Hot Five
Hot Five: Inside King’s London studio, how h8games reinvented itself, and Sonic Rumble’s rebrand
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Podcast | Episode 88
Unity copies the AppLovin playbook with Vector | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 88...
Africa Is Mobile
"Ads remain the most common and viable monetisation model across Africa's gaming markets today"
Michael Oscar Esio shares his perspective on game monetisation, player behaviour and growth opportunities in Africa
All-in
Direct-to-consumer sales hit record levels again in Q4
Mobile games publishers continue to go all-in on D2C amid regulatory and court-led upheaval
Pocket Gamer Connects
Why the games industry trusts Pocket Gamer Connects
In a deals-driven industry, the real value is in coming back
Week In Views
Rec Room runs out of road and Fire Emblem Shadows' paltry earnings | Week in Views
The PocketGamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Freedom Regained
Quantic Lab exits Embracer Group to operate as an independent company under founder ownership
The transition took effect on April 1st, 2026, marking the end of Quantic Lab’s period within the Embracer portfolio
Milestone
PlayDucky rolls out volcano and lava pool maps in new Melon Sandbox update
PlayDucky said it paid more than $1m to creators in 2025 through its in-game mod marketplace
Pgc Barcelona 2026
Discover Barcelona's thriving games ecosystem on June 15th to 16th
Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona is your gateway to business in one of the world’s brightest games markets
New Games
New release roundup: The Division Resurgence, Dredge+, Toy Command, and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Exclusive Inside Look
Inside King’s London headquarters: "We have people in the London studio working on all of our titles"
PocketGamer.biz receives an invitation into King’s London office, to speak with president Todd Green and others
Studio Closure
Coffee Stain Malmö shuts down months after Embracer spinoff
The studio employed 17 staff, though it remains unclear whether the entire team has been laid off
Planetary Plans
Closed beta for HoYoverse’s Petit Planet will feature new neighbours and enhanced Starsea Voyages
Fans can sign up for the beta test coming April 21st, available on PC and mobile
Milestone Magic
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery surpasses 160m downloads eight years after launch
The developer said players have logged more than 100.7bn minutes in the game since its 2018 debut
Acqusitions
LY Corp acquires majority stake in Kakao Games with $198m investment
Kakao will remain a strategic partner despite stepping down to second largest shareholder
Sonic Shift
Sonic Rumble rebranded to Sonic Rumble Party as it adds new features and removes game modes
The party royale has made an estimated $1.6m on mobile
Chinajoy
11 essential tips for maximising your time during ChinaJoy
Handy tips for managing Asia’s biggest game and entertainment expo
April Fool's
April Fool's Day 2026: Voodoo acquisition, Slush raises $4 trillion, a Warhammer 40,000 musical and KitKats
A roundup of the day's shenanigans from games companies
Industry Insights
From Helix Jump to Little Farm Story: How h8games reinvented itself
Oleg Batrakov shares on how the studio evolved after Helix Jump to create Little Farm Story
Closure
Rec Room to shut down after failing to achieve profitability from 150m players
The company cited shifts in the VR market and broader games industry pressures as key factors behind the decision
Ugc
Roblox launches avatar makeup category to expand creator monetisation and brand partnerships
Roblox said users updated their avatars an average of 274m times per day in early 2025
Sporting Surprise
Candy Crush takeover at the Intuit Dome aims for broader brand recognition
Among the mascots, actress Anna Faris was revealed to be inside the Bubblegum Troll
Jobs News
Nodwin Gaming appoints chief strategy and investments officer ahead of potential IPO
He will lead mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy and fundraising to support the company's global expansion
Community Building
Scopely launches Monopoly Go Chat app worldwide
Standalone app provides a more reliable technical experience, publisher claims
Esports
Esports Foundation selects 40 clubs for $20m partner program ahead of 2026 Esports World Cup
Participating clubs can receive up to $1m each to expand their brands and fan engagement ahead of the tournament
Fund Raise
Nazara raises over $50m to fund acquisitions and AI-led expansion
The new capital will be used to build AI-enabled gaming businesses designed for international markets and support recent acquisitions
Podcast
PocketGamer.biz Podcast: Data doesn't solve problems - decisions do
We talk with GameAnalytics head of BD and customer success Falko Boecker to discuss data, AI and finding the right insights
Crossovers
Tetris and Space Invaders team up for first-ever in-game crossover event
The crossover blends more than 75 years of arcade history across two of gaming’s most iconic franchises
Pgc Summit MalmÖ
Why Malmö is the place to do games business this May
The Swedish games industry keeps growing, and Malmö is where the deals are happening
Mobile Mavens
The Mobile Mavens reflect on Epic Games' latest layoffs
Our Mobile Mavens weigh in on the layoffs and what they mean for the company and future of Fortnite
Chart Rankings
February 2026 mobile game charts: Have the top risers over the past few years all peaked?
