Upstream
Upstream: the mobile games streaming and esports digest – June 10 2022
PocketGamer.biz and Stream Hatchet break down the monthly stats on mobile games making waves on streaming platforms and esports events
Subscription Success
GameRefinery: creative battle pass implementation found in 60% of the top grossing mobile games
Gacha and battle pass elements are integrating into many genres
Google It
Google: only 16% of mobile gamers want NFT-based games
Player base split on engagement with in-game ads, motivation to start mobile titles, and NFT-based games of little interest
Eclipsing Events
E3 rivalled as Geoff Keighley confirms physical Summer Game Fest for 2023
Next Summer Game Fest announced to be digital and in-person
Summer Games Fest
HoYoverse holds the ground for mobile representation at the Summer Game Fest
Trailers for Zenless Zone Zero and Honkai Star Rail
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Stream Hatchet’s Bobby Baird on why more games companies need to be investing in esports
Get to know the thought leaders of Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto, June 6-7
Last Chance To Save
LAST CHANCE: Save up to $350 CAD on your Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto ticket!
You can save up to $350 CAD on your PG Connects Toronto ticket if you buy before midnight tonight, don’t miss out.
Hand In The Cookie Jar
How Cookie Run: Kingdom's shift from endless runner to RPG led to Devsisters' greatest success
Devsisters' Kilhyeon Cho, Eunji Lee, and Danny Huh discuss the team's success with Cookie Run: Kingdom following its first English-language award
Going Global
Honor of Kings global mobile launch confirmed for 2022
Honor of Kings is confirmed to be coming to launching globally later this year on mobile.
The Coming Crypto Storm
Q&A with Storms’ CEO David Yin: Navigating the Web3 gaming space
Is Web3 coming? Is it already here? What does crypto bring to the world of games? PocketGamer.biz sat down with the Storms CEO for his take on the future of games
Polish Expansion
Amber to open Polish studio following 56% revenue growth
Studio to be headed by game designer Greg Ciach
Stakes And Shares
Saudi Arabia acquires 8.1% of Embracer Group with $1 billion stake
Via subsidiary Savvy Gaming Group
Html5
Playable Factory announces launch of HTML5 service for mobile games studios
H5 Games will support mobile devs without the experience, ability, or funding to create HTML5 titles
Big Bid
Meta Audience Network bidding hits Appodeal Stack
Appodeal Stack integrates Meta Audience Network making it available to all app creators in its Growth Platform
Do Cross The Streams
Stream Hatchet Brands launched to track 2,300 brands on streaming platforms
Logo detection and chat analysis used to identify media value
4dworks
The games industry is infamous for burnout. Hutch's Shaun Rutland wants to change that.
"A happy team also means a productive one, but that's often neglected in games"
Return Of The King
Revenue boost on alternative stores for strategy game
Flexion CEO Jens Lauritzson explains how the company helped Top Games give their game a revenue boost
Growing Into Germany
iCandy sets sights on the metaverse with a 60% stake in Flying Sheep Studios
Total consideration for the stake is $2.14 million
Developer Deals
Keywords Studios enters conditional $32.5 million acquisition of Forgotten Empires
Maximum value of the acquisition, with initial cash consideration of $15.75 million
Ua Eye
How Royal Match draws on the ad legacy of Homescapes
Rovio's Claire Rozain takes a look at Dream Games' renowned flagship title, Royal Match, and the myriad influences beyond the Match 3 genre
May Merriment
Apex Legends Mobile and Ni No Kuni boost US mobile performance in May, GameRefinery finds
Report analyses mobile sectors in US, Japan, and China
New Adventures
The leading global games industry conference is returning to Helsinki – join us there this September!
Pocket Gamer Connects is making a grand return to Finland this fall. Mark your calendars and book your tickets today to secure the lowest price possible!
Regulatory Reversal
China approves 60 more games in 2022
58 titles approved by the National Press and Publication Administration are explicitly mobile games, in continuation of regulatory reversal
All About Indies
Calling all indies developers! Here’s how you can take your game to the next level at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto
Read up on why you, a super talented indie developer looking to level up, need to be at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto this July.
