Coming To Your City
Jam City expands executive team to broaden F2P portfolio
Lisa Anderson promoted to executive vice president, will oversee all F2P activities, as well as former King and Playtika leads, Brent Blazek and Dan Lipa
Unmissable Sessions
Take your business to the next level at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto! The jam-packed conference schedule is now LIVE!
We’ve unveiled the star-studded schedule for Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto – don’t miss your chance to hear from top companies like Google, Netflix and Electronic Arts this July.
Track Rundown
Learn the secret sauce to a successful multiplayer game at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto
Join us in Toronto this July 6-7 for our first-ever PG Connects conference in this diverse, bustling city! You can take advantage of our Mid-Term ticket pricing for a limited time.
Audio In
Mobile gaming audio tech startup Odeeo receives $9 million, becomes DAX’s sales partner
Odeeo co-founder Amit Monheit speaks with PocketGamer.biz on the unrealised potential of the mobile games industry for advertisers
Spending On Subscriptions
Liftoff and AppsFlyer report considers untapped potential in subscription-model mobile games
11% of subscription-model apps are games
European Expansion
Wargaming opens new studios in Poland and Serbia
Officially pulled out of Russia and Belarus
Predicting And Projecting
Sensor Tower: player spending on mobile games reaching $117 billion by 2026
Apps to outpace games in terms of spending, but gaming predicted to remain the largest individual category.
Invest In Ai
Candy Crush creator King acquires AI software company Peltarion
Activision Blizzard subsidiary aims to become a ‘game AI hub’ in the gaming industry
Browser Bash
Google and Apple’s mobile browser dominance investigated by UK regulator
UK competition regulator announces plans to take action against the tech giants' hold over browsers and cloud gaming
Financial Findings
Netmarble’s Q1 2022 results show 43% fall in EBITDA year-over-year
Casual games found to be Netmarble’s most lucrative genre
Next Netflix Games
The Queen’s Gambit mobile game and more announced during Netflix’s Geeked Week
Working with developers such as Ripstone, Nanobit, and Chimera Entertainment
Track Rundown
Level up your financial strategies at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto
Join us in Toronto this July 6-7 for our first-ever PG Connects conference in this diverse, bustling city! You can take advantage of our Mid-Term ticket pricing for a limited time.
Virtually Join Us
Can’t make it to Toronto? Join us from the comfort of your own home with a virtual ticket!
Take advantage of our extended Early Bird sale and enjoy a discounted virtual ticket! You can access all the value of PG Connects Toronto without ever leaving your couch.
Muesse To Lead
Andy Muesse to lead Rovio’s global game studios
Muesse to lead the company's global game studios in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Canada
New To Netflix
Desta: The Memories Between announced in Netflix partnership
A new title in partnership between ustwo and Netflix
Subscription Success
GameRefinery: creative battle pass implementation found in 60% of the top grossing mobile games
Gacha and battle pass elements are integrating into many genres
Google It
Google: only 16% of mobile gamers want NFT-based games
Player base split on engagement with in-game ads, motivation to start mobile titles, and NFT-based games of little interest
Eclipsing Events
E3 rivalled as Geoff Keighley confirms physical Summer Game Fest for 2023
Next Summer Game Fest announced to be digital and in-person
Summer Games Fest
HoYoverse holds the ground for mobile representation at the Summer Game Fest
Trailers for Zenless Zone Zero and Honkai Star Rail
Last Chance To Save
LAST CHANCE: Save up to $350 CAD on your Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto ticket!
You can save up to $350 CAD on your PG Connects Toronto ticket if you buy before midnight tonight, don’t miss out.
Going Global
Honor of Kings global mobile launch confirmed for 2022
Honor of Kings is confirmed to be coming to launching globally later this year on mobile.
Polish Expansion
Amber to open Polish studio following 56% revenue growth
Studio to be headed by game designer Greg Ciach
Stakes And Shares
Saudi Arabia acquires 8.1% of Embracer Group with $1 billion stake
Via subsidiary Savvy Gaming Group
Html5
Playable Factory announces launch of HTML5 service for mobile games studios
H5 Games will support mobile devs without the experience, ability, or funding to create HTML5 titles
Big Bid
Meta Audience Network bidding hits Appodeal Stack
Appodeal Stack integrates Meta Audience Network making it available to all app creators in its Growth Platform
Do Cross The Streams
Stream Hatchet Brands launched to track 2,300 brands on streaming platforms
Logo detection and chat analysis used to identify media value
Growing Into Germany
iCandy sets sights on the metaverse with a 60% stake in Flying Sheep Studios
Total consideration for the stake is $2.14 million
Developer Deals
Keywords Studios enters conditional $32.5 million acquisition of Forgotten Empires
Maximum value of the acquisition, with initial cash consideration of $15.75 million
May Merriment
Apex Legends Mobile and Ni No Kuni boost US mobile performance in May, GameRefinery finds
Report analyses mobile sectors in US, Japan, and China
New Adventures
The leading global games industry conference is returning to Helsinki – join us there this September!
