New Mode
Secret Mode breaks away from Sumo with buyout
Current leadership to remain at the helm
Staff
Craig Chapple
Job Title
Head of Content
About Craig Chapple is the head of content at PocketGamer.biz, leading the team's editorial direction and developing the conference agenda for our Pocket Gamer Connects conferences around the world. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo and Develop.
Articles by Craig Chapple
Fresh Details
AppLovin selling games business to private company for $500m in cash and $400m in shares
Buyer has entered into a term sheet with AppLovin and aims to borrow up to $250m to fund the deal
Podcast | Episode 44
AppLovin vs. short-sellers | 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 44...
M&a
Jam City completes Ludia sale
Approximately 130 staff will remain at the developer, while a small number will stay with Jam City
Mobile Market Challenge
Can alternative app stores break through?
Amazon shuts down its Android App Store and Epic third-party revenues are down on PC. What next for alternative marketplaces?
Playtika's M&a Plans
Playtika allocates up to $450m for “bolt-on” M&A activity over next three years
Publisher reports direct-to-consumer and overall revenue growth in Q4
Short Reports
AppLovin labels short-seller reports “nefarious” and “misleading” as shares sink
Ad tech firm goes on the offensive after research companies make series of accusations against its business practices
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
Trends Report
Developer Trends Survey: Layoffs, rising UA costs and lack of investment key concerns as industry hopes for better 2025
We delve into our Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report for key insights and industry sentiments
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
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
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
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...
Supercell Strategy
Supercell: The old versus the new
"We believe that creating new games is an essential part of a games company," says Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen
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
Global Trends
Outfit7's Jernej Česen: "Mobile gaming isn’t just about fun gameplay anymore, it’s about creating lasting memories"
We catch up with industry leaders to get their insights on the state of play in the games sector
M&a
MTG completes $620m acquisition of Raid: Shadow Legends developer Plarium
Deal could see a further $200m in earnouts
Games For Sale
Supercell in discussions to transfer Space Ape games to other studios
News follows 100% acquisition of London developer last year
Highs And Lows
How Brawl Stars became a mega hit and why Squad Busters didn’t
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen, Brawl Stars GM Frank Keienburg, and Squad Busters lead Eino Joas open up on the company's highs and lows
Record Revenue
Supercell hits record $3 billion in revenue in 2024
Finnish developer's live games garnered more than 300 million monthly active players globally
New Studio
NextBeat CEO Simon Hade on spinning out from Space Ape Games and a “music-first” future
The team intends to launch a rock and mental focused rhythm game as well as creating new music games and having a focus on wellness and education
Ai Advances
Practical AI: How Sifor Games harnessed genAI tools to build its games
"AI can help level the playing field for indie developers"
Gone In A Snap
US TikTok ban takes Marvel Snap and Mobile Legends offline
Mobile games by ByteDance-owned companies go dark following Supreme Court's decision to reject company's appeal against ban
Mobile Mavens
Mobile Mavens: What will a US TikTok ban mean for the games industry?
We ask industry experts for their thoughts on the imminent US TikTok ban
Tiktok Ban
TikTok faces imminent US ban as Supreme Court rejects appeal
Judges conclude a ban does not violate freedom of speech
Partnership Deal
Curve Games signs three-game mobile deal with Crunchyroll
Publisher to bring Space Crew, Patch Quest and 10 Second Ninja to subscription service Game Vault
Job Cuts
Huuuge Games lays off 122 staff and closes offices as it refocuses on social casino
Poland office sees 89 redundancies as studios in Netherlands and Finland are closed
Investment Strategy
Saga Origins plots non-web3 deals as it appoints new head of gaming investments
Former Samsung director Fernando Vasconez to identify, nurture and invest in new gaming projects and strategic partnerships
Interview
The evolution of communications strategies in games
Raptor PR founder and MD Rana Rahman gives his no-BS opinions on media messaging and the changing PR landscape
F**k It
Gordon Ramsay is in f**king Hay Day
Supercell's latest partnership brings the celebrity chef to the farming title for a limited time
Global Trends
My.Games CEO Elena Grigorian: "The mobile market is fighting for margins at all costs"
We catch up with industry leaders to get their insights on the state of play in the games sector
Jobs News
Super Evil Megacorp's Ian Fielding replaces Kristian Segerstrale as CEO
Segerstrale moves to role of chair at the studio
New Studio
Space Ape exec Simon Hade heads up new spinoff studio NextBeat
New developer takes on Beatstar and Country Star from Space Ape portfolio
Podcast | Episode 41
How Scopely made $10bn, and 2025's big stories to watch | 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 41...
Gaming Empire
Scopely's secret sauce
How the Monopoly Go developer built its $10 billion empire and where it goes from here
Green Light
Netflix's Squid Game: Unleashed mobile game surpasses 10m downloads
Recent launch becomes the firm's fifth most downloaded game to date
Jobs Roundup
January's Mobile Movers and Shakers: Executive exits at Netflix, Kwalee and Mistplay, NCSoft appoints new senior VP, and more
Our regular roundup of the mobile games industry's movers and shakers
Deal Tracker
Show Me The Money: Aonic receives €152m, Vgames lands $142m, and Stillfront secures $227m in December
Our deal tracker highlights the key acquisitions, investments, and partnerships from the last month
Stories To Watch
The big games industry trends and stories to watch in 2025
A look at a few of the key stories to keep an eye on this year
Jobs News
Netflix VP of external games Leanne Loombe exits streaming firm
Executive leaves after three years as division goes through restructuring
M&a
DoubleU acquires Turkish studio Paxie Games for up to $67m
Social Casino firm picks up 60% stake for $27m
Best Of 2024
Craig Chapple's top stories of 2024: Inside Lilith Games, Tim Sweeney's app store war, Sensor Tower's data.ai acquisition, and more
PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple highlights some of his top stories of 2024
Most Installed
The most downloaded mobile games of 2024
Analysis of the games with the largest number of installs over the past year
M&a
Scopely acquires Perfect World's Chengfeng Studio in $34.5m deal
Monopoly Go developer expands into China
Hot Five
Hot Five: 2024's top mobile games, Hothead Games closes, and Aonic's €152m war chest
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Studio Closure
Vancouver studio Hothead Games closes
Canadian developer forced into bankruptcy after mobile and console publishing deals fell through
Top Charts
The top grossing mobile games of 2024
Analysis of the highest revenue-generating mobile titles of the year
Global Trends
Global Trends: Pocket Gems CEO Ben Liu on the art of making great games and the need for "luck and magic"
We catch up with industry leaders to get their insights on the state of play in the games sector