While the App Store was once an area where a talented and passionate developer could strike it rich with a game that broke all the rules and flew in the face of triple-A console releases, we're starting to see patterns emerge in mobile gaming that threaten the success of smaller studios.
Iconic pillars of mobile gaming like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Saga generate millions with a by-the-numbers approach to gaming, and emerging developers often struggle just to get their game seen.
Do the little guys stand a chance, or will they eventually have to fall in step with the tried-and-true approach of multi-million dollar mobile success? Might there be room for both types of game on the market?
It's still a little too early to know for sure, but we ponder these questions and more as we look back on the week that was.
Tools and platforms
- HTC looks to bring Windows Phone to its line of Android devices.
- While location-based game QONQR says it sees ten times more downloads from Windows Phone than iOS - and twice the revenue as well.
- Ofcom's annual report found that over a quarter of UK kids between 12 and 15 now own their own tablet.
- At San Francisco's latest tech con, Glazed, the industry took a look at how wearable tech can win over gamers.
- Is that Halo 4 on your Lumia? It might be, if Microsoft's tested Xbox game streaming service for smartphones goes live.
Monetisation
- Our weekly Monetizer takes a look at Kabam's strategy for offering 30 percent discounts on bulk in-app purchase currency purchases.
- Kixeye says being first in F2P is overrated if you have quality.
- Our Chart of the Week looks at the performance of Plants vs. Zombies 2, which topped iOS downloads in August but didn't dazzle with its revenue.
- Zynga knows when to fold 'em as it pulls out of gambling games in the US.
Industry voices
- Indie dev Stephen Morris says mobile developers need to actually get mobile and step away from their desks from time to time.
- Thomas Was Alone creator Mike Bithell talks about his next game, Volume, and why he feels violence in games isn't always the answer.
- Glu Mobile's president of publishing Chris Akhaven says games as a service will be 'table stakes' from next year on.
- Veteran PC strategy game dev Stardock Systems talks about its upcoming move to mobile.
- And 148Apps' Carter Dotson sees that the mobile market is stagnating as big players capitalise on successful formulas that smaller studios can't or won't touch.
- Editor Keith Andrew analyses whether gaming scandals on social media are killing the industry.
- Finally, our Mobile Mavens hash out what Valve's SteamOS and Steam Machines mean for the microconsole market.
Funding, start ups and acquisitions
- Veteran publisher Gamevil forms a Korean powerhouse as it acquires fellow Korea-based publisher and developer Com2us.
- GREE offers voluntary retirement to 200 employees as it shutters its Osaka office.
- In a move to shore up its mobile division, Ubisoft acquires Future Games of London.
- And Future Games admits that while the decision was a "difficult one" , but concedes it'll help them make "a very big impact" with future titles.
- In Finland, Rovio vice president Teemu Huuhtanen flies the nest to set up his own mobile outfit Next Games.
Finally, are you looking Looking to get your game discovered? Come show us what you've got at our Big Indie Pitch in London this month.