Best Of Mena
Discover the PocketGamer.biz MENA Top 30 Game Makers 2022 list
Our exclusive rundown of the best game makers in the region will be revealed on December 1st in Riyadh
Interview
Niantic’s director of production on the AR leader’s history and development
Kellee Santiago discusses the company’s mission to help players explore the world together
Opinion
33% of puzzle gamers view ads positively but 43% will quit if they’re too prevalent: how can game makers hit the sweet spot?
Advertising offers both boons and risks to game makers
New Studio
New studio Playgig launches with $10.85m in seed funding and possible MOBA IP
According to the announcement, the company will be releasing cross-platform games, starting with an initial title called “Mystic Kingdom”
Interview
Miniclip CEO Saad Choudri discusses the history and future of one of the biggest names in mobile gaming
“I think it will be more challenging to penetrate the top positions which will be dominated by a handful of large studios."
Mobile Miniclip
Miniclip CEO Saad Choudri believes that mobile will remain the dominant gaming platform for another decade
“We’ve always followed where players go and the players are going to mobile”
Rollout
Google Play on PC indicates move into an all in one screen model for mobile games
Google Play on PC has expanded further, to countries like the United States and Mexico, with positive feedback from players. So why would someone want to put mobile games on PC?
Track Rundown
Prepare for 2023 with essential expert advice on UA at Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan!
PG Connects is coming to Jordan this November 12th to 13th – don’t miss securing your ticket for the conference today!
Last Chance To Save
Prices for PG Connects Jordan are rising at midnight tonight! Now is your last chance to save up to £140 on your ticket
Don’t miss your chance to save up to £140 on your ticket to PG Connects Jordan this November 12th to 13th – prices are rising in just a few hours!
Lacking Licences
October saw the return of no new game licences in China for the first time in six months
But concerns of another licence freeze may be overly hasty
Canadian Market
52.3% of Canadian gamers play games on mobile devices - more than any other platform
Android sees the bulk of installs across the top five games
Investment
GXC subsidiary Global Top Round to launch M&A department
The GXC subsidiary Global Top Round will launch a mergers and acquisitions department to deal with exits, fundraising and acquisition.
Track Rundown
What does the future of monetisation look like? Hear from top experts at Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan!
PG Connects is coming to Jordan this November 12th to 13th – don’t miss saving up to £140 on your conference ticket if you sign up before midnight tonight!
Angry Birds Of A Feather
Rovio has 10 new games in the pipeline, and a cross-platform Angry Birds is one of them
Angry Birds Next will feature multiplayer and cross-platform play
App Additions
Google Meet now lets you play UNO whilst you wait to connect
Google meets now allows attendees to play UNO! during meetings, is it just an interesting way to waste time or an ingenious addition?
PokÉmon Prize
The winners of upcoming Pokémon Unite tournament will receive one of biggest prize pools in the game’s history in India
Pokémon Unite India Open 2022 is taking place across India in partnership with The Pokémon Company
User Acquisition
Marvel Snap’s UA is good, but could be so much better says industry analysis
Analysis of Marvel Snap, the new CCG app from developer Second Dinner, has praised its UA but said there’s much more to do.
Google Report
New Google report suggests a delicate balance when it comes to in-game advertising
33 percent of gamers react positively to in-game advertising, but 43 percent quit a game with too many ads
Presenting Plans
Square Enix’s latest financial report reinforces company focus on blockchain gaming
President and representative director Yosuke Matsuda outlines plans for blockchain, HD games, and international growth
State Of Stream
State of Stream: Mobile dominates stream charts in emerging markets, with Garena Free Fire topping charts on two platforms
Hours viewed shrank on both YouTube and Twitch this month
Results Revealed
EA’s Q2 financial results reveal $1.44 billion gross profit, with full games only contributing a fraction
Live services represent large share of company revenue
Hires
Kim Meltzer joins Mobile Global Esports Inc
A veteran of the industry, Kim Meltzer, who has worked directly and indirectly in esports for more than ten years, has joined Mobile Global Esports Inc
Financial Report
Sega Sammy celebrates a 15.6 percent increase in Net Sales, with Sonic the Hedgehog passing a milestone 1.5 billion units sold
The group’s latest financial statement delves into the company’s success, including its mobile interests
Founders And Fellowships
Warwickshire College and University Centre awards Kwalee founder David Darling with a Fellowship
Kwalee’s catalogue of mobile games has more than 900 million installs
Case Study
Lay’s see huge success of intrinsic ads in partnership with Anzu
Lay’s partnered with Eskimi and Anzu.io to integrate a short, six second ad into mobile games in Latvia to promote their snacks, seeing huge success
New Studio
Ex Niantic staff Alexia Mandeville and Bo Boghosian form new indie studio Bodeville Games
Bodeville is fully self-funded and currently working on multiple narrative-driven games.
