Hot Five
Hot Five: Epic’s app store plans, Turkey’s tax exemptions, and Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile finally releases globally
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Unity's Vision
Unity: “AI is not something that the industry or individuals can ignore. It's going to change game development”
Unity’s Marc Whitten and Felix The address AI’s onward march, where the next wave of monetisation lies and Unity’s past “tough year"
This Means War
America Vs Apple: What's at stake and what could happen next?
The US Department of Justice just dropped a legal bomb that strikes at the heart of Apple's core. Could Apple's walled garden finally come tumbling down?
Week That Was
Week in Views - Apple in the dock, big name buyouts and next gen investment
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Strategic Acquisition
Bidstack's executive team acquires Bidstack Ltd in strategic move
Founder and CEO James Draper, along with the executive team have become the company's significant majority shareholders
In-game Ads
“There’s still misunderstanding and undervaluing of the power of mobile gaming as an advertising channel”
Odeeo CEO Amit Monheit on the advantages in-game audio ads
Job News
SYBO appoints Niklas Orup as new Subway Surfers game director
He's the new boss of the world's most downloaded endless runner having previously worked at King on titles such as Bubble Witch 3 Saga
Milestones
Eggy Party sails past 100 million user-generated maps
60% of players actively create content, fired up by the game's incentive program.
Five New Games
New release roundup: The best new mobile games from Netflix exclusives to fantasy worlds
We highlight five new games that have broken cover and are all set to do big business
Team Factor
"Brawl Stars was very much on the edge"
Supercell's Frank Keienburg on how the developer deals with edge cases on metrics, and why the team's belief in a game matter
Taking A Bite
US files lawsuit against Apple’s "monopoly power to extract more money from consumers"
It's happened… Apple is accused of driving up prices, withholding information from developers and more
Partnership Power
Marblex partners with CARV to deliver data-driven Web3 experiences
Netmarble’s blockchain company Marblex to be elevated by CARV’s data capabilities
Gdc Highlights
What Epic's State of Unreal 2024 really means for mobile
Epic's Unreal Engine 5.4 reveal showed only the tip of the iceberg of what Epic are intending to pull off in the coming year
Revenue Share
How revenue sharing can support free-to-play
Zebedee’s CSO Ben Cousens discusses how times are changing and how strategies towards monetisation and UA need to change
Game Launch
Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is out today. Here's everything you need to know
It's the biggest mobile launch of the year with over 50 million sign-ups hitting the battlefield from March 21
Expanding Experiences
Roblox’s $35M Creator Fund to support short-form video content
Roblox’s fund expands on the types of content supported by its programme, now going beyond gaming
Epic Games Store Mobile
Epic Games Store coming to mobile by end of 2024
New marketplace offers 88/12 revenue share, coming to iOS and Android
Investing In Innovation
The Inevitable Games Fund will invest up to $100 million in innovative Web3 games
King River Capital, Immutable, and Polygon Labs join forces to invest in the Web3 sector
Flexion Finances
Flexion revenue climbs 64% as Epic gives the gaming market a "boost of confidence"
Distributing Monopoly GO! to alternative app stores was one among many 2023 wins at Flexion
Investment News
Square Enix steps further into Web3 and NFT gaming with HyperPlay investment
While the exact amount of the investment amount remains undisclosed, HyperPlay will use the funds to expand and scale its game store
Monster Metrics
Monster Hunter Now is actually BEATING Pokémon Go in these key metrics…
Monster Hunter Now may have a smaller audience, but that audience is more monetised
Strategic Partnerships
GameAnalytics and Xsolla team up to simplify direct-to-consumer game sales
GameAnalytics founder Morten E. Wulff says, "Together, we're setting a new standard for game monetization."
Jobs News
Mobile Movers: All the latest appointments and job moves from around the industry
Moving and shaking - there's new roles at Supercell, Keywords Studios, Microsoft, Griffin Gaming Partners, AdInMo and The Games Fund
This Means War
Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile ready for battle with 50 million players on board
The latest CoD is ready to drop on March 21 with a record-breaking number of pre-registrations set to make it the biggest mobile launch of the year
Advertising Advice
Mobile Ad Masterclass: How to select the best ad format for your game
AdQuantum Design’s creative production director Ivan Razmakhov gives his tips on producing mobile game advertising that delivers results
Gaming Trends
Could jobs platform LinkedIn be on the brink of getting into games?
