Patents
Japan rejects Nintendo’s attempt to patent the creature-capturing mechanic found in Pokémon
The rejection followed a third-party submission of prior art that claimed Nintendo’s filing “lacked an inventive step”
New Studio
Fall Guys veterans form new UK studio Panic Stations to create physics-based co-op games
The six-member team plans to release multiple titles each year, with their first project reveal coming soon
Expansions
Xsolla becomes resident of Azerbaijan’s Technopark as it plots local industry investment
The move strengthens Azerbaijan’s digital ecosystem with Xsolla’s global games commerce platform
Major Shift
Google Play injunction can "transform Android game economics"
Tech giant forced to allow alternative payment systems in the US until 2027 under court ruling in Epic Games case
Market Growth
India’s games and interactive media sector projected to hit $7.7bn by 2030
Bitkraft Ventures report claims in-app purchases are set to grow sixfold within five years despite real-money gaming ban that had powered the market's rise
Buyout Concerns
CWA urges federal review of $55bn PIF-led EA buyout
CWA President Claude Cummings Jr warned the deal could harm workers, consumers, and the wider US games industry
Service Disruption
Microsoft Azure global service outage impacts Minecraft and Xbox services worldwide
The Windows company said an accidental configuration change triggered the global disruption
Busted
Supercell will shut down Squad Busters next year
Decision marks the first time ever the famous Finnish studio has closed a live game
Pocket Power
Pokémon TCG Pocket dethrones Pokémon Go as it celebrates first anniversary and $1.3bn
The digital card game had the most lucrative first year of any mobile Pokémon game
Cracked Open
US Google Play store opens up to alternative payments in boost for DTC
Injunction will run until November 1st, 2027
Company Buyout
AppsFlyer reportedly nearing a $3bn buyout
Four investment funds have entered the final bidding stage
Layoff News
Amazon to cut around 14,000 corporate jobs including roles in its games division
Tech giant claims it wants to operate like the world's largest startup as it axes staff
Soft Launch
Fingersoft soft-launches Hill Climb Racing 3
Sequel to popular series is available on Google Play in the UK, Norway, Sweden and Finland
New Offerings
Saudi Arabia launches Riyadh Season-themed entertainment experiences on Roblox
Developed with UGC creator The Gang, the experience brings Boulevard City and Boulevard World to life in Roblox
Milestone
Honor of Kings surpasses 260m global MAUs
The Chinese server now sees over 139 million DAUs, up from 100m in 2024
Make-a-wish
Steer Studios joins Make-A-Wish International’s Infinite Wishes Initiative to help grant wishes for children
Donations were unlocked through player activity in Steer’s debut mobile game Grunt Rush
Diamond Sponsor
GeeMee shines as diamond sponsor of the Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea
Leading ad tech company GeeMee expands its global footprint, powering the future of game monetisation at the debut Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Korea.
Layoff News
Report: Amazon plans to cut up to 30,000 corporate jobs
The layoffs will affect around 10% of corporate staff across HR, operations, devices, and AWS
Milestone
Pokémon TCG Pocket surpasses 150m downloads in under a year
New anniversary updates aim to make card collecting more accessible
Age Verification
Google is rolling out age verification on the Play Store
The rollout will vary by region, with some areas exempt from verification requirements
New Offerings
Monument Valley 3 returns to Android and iOS this December
The Garden of Life expansion launches the same day across mobile, console, and PC
Milestone
The Battle of Polytopia surpasses 25m downloads on mobile
The milestone follows steady updates including weekly challenges and new skins
Pgc Aqaba
Meet the sponsors at Pocket Gamer Connects Aqaba
Connect with the outstanding companies powering the next b2b games event in MENA, November 8th-9th
Pgc London 2026
Meet and learn from global experts at the biggest Pocket Gamer Connects London yet
Introducing the first of over 280 speakers coming to PG Connects London 2026
Shadowy Start
Fire Emblem Shadows makes less than $200,000 in 30 days
Fire Emblem Heroes generated $51.4 million in its first month in 2017
Game Closures Incoming
Up to 40 games at risk as Stillfront net revenue falls 17%
Net revenue was $464.3m over the first nine months of 2025, down from $541.9m in the same time last year
Boat Game
Supercell’s Boat Game sets sail for second alpha test
Could Boat Game be Supercell's next global release?