Pocket Gamer Connects is making a grand return to Finland this fall. Mark your calendars and book your tickets today to secure the lowest price possible!
Regulatory Reversal
China approves 60 more games in 2022
58 titles approved by the National Press and Publication Administration are explicitly mobile games, in continuation of regulatory reversal
All About Indies
Calling all indies developers! Here’s how you can take your game to the next level at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto
Read up on why you, a super talented indie developer looking to level up, need to be at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto this July.
Environmental Events
MAG hosts reforestation initiative in third consecutive Playing for the Planet appearance
In-game events themed around reforestation developed at Green Game Jam
This Is Not Fair Use Of Fortnite
Fortnite cryptocurrency “a scam”, states Epic’s Tim Sweeney
Fortnite Token’s clear visual connection with the battle royale invokes ire of Epic Games CEO, stating “Epic’s lawyers are on it”
A Wealth Of Winners
Apple Design Awards 2022 crown six mobile game winners from inclusivity to innovation
Marvel Future Revolution, Star Wars: Castaways, Overboard!, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, Wylde Flowers, and A Musical Story awarded at the annual celebration of design
Director Deluge
Annapurna Interactive makes multiple hires to internal development studio
Helmed by game director Chelsea Hash, the new additions – Brett Lajzer, Evan Hembacher, and Cosimo Galluzzi – will push forward with an unannounced project
Wwdc
Apple unveils iOS 16, but no substantive games updates
WWDC keynote is low on games announcements, but new Metal 3 API coming to iPadOS 16 and family sharing of Apple Arcade subscriptions
Apple Core Out
Apple Arcade’s senior team keeps shrinking
Apple Arcade execs Mark Bozon and Kathy Astromoff leave to pursue very divergent paths
Prospering Pikachu
Pokémon GO celebrates lifetime player spending of $6 billion
Sensor Tower data reveals the game has averaged $1 billion per year since launch
Supercharged
Exclusive: Supercell breaks ground with first investment in NFT gaming
Oxalis Games has raised $4.5 million in a seed round led by Blocore and including Supercell, Animoca Brands, and Sir Ian Livingstone
Committing To Casual
Turkish mobile puzzle games developer Cypher Games raises $3.2 million
Investment will be used to expand the team sixfold, open a new office in Berlin, and create the firm's first casual title
Co-development Deal
Mighty Kingdom and Lion Studios partner to develop unnamed title
Partnering for 12 months of co-development
How To Say "welcome" In Simlish
Playstack acquires Magic Fuel Games, reunites EA veterans
The deal brings Magic Fuel's exec team, including Kevin Shrapnell, together with Playstack CEO Harvey Elliot, following previous collaboration on the SimCity franchise
Apple And Apps
68% of mobile games devs find marketing more difficult following Apple ATT
Tenjin and Growth FullStack speak to PocketGamer.biz on their latest report which states 99% of developers plan to use alternative Android stores this year
Esports Everywhere
Toronto’s the up-and-coming esports capital of the world – join us there to learn all about it firsthand!
Esports are taking over the world, join us at PG Connects Toronto to learn how to get in on this growing industry.
News
Update: Lawsuit alleges Activision Blizzard sexual harassment led to employee suicide
Lawsuit alleges “wanted sexual harassment” in a “hostile, intimidating, offensive, oppressive, and abusive” workplace
4dww
Hutch begins four-day working week trial
Mobile games developer Hutch has now begun its four-day working week trial, as part of a pilot organised by 4 Day Week Global.
Tracks On Tracks On Tracks
Explore the hottest industry topics at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto, July 6-7
Get all the details on our upcoming Toronto conference’s 15 tracks, and take advantage of our Early Bird discount to save up to $350 on your conference ticket!
Celebrating And Saving
It’s time to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee! Get 30% off your Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto ticket for a limited time only
You have five days to take advantage of this incredible flash sale – don’t wait to enjoy 30% off your PG Connects Toronto ticket.
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Wizards of the Coast’s John Eberhardt on the importance of a wide a variety of perspectives in the game making process
Get to know the thought leaders of Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto, June 6-7