Job News
Aristocrat appoints Amy White as VP of communications for EMEA
She will oversee communications across Aristocrat Interactive and Product Madness
Staff
Isa Muhammad
Job Title
MENA Reporter
About Isa Muhammad is the Lead MENA Reporter at PocketGamer.biz, spearheading the team's Middle East & Africa games coverage. He's been in games media for over seven years and is steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism. If he's not reading, playing games or catching up on his favorite TV shows, he's probably writing about them.
Articles by Isa Muhammad
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Hackathon
Supercell launches global AI Game Hackathon for creators worldwide
Three challenge tracks explore AI-powered games, remakes, and new tools
New On Netflix
Netflix allows subscribers to play games directly on smart TVs
The feature has been in development since early 2023
Industry Outlook
UK games industry leaders urge government to introduce a new “Games Growth Relief"
The proposal seeks targeted tax support for game projects up to £15m
Job News
Appcharge names former Xsolla president David Stelzer as chief strategy officer
He will guide Appcharge’s strategy and push into new global markets
Market Report
Games industry investment and M&A ticks up in Q3
Drake Star Partners report shows first quarter for investment growth since Q1 2024
New Offerings
App developer Xibbon launches mobile-optimised Godot editor Xogot
The tool lets users run the Godot game engine on iPhone and iPad
Market Report
ESA survey claim just two-thirds of people primarily play games for fun
Mobile devices are the most popular gaming platform, used by 55% of players globally
Industry Outlook
Games industry M&A activity held steady at 49 deals in Q3 2025
Mobile in-app purchase spending climbed to $21bn, led by Asian publishers
Funding News
PolyDream Studio raises $500,000 to accelerate development of White Desert
The upcoming FPS game is set in post-war Egypt amid a battle between rival factions
Age Verification
Texas enforces new age verification law for app stores and developers
Developers must update their apps to meet the new compliance requirements
Regulations
Supercell CEO warns crippling EU regulations could kill Europe's games sector
Paananen says proposed rules risk dismantling the foundation of the €27bn European games industry
Online Safety
Roblox launches Parent Council to promote safety and positivity on the platform
The council will unite up to 40 parents and caregivers from North America and Europe
Developer Support
Unity urges developers to patch games after discovery of major security vulnerability
The vulnerability affects Unity projects across Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux
Acqusitions
Fragbite Group sells subsidiary Playdigious to Griffin Gaming Partners for €10.5m
The deal is cash and debt-free, with Fragbite retaining 90% of future revenue from Playdigious Originals’ PC titles
New Offerings
Swiss-based Sbarter is raising €40m to “redefine” skill-based games with blockchain technology
Funds will fuel user growth, publisher partnerships, and product innovation ahead of its 2026 launch
App Store Changes
US Supreme Court rejects Google’s bid to block Play Store overhaul
The decision stems from Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit accusing Google of monopolising app distribution and payments
Investigations
SEC launches investigation into AppLovin’s data collection practices
The probe focuses on claims that AppLovin breached partner agreements to deliver targeted ads
Job News
Venture studio ELO appoints games economist Joost van Dreunen as strategic advisor
He will advance the studios' mission of empowering global games communities
Adaptations
Fusebox Games secures global rights to develop The Traitors: Interactive Game for mobile
The Traitors: Interactive Game will launch in 2026 on iOS and Android
Hackathon
Second edition of Arab Youth Hackathon launches to empower young talent in games
Participants will create five games inspired by Arab culture under the theme “Arab Identity”
Market Report
87% of mobile game developers rely on Google and Apple for most revenue
84% believe the industry can’t survive long-term under the dominance of just two major app stores
New Offerings
Sustainable Games Alliance unveils new sustainability framework for the games industry
Built specifically for games it covers everything from design and servers to marketing and hardware
Pgc Helsinki
Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki kicks off two days of talks, insights, and networking
Over 150 speakers will share insights across more than 20 content tracks covering every corner of the games industry
Finnish Games Week
Finnish Games Week kicks off in Helsinki with a packed lineup of conferences and summits
The event unites developers, publishers, investors, and creatives across multiple conferences and summits
Gamathon Takeaways
Five takeaways from Gamathon 25: Game dev realities, funding hurdles, XR hopes, and room for optimism
We analyse some of the top stories and trends from one of Africa's biggest games events
Lawsuit
Anapol Weiss files lawsuits against Roblox over alleged child grooming and abuse
The lawsuits claim Roblox prioritised profit over safety, failing to enforce key protections like age checks and moderation
Investment News
Kakao Games secures $111m through subsidiary sale and paid-in capital increase
Funds will be used to strengthen finances and expand operations
Industry Recognition
Maliyo Games featured by Apple to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day
Safari City, Crazy Ludo, Whot King, and Secret Letter were spotlighted
Gamathon 25
"Every small game you create and release teaches you something the previous game never did"
Fer Factor CEO and founder Feranmi Oladosu shares his belief on why smaller projects can trump grand ideas
Games In Africa
Gamathon 25 kicks off in Lagos Nigeria
The week-long event celebrates African digital creativity and youth empowerment
New Offerings
Microsoft prices ROG Xbox Ally X handheld at $1,000
The Xbox Ally series launches on October 16th, with pre-orders now open
Leadership Change
Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser to retire at year's end
The leadership transition is set for December 31, 2025
Ai Innovation
Unity launches AI Council to accelerate innovation across game development platform
The game engine aims to be the leading platform for the next era of interactive content creation
Tiktok Sale
Trump signs executive order approving TikTok sale at $14bn valuation
TikTok ban delayed until January 20th, 2026 to finalise sale and approvals
New Studio
Former AppLovin leaders launch new mobile studio Cheer
Cheer will focus on creating casual puzzle titles
New Offerings
HoYoverse reveals cosmic life simulation game Petit Planet
The upcoming title marks HoYoverse’s first step into the life-sim genre
Job News
ZBD appoints Nicole Diaz as senior vice president of product
She will lead strategy for ZBD’s global payments and multi-currency solutions
New Partnerships
UMX Studio partners with Audiomob for in-game audio ads
Collaboration aims to enhance player experience while opening new revenue streams
New Game Launch
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor set to launch on mobile this November
The mobile version promises the same hardcore action as PC
New Offerings
Google Play launches raft of new games features
Rolls out includes other features like the You tab and Play Games Leagues
New Partnerships
Niantic Spatial partners with Kojima Productions to merge storytelling with geospatial AI
The collaboration showcases AI’s potential to transform how people interact with the physical world
Milestone
Fateless completes Alpha Wave cycle with 36k players for upcoming RPG Godforge
Alpha Wave 3 drew 36,000 players, logging over 355,000 hours of gameplay
New Offerings
UK creative organisations call for a new Digital Creativity GCSE
The move aims to serve not just games, but healthcare, finance, media, and education
Acqusitions
Swoove Studios sells to undisclosed buyer
Under new ownership, Swoove is expected to continue innovating and scaling globally
Game Jam
Saudi Arabia launches the second edition of the Saudi Game Champions Program
Each startup will receive $53,000, mentorship from global experts, and training support
Online Safety
Kuwait temporarily blocks Roblox over child safety concerns
The country joins Turkey, Oman, China, and Qatar in restricting the platform
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group signs MoU with Alinma Bank to deliver tailored banking solutions for Saudi gamers
The partnership aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Gaming and Esports Strategy
Clampdown
Trump imposes a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications
US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick claims big companies are on board with the plan despite millions of dollars in extra costs
Online Safety
US Congress calls on Twitch, Steam, Reddit, and Discord CEOs to testify on online radicalisation
The hearing is scheduled for October 8th 2025