Games veterans launch Playful.AI, Apple's Games app and the Nintendo Switch 2 breaks records | Week in Views

Games veterans launch Playful.AI, Apple's Games app and the Nintendo Switch 2 breaks records | Week in Views

The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories

Xsolla and Second Dinner launch new Marvel Snap Web Shop

Direct-to-consumer

Xsolla and Second Dinner launch new Marvel Snap Web Shop

Players Can Redeem the Global ‘WEBLAUNCH’ Code at Launch to Access Special Offers and Exclusive Rewards

Apple Games and the future of iOS gaming

What Do Developers Want?

Apple Games and the future of iOS gaming

Apple's big moment wasn't quite to be. Developers react with their wish list for the App Store and iOS gaming

Xsolla partners with Defold to simplify in-game purchases for web developers

New Partnerships

Xsolla partners with Defold to simplify in-game purchases for web developers

“This is a huge win for our developers heading into the Game Jam,” said Defold product owner Björn Ritzl

Ten Square Games records $7.4m profit despite drop in bookings

Earnings Report

Ten Square Games records $7.4m profit despite drop in bookings

The company plans to double its efforts on scaling live games amidst ‘market evolution’

Khalifa Fund opens registration for 8th Venturist Summer Camp focused on game development

Khalifa Fund opens registration for 8th Venturist Summer Camp focused on game development

“The camp will also prepare students for freelance and future career opportunities in the gaming sector,” said Khalifa Fund acting CEO Mouza Al Nasri

Apple expands iOS features with new social tools and player overlays

Apple expands iOS features with new social tools and player overlays

The iPhone maker also showcased new additions to developer tools such as Metal 4 and Xcode 26

New release roundup: 10 Second Ninja X, Sonic Blitz, Lost in Play+ and more

New release roundup: 10 Second Ninja X, Sonic Blitz, Lost in Play+ and more

We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover and are all set to do big business

Mobile Mavens: Apple Games reaction and a feature wish list for the App Store

Mobile Mavens: Apple Games reaction and a feature wish list for the App Store

Industry experts give their opinions on this week's announcements and what the iPhone giant can do to win over developers

Tickets for Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba 2025 now live

Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba

Tickets for Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba 2025 now live

New name, new location - same unmissable two-day event coming to MENA

Angry Birds Bounce launches in July as series’ first game developed under Sega’s ownership

The Birds Are Back

Angry Birds Bounce launches in July as series’ first game developed under Sega’s ownership

Sega completed its acquisition of Rovio in August 2023, 18 months after the last mobile Angry Birds game released

Unity launches Audience Hub to help marketers bring privacy-first targeting to games

Unity launches Audience Hub to help marketers bring privacy-first targeting to games

The tool is currently available to marketers in the US and Canada

Former Tacticool devs at Nice Plans Studio secure $3m for 3v3 shooter Ricochet Squad

Former Tacticool devs at Nice Plans Studio secure $3m for 3v3 shooter Ricochet Squad

Studio claims day one player-to-payer conversion rate is 4% to 5% in soft launch

Nice Plans Studio's ambitions to independently scale a new shooter in a challenging mobile market

Strong Soft Launch

Nice Plans Studio's ambitions to independently scale a new shooter in a challenging mobile market

Co-founder and CEO Roman Malakhov talks metrics, ambitions and becoming a "fully independent studio"

Nazara acquires Smaaash for $14.7m aiming to revamp the brand with digital IPs

“Smaaash was a bold idea once. It's time to build on that idea with sharper execution and a clearer lens,” said Nazara CEO Nitish Mittersain

Supercell hiring in multiple roles to grow brands outside of games

Building Brands

Supercell hiring in multiple roles to grow brands outside of games

A "whole slate of unannounced projects" are already in development

Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai 2025 offers key insights into China's bustling market for international studios

Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai 2025 offers key insights into China's bustling market for international studios

Here’s why China’s games industry deserves a closer look and why we’re heading to Shanghai on July 30th

Win or lose: Mastering the art of mobile game balance and monetisation

Industry Insights

Win or lose: Mastering the art of mobile game balance and monetisation

Supersonic's Guy Agiv dives into the delicate balance between win and lose conditions and how they can create better monetisation opportunities

SAG-AFTRA ends strike against video game companies after reaching tentative AI protections deal

SAG-AFTRA ends strike against video game companies after reaching tentative AI protections deal

All members have been instructed to return to work

Ex-Netflix VP Mike Verdu and Zynga founder Mark Pincus form AI games startup Playful.AI

Ex-Netflix VP Mike Verdu and Zynga founder Mark Pincus form AI games startup Playful.AI

Company aims to “reinvent game development and game experiences with AI”

Team Angels launches to back early-stage startups in Mumbai

Team Angels launches to back early-stage startups in Mumbai

The initiative offers equity funding between ₹40 lakhs ($45,000) and ₹1.5 crore ($175,000)

Hong Kong bans mobile game promoting anti-communist content

Hong Kong bans mobile game promoting anti-communist content

The game has now been removed from both the Google Play and Apple’s App Store in Hong Kong

June 2025’s Movers and Shakers: Unity CTO exits, Embracer appoints new CEO, Roblox gets a CFO, and more

June 2025’s Movers and Shakers: Unity CTO exits, Embracer appoints new CEO, Roblox gets a CFO, and more

Our regular roundup of the mobile games industry's movers and shakers

Supercell adjusts in-game prices in multiple countries due to tax and exchange rate changes