LinkedIn is rumoured to be developing on-platform gaming experiences, drawing inspiration from the puzzle craze that propelled games like Wordle
Gaming Glory
Hybridcasual generates 800% more revenue per user than hypercasual
Adjust and AppLovin’s The Gaming App Insights Report highlights hybridcasual’s impressive year after analysis of the top 5,000 gaming apps
Deconstruction
Game Analysis: Deconstructing Jelly Run 2048 - Boosting rewarded ads and retention with a new meta
Azur Games producer, Milana Gelmanova breaks down Jelly Run 2048 and how one mechanic worked magic for the game's metrics
Safety & Integrity
Keywords, Active Fence, Take This, and Modulate create Gaming Safety Coalition
Bolstering the safety and integrity of online video game communities.
Dont Miss Dubai
10 reasons to attend gaming's can't-miss networking event in Dubai
From indie showcases to investor meetings, don't miss these unmatched chances to elevate your game
Investment News
Cloud gaming's Gamestream secures €4.5m in funding to fuel growth
Co-founder and president Ivan Lebeau says, "Few people can afford to buy a console, and even fewer can afford games for €70 each."
Tax Free
Turkish game studios don’t pay tax as government supports burgeoning industry
Games from Turkiye head of advisory board Tugbek Olek outlines Turkey's tax incentives to support its growing games industry at Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco
Mena Market
Sandsoft’s CEO David Fernandez Remesal discusses company expansion, growth in the MENA region and beating the stigma of mobile gaming
“The games industry is the largest and deepest entertainment form, and, as such, we need to do more to be considered in the same way as our counterparts in the larger entertainment industry.”
Organic Opportunities
SuperScale's ebook serves organic growth tips, making mobile games more sustainable
Longevity is a rarity in the mobile gaming space with 83% of games not making it to their three year anniversary
Ai Law
Copyright doesn’t exist for generative AI-created content in the US but it remains the "Wild West"
Lee & Hayes attorney Ethan Vodde discusses where things stand for copyright and why court cases are needed to develop the law
Pgc San Francisco
Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco kicks off two day conference featuring Scopely, Netflix, King, Wizards of the Coast and more!
Conference takes place from March 18th to 19th
Roblox Ramps Up
Roblox’s Avatar Auto Setup and Texture Generator are the latest AI tools for the 3D space
Roblox reveals two AI-powered tools at GDC
Multiplatform Multiplayer
Multiplatform and multiplayer games overtake single format and single player
Unity’s 2024 Gaming Report reveals a rise in multiplatform development and with a focus on multiplayer
There Can Be Only One
Analytics firm Sensor Tower has just bought rival, Data.ai
The move essentially gives Sensor Tower a clean sweep in the app analytics space
Profit Power
Huuuge Games' profits up 35.1% in 2023 despite falling revenue and DAU
Revenue was down 11% but cost cutting measures helped Huuuge achieve another year of rising profits
Podcast
Innogames’ Deniz Kekeç on building long-lasting relationships with narrative marketing | Podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team and guests give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode…
Retention Vs Revenue
In-app purchases decline but ad revenues is up 26.7% despite falling player retention
Unity’s 2024 Gaming Report finds retention rates and IAPs are down, but there's still plenty of room to make money
Powering Prototypes
Game development time slowed in 2023 despite AI tech, but 71% celebrate its strengths
Unity’s Gaming Report 2024 reveals a slowdown from 218 days to 304 in average development
Going Digital
Mattel’s Mike DeLaet on their big push into games and why the focus is mobile
“We are focused on mobile platforms and will be working very hard to create some of the most entertaining and engaging products on the market.”
Hot Five
Hot Five: Monopoly GO’s next-level UA, Supercell’s psychological analysis, and AI use for NPC dialogue
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Marketing Strategies
Open World launches Game Dev Division for market strategies and support
CEO Josh Swartz says, “What we ultimately want to do is to offer publishers and studios a turnkey solution."
Vision 2030
Savvy Games Group unveils strategic vision in new leadership video
CEO Brian Ward says, “Savvy Games Group is on a fast track to be one of the leading players in games and entertainment anywhere in the world."
Podcast | Episode 03
Inside Supercell's new development structure and TikTok's potential US ban | 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 03…
Pgc San Francisco
Learn how you could use AI in game development at PG Connects San Francisco
Explore AI's role in game development, to enhance player experiences, optimize performance, and efficiently create dynamic, immersive virtual worlds
Week That Was
Week in Views - The return of M&A, killing your darlings and Monopoly WHOA!
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories