“The Future Couldn’t Be Brighter for D2C”: FastSpring’s Chip Thurston on Gaming’s Changing Platform Economy
FastSpring’s Chip Thurston will address the accelerating direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) trend at Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona 2026. Recent Epic rulings against Apple and Google have forced platform holders to loosen fee structures, allowing publishers to steer players to their own web stores without the traditional 30% cut. Publishers that already invested in D2C channels are seeing record revenue, while those without a solution are rapidly building one. Thurston predicts that evolving fee models will add complexity but also give developers greater certainty and strategic flexibility.
D2C, Co-Development and "Volume over Viability": GDC 2026 Trends Revealed
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) Festival of Gaming 2026 drew roughly 20,000 attendees from more than 85 countries. The event identified five headline trends: co‑development, dual mobile monetisation, generative AI, a shift toward volume over viability in mobile titles, and...
Learn All About the UK Games Industry with Our Free Region Report
Pocket Gamer Connects has released a free UK games industry report in partnership with Xsolla, timed after its record‑breaking London event and ahead of the 2027 show. The report provides expert commentary, market‑size data, and a deep dive into mobile...
Building Barcelona: The Evolution of Spain's Brightest Games Hub
Barcelona has cemented its role as Spain’s premier games hub, housing 262 studios and more than 5,100 professionals. The sector now accounts for roughly 52% of the nation’s game‑industry revenue, generating about $817 million. Start‑up activity surged 35% over five years,...
Fortnite’s Global iOS Comeback Drives Downloads to Eight-Year High
Fortnite returned to the global App Store on May 19, 2026, generating an estimated 3.4 million iOS downloads in its first week—a peak not seen since April 2018. The surge made it the fourth‑strongest seven‑day launch on the platform, with daily...
Avakin Life Officially Launches on Steam After 200m Registered Users on Mobile
Lockwood Publishing officially launched Avakin Life on Steam on May 27, 2026, expanding its massive mobile hit to PC. The social simulation already boasts over 200 million registered users and 500 million downloads worldwide. Early Access on Steam demonstrated strong engagement, prompting...
Jyväskylä City Forms Shared Strategy for Games Sector Development
Jyväskylä’s city government, local universities and the Expa Game Business Cooperative have signed a joint agreement effective Jan 1 2026 to create a unified strategy for the city’s games sector. The plan focuses on boosting student employment, establishing clear education pathways, and...
Why Spain Is a Key Engine Powering Monopoly Go Developer Scopely
Scopely, the US‑based publisher behind the multi‑billion‑dollar Monopoly franchise, now relies heavily on its Spanish operations. The company employs more than 1,100 people in Spain, with a primary studio in Barcelona and a rapidly growing hub of nearly 150 staff...
TyrAds Announces Exclusive Strategic Partnership with Nordeus
TyrAds announced an exclusive strategic partnership with Nordeus to integrate its rewarded discovery SDK into Top Eleven, the world’s leading mobile football manager game. The integration will give millions of players non‑intrusive ways to earn in‑game rewards, aiming to boost...
Hasbro Makes $1bn in Q1 Including $41m From Monopoly Go
Hasbro reported $1 billion net revenue in Q1, a 13% year‑over‑year increase. The Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming segment drove most growth, delivering $582 million in revenue and $298 million operating profit, up 26% and 29% respectively. Mobile game Monopoly Go added...
Hot Five: 15 Years of Scopely, StreamElements Confirms Acquisition Talks, and Fortnite’s App Store Return
StreamElements confirmed it is in positive talks with potential acquirers after rumors of layoffs and a shutdown, signaling a possible consolidation in the streaming‑tools market. Scopely celebrated 15 years of growth, now operating in more than 30 countries and setting...
Esports World Cup CGO: "Mobile Has Arguably the Biggest Ceiling when It Comes to Both Gaming and Esports"
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is positioning mobile gaming as a core pillar, joining legacy PC and console titles after a record‑breaking 2025 event. Titles are chosen based on viewership, ecosystem depth, and publisher backing, a formula that saw StarCraft 2...
This June, Games Industry Deals Happen in Barcelona
Pocket Gamer Connect Barcelona returns June 15‑16, drawing more than 1,000 publishers, studios, investors and founders for two days of networking and deal‑making. Tickets start at €121 (about $132), giving attendees access to speed‑match sessions, an investor connector and a...
Clash Royale Wins Business Excellence Award at Finnish Game Awards 2026
Supercell’s flagship mobile title Clash Royale captured the Business Excellence Award at the Finnish Game Awards 2026, underscoring the game’s sustained revenue generation and global player base. The ceremony also honored Channel37’s The Last Caretaker as Best Finnish Game of...
Esports Nations Cup 2026 Unveils Rankings System and Team Builder Ahead of Roster Reveals
The Esports Foundation unveiled the ENC Team Rankings and an interactive Team Builder platform ahead of the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 in Riyadh. Rankings, which aggregate player performance across major tournaments, will be refreshed at the end of...