M&a
Pole to Win snaps up co-development studio Ghostpunch Games for $13 million
Florida-based company has worked across platforms with partners such as EA, Gearbox Software, Bethesda Game Studios and 2K
Industry Divisions
Watch: The Great Divides webinar
Senior B2B games editors discuss industry divisions in the sector
Jobs In Games
Thomas Kœgler appointed Asmodee CEO as Embracer reveals new board of directors
The new board includes Embracer co-founder and CEO Lars Wingefors as chair, Kicki Wallje-Lund as deputy chair
Podcast | Episode 27
Savvy's MENA investment and Finnish dev Lightneer closes | 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 27...
Week That Was
Yalla's Middle East magic, Pokémon perfection and lights out at Lightneer… | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Audience Choice
PGC Helsinki to shine the spotlight on indies with the Audience the Big Indie Zone Audience Choice Award sponsored by Jam City
The conference, which takes place on October 1st and 2nd, will also host a number of events offering developers the chance to showcase their games
Change Of Fortune
Tencent and NetEase rethink Japanese strategy with studio closure imminent
The first evidence of the change of heart is the closure of Visions of Mana studio, Ouka Studios just days after the game's launch
Tech On Top In India
Indian Government launches ‘Create in India Challenge' initiative to support creators
The competition features 25 challenges in fields ranging from animation, filmmaking, video games and music
Expanding Reach
Roblox opens up marketplace for more creators to boost business growth
"Our vision for MarketPlace is that it's a powerful place for creators and brands," said Roblox VP of economy Enrico D'Angelo
Enter Mobile
Bullet hell roguelike Enter the Gungeon heads to mobile in China
X.D. Network set to publish title in the country, over eight years after it was first released
Masters Monetisation
Pokémon Masters EX turns five: Lessons from an IP and monetisation masterpiece
Half a decade on, as the mobile games industry evolves, so too does the fine art of monetisation…
New Partnerships
Nodwin Gaming pens multi-year partnership with Insider.in for events in India
Insider.in will become Nodwin Gaming's official ticketing partner in India for all key IPs across games
Fashionably Fifth
Infinity Nikki due to launch later this year as series goes cross-platform
Infold Games’ fifth entry in the series will expand from mobile to PC and PlayStation
Direct To Customer
Aghanim opens Game Hub DTC platform, boasting 200% increases in net revenue
Their new web store tools can - they claim - drive 50% of revenue "off platform", averaging a 14 to 18% switchover on "day one"
Pgc Helsinki
Save up to £170 - PG Connects Helsinki Mid Term offer ends tonight!
Mid Term ticket prices are available until midnight, Thursday August 29th
Podcast
Kelly Kang’s Secret Sauce To Monetise Your Game Like A Boss | Podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team and guests give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode…
Double Jump
double jump.tokyo raises $10 million to bolster web3 games development
The Series D funding round was led by SBI Investment
Mena Region
Maysalward partners with NEOM for second annual Game Dev challenge
The second edition will kick off later this year in Riyadh to be followed with a round in Jeddah for the first time
Flagship Fishing
Ten Square Games profits up 22.8% as restructure takes effect
Fishing Clash continues to generate more than half of all net bookings, but Wings of Heroes makes a growing contribution
Game Over
It's lights out at Lightneer as the studio officially announces closure
Rumours have been confirmed in a social media post from Henri Lindman, the company's chairman and CEO
Netflix's Next
Netflix's SpongeBob: Bubble Pop F.U.N is now open for pre-registrations
The game will see players pop bubbles through hundreds of themed levels
Dynamax Debut
Pokémon Go to introduce Dynamax battles after a five-year wait
Previously exclusive to 2019 Switch titles Sword and Shield, Dynamax battles are finally making the move to mobile
Funding For Games
Google launches $2 million Indie Games Fund for Latin American studios
Indie game developers who have launched a game on Google Play, PC or console are eligible to apply
Game Closure
Harry Potter: Magic Awakened to shut down in Americas, Europe, and Oceania
Players that already have the game can continue playing until Tuesday, October 29th 2024
Partnership Power
Aghanim forms a strategic partnership with Adyen to deliver high-value payment processing capabilities
Two fintech firms join forces to offer games publishers cost-effective payment systems
Financials
