Acqusitions
GameStop submits $55bn bid to acquire eBay
Ryan Cohen set to lead combined company if deal closes
New Offerings
Unity launches open beta for Unity AI game development tools
The new system is built directly into the Unity Editor
New Partnerships
Starbreeze partners with Gamefam for new Payday game on Roblox
The title is scheduled to launch later this year
Funding News
Chance Studios raises $3.2M for trading card collectibles platform
Platform surpassed $100,000 in daily trading volume during beta
Funding News
Turkish mobile studio Mindtail raises $2m for AI-driven puzzle games
The studio aims to triple its team size after the funding round
Epic Release
Epic Games Store launches on iPhone in Japan
Japanese iPhone users can now download Fortnite directly from Epic
Acqusitions
Pearl Abyss sells EVE Online studio CCP Games to management in $120m deal
The company acquired CCP Games for $425m in 2018
Partnership Extension
Star Wars expands in Fortnite with official creator tools and new experiences
Fortnite players can access new Star Wars PvP, co-op and tycoon games
Top 30
Xsolla partners with PocketGamer.biz for regional Top Game Maker reports
We’ll be celebrating the top developers and publishers across the UK, Nordics, Europe, China, Southeast Asia, MENA and more
Awards
What The Clash? wins Best Mobile Game at Gamescom LATAM BIG Festival Awards
Poti Poti Studio’s Is This Seat Taken? takes home the Best Casual Game accolade
Ho Chi Minh Mixer
EnJoyPay and Pocket Gamer announce global game developer mixer in Ho Chi Minh City
The event is designed for teams expanding into Southeast Asia, those navigating global payment policy changes, or developers exploring official web-shop integrations
Leadership Change
Jam City co-founder Joshua Yguado steps down as CEO after 16 years
Kabam CEO Chul-min Sim will serve as chief executive of both companies following his appointment
New Offerings
Roblox reveals hybrid architecture for photorealistic multiplayer worlds
“This architecture will empower creators of all sizes”
Pocket Performance
Pokémon TCG Pocket makes $1.6bn in 1.5 years
Pokémon’s fastest billion-dollar maker on mobile celebrates 1.5 years today
Pokemon Partnership
Pokémon Go teams up with LEGO for Go Fest 2026 in Copenhagen
The partnership ties into Pokémon Go’s 10-year anniversary celebrations
New Offerings
GameMaker launches new runtime to enable larger-scale development workflows
Source access and 3D upgrades expand the engine’s capabilities
Game Closure
Kakao Games to shut down Eversoul after three years of service
Shutdown process underway with purchases already disabled
New Offerings
Ares Interactive and AMC reveal free-to-play Walking Dead roguelite for mobile
Swift Games, the studio behind Heroes vs Hordes is handling development
Pocket Gamer Mixer
Get insight on the growing Vietnam game scene at our networking Mixer
Join us in Ho Chi Minh City for the Pocket Gamer Mixer in association with EnJoyPay on May 8th
Game Set And Tennis Clash
Game, set, match: Roland-Garros eSeries returns for 2026 as global eTennis dominance grows
Laure Valée will host the final stage of Roland-Garros eSeries by Renault 2026
Pgc Summit MalmÖ
Sony, Embark, Landfall Games, Raw Fury and more bring expert insight to PG Connects Summit Malmö
Learn from the brightest minds in Sweden’s games industry, funding experts and game makers
Gamescom Latam
Brazil wants to produce games, not just consume them as Gamescom LATAM 2026 kicks off
Event kicks off for its third year as part of Gamescom to welcome tens of thousands of consumers and business professionals
Apple Troubles
US Appeals Court reverses Apple's stay of mandate in Epic Games case
Epic Games calls ruling the end of Apple’s delay tactics
Dma Review
EU's Digital Markets Act has "not yet reached its full potential"
Cloud and AI markets are next in the Commission's enforcement crosshairs
Stillfront Stats
Stillfront’s net revenue declines 14% to $143.9m, but Big Farm: Homestead drives organic growth
Stillfront significantly reduced investment in games outside its "key franchises"
Unionisation
Magic: The Gathering Arena team unionises under CWA
Workers are demanding protections on layoffs, AI adoption and remote work
Market Growth
UK studios face heavier workloads as 62% report pressure from skill shortages
TIGA calls for stronger education and policy alignment in new report
Milestone
Ludus surpasses 10m downloads as new Divisions system drives competitive play
Ludus records 74.6% year-over-year revenue growth
Acqusitions
Atari acquires Implicit Conversions to expand retro game preservation efforts
The deal expands emulation capabilities particularly for 32-bit era games
Cafes Incoming
Square Enix confirms official cafe and shops for Los Angeles and Shinjuku
The venues will feature themed food and drinks inspired by multiple game franchises
Going Public
Modern Times Group's PlaySimple files for $350m IPO in Mumbai
The Swedish firm will retain majority ownership post-listing
Milestone
Torn RPG surpasses 100,000 daily players after 22 years of growth
The game’s daily player count has more than doubled since early 2024
Vietnam Vitality
Over 50% of Vietnam population plays mobile games as MMORPGs and 4X dominate spending
Vietnamese mobile gamers spent $825m in 2025, averaging 2.5 hours of daily playtime
Cloud Coins
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy makes $6.7m in first month
Cloud Strife and other fan favourites are appearing in Square Enix’s new gacha
Company Rebrand
Test Tropic rebrands to Tropic QA as company targets global expansion
The move signals expanded capabilities and a more global-facing strategy
Industry Outlook
Germany's games company count hits 956 but total employees fall for the second consecutive year
Funding programmes helped drive the creation of 75 new studios
Legal Proceedings
Papaya Gaming ordered to pay $420m in landmark false advertising verdict
Verdict marks largest Lanham Act award in history
Funding News
Metasports Interactive secures $20m non-dilutive user acquisition funding
Capital will be used to scale marketing and global user acquisition
New Offerings
Finland confirms stock option tax reform aimed at strengthening startup talent competition
Tax now applies only when shares are sold, not when options are exercised
Layoff News
Behaviour Interactive confirms layoffs amid declining external development demand
Declining mobile and casual development work cited as key driver of layoffs
Podcast | Episode 90
Tim Cook's Apple legacy | 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 90...
Next Stage Game Challenge
Supercent launches Next Stage Game Challenge, open to all mobile games worldwide
“NEXT STAGE is designed to give both new prototypes and live games the opportunity to scale globally through Supercent’s publishing capabilities”
Strategic Move
Microsoft says Xbox mobile store “not dead” despite stalled rollout
Xbox also outlined a new strategy in a recent blog post
Game Closure
Niantic Spatial to shut down Peridot mobile as AR ambitions shift beyond smartphones
The game will be removed from app stores on May 14th
Acqusitions
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount Skydance merger
The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2026
Funding News
PvX raises $10.5m as user acquisition financing scales
The firm has now committed over $750m in user acquisition financing
Layoff News
Meta to reportedly cut 8,000 jobs as AI spending surges to $135bn
Hiring freezes will leave thousands of roles unfilled
Origin Spending
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin nears $10m in one month on mobile
Netmarble’s gacha RPG is expected to launch new content updates every three weeks
Regulations
Türkiye passes sweeping digital law restricting social media access for under 15s
Meanwhile, foreign gaming platforms with over 100,000 daily Turkish users must now appoint a local representative
Regulations
India launches Online Gaming Authority with strict compliance mandates from May 2026
Online money games are explicitly barred from recognition as esports under Indian law