Insight
Subscription services are growing fast, but unlikely to become the dominant form of monetisation
Ampere Analysis' Piers Harding-Rolls explores the rapid explosion and caution of gaming subscription services, and if it will be the dominant form of monetisation
Environmental Events
MAG hosts reforestation initiative in third consecutive Playing for the Planet appearance
In-game events themed around reforestation developed at Green Game Jam
This Is Not Fair Use Of Fortnite
Fortnite cryptocurrency “a scam”, states Epic’s Tim Sweeney
Fortnite Token’s clear visual connection with the battle royale invokes ire of Epic Games CEO, stating “Epic’s lawyers are on it”
A Wealth Of Winners
Apple Design Awards 2022 crown six mobile game winners from inclusivity to innovation
Marvel Future Revolution, Star Wars: Castaways, Overboard!, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, Wylde Flowers, and A Musical Story awarded at the annual celebration of design
Director Deluge
Annapurna Interactive makes multiple hires to internal development studio
Helmed by game director Chelsea Hash, the new additions – Brett Lajzer, Evan Hembacher, and Cosimo Galluzzi – will push forward with an unannounced project
Wwdc
Apple unveils iOS 16, but no substantive games updates
WWDC keynote is low on games announcements, but new Metal 3 API coming to iPadOS 16 and family sharing of Apple Arcade subscriptions
Apple Core Out
Apple Arcade’s senior team keeps shrinking
Apple Arcade execs Mark Bozon and Kathy Astromoff leave to pursue very divergent paths
Hot Five
Hot Five: Playtika layoffs could reach 250, Supercell invests $60mil into Love & Pies, and Square Enix commits to NFTs
The hottest news articles on PG.biz
Pitch Me Baby
Thanks to Outfit7’s internal pitching system, my idea turned into our new game
Žiga Sedovnik, Principal Data Scientist at Outfit7, shares how his idea for a new strategy RPG turned into the company’s newest game, Mythic Legends
Prospering Pikachu
Pokémon GO celebrates lifetime player spending of $6 billion
Sensor Tower data reveals the game has averaged $1 billion per year since launch
Supercharged
Exclusive: Supercell breaks ground with first investment in NFT gaming
Oxalis Games has raised $4.5 million in a seed round led by Blocore and including Supercell, Animoca Brands, and Sir Ian Livingstone
Committing To Casual
Turkish mobile puzzle games developer Cypher Games raises $3.2 million
Investment will be used to expand the team sixfold, open a new office in Berlin, and create the firm's first casual title
Co-development Deal
Mighty Kingdom and Lion Studios partner to develop unnamed title
Partnering for 12 months of co-development
How To Say "welcome" In Simlish
Playstack acquires Magic Fuel Games, reunites EA veterans
The deal brings Magic Fuel's exec team, including Kevin Shrapnell, together with Playstack CEO Harvey Elliot, following previous collaboration on the SimCity franchise
Apple And Apps
68% of mobile games devs find marketing more difficult following Apple ATT
Tenjin and Growth FullStack speak to PocketGamer.biz on their latest report which states 99% of developers plan to use alternative Android stores this year
Hit Publish
Funday Factory's Jeppe Kønig: "I see a clear shift towards cross-platform distribution, subscriptions, and social platforms"
Funday Factory's new head of publishing shares his thoughts on the latest challenges in the mobile games industry, and gazes into the cross-platform future
Esports Everywhere
Toronto’s the up-and-coming esports capital of the world – join us there to learn all about it firsthand!
Esports are taking over the world, join us at PG Connects Toronto to learn how to get in on this growing industry.
African Opportunities
Developing games in Africa: “a 500 million-user market by 2030”
Olivier Madiba, CEO of Cameroon’s Kiro'o Games, speaks to PocketGamer.biz about opportunities in Africa
Take Pride
Zynga’s Dr Vijay Pendakur: “It’s nice to think about diversity. It’s better to change your behaviour.”
Zynga vice president and chief of DEI details the murky act of international progressivity as the mobile mogul celebrates Pride Month
News
Update: Lawsuit alleges Activision Blizzard sexual harassment led to employee suicide
Lawsuit alleges “wanted sexual harassment” in a “hostile, intimidating, offensive, oppressive, and abusive” workplace
4dww
Hutch begins four-day working week trial
Mobile games developer Hutch has now begun its four-day working week trial, as part of a pilot organised by 4 Day Week Global.
Tracks On Tracks On Tracks
Explore the hottest industry topics at Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto, July 6-7
Get all the details on our upcoming Toronto conference’s 15 tracks, and take advantage of our Early Bird discount to save up to $350 on your conference ticket!
Celebrating And Saving
It’s time to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee! Get 30% off your Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto ticket for a limited time only
You have five days to take advantage of this incredible flash sale – don’t wait to enjoy 30% off your PG Connects Toronto ticket.
Speaker Spotlight
Speaker Spotlight: Wizards of the Coast’s John Eberhardt on the importance of a wide a variety of perspectives in the game making process
Get to know the thought leaders of Pocket Gamer Connects Toronto, June 6-7
Player Power
Sky Mavis reveals player-generated games using Axie Infinity IP
Selected games from the Builders Program granted a minimum of $10,000 in AXS
Ua Eye
How Puzzle Combat's playable ads bridge the gap between puzzle and RPG fans
Rovio’s Claire Rozain casts a meticulous lens over Zynga's Puzzle Combat, and breakdowns the key points in her weekly column, UA Eye