New Partnerships
The9 and Qing Cheng partner to dominate China’s lower-tier mobile games market
The9 will hold a 51% stake in the joint venture while Qing Cheng will own 49%.
Meta Contest
Meta launches $50 million Creator Fund as it shifts focus to mobile content
The company is also introducing its first creator competition of the year
Company Restructure
Unity cut workforce to 4,987 staff in 2024 at cost of $214m
Game engine and ads firm also appears to have closed 23 offices last year
Podcast | Episode 43
NetEase scales back, Jam City agrees Ludia sale, and why Savvy wants Pokémon Go | 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 43...
Shares Surge
Unity shares rally 36% after earnings beat and new AI-powered ads platform
Unity’s market cap currently sits at $11.68bn, compared to rival AppLovin's $146.42bn
Mobile Growth
Bilibili's mobile game revenue soars 79% in Q4 sparking company's first-ever profitable quarter
2024 release San Guo: Mou Ding Tian Xia leads the charge in growing games business
Financials
Hasbro gaming segment grows 22% as Monopoly Go adds $112 million to revenue in 2024
Total company sales declined 17% Y/Y to $4.1 billion
Very Big Indie Pitch
Hero brawler Battle Bears Heroes wins The Very Big Indie Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2024
We revisit last year's winners ahead of the next Stateside edition at PGC San Francisco's return this March 17th and 18th 2025
Investment News
Good Job Games Secures investment from Menlo Ventures
The investment raises Good Job Games’ valuation to over $100 million
Shutting Down
Amazon App Store to close on Android
Marketplace will still be available on Amazon devices in future
Gaming Trends
Ukie proposes 53% tax relief for small game studios in the UK
The trade body said reforming the VGEC could generate nearly 6,000 new jobs within five years
Gamescom Latam
Pokémon GO to bring AR adventures and rewards to Gamescom Latam 2025
Attendees can receive Pokémon-themed credentials featuring exclusive artwork
Earnings Report
NetEase games revenue rises to $2.9 billion in Q4
New mobile games lineup for global markets include Destiny: Rising and Marvel Mystic Mayhem
Earnings Report
Nexon reports record 2024 $2.97bn revenue in 2024 as Dungeon & Fighter Mobile drives growth
It saw success in three main franchises in 2024 including MapleStory, Dungeon & Fighter, and FC
Financials
Unity revenue falls 25% in Q4 as engine and ads segments see declines
Game engine division Create Solution saw sales fall 47% Y/Y
Sweet Solitaire
Candy Crush Solitaire snaps up $379,000 in first two weeks
Lifetime revenue including soft launch reaches $692k
Bigger And Better
PG Connects San Francisco 2024 smashed records to become our biggest US event ever!
A look back at last year's Stateside edition that raised the bar with 1,000+ attendees from 500+ companies, representing 50 countries
Financials
Nitro Games reports record $12.3m revenue in 2024
The Finnish developer highlights expanding portfolio and cost control for improved financials
Selling Up
Jam City agrees deal to sell Ludia
If approved, the sale isn’t expected to have a significant impact on Jam City’s business operations
Mena Games Awards
Nominations open for the MENA Games Industry Awards 2025
Come celebrate the developers, publishers, investors, and leaders who are driving MENA's growing games market
New Studio
Ex-Belka games staff form new Cyprus mobile developer Studio42
Casual puzzle games developer headed up by former Belka Games CEO Alexandr Bogdanov
Funding For Games
Meeple Corp secures $629,000 funding to bring tabletop games to digital platforms
Its debut game, Kingdomino Digital will release later this year
Company Restructure
Big Fish Games to halt new game development and reduce investment in portfolio
Aristocrat Leisure fails to find a buyer for Big Fish following a review of its games business
Pgc San Francisco
A look back at last year's PG Connects San Francisco
It's a wrap! Mobile gaming's biggest reveals and hottest trends live from at PG Connects San Francisco
Big Deal
Niantic reportedly in talks to sell Pokémon Go and games business to Scopely for $3.5bn
The deal isn’t finalised, according to people familiar with the matter, but could be officially announced "in coming weeks"
Gaming Lab
Abertay University launches £9 million lab to boost Scotland's games and entertainment sectors
