Here's A Story
Tamatem secures strategic partnership with Nanobit for launch of Hollywood Story in the MENA region
Now know as Fashion Queen
Hypercasual Boom
BoomBit shifts its focus to hypercasual games after success with Ramp Car Jumping
It has several games ready for Q2
App Annie Top Publishers
Tencent reigns supreme as the top-grossing mobile publisher for 2020
NetEase and Activision Blizzard finish the top three
Back Of The Net
Nexon signs deal with EA for a new FIFA mobile game in South Korea
Beta testing begins in April
Sayonara Self Publishing
Indie developer Simogo signs publishing deal with Annapurna Interactive
They worked together on Sayonara Wild Hearts
Tilting Timelines
Tilting Point acquires Star Trek Timelines from Disruptor Beam
Forms new studio Wicked Realm Games to run it
Potato Play Funding
Singapore-based mobile games publisher Potato Play raises $500,000 to expand operations
Play Ventures stumps up the cash
Coming To Asia
Curve Digital partners with H2 Interactive to bring some of its Switch games to Asia
Publishing deal extends to South Korea and Hong Kong
Lacking Indies
Developers and publishers are avoiding Stadia because Google isn't offering a big enough incentive
A lack of money and industry commitment
From The Ashes
New Japanese publisher Phoenixx sets up shop in Tokyo
It has five titles set for a 2020 release
Bow Land
Huuuge Games teams up with Double Star to release Bow Land - a ground-breaking mobile game
"We strongly believe that thanks to our knowledge and support Bow Land will be a global success."
Expansion
Middle Eastern games publishing platform Tamatem locks $3.5 million in funding
Wamda led the backing
Get Into South Korea
South Korea mobile game opportunities - and how to unlock them
South Korea has always presented a unique challenge for Western mobile games publishers, but recent regulatory changes mean the doors are opening
Make Your Move
Huuuge Games signs publishing deal with Pakistan-based Turbo Labz for its game Chess Star
First investment in a Pakistan-based developer
Jobs In Games
Kwalee head of publishing Simon Prytherch on 30 years in the games industry
"With hypercasual it's raw, you can’t hide behind amazing graphics or big names"
The Prodigal Son
Playstack brings back product manager Aaron Ludlow as new head of product
Overseeing an "exciting game franchise" and new growth area
Next Big Thing
Rollic, hyper-casual publishing star of 2019, launching its SDK equipped with analytic features powered by AI
Rollic co-founder and managing director Burak Vardal tells the story behind the huge scale his company achieved in less then a year, and Rollic's plans for 2020
Job News
Casual games publisher Kwalee names Simon Prytherch new head of publishing
"There’s a great opportunity to grow the publishing department"
Oh Dear
Chinese publisher recieves $100,000 fine after releasing unlicensed mobile game
The country's license freeze ended late last year
Running Riot
Riot Games launches Riot Forge so devs can use League of Legends IP
Our characters, your game
Job News
Sega Europe’s John Clark joins Tencent Europe as VP publishing
20-year industry veteran
Jobs In Games
A career as long as the games industry: Team 17's Max Everingham
All about the people
Charts
Tencent tops September mobile publisher grossing chart
Fellow Chinese firm NetEase was second place
Doing A Disney
NBCUniversal shutting down game publishing division to focus on licensing
VP of games and digital platforms Chris Heatherly set to step down
Huuuge Deal
Traffic Puzzle generates $1m in revenue in first eight weeks powered by Huuuge Publishing
First title published by the new division
Devcom 2019
Devcom 2019: “The best way to get a successful outcome of a publisher signing you is by letting them know your gaps”
Maximum Games CEO Christina Seelye details key elements of obtaining a publisher
Legal Advice
Update: Annapurna Pictures seeks bankruptcy protection
The company owns Annapurna Interactive, publisher of indie titles such as Florence and Donut County
Be Connected Be Discovered
Facebook tops mobile app publishers worldwide for Q2 2019
Google dominates the App Store however
Jobs News
Rogue Games swoops for trio of marketing, UA and design hires
Publisher appoints new UA marketing manager, game designer and marketing art manager
Auto Success?
Why Dragonest partnered up with Tencent to publish Drodo Auto Chess in China
"A good product needs to be known by as many people as possible"
Decade Of Publishing
Merge Games opens $4 million indie games fund
“It has always been fresh ideas that have made the business thrive”
Expansion
Zordix launches new indie-focused publishing division
“Zordix Publishing will be a key strategic move for us, and we look forward with great excitement”
Ultimate Game Changers
Lion Studios launches $300k indie mobile games contest
Games new and old welcome; Submissions close on August 15th
Going Public
AppLovin wants to raise $1bn in 2020 IPO
Marketing platform and publisher has ambitious plans
Casual Expansion
WeQ: Investment in ad tech, development and publishing sets us apart from hyper-casual competition
Ad tech company has acquired Booster Studios to develop and publish in-house and third-party hyper-casual games
Key Changes
GameMaker firm enacts strategic changes as it halves mobile licence fee and closes publishing division
Free trial now includes all of the engine's features but has been limited to 30 days; publishing division has closed
Going Boldly
The secret of Scopely’s success? How we think about IP, says CEO
Javier Ferreira on being audience-first
Idle Hit
BoomBit releases Idle Coffee Corp globally
The publisher delves into the development and release of the new mobile game
Full Tilt
Tilting Point revenue quintupled to $45 million in 2018
Company president Samir El Agili discusses the philosophy behind the company's explosive growth
Telling Tales
Sam Barlow talks publishing and selling narrative games ahead of his next title Telling Lies
"The games market is still one of extremes with the huge $100 million games at one end and the indie games at the other"
Indie Spotlight
“Then it started blowing up": How TerraGenesis transformed indie developer Edgeworks
We speak with Edgeworks Entertainment CEO Alexander Winn about growing a hit mobile game and landing a big publishing deal
Impressive Numbers
Voodoo outpaces hyper-casual rivals with 771 million downloads in six months
Lion Studios and Playgendary follow in second and third
The Final Step
Financing your indie games development studio - part four: Due diligence
Game Dragons director and industry veteran Philip Oliver gives you the lowdown on that big deal
Stack
Appodeal is now a part of umbrella ad tech solution brand Stack
Stack wants to help mobile publishers compete with an encroaching ad network industry
Art Of The Deal
Financing your indie games development studio - part three: Structuring an investment deal
Game Dragons director and industry veteran Philip Oliver gives you the lowdown on that big deal
Location
Scopely’s recent success is bringing the publisher a new Culver City headquarters
An 80 per cent annual revenue increase has pushed the publisher into opening new doors
Indie
Family-focused publisher Natsume debuts its new indie program with Cosmic Defenders
"We are proud to support and collaborate with inspiring developers who are building the future of video games"
Pitch Perfect
Financing your indie games development studio - part two: The killer pitch
Game Dragons director and industry veteran Philip Oliver gives you the lowdown on dealing with investors and publishers
Born Again
Rising from the ashes: Former Flaregames CEO Klaas Kersting on why he’s founding Phoenix Games
“There’s a cyclical pattern of consolidation with every new platform, and we’re at the stage now with mobile where it’s more competitive and expensive than ever"
New Studio
Former Flaregames boss Klaas Kersting sets up Phoenix Games group
"Phoenix Games moves beyond what's possible with single-game publishing deals, promoting a more long-term, strategic approach"