Ready For Launch
"Squad Busters is a love letter to Supercell IPs"
Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen, Squad Busters game lead Eino Joas and marketing head Rob Lowe discuss the game's origins and why it's heading for a global launch on May 29th
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
Epic Mobile
Epic Games Store coming to iOS in the UK in 2025
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney calls on Apple's Tim Cook to "tear down this wall"
Podcast | Episode 13
ByteDance's $4bn Moonton plans, tips for working with the games media, and what devs think of Unity's runtime fee | 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 13…
Ugc Investment
“I would love to invest in a studio that’s making a play on Roblox and Fortnite”
Nordic Game Panel discusses Roblox, Fortnite and the games industry's cross-platform future
Angry Birds X Sonic
How Playtika triggered Sega’s Rovio acquisition and what happens next
PocketGamer.biz sits down with Rovio VP of strategy and investor relations Timo Rahkonen to discuss the big Sega acquisition and what the future holds for the famous Finnish studio
Epic Disney
Disney will let Fortnite creators use its IP to make games
Entertainment giant will offer developers "the opportunity to create their own wholly unique Disney-themed gaming experiences"
Podcast | Episode 12
Xbox's mobile games store and Unity vs. AppLovin | 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 12…
M&a
ByteDance sells Red Alert Online dev C4 Games for $35.8 million
Film and entertainment firm says Red Alert can generate "considerable revenue" in the future
Launch Day
Supercell's Hay Day returns to China's App Store after four year absence
Farming simulator launched on May 15th, published by Tencent
Subbed Off
There’s no room for a successful subscription service in games
Despite offering a great deal, it makes little sense for platform holders and developers and doesn't fit with player habits at scale
Net Casting
Aristocrat Leisure eyes potential sale of Plarium and Big Fish Games
Casino firm is undertaking a strategic review of its non-social casino games as Product Madness stays off the chopping block
Going Global
Honor of Kings set for June 20th global launch after $15 billion+ revenue in China
Tencent takes another stab at taking its blockbuster MOBA to global markets
Financials
Nexon banks on $22bn IP Dungeon & Fighter being a mobile hit in China as Q1 revenue declines
Franchise has generated more than $22 billion to date, as publisher eyes as much as a 90% boost to China earnings with mobile release
Financials
Netmarble cuts losses but revenue falls in Q1 after lack of new game releases
Publisher set to launch Raven 2 in May and four more titles during the second half of 2024
Jobs News
PlayStation names new CEOs Hermen Hulst and Hideaki Nishino
The duo replace Jim Ryan, who exited the company after 30 years
Soft Launch Guys
Stumble Guys dev Kitka Games soft-launches new mobile title Battle Guys: Royale
New title promises to be "most streamlined, easy-to-learn - hard-to-master" battle royale game of 2024
Layoffs
Square Enix braces for layoffs in US and Europe
IT, publishing and Square Enix Collective teams set to be hit by redundancies
Job Losses
Australian dev Mighty Kingdom layoffs of 28% of staff
Studio expects annualised cost savings of $2.1 million
Ads Growth
AppLovin revenue surges 48% Y/Y to $1bn in Q1 as it eyes non-gaming growth
“There is nothing that limits our models to just gaming,” says CEO Adam Foroughi
Podcast | Episode 11
Xbox in turmoil, Krafton champions AI development, and Apple's iPad challenge | 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 11…
Unity Financials
Unity says restructure that saw mass layoffs is now complete as it posts Q1 2024 revenue decline
Outgoing CEO Jim Whitehurst claims there is now more positivity around the controversial runtime fee
Xbox Mobile
Xbox mobile games store launches on web in July
New marketplace to launch with Microsoft's own-IP first, including Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft
Dma Survey
A third of developers implementing new payment options in face of Digital Markets Act’s $18 billion opportunity
Aghanim co-CEO Constantin Andry discusses the results of a new survey into DMA awareness, and how it can significantly boost revenue and end layoffs
International Expansion
Chinese publisher iDreamSky opens office in Riyadh for first international expansion
iDreamSky president and co-founder tells PocketGamer.biz the MENA region is an exciting new opportunity in the face of other saturated markets
Job Losses
Microsoft closes Mighty Doom dev Alpha Dog, Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks and more
