Nex Playground has surpassed 1m units sold and is distributed across more than 7,000 US retail locations
Winners Revealed
Playing for the Planet reveals 2026 Green Games Awards winners across sustainability categories
The awards concluded the 2026 Green Games Summit, with the Green Game Jam returning in 2027
Job News
Brian Ward asked to remain as Savvy Games Group advisor following departure
Ward became Savvy’s founding CEO in 2021
Hot Five
Hot Five: Sega confirms Crazy Taxi Netflix film, Google Play’s £260m UK settlement, and Brawl Stars and Duolingo launch crossover
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Pgc Nordics
5 more reasons PG Connects Nordics is an essential event
From Finnish Games Week to multiplatform development and organic networking, here’s why you should be in the room this October 20th and 21st
Unionisation
King faces potential strike in Sweden over collective agreement
Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer issued the strike notice on September 15th
New Games
New release roundup: Dave the Diver, Knightica, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Job News
GDC welcomes four new members to its Advisory Board
The new members are Amir Satvat, Alexa Ray Corriea, Lucien Parsons and Perrin Kaplan
New Offerings
AppsFlyer expands attribution tools to cover AI referrals and ChatGPT Ads
The update covers both app installs and re-engagements from AI referrals