Market Report
ESA survey claim just two-thirds of people primarily play games for fun
Mobile devices are the most popular gaming platform, used by 55% of players globally
Industry Outlook
Games industry M&A activity held steady at 49 deals in Q3 2025
Mobile in-app purchase spending climbed to $21bn, led by Asian publishers
Web Game Engine Study
Unity dominates web games but performance-optimised engines have key advantages according to a new study
In the past, JS-based engines dominated the market with simpler games. Now the landscape is changing - and Unity remains their core engine of choice
Funding News
PolyDream Studio raises $500,000 to accelerate development of White Desert
The upcoming FPS game is set in post-war Egypt amid a battle between rival factions
Age Verification
Texas enforces new age verification law for app stores and developers
Developers must update their apps to meet the new compliance requirements
Regulatory Reaction
"Catastrophic" and "another IDFA moment": The games industry reacts to potential EU regulations
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen stirs industry debate on the European Union's regulatory efforts
Regulations
Supercell CEO warns crippling EU regulations could kill Europe's games sector
Paananen says proposed rules risk dismantling the foundation of the €27bn European games industry
Pretty Penny
Umamusume: Pretty Derby hits $2.5bn after most lucrative day in four years
The horse girl gacha has picked up $55.3m overseas since its worldwide launch on July 26th
Online Safety
Roblox launches Parent Council to promote safety and positivity on the platform
The council will unite up to 40 parents and caregivers from North America and Europe
Developer Support
Unity urges developers to patch games after discovery of major security vulnerability
The vulnerability affects Unity projects across Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux
Acqusitions
Fragbite Group sells subsidiary Playdigious to Griffin Gaming Partners for €10.5m
The deal is cash and debt-free, with Fragbite retaining 90% of future revenue from Playdigious Originals’ PC titles
New Offerings
Swiss-based Sbarter is raising €40m to “redefine” skill-based games with blockchain technology
Funds will fuel user growth, publisher partnerships, and product innovation ahead of its 2026 launch
Aurora Award
Aurora 2025 announces 15 women and non-binary leaders shaping the future of Nordic games industry
Aurora honours women and non-binary professionals in the Nordic games industry, including leaders from Supercell and Rovio, as well as Sámi storytellers reshaping representation and creativity
Roblox Record
Roblox’s Steal a Brainrot becomes first game to surpass 25m concurrent players
The experience bested Grow a Garden for the top spot in September, then hit a new industry milestone this October
Best Of 2025
The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers of 2025
The mobile movers and shakers of the last 12 months revealed!
App Store Changes
US Supreme Court rejects Google’s bid to block Play Store overhaul
The decision stems from Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit accusing Google of monopolising app distribution and payments
Investigations
SEC launches investigation into AppLovin’s data collection practices
The probe focuses on claims that AppLovin breached partner agreements to deliver targeted ads
Job News
Venture studio ELO appoints games economist Joost van Dreunen as strategic advisor
He will advance the studios' mission of empowering global games communities
Shockwave Comeback
2000s portal Shockwave gets mobile-first reimagining with daily games and AI at its core
"Daily games are something gamers and non-gamers alike can enjoy," says co-founder and CEO Bill Kara
Adaptations
Fusebox Games secures global rights to develop The Traitors: Interactive Game for mobile
The Traitors: Interactive Game will launch in 2026 on iOS and Android
Live Ops
Cutting the wait: How game teams are accelerating live ops
Antonina Belova discusses why speed is now a live ops strategy
Hackathon
Second edition of Arab Youth Hackathon launches to empower young talent in games
Participants will create five games inspired by Arab culture under the theme “Arab Identity”
Market Report
87% of mobile game developers rely on Google and Apple for most revenue
84% believe the industry can’t survive long-term under the dominance of just two major app stores
New Offerings
Sustainable Games Alliance unveils new sustainability framework for the games industry
Built specifically for games it covers everything from design and servers to marketing and hardware
Pgc Helsinki
Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki kicks off two days of talks, insights, and networking