A deep dive into the global mobile game rankings across the App Store and Google Play
Apple Troubles
Ninth Circuit denies Apple rehearing request in Epic Games App Store dispute
The decision reinforces requirements for Apple to allow developers to direct users to alternative payment methods
Model Analysis
Fire Emblem Shadows earns just $578,000 in first six months, less than 1% of Fire Emblem Heroes
Shadows and Heroes share an IP but opt for different genres and monetisation models
Latest Layoffs
Pixelberry Studios reportedly lays off staff in another round of workforce reductions
The reductions mark the second round of job cuts at Pixelberry in two years
Pgc Summit Malmo
Tracks uncovered: Gain essential knowledge through PGC Summit Malmö's conference programme
Tightly focused four-track summit schedule runs alongside two days of meetings and curated networking opportunities
Game Closure
Bethesda to shut down The Elder Scrolls: Blades servers in June
The closure will take effect across all platforms, including Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch
Investment News
Maxim Krippa becomes co-owner of Burny Games expanding long-term investment role
Burny Games has surpassed 65m downloads across a portfolio of roughly ten mobile titles
Events
Ustwo Games revealed as first keynote for Develop: Brighton 2026
Maria Sayans, Daniel Gray and Peter Pashley will take to the stage to discuss the studio's journey and making a lasting impact
Acqusitions
Mistplay completes acquisition of Connected Rewards to link gameplay with real-world loyalty programs
The deal integrates Connected Rewards into the LoyaltyPlay platform
Job Losses
Epic layoffs spark launch of ‘Awesome People List’ job site for more than 1,000 displaced staff
The platform allows hiring managers to browse candidates across engineering, design, production, community management, and security roles
Fortnite Figures
Fortnite lands 5.7m downloads on Google Play after comeback, but chart rankings are mixed
Epic Games’ flagship peaked at second in the global download charts, but has topped Brazil and Mexico’s for over a week
Africa Is Mobile
"After our five years of tests, we think only hybrid monetisation will work in Africa"
Kiro'o Games CEO Olivier Madiba discusses the realities of game monetisation in Africa, player behaviour and long-term growth across the continent
Funding News
Sett raises $30m to scale AI-driven marketing automation platform
The company plans to expand beyond gaming into fintech, apps and e-commerce by the end of 2026
Acqusitions
Asmodee acquires ATM Gaming in €180m deal to expand social board game portfolio
The deal targets the fast-growing social and party games segment
Podcast | Episode 87
Was Epic's app store battle worth it? | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode 87...
Adaptations Ahoy
Baobab to adapt Roblox hits Deepwoken, Natural Disaster Survival and Barry’s Prison Run for film and TV
The studio selected titles with deep engagement and strong world-building rather than chasing short-lived viral success
Google Play Update Details
The true cost of Google's Level Up: What the fee table doesn't show
Google’s fee update looks simple, but the real cost shows up in lock-in, add-ons and rules
Job News
Metasports appoints head of marketing to scale Hitwicket globally
He will lead user acquisition, brand, and partnerships across Metasports’ growing portfolio of sports games
Hot Five
Hot Five: Wuthering Waves 3.0 and beyond, Budge Studios’ Nickelodeon partnership, and Roblox to take cut of in-game brand deals
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Pgc Summit Malmo
Final days: Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Malmö Early Bird ends soon!
Save now on new super-focused, networking-centric summit designed to boost your Nordic Game week