Investment will provide opportunities and support for UK technology companies across the creative industries
New Store
Alternative app store Aptoide launches on iOS in EU
Available for free to users despite Apple's €0.50 core technology fee for each download of the marketplace
Net Numbers
Ubisoft’s mobile net bookings share up to 10% following Assassin's Creed Shadows delay
Ubisoft’s $315.6 million in net bookings this Q3 were less than half compared to one year prior
Executive Exit
Fingersoft COO exits company
Ville Rauma had been with the company for 11 years as it grew from a team of 12 to 100 staff
Rainbow Revenue
Rainbow Six Mobile revenue surges as Ubisoft chases a global launch
Ubisoft’s troubled mobile shooter gets a rise in downloads and player spending as publisher aims to improve title's fortunes
Spend And Survive
Last War: Survival surpasses $2bn after record player spending in early 2025
Strategy title generated a record $212m in January 2025
Esports World Cup
Esports World Cup Foundation partners with Tencent for China expansion
A ''development team'' will also be formed to increase esports engagement and industry collaboration in China
Pokemon Pledge
The Pokémon Company and Niantic pledge $1m in support of LA wildfire recovery efforts
Pokémon Go Tour: Unova will go ahead in Pasadena, California this weekend
Gaming Trends
TIGA pushes for 39% games tax credit in the UK
The trade association said the changes would create jobs and boost investment
Levelling Up
Netmarble escapes the red with $4.6m net profit after two years of losses
The dev earned $1.95 billion in revenue in 2024
Focal Figures
Epic Games Store on mobile a "focal point" as cross-platform accounts rise by 94m in 2024
Monthly active users peaked at 74m across platforms, down by 1m compared to 2023
Ai In Games
Ludo AI launches 3D generator for developers to create game-ready models
Ludo AI said that models can be exported “in industry recognised formats”
Funding News
Beamable secures $13.5 million for decentralised gaming infrastructure
The funding will also support continued innovation in game infrastructure
Pgc San Francisco
WIN! FREE entry to PG Connects San Francisco
Plus you could win expo space in the Big Indie Zone, too
Podcast | Episode 42
How Brawl Stars succeeded and Squad Busters struggled, and AppLovin's $900m games fire sale | 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 42...
App Store Removal
Square Enix shuts down Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on iOS over 'unfixable' bug
It was discontinued due to an unfixable bug that prevented players from accessing paid content
Revenue Milestone
War Robots hits $1 billion in revenue with mobile driving the majority of earnings
The vehicle shooter celebrated its 10 year anniversary last year and regained its licence in China
New Studio
New studio Loadstar opens in Barcelona
The developer is currently on the lookout for funding for its upcoming sci-fi action-puzzle adventure game
Winners Revealed
Balatro wins Mobile Game of the Year at DICE Awards
The title came out on top in a category that included Halls of Torment, Monument Valley 3, Paper Trail and Wuthering Waves
Pgc Barcelona
Save the Date: Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona set for June 3rd to 4th, 2025
Conference within exquisite surroundings of major southwestern European cultural and tech centre marks a key addition to PGC event line-up
Acqusitions
Skybound Entertainment acquires Maple Media
Skybound aims to leverage Maple Media’s expertise in mobile app operations to deliver stories across multiple platforms
Earnings Report
Nazara reports $61.5 million revenue in Q3 FY25 as gaming segment grows 53%
Gaming growth is fuelled by Fusebox Games acquisition and strong performance from Animal Jam
Esports In Mena
Emirates Esports Federation opens bidding for E Gaming League franchises
The league's owners see it as an opportunity to establish the UAE as a hub for digital entertainment and economic growth
Trends Report
Download your free copy of PocketGamer.biz’s Mobile Games Industry Trends Survey report
Industry professionals open up on layoffs, threats to the industry, and the lack of new game releases
New Partnerships
Merak Capital partners with Huawei Cloud to boost Saudi Arabia’s games industry
The partnership will provide gaming startups with workshops on cloud-native game development