Over 150 speakers will share insights across more than 20 content tracks covering every corner of the games industry
Pgc London
Save up to £340 by booking your ticket to Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026
Join over 3,000 delegates as the games industry gathers in London
Korean Games Industry
Resilient or fragile - Inside the shifting dynamics of Korea’s games industry
Industry voices reveal how Korean studios are redefining what success means, ahead of Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea on October 31st
Finnish Games Week
Finnish Games Week kicks off in Helsinki with a packed lineup of conferences and summits
The event unites developers, publishers, investors, and creatives across multiple conferences and summits
Gamathon Takeaways
Five takeaways from Gamathon 25: Game dev realities, funding hurdles, XR hopes, and room for optimism
We analyse some of the top stories and trends from one of Africa's biggest games events
Lawsuit
Anapol Weiss files lawsuits against Roblox over alleged child grooming and abuse
The lawsuits claim Roblox prioritised profit over safety, failing to enforce key protections like age checks and moderation
Investment News
Kakao Games secures $111m through subsidiary sale and paid-in capital increase
Funds will be used to strengthen finances and expand operations
Podcast | Episode 67
The $55bn EA acquisition unpacked | 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 67...
Pgc Aqaba
What to expect as the games industry gathers in Aqaba
Discover one of the world’s fastest growing games markets and network by the Red Sea on November 8th and 9th
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Sam Gaglani
"Make the game fun, the rest will follow"
Hot Five
Hot Five: EA’s $55bn buyout, Genshin Impact’s fifth anniversary, and Fire Emblem Shadows’ overshadowed launch
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Podcast
Gaming Meets Beauty: Inside Henkel’s first brand activation
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team and guests give you the state of play, here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode.
Pgc Helsinki
Showcasing the sponsors! Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025
You can connect and meet with these great companies at our 12th Finnish festival of games
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Vera Manhoso
"I would recommend maintaining a strong balance between UA and RT, and integrating RT campaigns early, rather than waiting until your game is more mature"
Week In Views
From $1,000 Xbox handhelds and $30 Game Pass hikes to Fire Emblem Shadows’ $90,000 debut | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Teemu Haila
"Too many teams underestimate how complex live service infrastructure becomes once a game starts to grow"
Web Shops
Epic Games launches global web shops for mobile and PC
As part of the rollout Epic has partnered with Codename Entertainment to showcase web shop functionality
Funding Round
Cypher Games secures $30m in series A funding
The funds will go towards its debut title Match Squad
A Good Cause
Supercell, Sybo, EA and more get involved in One Special Day mobile charity initiative
Games involved include Subway Surfers, Hay Day, Golf Clash, Angry Birds 2 and more
Major Milestone
TinyBytes surpasses 100 million downloads across its portfolio
Flagship title Massive Warfare makes up for a large portion of the downloads
Partnerships
BBC Studios brings Great British Bake Off to Roblox with Star Baker game
Star Baker will bring baking challenges inspired by the show to the Roblox platform
New Games
New release roundup: Hello Kitty Merch Match, MU: Pocket Knights, Two Strikes and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover and are all set to do big business
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Sara Antonelli
"Growth can no longer rely on a single channel or tactic. To stay competitive, gaming companies need to diversify"
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Rafael Morgan
"Publish your mobile games on the web as well! It’s a low-effort, high-impact way to grow reach, extend a game’s lifecycle, and build resilience in a volatile industry"
Pgc Aqaba
How MENA is proving to be the next games powerhouse
Connect with one of the world’s fastest growing games markets at Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba, November 8th-9th
Speaker Spotlight
Ilya Kuznetsov discusses “AI becoming a competitive necessity” ahead of Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025
"To succeed, studios need to dig deeper: focus on innovation, unique player value, and the hidden ingredients, not just the surface-level imitation"