Ai In Games
Ludo AI launches 3D generator for developers to create game-ready models
Ludo AI said that models can be exported “in industry recognised formats”
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
Funding News
Beamable secures $13.5 million for decentralised gaming infrastructure
The funding will also support continued innovation in game infrastructure
App Store Removal
Square Enix shuts down Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on iOS over 'unfixable' bug
It was discontinued due to an unfixable bug that prevented players from accessing paid content
New Studio
New studio Loadstar opens in Barcelona
The developer is currently on the lookout for funding for its upcoming sci-fi action-puzzle adventure game
Winners Revealed
Balatro wins Mobile Game of the Year at DICE Awards
The title came out on top in a category that included Halls of Torment, Monument Valley 3, Paper Trail and Wuthering Waves
Acqusitions
Skybound Entertainment acquires Maple Media
Skybound aims to leverage Maple Media’s expertise in mobile app operations to deliver stories across multiple platforms
Earnings Report
Nazara reports $61.5 million revenue in Q3 FY25 as gaming segment grows 53%
Gaming growth is fuelled by Fusebox Games acquisition and strong performance from Animal Jam
Esports In Mena
Emirates Esports Federation opens bidding for E Gaming League franchises
The league's owners see it as an opportunity to establish the UAE as a hub for digital entertainment and economic growth
New Partnerships
Merak Capital partners with Huawei Cloud to boost Saudi Arabia’s games industry
The partnership will provide gaming startups with workshops on cloud-native game development
Tiktok Ban
TikTok returns to app stores in the US
US Attorney General Pam Bondi assured Apple in a letter that it wouldn't face fines for hosting TikTok on the App Store
Investment News
Spoilz secures strategic investment to launch new IPs
The studio said it will form new partnerships, uplift local talent, and improve monetisation
New Partnerships
Merak Capital and Microsoft team up to support gaming startups in Saudi Arabia
The partnership builds on Merak Capital's $80 million gaming fund
Job News
Leo Olebe joins Games for Change as chair of the board
Olebe takes over from Tilting Point chief business officer Asi Burak, who has served as chair for 10 years
Jobs In Games
Microsoft Gaming names Kayleen Walters as head of Mojang Studios
Exec will be based in Redmond and will report to Microsoft's studios chief operations officer Helen Chiang
Mena Expansion
Roblox rolls out Arabic language support
The UGC platform has seen daily active users grow by an average of 80% across five MENA countries
Leadership Change
Koei Tecmo appoints Hisashi Koinuma as new CEO
He will replace co-founder Yoichi Erikawa as president and CEO effective from April 2025
Layoff News
Update: Unity lays off staff and axes Behavior team
The exact number of employees affected by Unity's latest round of redundancies remains unclear
Expansions
Mobile ad platform Adjoe opens new offices in Tokyo and Singapore
The ads platform has tapped industry experts to lead its Asia-Pacific expansion
Esports In Mena
Savvy Games Group and HP sign MoU to help Saudi Arabia learners get careers in gaming and esports
Saudi games and esports group said it will also provide skill-building opportunities through incubator programs
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group and Merak Capital partner to boost Saudi Arabia’s games ecosystem
The partnership builds on Merak Capital's $80 million gaming fund to support the Kingdom's esports sector
Marvellous Mena
"Mobile web-based gaming is set to play a significant role in our future"
Sea Monster Entertainment CEO and co-founder Glenn Gillis discusses impact games, EdTech in Africa, funding challenges and building a climate resilience game
Ai In Games
KGeN and Mira Network partner to build AI agents in games
KGeN will also use Mira's APIs, like Generate, Verify, and Verified Generate to create gaming AI tools
Esports In Mena
Olympic Esports Games in Saudi Arabia delayed to 2027
The IOC did not provide a reason for the delay, but confirmed that qualification will begin this year
New Partnerships
Xsolla partners with AppsFlyer for improved web shop analytics and ad tracking
Deal aims to provide improved ad tracking for web shop purchases
Investigations
Roblox is under SEC investigation
