Hot Five
Hot Five: Pokémon wins legal battle, Playtika’s $450m "bolt-on" M&A, and Supercell unveils Boat Game
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Fresh Details
AppLovin selling games business to private company for $500m in cash and $400m in shares
Buyer has entered into a term sheet with AppLovin and aims to borrow up to $250m to fund the deal
Podcast | Episode 44
AppLovin vs. short-sellers | 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 and what's inside this week's episode 44...
Week That Was
New studios emerge, and Pokémon Sleep hits $150m | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
M&a
Jam City completes Ludia sale
Approximately 130 staff will remain at the developer, while a small number will stay with Jam City
Growth Engines
The need for growth engines: What they are and why they matter
According to a recent report by analyst Matthew Ball, the games industry shows significant growth potential in 2025. We explore what that means here - and at PG Connects San Francisco
Five New Games
New release roundup: Godzilla x Kong: Titan Chasers, Dredge, Athena Crisis, Level Tank and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Ai-powered
New AI creative tool Flora launches to “transform" creative workflows
“Current AI creative tools are built by non-creatives for other non-creatives to feel creative," says Flora founder Weber Wong.
Mobile Market Challenge
Can alternative app stores break through?
Amazon shuts down its Android App Store and Epic third-party revenues are down on PC. What next for alternative marketplaces?
Critical Hit
Pokémon TCG Pocket surpasses 100 million downloads
Special missions are now available until March 26th, 2025
Event Partnership
Xsolla partners with Pocket Gamer Connects to support mobile developers in 2025
Games commerce company will provide expertise in direct-to-consumer monetisation to developers across the globe
Cross-platform Release
Pokémon Champions is set to launch for Nintendo Switch and mobile
No release date set for the title
Big Indie Zone
Vote for your favourite game at the Big Indie Zone Audience Choice Award sponsored by Jam City at Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2025
Celebrate indie developers and their games at The Big Indie Zone Audience Choice Award sponsored by Jam City during Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2025
Build Your Creator Programme
Building a world-class creator programme: key insights from Nexus CEO Justin Sacks
Justin Sacks, co-founder and CEO of Nexus explains why creator programmes are now a ‘must-have’ for live service games
Playtika's M&a Plans
Playtika allocates up to $450m for “bolt-on” M&A activity over next three years
Publisher reports direct-to-consumer and overall revenue growth in Q4
Gameexpo Summit
Dubai GameExpo Summit 2025 Early Bird ends at midnight on Friday
Save up to 500 AED / $135 if you book before midnight, February 28th
Pokemon Day
Pokémon Day 2025: Just how big a deal are Pokémon’s mobile games?
Whether it’s Pokémon TCG Pocket or Pokémon Go, the franchise has a few mobile games worth knowing about ahead of today’s Pokémon Presents
Short Reports
AppLovin labels short-seller reports “nefarious” and “misleading” as shares sink
Ad tech firm goes on the offensive after research companies make series of accusations against its business practices
New Offering
Supercell reveals Boat Game with alpha test coming soon
“We can only share this game with a limited number of players”
Funding For Games
Turkish studio Surpass Games secures $1.5m to “redefine" the hybridcasual puzzle genre
The studio is led by former Fomo Games and Zynga staff
Dubai Gamesexpo Summit
Dubai GameExpo Summit 2025 The ultimate industry gathering you can't miss
Gain new opportunities in the MENA games industry in Dubai this May
New Studio
Madbox opens new studio in Annecy
The French developer plans to increase its workforce by 15% this year, half of which will be for the new studio
Sponsored
In-Game Advertising Insights: Georgina King Shares Key Lessons from Her Career
As part of Liftoff's Women In Games Series, PocketGamer.biz speaks to Georgina King, Business Manager of Ads at Scopely
Gdc Is Coming
Pocket Gamer's ultimate GDC week 2025 party guide
When are where to go to make the most of each event around GDC 2025
Business Opportunities
Time is running out to reserve your place for the Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2025 fringe events
Don't miss this chance to take part in the unmissable opportunities at our milestone 50th global games conference