Price Adjustments

Supercell adjusts in-game prices in multiple countries due to tax and exchange rate changes

Price increase impact titles in Brazil, Peru, Azerbaijan and others

Dundee game studio Cobra Mobile shuts down after 20 years

Dundee game studio Cobra Mobile shuts down after 20 years

The liquidation has resulted in eight employees being made redundant

Phil Rogers named CEO of Embracer as Lars Wingefors shifts focus to M&A

Leadership Overhaul

Phil Rogers named CEO of Embracer as Lars Wingefors shifts focus to M&A

Wingefors will leave the executive management team from August 1st, but stay on as a board member until the annual general meeting

Zynga to host Girls Make Games 2025 summer camp at San Mateo HQ

Zynga to host Girls Make Games 2025 summer camp at San Mateo HQ

Participants will learn the fundamentals of game development and design while working in teams

Dubai’s games industry surges with 260 game developers and 16.6% growth rate

Marvellous Mena

Dubai’s games industry surges with 260 game developers and 16.6% growth rate

Data shows that 67% of game companies have their headquarters in Dubai

3 key trends in focus at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai

Pgc Summit Shanghai

3 key trends in focus at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai

Highlighting Asian games market growth, global trends, and monetisation models

Nintendo Switch 2 breaks records with 3.5m unit sales in four days

Switch 2 Success

Nintendo Switch 2 breaks records with 3.5m unit sales in four days

The original Switch reached 2.7m unit sales in 29 days

6 takeaways from PGC Barcelona: A bustling industry hub, DTC hits overdrive, and AI hype continues

Conference Roundup

6 takeaways from PGC Barcelona: A bustling industry hub, DTC hits overdrive, and AI hype continues

A look at some of the trends and key talks from our debut conference in the Catalonia capital

Mobile Mavens: Direct-to-consumer strategies for an open App Store

Mobile Mavens: Direct-to-consumer strategies for an open App Store

We asked our Mobile Mavens how the latest policy shift could reshape the app economy and what developers should do to get ahead

SAG-AFTRA reaches tentative deal with games companies to end strike

SAG-AFTRA reaches tentative deal with games companies to end strike

The labour union has been on strike against video game companies since July 26th, 2024

How Codecks is building a games-focused project management tool teams actually want to use

Playful Project Management

How Codecks is building a games-focused project management tool teams actually want to use

"These tools just can't focus on what we actually need because they're too busy trying to be everything to everyone"

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin launching this year after Grand Cross surpasses $1bn

Origin On The Way

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin launching this year after Grand Cross surpasses $1bn

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross generated its first $1bn on mobile in under five years

Games for Change welcomes five new board members

Strategic Growth

Games for Change welcomes five new board members

New and existing board members will guide the organisation's next phase of growth

Roblox names Naveen Chopra as new chief financial officer

Roblox names Naveen Chopra as new chief financial officer

Chopra is succeeding Michael Guthrie, who will be stepping down as CFO to pursue personal interests

Top five reasons to attend Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025

Top five reasons to attend Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025

Connect with the Nordic games industry and global heavyweights at our greatest PGC Helsinki to-date

New Apple Games app offers recommendations, challenges, and leaderboards

New Apple Games app offers recommendations, challenges, and leaderboards

Apple also showcases some Apple Intelligence features as it ignores previous delays

Homa co-founder opens new AI-first studio Everyday

Homa co-founder opens new AI-first studio Everyday

Olivier Le Bas wants to "rethink" how mobile games are built

Fortnite lands 2.8m new installs on App Store in US

Download Deluge

Fortnite lands 2.8m new installs on App Store in US

Epic Games’ flagship remains the country’s most-downloaded mobile game for 19 days running, but has been beaten by ChatGPT for most-downloaded app

Tencent wins IP case against Peacekeeper Elite content leaker

Lawsuit Triumph

Tencent wins IP case against Peacekeeper Elite content leaker

The ruling comes over three years since the case first began in January 2022

Games livestreaming platform Noice closes

Games livestreaming platform Noice closes

Company had raised $26 million in funding before new investment dried up

Nominations are live for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025

Mobile Games Awards

Nominations are live for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025

The submission phase for this year's categories is now open and closes on June 27th

Squad Busters makes $472,000 on Chinese App Store as version 2.0 is slow to ignite global fortunes

Squad Busters makes $472,000 on Chinese App Store as version 2.0 is slow to ignite global fortunes

The global version has generated $1.8m in almost a month since the major overhaul

FunPlus launches new cross-platform publishing label Kingsglory with debut game Aniimo

FunPlus launches new cross-platform publishing label Kingsglory with debut game Aniimo

The title is set to launch in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, PC and mobile

Turkish game startups join UK-focused accelerator ahead of London Tech Week

Accelerator Program

Turkish game startups join UK-focused accelerator ahead of London Tech Week

Startups include PaxAnimi Games, Game Actor, and Yamy Studio

Moonton Games' Magic Chess: Go Go has surpassed 30m downloads

Moonton Games' Magic Chess: Go Go has surpassed 30m downloads

MCGG garnered more than 20m pre-registrations before launching globally on May 28th

Google brings Play Points to Roblox with launch of Diamond District experience

Google brings Play Points to Roblox with launch of Diamond District experience

The search giant said the experience will be live until July 2nd, 2025

Watch Apple’s WWDC keynote right here

Watch Apple’s WWDC keynote right here

Tune in at 6pm BST (10am PDT) for the big announcements