News follows a Hindenburg report in October that claimed misrepresentation of player metrics and a downplaying of child safety issues
Earnings Report
Roblox revenue up 32% in Q4 2024 as losses narrow
UGC platform averaged 82.9 million daily active users in 2024, up 21% year-over-year
Mobile Plans
Nintendo claims it’s still developing mobile games
But the console giant’s last mobile game release was Mario Kart Tour in September 2019
Lawsuit
Roblox sues PlayerAuctions over ‘unauthorised’ digital goods sales
It claims 8% to 10% of players appealing bans for real-money trading referenced PlayerAuctions
Acqusitions
Blind Squirrel Games acquires Distributed Development
The studio will now operate as Blind Squirrel Games Colombia
Earnings Report
MTG reports 7% YoY growth in Q4 backed by strong mobile performances and strategic acquisitions
Snowprint Studios made its first organic contribution to MTG's performance in Q4 2024, following its acquisition in October 2023
Financial Outlook
Take-Two's mobile portfolio fuels growth as net bookings reach $1.37 billion
Take-Two said it has major game launches planned for 2025 including Grand Theft Auto VI in the fall
New Tax Laws
Apple updates tax policies across multiple countries to comply with new regulations
Come April, Apple will operate as a Specified Platform Operator in Japan
New Partnerships
Sony’s Inzone pens multiyear deal to support Valorant Esports
Inzone will equip coach rooms, practice areas and more for teams to use and test the gear
Game Cancellation
Sega cancels Football Manager 25 over development challenges
“We're too far away from the standards you deserve.”
Job Cuts
Bandai Namco reportedly cuts over 100 jobs in the past year
Employee count has decreased by 117, from 1,294
Earnings Report
Stillfront group sees 5% drop in net revenue but reports $153.5 million in turnover for FY 2024
The firm saved money by cutting down on fixed costs, product development expenses, and marketing costs
New Studio
UK-based nDreams opens new VR studio Compass
The firm has moved several employees to Compass while others have been let go
New Partnerships
The Gang and BBC bring Boarders to Roblox with a limited-time event
The event features interactive NPC versions of characters and a scavenger hunt where players complete quests to earn rewards
Cloud Gaming
The Game Company raises $10 million to launch cloud gaming platform
TGC said the platform has already garnered over 500,000 waitlisted users
Layoffs
Iron Galaxy Studios lays off 66 employees amid industry challenges
“It's a measure we do not take lightly to enable our long-term survival”
Africa Mobile Market
Mobile leads the charge in Africa’s $1.8 billion games market
The continent added an estimated 32m new gamers in 2024, bringing the total to 349m, up from 317m in 2023
Investment News
Playable Factory gets strategic investment from Ludus Ventures
“It will enable us to become a stronger player globally and accelerate our expansion into new markets." said Playable Factory CEO Berat Oğuz
Consumer Law
UK government rejects calls to strengthen consumer protections against live service shutdowns
But the government states it "will monitor this issue”
Regulations
Apple shares compliance steps following Vietnam's new app store game licensing rules
The iPhone maker advises developers to first obtain a license from Vietnamese authorities
Acqusitions
Voldex acquires hit Roblox game Brookhaven
Voldex said the acquisition will expand its user base to more than 145 million monthly active users
Layoffs Imminent
Sumo Group announces strategic shift, layoffs expected to follow
“Unavoidably this transition will have an impact on our studios and people,'' said CEO Carl Cavers
Layoffs
AppsFlyer lays off 100 employees in restructuring move
AppsFlyer cites realigning investments, accelerating value creation and focusing on high-impact initiatives as part of its reasons for the cuts
Gaming Trends
ESA issues warning as games industry could suffer amid Trump tariffs
Video game consoles prices could increase by 40% and smartphones by 26%
Funding For Games
Laton Ventures lands $50 million fund to support pre-seed and seed gaming startups
The firm has previously made five early-stage investments across Türkiye, the US, and Europe
Funding For Games
Goat Gaming lands $4 million to expand AI-powered web3 games on Telegram
The brand said its AlphaAI suite will power the launch of hundreds of games in 2025