Funding News
Istanbul-based Vento Games secures $4m to scale family-friendly mobile puzzle portfolio
Funding will support talent expansion and accelerate the rollout of new brain-building puzzle titles
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
Buyout Concerns
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defends decision to walk away from Warner Bros. Discovery bid
“It should be highly scrutinised the way I’m glad that ours was highly scrutinised”
Industry Outlook
Metacore CEO says 2026 will define mobile gaming’s next era
Mika Tammenkoski says 2026 could redefine mobile gaming as the industry emerges from decline and moves toward a more mature, disciplined operating model
Layoff News
Halfbrick confirms layoffs as part of internal restructuring amid wider industry pressures
The Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride developer says strategic priorities, not performance, drive changes
Game Contest
Hypixel Studios and CurseForge launch $100,000 modding contest for Hytale creators
Each core category features a $27,000 prize pool, with $10,000 awarded to first place
Environmental Impact
ZeptoLab and PlanetPlay bring climate action into Bullet Echo for World Wildlife Day
Special $5 and $15 bundles tie in game progression to environmental support
Funding News
Minit Games raises $2m to bring instant play gaming into the feed era
Startup prepares for invite-only early alpha following pre-seed round
New Offerings
Krafton sets a new corporate vision built around bold imagination and global franchise growth
The publisher reaffirms its commitment to AI-driven tools to enhance both development workflows and player experiences
Job News
Sixteen Tons appoints former Wooga VP creative Sebastian Nußbaum as chief creative officer
He joins amid renewed momentum for Emergency HQ, working alongside CEO Jan Richter
Leadership Change
GDAI expands leadership to deepen policy engagement across India’s games sector
The move targets global competitiveness through policy and talent reform
New Offerings
Türkiye backs games studios with array of new incentives and financial support
Mobile studios can access up to 50% support on user acquisition and marketing spend
Market Growth
Over 95,000 mobile games were downloaded every minute in 2025
New Sensor Tower report shows retention and monetisation now matter more than raw installs
New Offerings
New kids gaming hub Netflix Playground soft-launches in the Philippines
Netflix Playground offers ad-free minigames at no extra cost to subscribers
Leadership Change
Gamefam appoints Ricardo Briceno as CEO to drive its next growth phase
Founder Joe Ferencz transitions to a strategic growth and innovation role
Investment News
Replay Global backs Vietnam-based Playard to scale its mobile games portfolio
Playard to remain independent following undisclosed investment
Industry Growth
Cyprus games industry forms new trade association CYGMA
Founding members include Wargaming, Gaijin, Owlcat, My.Games and Helio Games
New Partnerships
Bolt and Toffee sign strategic partnership to bring D2C payment services to games developers
The partnership is said to encompass more than $300 million in signed processing commitments
Strategic Investment
Tencent reportedly in talks to take small stake in Block Blast! developer Hungry Studio
Discussions have reportedly been ongoing for months, with a deal potentially imminent
New Offerings
Saga and Etermax partner to launch AI-powered social agent for Trivia Crack mascot Willy
Saga positions character-driven AI as a new distribution and user acquisition channel
Crossovers
Scopely brings Hello Kitty and Friends to Monopoly Go in limited-time crossover
The Sanrio collaboration runs from March 10th to 29th across iOS and Android
Leadership Change
New Xbox leadership insists there's no top-down AI directive from Microsoft
Console remains central to Xbox’s identity despite multi-platform publishing shifts
Marvellous Mena
Dubai Esports & Games Festival returns on May 8th as the city doubles down on its gaming ambitions
The festival blends esports tournaments, industry networking and community activities under Dubai’s digital economy strategy
Company Blunder
Discord delays global age verification rollout to the second half of 2026 after user backlash
The company admits it failed to clearly explain how the verification system would work
Funding News
Power Protocol secures $3m to scale blockchain ecosystem and accelerate Fableborne's development
Total ecosystem funding reaches $15.4m following Bitkraft’s latest investment
Esports Nations Cup
PUBG Mobile joins the Esports Nations Cup 2026 as its 16th competitive title
The national team showdown will take place in Riyadh from November 2nd to 29th, 2026.
