Barbie Merge Mystery
Rollic soft-launches Barbie Merge Mystery mobile game in the UK
The title, which features puzzle and decorate gameplay mechanics, sees players uncover the mystery of the pink fog covering the Barbie world
New Offerings
JetBrains launches free non-commercial licenses for WebStorm and Rider IDEs
Developers can use the IDEs for learning, open-source project development, content creation and hobby development.
Strategic Growth
Redwood acquires majority stake in Indian games streaming start-up Loco for $65m
The deal will see Loco expand to global markets
New Studio
3OGS rebrands to The OGs as it opens new office in Córdoba
The tech firm aims to expand its operations globally following its acquisition by OV Entertainment in June
Loot Box Laws
EA victorious after Austrian court rules that FIFA 23 loot boxes are not gambling
The court said that the player did not acquire FIFA Ultimate Team packs with the intent to profit
Gaming Trends
Games industry M&A activity hits $2.5 billion in Q3 2024
M&A activity in games has grown for the fourth consecutive quarter
Developer Tools
Unity's Supersonic launches new AI-powered Game Idea Generator
The tool will generate and refine game ideas to provide key building blocks and initial code for development on the Unity engine
Funding News
Party Icons lands $9 million in seed for mobile-first web3 games
The company plans to develop its web3-enabled functionalities and expand into key markets by 2025
New From Ncsoft
NCSoft to establish four new subsidiaries developing games and researching AI
The corporate split-off was approved during a board meeting but awaits green light from shareholders
New Marketplace
Epic Games' new unified marketplace Fab is now live
Fab is successor to the Unreal Engine Marketplace and Sketchfab Store
Cancellation
Ubisoft cancels mobile game Gwen’s Getaway
The game had been in development for some years and soft launched in 2023
New Offerings
Apple is developing a new iOS games hub similar to the App Store
The app will display challenges, leaderboards, and achievements, featuring games from both the App Store and Apple Arcade
Supercell London
Supercell hiring London team for Squad Busters
Three roles currently open for a "small cross-functional team" in the UK
Negotiations Underway
Negotiations resume as over 120 games sign SAG-AFTRA's interim contracts
“We’ve had over 120 contracts signed and there’s no sign of things slowing down."
World Number One
Gamelight recognised as #1 rewarded source in latest AppsFlyer Performance Index
AI-powered UA specialist Gamelight has been named the number one rewarded source - globally - in the latest AppsFlyer Performance Index
Holidays Ahoy
Over 35% will play more mobile games during holiday season, with Gen X screen time to outdo Gen Z
Unity’s new US-based survey finds who’s playing, who’s spending, and who’s watching ads this Christmas
Marvel Milestone
Marvel Snap surpasses $275 million as it celebrates second anniversary
Mobile revenue dropped by 40% in year two, but movie releases may be changing its fortunes…
Cook Curses Commission
Donald Trump claims Apple CEO Tim Cook complained to him about multi-billion dollar EU fines
The former US president shared his conversation with Cook on the PBD podcast
Studio Closure
PopReach Games closes Vancouver studio
Owner Ionik noted the sale of its games business by the end of Q2, but the division's status is unclear
Studio Shuttering
Netflix closes 'triple-A' studio Team Blue and cuts ties with senior hires
Big-name hires Chacko Sonny, Joesph Staten and Rafael Grassetti have all departed from the studio
Live Streaming
Noice expands beta to UK and EU as it offers financial stake with new monetisation tools
The platform provides a 70/30 revenue split and allows creators to sell virtual items increasing their earnings potential
Pgc Jordan
Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan conference tracks revealed
Nine tracks designed to unlock game development success
Call For Speakers
Share the stage with the best in games submit your talk for Pocket Gamer Connects London 2025
Studio Start-up
Supercell and King vets co-found Antihero Studios to "create games worth sharing"
The start-up will focus on multiplayer titles, aiming to produce socially engaging, "inspiring" games
Tiktok's Terrific Tools
How TikTok’s LiveOps program is elevating mobile game engagement
Discover how TikTok’s LiveOps program can help you boost player engagement, retention, and in-game success.