Bethesda the latest in the firing line following 1,900+ layoffs at Activision and Xbox earlier this year
Top Charts
April 2024 mobile game charts: Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile loses launch momentum and Brawl Stars’ astronomical rise
Our monthly look at the global mobile game rankings across the App Store and Google Play
Podcast | Episode 10
Brawl Stars smashes 2023 revenue, Square Enix’s extraordinary losses, and Haaland signs for Clash of Clans | 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 10…
Partner Up
Partner events are the latest trend in Monopoly GO!, Royal Match and Project Makeover
GameRefinery GM Brendan Fraher delves into the rise of partner events, while also providing insights on competitive events in match-3
Boosting Revenue
How user consent for personalised ads can significantly increase your Android revenue
GameBiz Consulting's Božo Janković on the power of personalised ads and why testing is key
Dubai Driving Growth
Dubai wants to be a top 10 games industry hub by 2033
UAE hopes to create a $1 billion games sector over the next 10 years
Podcast | Episode 09
Supercell's Squad Busters goes global, Embracer Group splits, and Apple's Vision Pro flops | 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 09…
Supercell Analysis
Have Supercell's changes supercharged its revenue?
We analyse the performance of Supercell's portfolio amid its restructure and ahead of the global launch of Squad Busters on May 29th
Here We Go
Supercell's Squad Busters launches globally on May 29th
Multiplayer squad-building action game will become the company’s sixth global launch and first in over five years
Web Shop Beta
Sanlo launches into web shops after raising $13.5 million
Financial services provider inviting games companies to join close beta of its new platform
Mobile Mavens
Mobile Mavens: Analysts share insights on Embracer Group's "rapid dissolution", "mature" split and nervy future
We reached out to games industry professionals to hear their thoughts on Embracer Groups latest strategy
Super Start
Supercell’s Squad Busters ranks No. 1 for App Store game downloads in all soft launch countries
Multiplayer action game tops rankings in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Mexico, Norway, Singapore, Spain and Sweden
Busting Out
Supercell’s Squad Busters soft launches today with over 100,000 Google Play downloads
Multiplayer squad builder now available in Canada, Denmark, Spain, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Singapore
Tiktok Ban
US faces prospect of TikTok ban as House of Representatives passes bill
State due to vote on bill
Break-up
Embracer shares soar 18% on plans to break company apart
Shares still down 75% from all-time high in April 2021
Breaking Up
Embracer Group to split into three separate companies as it aims to pay off debts
New entities will be Asmodee Group, Coffee Stain & Friends and Middle-Earth Enterprises & Friends
Podcast | Episode 08
The UK games industry's skills crisis, Fallout's TV success, and Epic's endless court battles | 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 08…
Flying High
Delta game emulator hits No. 1 on the App Store download charts in 35 countries
Nintendo games emulator has reached the top 10 in 66 countries so far today
Podcast
DoubleDown Interactive’s Faith Price on lifecycle marketing tips to extend your app’s lifespan | 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…
New Games
New release roundup: Take That: This is Life, Neopets: Tales of Dacardia, Persona 5: The Phantom X and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover
Chart Climbers
Chart Climbers: Brawl Stars, Legend of Mushroom, Sea of Conquest and more rise up the mobile game revenue rankings
We highlight the top trending mobile games right now
Skills Crisis
UK skills crisis prompts call for games industry-led body to tackle key challenges
Report reveals shortages of mid-to-senior level staff and lack of opportunities for junior developers
Financials
MAG Interactive revenue falls by 25% Y/Y as it places “big bet” on new crossword game Crozzle
Swedish publisher pays up tax bill on research and development deductions over the last few years
Job Losses
GTA publisher Take-Two to cut 5% of staff as it cancels new games
Move will cost up to $200 million
Epic Battle
Apple fights back and denies violating US court order on alternative payments
Tech giant claims new rules were implemented "in good faith"
Shut Down
Rovio cancels Moomin: Puzzle & Design mobile game after two years in soft launch
Development ended on April 11th, with servers set to shut down on July 8th