Beginning Of The End
2015 in Review: Kobojo's Mario Rizzo on replacing UA with community focus
Future trends from the remembrance of things past
Going Glocal
Making the most of Japan's seasons and holidays
David McCarthy has a seasons greeting
Brand Multipler
LINE Disney Tsum Tsum hits 50 million downloads
Too cute
Amusing Cash
Ex-Sega president Hayao Nakayama invests in UK super startup The Secret Police
London studio is up and running
A Real Godzilla
At $6.2 billion, Japanese mobile games market remains global #1
So says SuperData
Sea Breeze
Video: The importance and hardships of the Southeast Asia market
There's growth for everyone
Living The Vita
Video: Kobojo on how to launch a triple-A RPG globally
Japan still loves the Vita
Early Bird
Big in Japan, now Adways is bringing its $1 CPA pre-registration UA platform PreLaunch.me to the west
Ken Asakura on marketing before launch
Make Art
Video: How to handle art direction in the Japanese market
Even core gamers like cute things
Famous Friends
How celebrity endorsements work in the Japanese mobile game market
David McCarthy on the power of fame
Nx Going Mobile
Nintendo's NX will reportedly include "at least one mobile unit"
Dev kits being shipped now
Advertising For More
Updated: Japanese MMORPG Logres of Swords and Sorcery hits 7 million downloads but it's its LTV that makes it top grossing
Pushed by TV campaign
Strong Start
DomiNations surpasses 3 million downloads in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea after only one month
No signs of slowing for Nexon's strategy hit
End Of An Era
Konami restructures, focusing ongoing development on mobile games
All but PES to be given the boot
A Wonder
Dominations does 1 million downloads in Japan, Korea and Taiwan
Building a civilisation
Primed For Action
Why pre-registration campaigns are key to Japanese UA
Get them pre-launch
Lift Off
PlayCanvas and GMO Cloud partner to crack Japan
PlayCanvas launches in Japan
Monster Mash
Japanese free-to-play RPG Monster Strike earns $4.2 million a day
Something has risen in the east.
Play Nice
#PGCHelsinki speaker Shin Kanaoya on why western games need to be more shinsetsu to Japanese gamers
What to expect at PG Connects Helsinki 2015
Vice Versa
Learn how to break into the Japanese market via lessons in the other direction
Cybird's David McCarthy is on a two-way street
Going Public
Japanese monetization maestro Metaps is going public
Japan's most-funded startup is filing for an IPO
Psychological Hooks
Western devs need to think more about chance and less about skill says Marvelous' Harry Holmwood
New ways to win
Disruptive Pattern
GungHo signs deal with Camouflaj to complete Republique
Puzzle & Dragons dev throws weight behind indie outfit
Softbank, Hard Cash
Accel sells out, allowing SoftBank to bring its Supercell stake to 73%
Supercell to remain independent despite SoftBank further growing its stake
Lights, Camera, Analyze
Metaps and Hakuhodo creating UA tools for tracking power of TV commercials
Japanese companies join forces to delve into TV marketing analytics.
Money For Nothing
Why Nintendo and Konami need to take heed of Nexon's cautionary tale of mobile failure
The hardest game in the world
Switch It Up
Konami announces 'aggressive' move to mobile
"Mobile games are our main platform now," says CEO
Quality Mark
Nexon sees FY15 Q1 mobile sales up 16% to $70 million
Top of Tanker and DomiNations launched well
Seeking A Billion
Japan #1 Monster Strike raking in $3.8 million per day
Touted as Japan's next billion-dollar mobile game
Coming Up Trumps
When it comes to Hearthstone's Asian success, Japan is the outlier
Phone version has provided another boost
Long Players
Japanese mobile gamers play 3 times more than Americans
App Annie says Asia eclipses the west
Adding Xp
Ex-Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada joins Metaps' board
Going for growth
Serious Plan
Nintendo to launch its first mobile game by end of 2015
Has plans for 5 games by March 2017
Leveled Up
Logres of Swords and Sorcery racks up 6 million downloads in Japan
Aiming and Marvelous' RPG on the up
On The Vine
Whimsical Japanese dev uses Vine celebs to break into US market
Bike Rider by Amutus gets in to gear
Ring Of Opportunity
AppLift opens offices in Beijing, Tokyo and Delhi
Marketing platform expands into Asia Pacific
Decimation
Gumi looks to 'recover fast' internationally following a 100 jobs 'fast fail' in Japan
Predicting an annual loss
Walking The Line
Disney Tsum Tsum has generated $300 million
Puzzler cash cow
U Turn
Nintendo signs deal with DeNA to bring Mario and other IP to mobile
Will also operate open online service
The Next Puzzle
Hall of Fame: Kazuki Morishita
GungHo Online CEO on bringing people joy
This Good Takes
Sega's investment wasn't about the cash, it was about Japan, says Space Ape
Toby Moore on a strategic move
New Networks
Sega buys Demiurge Studios and invests in Space Ape and Ignited Artists
Big push into mobile
Alternate Worlds
DeNA talks Protocol Zero, its stealthy entry into the world of VR gaming
Designing for the spherical environment
All About Mii
Still wary of mobile gaming, Nintendo announces Mii mobile app
No plans to launch Nintendo classics on mobile
Research Cash
Metaps raises $36 million to research smarter AI for better UA
Goal to become the world's brain
Tough Times
DeNA still in transition with FY14 Q3 revenues down 4%
But coin sales on the up
Bubble M&a
Four years on, GREE writes off $75 million from its OpenFeint acquisition
Also drops $78 million from Pokelabo deal
Joining The Dots
LINE looks to partner with mobile game devs in Taiwan and Thailand
Building presence in its #1 markets
Fantasy Land
CyberAgent Q1 FY15 sales up 4% to $119 million
Profit growth of 39% predicted for the year
Light Up
Mobcast buys Lumines and Meteos for mobile reinvention
Pieces of the puzzle