Podcast | Episode 33
Destiny: Rising heads to mobile and Unity's charm offensive | 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 33...
New Offerings
Ampverse Group launches new marketing agency to connect brands with gamers
Brands can engage with games and entertainment communities across Southeast Asia, India and the MENA region
Legal Proceedings
Google wins temporary reprieve in legal showdown with Epic Games
Epic says Google is using “fearmongering" and “unsubstantiated security threats" to maintain control over Android devices
Jordan Games Industry
Finalists for the inaugural Jordan Games Awards 2024 are live!
Winners will be revealed on November 10th, as part of Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan 2024
New Offerings
Free Fire to introduce baby hippo Moo Deng as in-game collectible next month
The move is a partnership with the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand
Industry Strike
France-based Ubisoft employees strike following return-to-office mandate
The union said it was forced to embark on a strike after getting no response from Ubisoft's management over its concerns
New Partnerships
Hitseeker partners with ByteBrew to help game developers make data-driven decisions
Game studios and developers can get insights into player engagement and monetisation
Under Redevelopment
Plants vs. Zombies 3 undergoing "major overhaul" as it goes offline
Players have one month to play the game before the servers go down completely in mid November
New Offerings
FunPlus opens Lisbon studio to take its IP to film, TV and comics
Developer aims to create more than 50 jobs over the next three years at its new branch
Big Indie Pitch
Pitch your indie game at next month's Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan
The Very Big Indie Pitch offers the chance to gain expert feedback and get coverage of your game
Funding News
AI-powered player feedback platform Live Aware Labs lands $4.8 million investment
The platform helps game developers capture, analyse, and act on player experiences in real-time
New Offerings
NetEase and Marvel Games to launch new RPG mobile Game Marvel Mystic Mayhem
Prepare to peek into the “deepest fears" of Captain America, Moon Knight, Scarlet Witch
Jobs News
Supercell’s first-ever chief marketing officer departs
Fernanda Romano joined the Finnish developer as part of a shakeup in its management structure
Mena Market Growth
UAE games market revenue could reach $492 million by 2027
Sector forecast to hit $421m by the end of 2024
New Partnerships
Xsolla and Uzbekistan's IT Park sign deal to open game development academy in 2025
The academy will focus on training local talent and fostering new opportunities for game production
Social Superfans
Windwalk raises $4.5 million and launches "superfan" social software platform Harbor
Harbor is a hub for superfans in games, music and more
Pgc Jordan
Jawaker, iDreamSky, Mad Hook, and more join the speaker line-up for next month's PG Connects Jordan
Submit your talk and take the opportunity to be featured alongside them
Overwatch Ahead
Report: Overwatch Mobile is in development
Blizzard Entertainment has yet to officially confirm the title, but staff claim it's in the works
Phenomenal Funding
Azra Games raises major $42.7 million in Series A to create a mobile RPG for Western audiences
Project Legends is harkening back to 70s fantasy media like Conan the Barbarian
Massive Breach
Game Freak hack exposes employee information and source code in major security breach
Over 2,600 items containing the names and email addresses of current, former and contract employees were accessed
Earnings Impact
Niko Partners: Genshin Impact surpasses $5 billion on mobile in China
HoYoverse’s flagship is projected to reach $10 billion on mobile globally next year
Destiny Mobile
NetEase partners with Bungie for Destiny: Rising mobile game
Limited access closed alpha test starts in November
Digital Development
Loot Labs raises $6 million in Bitkraft-led seed round towards digital collectables platform
The firm’s Boxed.GG platform is already established for physical collectables
Ai Insight
How AI will shape the games industry: Exclusive insights from our AI Gamechangers newsletter
Get our AI Gamechangers newsletter for interviews and news about AI's impact on the games scene
Mena Market
MENA investments recovers after 63 startups raised $282 million in September
This marked a 234% increase month-on-month and a 607% rise year-on-year