Company Restructure
Unity cut workforce to 4,987 staff in 2024 at cost of $214m
Game engine and ads firm also appears to have closed 23 offices last year
Financials
Unity revenue falls 25% in Q4 as engine and ads segments see declines
Game engine division Create Solution saw sales fall 47% Y/Y
Ads Vs Apps
AppLovin to sell apps business for $900m as it focuses on ads
But ads firm didn't disclose which company would acquire its games portfolio
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
Global Games Marketing Trends
SocialPeta released mobile game white paper: global mobile game advertisers surpass 250,000
SocialPeta's 2024 Global Mobile Games Marketing Trends & Insights White Paper features insights from industry leaders at Google, AdQuantum, App Masters, Gamelight and many more
Power Of Ai
Nefta set to unveil new AI-powered ad platform at Pocket Gamer Connects London
Nefta’s AI agents categorises games based on their style and genre, making it easier for game makers to market them effectively
In-game Advertising
Audiomob launches new CPI audio ad product for mobile game developers
The product is powered by algorithms that personalise ads based on factors like location, time, device, and user behaviour
Speaker Spotlight
Nefta's Daniel Bowen on embracing new tech and opportunities in advertising
The firm's VP of sales will be speaking at Pocket Gamer Connects London, which takes place on January 20th to 21st
Podcast
How to keep players loyal, playing, and paying in a crowded market | Podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team and guests give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode…
Levelplay X Bigo Ads: Win-win
BIGO Ads Integrates with Unity LevelPlay: Boosting Revenue for Mobile Game Developers
Global Demand Meets Massive Traffic: A Win-Win for Developers and Advertisers
Game Ads
Creative trend: The evolution of the near-death snake experience in game ads
In this regular column UA and marketing expert Matej Lančarič shares his thoughts on some of the biggest topics in games
Sale Boost
Zynga sells Chartboost to LoopMe
Publisher had previously bought mobile ads and monetisation platform in a $250 million deal in 2021
Loot Box Investigation
Are the UK's top grossing mobile games really breaking loot box rules?
We delve into the BBC's claims that only two out of the top 45 revenue-generating titles are following the ASA's rules on loot box disclosures
Rewarded Ua
The rise of rewarded user acquisition platforms
Almedia CEO and founder Moritz Holländer delves into one of the industry's hottest trends in 2024
No Bs Fridays
The celebrity effect in mobile game advertising: When stars collide with games
In this regular column UA and marketing expert Matej Lančarič shares his thoughts on some of the biggest topics in games
Ai Ads
Reforged Labs begins open beta for generative AI-created mobile game ads following $3.9m investment
The open beta allows developers to upload gameplay and automate animated, voiced game ads
Job News
Almedia goes on recruitment drive with 17 new hires
Hires form part of Almedia's growth plans across Europe and North America over the next year
Stars Of The Show
Monopoly Go star-powered ad campaign summons Will Ferrell, Chris Pratt, Jason Momoa and Keke Palmer
Will Ferrell’s role as Mr. Monopoly will be an ongoing one as part of a "long-term creative concept"
Rewarded Ua
How Almedia is riding the rewarded play wave
Freecash has become one of the top newcomers in the rewarded user acquisition space that has taken off this year
Ad Advice
Creative fatigue in mobile games marketing: How to identify and combat it
AdQuantum’s Anton Kuzmin shares how you can avoid creative fatigue and keep your audience engaged
Holidays Ahoy
Over 35% will play more mobile games during holiday season, with Gen X screen time to outdo Gen Z
Unity’s new US-based survey finds who’s playing, who’s spending, and who’s watching ads this Christmas
Ua Advice
2024 UA Playbook: Diversifying beyond traditional channels and the rise of rewarded play
UA and marketing expert Matej Lančarič shares some best practices and top tips
Big Tech Breakup?