Roundtable Discussion
Open call for web3 games industry speakers at PGC San Francisco
Join our roundtable delving into the state of web3 games and how the sector can emerge from a challenging few years
Funding For Games
Finnish startup Seven Stars secures seed round to build “next-gen" puzzle games
Spintop Ventures and Behold Ventures co-led the investment with Sisu Game Ventures
Skillz $75m Developer Accelerator
Skillz Announces $75 Million Developer Accelerator for Skill-Based Mobile Games
Accelerator will provide financial backing, operational resources, and expert guidance to bring competitive games to market
A Successful Snooze
Pokémon Sleep hits $150m mark despite slowdown since first anniversary
Japan is the app's most lucrative country at $109m to date
Age Rating
Indie hit Balatro sees PEGI rating drop to 12+ after review
“I hope this change will allow developers to create without being unfairly punished"
Industry Insights
Boosting app engagement with retargeting: Proven tactics for games and beyond
Mintegral’s Jenny Lin shares why retargeting is such a popular tactic for games and e-commerce companies
Marvellous Mena
“We aim to merge games with Africa’s finest tunes and rhythms''
Weza Interactive Entertainment CEO and co-founder Odongo George Ahere discusses mobile rhythm game Riziki, funding challenges and tapping into the African market
Lawsuit Triumph
The Pokémon Company wins legal battle over copyright-infringing mobile game
The companies were also required to issue public apologies in online and print media in China
Job Losses
Netflix lays off staff at Oxenfree developer Night School Studio
The redundancies will not affect ongoing projects at the developer
Mena Region
Saudi Social Development Bank backs esports and game development with $122m
The expanded financing portfolio has supported over 30 clients across esports, game development and publishing
New Partnerships
The9 and Qing Cheng partner to dominate China’s lower-tier mobile games market
The9 will hold a 51% stake in the joint venture while Qing Cheng will own 49%.
Meta Contest
Meta launches $50 million Creator Fund as it shifts focus to mobile content
The company is also introducing its first creator competition of the year
Hot Five
Hot Five: Jam City to sell Ludia, Scopely could acquire Pokémon Go, and Last War hits $2bn
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Company Restructure
Unity cut workforce to 4,987 staff in 2024 at cost of $214m
Game engine and ads firm also appears to have closed 23 offices last year
Podcast | Episode 43
NetEase scales back, Jam City agrees Ludia sale, and why Savvy wants Pokémon Go | 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 and what's inside this week's episode 43...
Week That Was
When big acquisitions fail, the resurgence of card games, and Niantic's wildfire relief donations | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Shares Surge
Unity shares rally 36% after earnings beat and new AI-powered ads platform
Unity’s market cap currently sits at $11.68bn, compared to rival AppLovin's $146.42bn
Trends Report
Developer Trends Survey: Layoffs, rising UA costs and lack of investment key concerns as industry hopes for better 2025
We delve into our Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report for key insights and industry sentiments
Mobile Growth
Bilibili's mobile game revenue soars 79% in Q4 sparking company's first-ever profitable quarter
2024 release San Guo: Mou Ding Tian Xia leads the charge in growing games business
Financials
Hasbro gaming segment grows 22% as Monopoly Go adds $112 million to revenue in 2024
Total company sales declined 17% Y/Y to $4.1 billion
Very Big Indie Pitch
Hero brawler Battle Bears Heroes wins The Very Big Indie Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2024
We revisit last year's winners ahead of the next Stateside edition at PGC San Francisco's return this March 17th and 18th 2025
Investment News
Good Job Games Secures investment from Menlo Ventures
The investment raises Good Job Games’ valuation to over $100 million
New Games
New release roundup: Grand Mountain Adventure 2, Gear Fight!, Land of Heroes and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Mena Guide
Seven reasons why you can't ignore the MENA market
Discover why the MENA region is becoming a global hotspot for business growth in the games industry
Shutting Down
Amazon App Store to close on Android
Marketplace will still be available on Amazon devices in future