Loads Of Layoffs
Layoffs to cost 100,000 years of collective games industry experience
As veterans leave the games sector, Amir Satvat calculates the years of experience lost since 2022
New Offerings
Candy Crush to launch official dessert cookbook this October
The candy-themed cookbook is now available for pre-order
Milestone
My Talking Tom Friends 2 surpasses 10 million downloads
Outfit7 achieves its highest-ever preregistration conversion rate with this launch
New Partnerships
Gadsme partners with Konami to bring immersive ads to games and esports
The agreement opens new opportunities for brands and advertisers to reach audiences
Hot Five
Hot Five: Soolra’s iPhone controller case, Netflix’s gaming investment plans, and EU reportedly likely to greenlight App Store changes
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Week In Views
Why acquisitions fail, Netflix Games' investment plans, and the big H1 2025 genre analysis | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
New Games
New release roundup: Pokémon Friends, Metal Slug Tactics, Rollercoaster Racer and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Strategic Move
Nazara spins off Nodwin Gaming ahead of fresh funding round
The new capital raise will dilute Nazara’s stake in Nodwin to below 50%
Twists And Turns
Is the EU set for "total capitulation" on App Store regulation?
Regulators hit a wall as the UK struggles to get out of bed and the EU deals with nightmares of a Trump retaliation
New Partnerships
Entrust partners with PlaySafe ID to combat cheaters and boost player safety
The move supports upcoming UK rules that require stronger online child protection
Machine Learning
The revolutionary impact of machine learning on mobile advertising
"The adoption of machine learning in mobile advertising has accelerated dramatically following breakthrough AI technologies"
New Partnerships
Sony acquires 2.5% stake in Bandai Namco
Sony expands Japanese IP footprint with 16m share Bandai Namco deal
Online Safety
42% of parents say the games industry doesn't do enough to protect kids online
Social media tops parents’ safety concerns with TikTok singled out by 52%
Top 50
Nominations open for PocketGamer.biz's Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025
We're also putting together special lists for Southeast Asia and MENA - all to be unveiled later this year!
Data Dive
H1 2025 genre analysis: Mobile strategy games surge to $10.6bn as RPG revenue tumbles
We analyse AppMagic data to determine the top genres globally and in the US, comparing rising stars with stumbling giants
Bringing Back Buttons
Soolra iPhone case doubles as retro controller: "Mobile gaming has been held back by touchscreens for too long"
The company also has its own emulator with open source, properly licenced and public domain games preloaded
Market Growth
Global games market to hit $196 billion by 2026
Venture capital funding in games dropped to $193m in Q2 2025
Celebration Is Coming
Game of Thrones: Legends celebrates first anniversary and $23.6m in lifetime player spending
Ned Stark was the most-used Champion of year one, though he died 110m times
Earnings Report
Ubisoft Q1 revenue falls 3.9% to $365m as publisher reorganises into ‘creative houses’
Mobile also accounted for 10% of net bookings
Acqusitions
Gaijin Entertainment acquires Fortnite map The Pit from creator Geerzy
The company said it sees a profitable and scalable opportunity with Fortnite’s creator engagement model
Apple Approval?
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney cries “total capitulation” as report claims EU likely to greenlight App Store changes
Regulator's decision expected in the coming weeks
Studio Closure
Stillfront shuts down Super Free Games as part of strategic portfolio review
Closures to mark first part of restructure, the company said
New Partnerships
Savvy Games Group and King Abdulaziz University partner to launch diplomas in games and esports
The new academic programmes aim to blend classroom learning with hands-on industry experience
Web Store Report
Appcharge: 50% of first-time web store buyers make a second purchase
New Appcharge report urges game publishers to optimise for repeat purchases to maximise lifetime value
Expansions
Apple launches online store and app in Saudi Arabia with Arabic support
Flagship Apple Stores also coming to Saudi Arabia in 2026
New Offerings
Roblox launches new learning hub for students
Children can build online safety skills in Google Be Internet Awesome World or learn coding with Lua Learning
Pokemon Portfolio
Pokémon Champions gets release window as slew of mobile games land updates
The latest Pokémon Presents gives a deeper look into the competitive battle game coming in 2026
Pokemon Puzzles
Pokémon Friends shadow dropped as new puzzle game on mobile
The title is available now on Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch
Staff Stats
Nintendo hires at least 455 full-time staff as total headcount surpasses 5,600
Nintendo has 3,855 male full-time employees while 1,775 are female, with the largest disparity in Japan
Funding News
Delabs Games secures additional $5.2M to accelerate AI-powered web3 ambitions
Funding will support the launch of idle RPG Ragnarok Libre and its native Delabs tokens
Funding News
M00m World raises $500,000 to launch mobile game and real-world collectables
“This isn’t just about building a game - it’s about keeping it real”
Studio Closure
Muus Collective closes due to funding challenges
The studio had 16 employees listed on its website before winding down
Money To Burn
Netflix plans to ramp up gaming investment
Streaming firm open to evolving business model in future and teases new set of interactive experiences.
Market Growth
Spanish games industry hit $2.8bn in 2024
The government allocated €5m ($5.8m) in EU funds to support local game development
Job News
Former Scopely director Rohit Naini to lead corporate development at Tilting Point
Doubling down on strategic growth with key additions to its M&A team
Branching Out
The Chinese Room regains independence from Sumo Digital via management buyout
The move follows Sumo’s pivot away from original IP to focus on co-development services
Acqusitions
Coda acquires European payment provider Recharge
The deal aims to boost Coda’s presence beyond games and strengthen its footprint in Europe
Hot Five
Hot Five: Rollic’s 1,000 ideations per month, Coin Master - Board Adventure soft launch, and Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s post-expansion performance
Our quick-fix roundup of the hottest stories on PocketGamer.biz
Networking
Reasons AI won’t beat you at networking
Trust, discernment, innovation - why AI can’t replace the power of the human mind in B2B networking
Podcast | Episode 61
Zynga's successes and failures, and Moon Active takes the fight to Scopely | 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 what's inside this week's episode 61...
Week In Views
Moon Active takes aim at Scopely, Roblox opens doors to Major IPs, and Rollic's $100m hit | Week in Views
The Pocketgamer.biz team pick their highlights from the headlines this week and deliver the stories behind the stories
New Games
New release roundup: My Talking Tom Friends 2, Coin Master - Board Adventure, and more
We highlight the latest new games that have broken cover over the past week
Job News
Apple appoints longtime exec Sabih Khan as chief operating officer
Current COO Jeff Williams to step down later this month
Underrated?
The UGC revolution the games industry is clueless about
How well do you know UGC?
New Offerings
Ubisoft and Netflix move forward with first Assassin’s Creed series adaptation
Netflix says the series will honour the franchise’s legacy while delivering a fresh cinematic experience
Online Safety
Roblox rolls out Trusted Connections and new parental tools in major safety update
Roblox said its updates aim to balance teen independence with strong safety measures.
New Offerings
Saga and Chrono Labs launch KEX to power next-gen AI agents in web3
New tech built on Saga's blockchain
Milestone
TowerLands joins Mamboo Entertainment's portfolio as the publisher crosses 1bn installs
The publisher said 20% of its mobile game installs come from platforms outside the App Store and Google Play
Apple Troubles
Wheels of Aurelia dev says Apple undermining value and sustainability of games as it looks to delist title
"It is hard to imagine how we could ever thrive within Apple's ecosystem"
New Offerings
Apple launches new emoji-based puzzle game for News+ subscribers
The game will also integrate with the upcoming Apple Games app in iOS 26