Acqusitions
Stash acquires Galleon to expand global DTC footprint in games
The deal expands Stash’s footprint in EMEA and brings Galleon’s founders into senior leadership roles
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
Expansions
Ukrainian studio Burny Games expands into publishing
This marks Burny’s first external publishing partnership with another studio
New Offerings
Apple launches Mini Apps Partner Program with reduced commission on qualifying in-app purchases
Eligible developers can earn an 85% share on qualifying in-app purchases
New Offerings
Coherence 2.0 update launches as major upgrade to the multiplayer platform
Indie teams get full features free under the $200,000 revenue threshold
New Partnerships
Room 8 Group teams up with Pragma to streamline online game development
Partnership brings studios a full suite of backend and live ops tools
Acqusitions
SUD acquires Cocos in a $72m deal to deepen platform integration
Cocos 4 will move to a fully open-source model, offering all engine and CLI code for free
Industry Outlook
Survey finds over half of US game industry workers feel pay doesn’t reflect their role
5% report earning under $15,000 a year
Job News
Hutch appoints Andrew Watson as its new CEO
He previously led production on major mobile IPs including Forza, Hot Wheels, and F1
Layoff News
Crystal Dynamics cuts nearly 30 staff in workforce reduction
Studio says layoffs are part of a reorganisation to optimise development of its new Tomb Raider game
Marvellous Mena
Exel by Merak welcomes 19 startups for Cohort 2 accelerator
Cohort 2 spans mobile, PC, and console projects with completion set for February 2026
New Office
Appcharge opens Helsinki office to strengthen ties with Finnish game studios
Finland’s leadership in DTC growth was a key driver behind the expansion
Company Restructure
Krafton is offering voluntary resignations to employees amid AI-first shift
The company says it aims to help employees shape new career paths during its AI transition
New Offerings
Sybo to launch Subway Surfers+ expansion on Apple Arcade
Subway Surfers+ arrives December 4th, 2025
New Partnerships
Lurkit teams up with Streamlabs to push creator marketing forward in the games industry
Multiple medium to large mobile campaigns kick off from late December into early 2026
Apple Troubles
Apple denied permission to appeal a ruling that it abused its market dominance
The company now faces a potential payout exceeding £1bn as regulatory pressure intensifies
New Offerings
Red Dead Redemption to arrive on Android and iOS next month
Netflix members can also download and play the game from December 2nd at no extra cost
New Offerings
NCsoft reveals new global MMORPG Horizon Steel Frontiers for mobile and PC
The game is set in the Horizon World universe and is co-developed with Sony’s Guerrilla
Pay Increase
Sega is raising salaries for all Japan-based employees by 10%
New pay scales go live on April 1st 2026
New Studio
53 content creators unite to launch a fully player-owned game studio named Gallaxia
The studio aims to reinvent creation, ownership, and monetisation in the creator-driven economy
New Offerings
Roblox opens License Manager to all eligible IP holders through self-serve system
The company calls it the beginning of a new era of large-scale licensing on the platform
New Offerings
Valve’s Steam Frame will support Android games out of the box
Developers can bring existing Android and Quest-style VR titles via standard APKs
New Offerings
Epic Games is previewing in-island transaction tools for Fortnite creators
Creators can now test selling in-game items using V-Bucks ahead of next month’s rollout
New Offerings
Lore Machine launches Adventure_Mode for creating and remixing AI-powered visual stories
The feature shifts users from consuming content to actively shaping narratives in real time
Partnership Extension
Poki expands Sybo partnership to bring more Subway Surfers titles to the web
The original Subway Surfers has surpassed 1.7bn plays on Poki since its web debut
New Offerings
Palworld Mobile Alpha test set for Q4 2025
The mobile version will make its public debut at G-Star 2025 in South Korea
New Offerings
The Games Growth Guild launches as a global network for marketing and publishing professionals in games
The Guild connects experts from indie, mobile, and triple-A studios to share growth strategies
Investment News
Chickmania secures investment from Singapore’s WeJoy to accelerate global growth
The deal aims to expand Chickmania’s reach across Asia, the Middle East, and global markets
Winners Revealed
Playing for the Planet and Green Game Jam 2025 winners revealed
The awards celebrated studios advancing environmental storytelling and sustainability in games
Acqusitions
Social First acquires in-game item marketplace GamerPay
The platform will continue operating normally, with all accounts and listings remaining intact
Power Saving
Google launches new Android metric to help reduce battery drain from background processes
Starting March 2026, affected apps may lose Play Store visibility or receive warning labels
New Offerings
MiHoYo teases next large-scale fantasy project in Unreal Engine 5
Job listings describe the project as a realistic fantasy title with heavy creature design work
New Offerings
K-ID launches OpenAge to streamline global age verification for apps and mobile games
AgeKey lets users verify their age once and reuse it across multiple platforms
New Offerings
Roblox hit Jailbreak is getting an animated movie
Jailbreak: Rising City marks the first-ever Roblox game to be turned into a movie
Expansions
Yalla Group to open new regional headquarters in Riyadh as part of Middle East expansion plans
The new HQ is expected to open in the first half of 2026
New Partnerships
Spoilz signs MoU with AI 3D asset company AssetHub
The collaboration focuses on empowering developers and studios across the region
Developer Struggles
Goddess Order halts new content just over a month after launch
Developer PixelTribe can no longer continue development due to financial and operational issues
Agreement Reached
Konami and Cygames reach settlement over Umamusume patent dispute
The agreement resolves both the lawsuit and Konami’s patent invalidation claims
Studio Closure
Atomhawk closes Canadian studio as part of restructuring
The firm will continue operating from the UK as a creative innovation partner for the games industry
Strategic Growth
My.Games extends publishing program to MENA as part of global expansion
The program offers funding, marketing, and development support across mobile, PC, and console
Studio Closure
Bad Brain Game Studios to shut down after partner search falls through
The studio says the game and IP remain available for acquisition or partnership
Company Restructure
Square Enix to close overseas studios and consolidate development in Japan
Staff in both the US and UK are being notified of potential layoffs
New Offerings
Discord expands Family Centre tools with new teen safety features
New parental controls also let guardians manage how Discord uses teen data and ads
Funding News
Hoora Games raises $1.3m to accelerate mobile ambitions
The startup aims to become a global reference point for mobile entertainment
New Offerings
Zynga partners with Dots.eco to launch FarmVille 3 conservation bundles
The initiative links in-game play with measurable real-world environmental action
Marvellous Mena
DaFluffs Games founder on leveraging early funding to scale global mobile games
“We see a huge appetite for games that feel global but carry subtle local touches”
Crossovers
Turborilla teams up with SX Global for a Mad Skills Motocross 3 crossover event
The collaboration debuts in Season 12: House of Good Times
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group signs MoU with Humain to advance AI adoption across its operations
The partnership focuses on developing tailored AI tools for key business functions, including game development
Settlement Reached
Google and Epic reach proposed settlement to open Android app store access
The proposal would allow third-party app stores to be downloaded more easily
Expansions
ESL FACEIT Group opens new regional headquarters in Riyadh
The venue will act as an esports venue and talent development hub for Saudi nationals
Patents
US Patent Office is reviewing Nintendo’s patent on a battle support summon mechanic
The review signals concerns that could eventually lead to the patent being overturned