Studio Closure
Netflix shuts down Boss Fight studio behind Squid Game Unleashed
Both Netflix Stories and Squid Game Unleashed remain playable
Apple Troubles
Apple faces up to $2bn damages after UK court rules against its App Store practices
Case represents millions of iPhone and iPad users in the UK
Milestone
Resident Evil Survival Unit surpasses 2m pre-registrations worldwide
The total includes combined sign-ups from the App Store and Google Play across multiple regions
Investment News
Sensor Tower secures new investment for generative AI insights
Market intelligence firm aims to fuel its genAI ambitions with new capital
Chat App
Scopely releases Monopoly Go Chat app
After amassing $5 billion and millions of players, the publisher looks to expand on the mobile game's blockbuster success
Soft Launch
Rovio soft-launches Angry Birds Match World
Famous mobile IP returns to match-3 with latest release
New Partnerships
Sega signs MoU with Media City Qatar to tailor games for Arab audiences
The partnership will support local talent, production, and Arabic localisation across Sega’s global titles
Revamped Offering
Amazon relaunches Luna with beginner-friendly multiplayer games designed for social play
The new GameNight collection adds over 25 local multiplayer titles for friends and family
New Partnerships
Stability AI and EA partner to co-develop generative AI tools for game creation
The collaboration aims to improve creative workflows, enabling faster prototyping and visual storytelling
Strategic Move
MTG’s ownership of its own shares exceeds 5% of total voting rights
The repurchase program runs through May 2026 under authorisation from the 2025 AGM
New Offerings
AdInMo launches player-first hybrid monetisation tech as a new SaaS platform for mobile developers
The tool supports player lifetime value by predicting and integrating relevant ad opportunities during gameplay
Funding For Games
South Australia launches new Digital Games Fund offering up to $100,000 for local developers
Grants will help studios progress from prototype to final release
Sonic Slowdown
Sonic Rumble braces for new November 5th release date
The Sega title was previously expected on May 8th, but was pushed back last minute
Podcast | Episode 69
The big AWS crash and Google delays Android regulation | 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 69...
Market Status
CMA designates Apple and Google with strategic market status on mobile
The designation gives the CMA new powers to ensure fair competition across mobile ecosystems
Unity Dtc
Unity gets into DTC with cross-platform "unified digital stores"
The update streamlines monetisation and live operations across mobile, web and PC
New Partnerships
Gadsme teams up with Zynga to bring immersive in-game ads to select titles
The integration blends ads into gameplay while supporting engagement and revenue
Accelerator Programme
Xsolla and Scaffold Institute launch accelerator to help studios grow and monetise games
The 12-week programme guides developers in building a playable demo and publisher-ready pitch deck
Closed Beta Coming
HoYoverse’s Petit Planet entering closed beta on November 7th
The life sim will be made available in closed beta on PC and iOS
Xbox Discovery Day
Don't miss Xbox Discovery Day at PGC Aqaba next month
Connect with ID@Xbox in person for practical insights into every stage of the development journey
Pgc Dubai
MENA region is open to global IPs but players want games "made for them"
Niko Partners analyst Mohamed Zaher spoke at the PGC Dubai GameExpo Summit 2025 about trends, stats and investment outlooks in the MENA region
Feedback
Have your say: Consultation for the EU's Digital Fairness Act ends on October 24th
The European Commission is currently taking feedback on the proposed regulations
Company Restructure
Ubisoft RedLynx eyes 60 job cuts
Helsinki studio will shift focus to mobile development