Thunderful has had a "very eventful" 2024 as it seeks to "withdraw its existing financial targets"
The company's latest financials reveal that revenue is down 14.5% year-on-year but their move to a pure-play company is now complete
Jujutsu Out Of Japan
Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade is going global with a 10 million pre-registration goal
SumZap’s mobile RPG launched in Japan in November 2023, and is planned for worldwide release by the end of 2024
Top 50
PocketGamer.biz Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 to be unveiled at PGC Helsinki
Join us on the conference for the full reveal and representatives from some of the top 50 in person
Masterclass
Last chance to sign up to the game design for engagement and retention MasterClass
Two-hour online workshop takes place on Wednesday, August 28th and teaches attendees how to building lasting engagement and sustainable retention
Supercell's Superfest
Supercell to bring Clash of Clans, Clash Royale and Brawl Stars championships together in historic SuperFest
This new event, SuperFest 2024, marks the first time all three games will hold their World Finals together
The Show's Over
335,000 visitors from 120 countries made Gamescom 2024 the biggest ever
310 million digital engagements… 40 million viewers for Opening Night Live… 32,000 trade visitors… We've got all the post-show stats and facts
Anime Appeal
Goddess of Victory: Nikke shifts up Japanese charts with Evangelion crossover
The crossover event generated $1.35 million on mobile on its first day
New Partnerships
Xsolla partners with Savvy Games Group to grow the MENA games industry
Xsolla will establish a regional headquarters in Riyadh to help MENA developers and publishers grow their games
Mena Region
Savvy Games Group signs Memorandum of Understanding with Niantic for MENA expansion
Savvy will help Niantic establish its regional operations in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt
Recruitment Drive
Savvy Games Group plots 600 new games industry jobs in Saudi Arabia
State-backed company opens up on strategy to grow local ecosystem and its global investments
Podcast | Episode 26
The big stories and trends from Gamescom 2024 | 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 26...
Week That Was
Apple play fair, Animal Crossing stops play and Pokémon goes back to basics | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
Pgc Helsinki
The very latest speakers announced for PG Connects Helsinki 2024
Just some of the 160+ EXPERTS leading our 21-TRACK SCHEDULE
Setting The Standard
Metacore celebrates double milestones for Merge Mansion
The game has passed $500 million in lifetime revenue and amassed 55 million app downloads
Earnings Report
Mobile titles account for 76.4% of NetEase’s online game revenues in Q2 2024
Online games generated 96.1% of the segment's net revenues
Mena Market Growth
Sony launches MENA Hero Project incubator program for game developers
Sony is also focused on lowering the barrier of entry for local developers in the MENA region
Bowing To Pressure
Apple roll over and allow EU users to change default browser, delete stock apps and more
“The App Store, Messages, Photos, Camera, and Safari apps will now be deletable for users in the EU"
The End Of The Show Show
2024's biggest Devcom event ever breaks records
The annual developer's European meet-up pulled in record numbers of attendees, speakers and sessions
The Big Winner
The Mobile Games Awards 2024 publisher of the year is… Scopely!
It was a double win for Scopely at our annual awards ceremony live from Gamescom, Cologne
A Meat-free Mission
Subway Surfers supports Playing for the Planet with in-game veggie event
Sybo hopes to see players ditch the meat and eat more plant-based meals
Breaking Up
Apple’s App Store to split in two following the departure of its vice president
Apple’s long-term head of worldwide App Store and Apple Arcade, Matt Fischer is stepping down as part of the changes
Crossovers
NetEase unveils surprise Lara Croft crossover in Nakara: Bladepoint
The crossover event will see Matari step into the boots of the legendary Lara Croft, star of the Tomb Raider series
Premium Pockets
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp to close, but fans can continue playing… For a fee…
A new version of Nintendo’s mobile Animal Crossing title will be available for a one-time fee
Mobile Games Awards
HoYoverse is in the Zone, winning Best Developer at Mobile Games Awards 2024
Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero… What’s not to love?
Jobs News
Mobile Movers: All the latest appointments and job moves from around the industry
Who's moving where?… There's new roles at FRVR, Raptor PR, Supercell, Krafton, Gadsme, Zynga, Xsolla, Netflix and more…