Marvellous Mena
"The market, both in MENA and at a global scale, is becoming increasingly competitive"
Steer Studios CEO Yannick Theler on recognition, building global IP from the KSA and balancing live service ambitions in MENA
Job News
Nexon appoints Patrick Söderlund as executive chairman effective immediately
The new structure sees Söderlund set strategy while CEO Junghun Lee drives execution
Child Safety
LA County sues Roblox over alleged child safety failures
Officials claim the platform exposes minors to grooming and sexual exploitation
Strategic Move
BidOn expands leadership and establishes board to advance open source ad tech
2026 roadmap includes publisher-focused ad tech resources
Giant Growing
Giant secures $8m to expand AI-powered storytelling for children
The startup aims to turn children's screen time into interactive, creative play
Job News
Krafton appoints Kangwook Lee as chief AI officer
He will oversee company-wide AI R&D and foundational tech roadmap
Studio Closure
Tencent closes TiMi Montreal studio after five years
Studio was founded in 2021 to build open-world multi-platform titles
New Offerings
ByteBrew launches AI-powered cross-promotion network to scale app portfolios
The platform enables developers to target high-value users within their own apps and move them across titles
New Offerings
Roblox launches Global Parent Council to strengthen family engagement and online safety oversight
The council includes 80 parents and caregivers from 32 countries across four regions
New Partnerships
Saudi Esports Federation partners with ROC Esports and Team Stallion to strengthen the Kingdom’s esports ambitions
The agreements centre on upskilling Saudi employees and athletes through programs delivered by the Saudi Esports Academy
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group signs MoU with AUBH to strengthen student training in games and interactive entertainment
AUBH students will gain access to internships, studio visits and direct engagement with Savvy’s teams in Riyadh
Game Closure
Netmarble to shut down Seven Knights 2 in April
Publisher's focus is shifting to Seven Knights: Re: BIRTH and Seven Knights Idle Adventure
Winners Revealed
Grand Mountain Adventure 2 wins mobile honour at Swedish Game Awards
Mojang Studios’ Minecraft secured Best Live Service, while Candy Crush Saga earned a nomination in the same category
Job News
Exel by Merak appoints Faisal Sedrani as CEO to lead its next growth phase
The accelerator is expanding beyond games into a broader multi-sector innovation mandate aligned with Vision 2030
Job News
Make-A-Wish International appoints Markus Wilding to its Infinite Wishes Advisory Committee
Former Activision, Rockstar, 2K and Private Division leader brings 30 years of global industry experience to the initiative
Strategic Move
Meta splits Quest and Horizon Worlds as it pivots the social sandbox app toward mobile
The company claims Horizon Worlds' mobile MAU grew more than 4x in 2025
New Offerings
UK government reveals expanded finance package to help creative businesses scale
The move includes a $60 million commitment to Redrice Ventures to boost seed-stage investment in creative firms
Acqusitions
Clear Angle Studios acquires DI4D's technology and IP to strengthen performance capture offering
The deal brings together two long-standing specialists in high-fidelity digital performance
Manifesto
Scottish games industry releases manifesto calling for government support ahead of parliament election
The sector is urging the next government to strengthen policy, unlock investment and secure long-term growth
Celebrations
Finnish Game Jam 2026 produced 259 brand new games in just 48 hours
Hundreds of developers gathered under the theme “Mask” for Finland’s Global Game Jam contribution
Brazil Games set to bring over 30 game studios to GDC 2026
The delegation aims to position Brazil as a global development partner
Industry Outlook
EGDF urges Europe's games industry to "fight forward" in 2026
The federation called on policymakers to recognise games as a strategic cultural and technological asset
New Offerings
FirstLook launches 1.0 as it expands into a full lifecycle player relationship platform
The platform now integrates playtesting, communications, analytics, rewards, creator campaigns and sentiment analysis in one suite
Crossovers
June’s Journey welcomes Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie anniversary crossover
Players will solve puzzles across iconic Christie-inspired locations in a cosy mystery format
Investment Shift
Saudi Arabia's PIF transfers $3bn Take-Two Stake to Savvy Games Group
The move consolidates Saudi Arabia’s global gaming investments under Savvy