Team Work
Lab Cave teams with 11 bit studios for Moonlighter on iOS
The company will offer post-launch support
Staff
Kayleigh Partleton
About Kayleigh is the Staff Writer for PocketGamer.biz. Besides PGbiz and PCGI she has written as a list writer for Game Rant, rambling about any and all things games related. You can also find her on Twitter talking utter nonsense.
Articles by Kayleigh Partleton
Money Money Money
Aglet raises $4.5 million in seed funding
"We seek to be the 'metaverse for commerce' where online and offline consumption experiences fuse together"
Building Up
Minecraft racks up the most views of any game on YouTube in 2020
It had 201 billion views
In The Clouds
Project xCloud is coming to iOS devices in Spring 2021
It will also enter new markets such as Japan, Brazil, Australia and Mexico
Money Money Money
Honor of Kings was the top-grossing mobile title in November 2020
Followed by PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact
Big Year
Consumer spending on mobile hit $112 billion in 2020
$81 billion came from games
Welcome Aboard
Ubisoft hires Raashi Sikka as VP of global diversity and inclusion
"We are committed to making Ubisoft a more inclusive and diverse company"
Podium Finish
Modern Times Group acquires mobile studio Hutch
"Hutch is a true front-runner, responsible for some of the most successful titles in the fast-growing mobile racing category"
Let's Get Creative
Facebook Gaming launches Black Gaming Creator Program
To support Black creators on its platform
All The Games
The US games industry accounts for $90.3 billion of economic output
"The statistics in this detailed report reinforce the significant impact video games have on the U.S. economy, including jobs creation and providing family-sustaining wages in wide array of careers"
Tick Tock
Second US Judge protects TikTok from Trump administration
The decision can be appealed on December 14th
Score!
Garena Free Fire partners with Cristiano Ronaldo
"This is a really significant partnership for Free Fire"
Too Much Drift
Nine EU countries team up to investigate Joy-Con drift issues
"We are making the call because we are receiving signals that the Switch is not going to last as long as consumers might expect"
Money Money Money
New studio Core Loop secures $2.4 million
“We want to have something that is easier for players to enjoy and have fun whether they are spenders or not"
Investment
Modern Times Group increases its investment in InnoGames
"We already have a successful long-term relationship with MTG"
Ninten-no
Nintendo puts a stop to Joy-Con charity campaign
"Etikons" were being sold in memory of YouTuber Desmond "Etika" Amofah
You're A Wizard
Wizard Games secures investment from Tencent
The exact figure was not disclosed
Podium Finnish
Chip Ganassi Racing teams up with Skillz for mobile title
“Partnering with Skillz is an amazing opportunity to engage our fans with immersive digital experiences"
Staying Digital
Epic is not hosting physical Fortnite events next year
"Our priority for any such event is the health and safety of our players and staff"
Be Inclusive
Twitch removes "blind playthrough" tag to encourage more inclusive language
"You can still use 'First Playthrough' or opt to use it in combination with 'No Spoilers' for the same sentiment"
Investment
My.Games invests in three more mobile studios
Appyfurious, Purple Games and AppLife
See You In Court
Activision sues Netflix over the "poaching" of CFO Spencer Neumann
This is not the first time Netflix has been sued due to employees
Money Money Money
Bombay secures $1 million in funding from Lumikai
"Lumikai's investment is a great validation for us, given the fund's sector focus and expertise"
Bring The War
Sony teams with Epic to bring Kratos to Fortnite
Available on all platforms
Splash The Cash
Games acquisitions this year hit a value of $19.24 billion in November
The most expensive was the deal between Microsoft and ZeniMax
Come One Come All
Enrolment begins for Apple's Small Business Program
"Designed to accelerate innovation and help propel your small business forward with the next generation of groundbreaking apps"
Money Money Money
Publishers earning below $1m account for 2% of App Store games revenue
89.8 per cent of companies earn below $100,000
Tick Tock
US government to appeal to ban TikTok will take place on December 14th
It will be able to offer verbal evidence
Behind Bars
Nintendo hacker gets hit with a three-year prison sentence
He was also convicted for child pornography
Investment
Mixi becomes the latest firm to invest in Genies
"We are looking to build platforms that enrich communication through the power of entertainment and technology"
Growing Market
The Asia-10 market will have 826 million gamers by 2024
It is expected to generate $42 billion in 2024
Entering China
Roblox given the go ahead to enter China
42 games have been given a government license
Just Be Casual
Gismart prepares to enter the casual games market
"We have put together a great team. Some of the team has been working at Gismart for a while"
Shoot Some Hoops
GreenPark Sports forms partnership with NBA and secures $14m in funding
"It's a huge honour to have an organization like the NBA' buy-in' to our vision for the Future of Fandom"
Come One Come All
Tappx's headcount has grown by 60% since March 2020
“Tappx is delighted that its business model, consultative service and proprietary technologies have been in steady demand since the start of the coronavirus pandemic"
Welcome Aboard
Kolibri Games hires Paul Le Bas as its new VP of marketing
"I am thrilled to join this talented team"
Expansion
Phoenix Labs expands as it opens new studios in Montreal and Los Angeles
"We aspire to bring joy and delight to players for years to come by providing developers with a long-term home to create the world's most compelling gaming experiences"
I Need A Hero
Fortnite sees a record 15.3 million players at the end of its Marvel event
3.4 million people watched on Twitch and YouTube
Going Mobile
Krafton consolidates Pnix and Delusion Studio to form RisingWings
The new studio will focus on casual and midcore mobile games
Going Mobile
Mobile is the primary platform for developers in the UK
"Mobile remains the most popular platform for UK games studios, but the proportion of UK development studios focused primarily on this category has been steadily falling"
What A Sneak
Apple names Sneaky Sasquatch as Apple Arcade Game of the Year
Genshin Impact picked up iPhone Game of the Year
High Impact
Genshin Impact generates nearly $400 million in two months
It has averaged $6 million a day
Money Money Money
Bigger Games secures $6 million in seed funding
"Exceptional culture is a must to create a global success story, and we are committed to creating this culture with exceptional people"
Spinning Around
Second Sonic movie enters production next year
From March 15th to May 10th
Ninten-yay
Universal Studios Japan is opening its Nintendo attraction on February 4th
It could still be pushed by due to COVID
Wanna Play
More US consumers over the age of 45 are playing games
"This year, video games is one of the most consistent growth categories in terms of overall participation and investment relative to 2019"
High Impact
Genshin Impact takes home the Best Game accolade at the Google Play Awards
It is also nominated for Mobile Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2020
Check Those Ads
Over 46 per cent of mobile games devs see immersive in-game ads as a key opportunity
"If gamers can't or won't actively spend on in-game content, advertising is the best method of generating revenue"
Money Money Money
Mobile games revenue hit $6.5 million on Black Friday 2020
The best ever day for mobile games revenue
Switched
Nintendo Switch games made up 38 per cent of Black Friday week sales
Animal Crossing accounted for the most units