Studio Formation
Wildlife Studios unveils new affiliate 8-Bit Bandits, led by industry vets
The new affiliate will be led by Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! veterans Stephen Jarret and Robert Woodburn
Publishing Partnership
Jagex and Titan Publishing partnering to create RuneScape comics & books
The partnership between RuneScape publisher Jagex, and Titan Publishing, will include graphic novels, comics, literature and colouring books
Studio Closure
Embracer Group shutters the newly acquired Studio Onoma
The studio, formerly Square Enix Montreal, was acquired earlier this year
Road To Riyadh
Get an exclusive look at the stellar speakers and unmissable content of our inaugural PGC Leaders Summit Riyadh
Learn a bit more about what we have in store for you at our PG Connects Leader Summit Riyadh this November 30 - December 1
Hiring
Creta brings on former Street Fighter designer, Yoshiki Okamoto
Yoshiki Okamoto, one of the designers behind series such as Street Fighter II and mobile game Monster Strike, is joining Creta
Guest Post
LifeStreet CEO Levi Matkins on converting players to payers in a post-IDFA world
Working with a specialised DSP is more important than ever for companies looking to scale
Job News
Apple hires two of Playdeo’s three co-founders as the company continues its push into mixed reality
The hiring adds credence to rumours that the company is developing a VR headset to be released in January
Advertising Analysis
Intrinsic ads are viewed more fondly by gamers, and may be more effective than interstitial ads
Intrinsic ads, adverts that are integrated seamlessly into a game world, are preferred by players and are possibly more effective than interstitial ads at advertising companies products
New Studio
Netease announces new studio led by former Resident Evil & Devil May Cry producer
Called GPTRACK50, the new studio represents a massive step from mobile into the console & PC markets for Netease
Deal Closed
Room 8 Group closes acquisition of Brazil-based creative studio PUGA Studios
The acquisition was first announced in April as part of the company’s goal to enhance its global presence
Pr And Communications
Embracer Freemode forms new in-house PR team stacked with industry vets
Embracer Freemode today announced that they were forming a new in-house PR team stacked with industry veterans to support the companies within their group
New Acquisition
Netflix expands gaming arm with addition of indie studio Spry Fox
The Seattle-based developer is the sixth under the Netflix Umbrella
Esports Academy
Discover all you need to know about the competitive gaming scene at Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan
Get unbeatable insight into the opportunities and the future of the esports gaming market
Meet Your Match
Don’t miss your chance to take your career to the next level with Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan’s matchmaking opportunities!
Register for our unmissable matchmaking opportunities before time runs out, the deadline is coming up!
Market Analysis
Mobile was a “turning point” for Turkish gaming says DGM at Technopark
A report from the Turkish Investment Office details the growth of the gaming market in Türkiye and its roots in mobile
Time To Network
MeetToMatch is now LIVE for Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan! Start networking today
Start making new business connections and scheduling your meetings well ahead of conference time – our MeetToMatch scheduling platform is now LIVE!
New Partnership
Hypercasual developer Tapnation partners with Ternoa on blockchain prizes
Players can win Ternoa's blockchain currency, Capsule Coin, as prizes
Hires
Jetsynthesys hires Krafton's ex-Head of Corporate Development
Anuj Tandon, previously Head of Corporate Development for India and MENA with Krafton, has been brought on as CEO of Gaming at Jetsynthesys
Tiktok
TikTok shows game companies that “TikTok makes them play it” in new virtual event
Bytedance announce “TikTok made me play it”, an event to push the social media app's use in game promotions
Mobile Dominance
The world’s top 10 game companies made $126 billion in 2021 from software, with mobile leading the charge
Tencent came out on top with $33 billion, three quarters of which came from mobile
Chinese Market
Chinese mobile market revenue to decline for first time in two decades
China’s lucrative mobile sector, has been forecast to decline for the first time in twenty years
Developer Insight
Dodreams CEO: “In-play ads offer long-term stability and creative opportunity”
Dodreams CEO Erik Pöntiskoski tells us how his gaming studio has embraced in-play ad formats, and why mobile games are the perfect place for advertisers to connect with their audience
Japanese Market
Hypercasual games dominate Japan’s charts by installs, but struggle to engage players
Mobile gaming is on the rise in the home of video gaming
Financial Report
Ubisoft’s mobile wing is key to the company’s success, suggests financial report
The company hopes the upcoming Rainbow Six Mobile will accelerate its expansion into mobile-first markets