US mulls Google breakup in antitrust case
Tech giant labels DOJ proposals as "radical" and "government overreach"
Kid Tech
SuperAwesome launches under-18-focused audience data and insights platform Awesome Intelligence
Platform aims to provide "safe and compliant" data on the behaviour of Gen Z and Alpha for brands and agencies
Podcast
Unicorns, camels and hogs: How smart ad monetisation saves your app from getting eaten alive | Podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team and guests give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode…
Ad Appeal
Unity: Global rewarded ad engagement rose by 3.2% in 2023
Unity’s Mobile Growth and Monetisation Report 2024 finds 38.1% of users will watch ads when out of resources
Five New Games
New release roundup: The best new mobile games from mathematical puzzlers to the return of Jon Snow
We highlight five new games that have broken cover and are all set to do big business
King In The North
Zynga calls in Kit Harrington for Game of Thrones: Legends launch
Mobile ads are becoming increasingly star-powered, with Jon Snow himself promoting the latest puzzle RPG
App Intelligence Magic
AppMagic’s CEO on raising $3m, market intelligence price wars, and ad revenue estimates
PocketGamer.biz speaks to Max Samorukov about the state of market intelligence and its plans for the future
Podcast
Strengthening ad network bonds for better performance with AdQuantum’s Sergey Sukhov | Podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team and guests give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and what's inside this week's episode…
Mobile Marketing
Why attribution and marketing mix modelling aren't delivering results for games marketers
Incrmntal CEO and co-founder Maor Sadra delves into the mobile marketing landscape and analyses privacy challenges and solutions for campaigns
Sdk Update
AdInMo launches InGamePlay SDK 3.0 beta with clickable in-game ad units
Monetisation platform aims to drive more intentional clicks with new customisable visual aids
Advertising Ascent
Global advertising revenue to hit $1 trillion in 2026
PwC projects global in-game advertising will reach $147.9 billion in 2028
Pgc Helsinki
Isabel Davies: EU’s Digital Fitness Fairness Check could cause "big overhauls" in 2025
The regulation of free-to-play is a complex topic due to its ever-changing nature, but next year’s check could really change the game…
Exclusive Deal
Voodoo signs partnership with Audiomob for audio ads
Deal sees ads provider become exclusive audio partner for the top 50% of the publisher's inventory
Podcast | Episode 19
Is Squad Busters a success or failure? | Week in Mobile Games podcast
The PocketGamer.biz podcast team give you the state of play every week. Here's where to get it and and what's inside this week's episode 19...
Apple Ads
Apple 30% fee extends to Instagram and Facebook ads worldwide today
The fee was imposed on the US earlier this year and rolls out globally today, July 1st
Rising Revenue
In-game ads in hypercausal runners: Increasing revenue without sacrificing other metrics
Azur Games producer Milana Gelmanova shares how in-game ads helped to create a 5% to 20% revenue boost in a year
Acqusitions
Verve Group acquires Jun Group for $185 million
The acquisition is expected to close in September pending the usual round of regulatory approvals
Partnership Power
Anzu and dentsu partner to advance intrinsic in-game advertising with "contextually relevant campaigns"
Ads will be deliverable to specific audiences based on behaviour and interests
Advanced Ai Advertising
SocialPeta's evolution: advancing mobile game advertising with AI, Apple Search Ads, and STEAM game insights
Find out more about SocialPeta's new enhanced features and capabilities before the company's appearance at Gamesforum Hamburg
Place Search Ad Here
Mobile's broken app store discoverability
How Steam, Google Play and Apple's App Store compare and how platform holders prioritise ads over useful recommendations for users
Next Level Marketing
Squad Busters ad calls in big-name talent for its global launch
The game's live-action ad features Chris Hemsworth, Christina Ricci and more as real-world depictions of their in-game heroes
Mainstream Mobile
Mobile gaming's journey to the mainstream
Kristan Rivers, co-founder and CEO of in-game advertising platform AdInMo, looks at the last decade of the industry and why brands are queueing up for its future
Strategic Growth
Netflix to launch in-house ad tech with global rollout set for 2025
The move will see the streaming platform compete against other industry giants with ad servers such as Amazon and Google
New Way To Ua
Subscrible raises $300,000 to launch ad-free mobile games platform
Start-up aims to reduce UA costs and provide “uninterrupted” gaming
Ad Strategy
Why diversified revenue streams are the key to maximising monetisation
As the monetisation landscape shifts, mixing up your ad strategies can ensure that no money gets left on the table
Ads Growth
AppLovin revenue surges 48% Y/Y to $1bn in Q1 as it eyes non-gaming growth
“There is nothing that limits our models to just gaming,” says CEO Adam Foroughi
Adding Ads
Roblox launches video ads, partnering with IAS to deliver transparent metrics
Advertisers can now use immersive video to promote to anyone over 13 in Roblox, with clear indicators from IAS coming soon
Boosting Revenue
How user consent for personalised ads can significantly increase your Android revenue
GameBiz Consulting's Božo Janković on the power of personalised ads and why testing is key