Ludus Surpasses 10m Downloads as New Divisions System Drives Competitive Play
Top App Games announced its free‑to‑play PvP autobattler Ludus has exceeded 10 million downloads globally. The title posted a 74.6% year‑over‑year revenue jump, generating roughly $3 million in March 2025 monthly revenue. A new seasonal “Divisions” feature replaced the old Leagues system, introducing promotion and demotion cycles for players. The game also expanded into Vietnam, its first Southeast Asian market, reinforcing growth in key regions such as the US, South Korea, Germany, Japan, and the UK.
European Studios Increased Freelance Spending 63% in 2025 as Hiring Shifts Toward Contract Work
European game studios boosted freelance spending by 63% in 2025, outpacing the 55% global rise. Contractor headcount grew 24% in Europe and 21% worldwide, while one‑to‑three‑month contracts rose 33‑44%, reflecting a shift to modular production. Average monthly freelance earnings climbed...
What Happened to Hypercasual? The Market’s Evolution over the Past Year
The hyper‑casual mobile game market is not collapsing but reshaping, with revenue staying flat or modestly rising despite a decline in overall downloads. Growth is coming almost entirely from a wave of new titles launched in 2025, many of which...
Modern Times Group Confirms PlaySimple IPO Filing Targeting up to $335m in Mumbai
Modern Times Group (MTG) confirmed that its Indian subsidiary PlaySimple has filed for a Mumbai IPO, targeting a valuation of up to $335 million. The offering will be a secondary sale of MTG’s shares, with no new equity issued and no...
Bigger than Ever Big Indie Zone and Career Zone Coming to Barcelona with Support From Gameloft
Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona 2026 will take place on June 15‑16, featuring an expanded Big Indie Zone and a newly scaled Careers Zone. The Indie Zone adds more showcase tables, giving independent developers heightened exposure to publishers and investors. The...
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy Makes $6.7m in First Month
Square Enix’s new mobile title Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy earned $6.7 million in its first month, with Japan accounting for 69% of that revenue. The United States contributed $1.4 million, representing 22% of global earnings. Launch‑day sales hit $393,000 and peaked at...
Subway Surfers City Runs Towards $2m in Player Spending in Two Months
Sybo’s Subway Surfers City has generated $1.9 million in player spending worldwide within its first two months, outpacing the original title’s $882,000 in the same period. The game achieved roughly 27 million installs, delivering $1 million on Google Play and $881,000 on the...
Game Pass Price Cuts and Super Mario Galaxy’s Box Office Dominance | Week in Views
Microsoft’s Xbox division announced a price cut for Game Pass and the removal of day‑one access to new Call of Duty titles under new CEO Asha Sharma. The shift aims to boost subscription value while restoring traditional sales for the...
Microsoft Says Xbox Mobile Store “Not Dead” Despite Stalled Rollout
Microsoft reaffirmed that its Xbox mobile storefront is still in development, despite the test site going offline and the project appearing stalled. The initiative, first announced in 2022 with a July 2024 launch target, has not progressed in the past year....
New Release Roundup: Dragon Quest Smash/Grow, Dicero, MapleStory R- Evolution, and More
A fresh wave of mobile titles hit the market this week, spanning roguelites, idle RPGs, action‑RPGs, puzzles and a virtual world. Habby’s Dicero offers over 100 unlockable skills and deep character‑build options, while Square Enix adds Dragon Quest Smash/Grow to...
PvX Raises $10.5m as User Acquisition Financing Scales
PvX Partners closed a $10.5 million Series A round to accelerate its cohort‑based user‑acquisition (UA) financing model for consumer apps. The funding, led by T‑Accelerate Capital with participation from Z Venture Capital, DraftKings' Drive, Play Ventures and General Catalyst, will...
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Nears $10m in One Month on Mobile
Netmarble’s manga‑based RPG *The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin* generated $9.3 million in mobile revenue during its first month after launching on March 23, 2026. Japan drove the bulk of that income, contributing $5.5 million (59% of total), while the United States and South...
Türkiye Passes Sweeping Digital Law Restricting Social Media Access for Under 15s
Turkey’s Grand National Assembly approved a sweeping digital regulation that bans social‑media access for children under 15 and imposes mandatory age‑rating systems and parental controls. Platforms with more than 100,000 daily Turkish users must appoint local representatives, and non‑compliant firms...
Arknights: Endfield Approaches $100m on Mobile in Three Months
Arknights: Endfield generated $96.3 million in gross player spending on the App Store and Google Play within its first three months, surpassing $100 million when PC, console and Chinese Android sales are included. Japan led mobile revenue with $39.4 million, accounting for 41%...
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Races Past $755m to Become Highest-Grossing Film of 2026
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has surpassed $755 million worldwide, becoming the highest‑grossing film of 2026. The sequel’s U.S. opening day generated $34.5 million, eclipsing the original’s debut record, and the franchise now tops $2 billion in cumulative box‑office revenue. Strong earnings in...
Roblox Hires Joost Hagesteijn as First General Manager for Europe
Roblox appointed former Snap executive Joost Hagesteijn as its first general manager for Europe, a role created to capitalize on the region’s rapid growth. Europe now accounts for over 34 million daily active users and surpassed North America in DAUs during...
King President Todd Green Talks New Game Development, Competition and "Doubling Down" On the Casual Market
King’s president Todd Green outlined a renewed focus on casual mobile games, emphasizing both the launch of new titles and continual upgrades to legacy hits like Candy Crush. He highlighted the franchise’s $2 billion cumulative revenue and the growing competition in the match‑3...
Amanotes Partners with Balancy to Scale Live Ops Across Music Game Portfolio
Amanotes, the Vietnam‑based creator of music games such as Magic Tiles 3 and Tiles Hop, has teamed up with live‑ops platform Balancy to centralise operations across its 30‑plus titles. The integration introduces cross‑project templates that eliminate per‑title engineering work, accelerating in‑app‑purchase offers,...
Playtika Expands Into Microdrama with Bingo Blitz and Shortical Collaboration
Playtika announced a partnership with Shortical to fuse its flagship casual title Bingo Blitz with an original micro‑drama series. The cross‑platform experience will weave Bingo Blitz into the narrative, using a new “chase” system that links game progression to story...
Games Industry M&A Hit 15-Month High in Q1 2026 with over $100bn in Deal Value
The gaming sector recorded a 15‑month peak in Q1 2026, with 51 announced mergers and acquisitions totaling roughly $117.6 billion. Savvy Games drove the headline figure by acquiring Moonton for $6 billion, while Scopely paid over $1 billion for a majority stake in Loom...
Roblox Workforce Grows 24% to over 3,000 Full-Time Staff
Roblox announced its full‑time workforce rose 24% in 2025, reaching 3,065 employees, driven largely by hires in product and engineering. The platform generated nearly $4.9 billion in revenue, a 36% jump, while daily active users grew by 60 million, hitting record concurrent...
Sega and Rovio Expand Angry Birds Licensing with WildBrain
Sega and Rovio have tapped WildBrain CPLG to manage Angry Birds licensing across Europe, the Middle East and South Korea, expanding the franchise’s merchandise portfolio. The new agreement adds toys, apparel, publishing, FMCG, homeware and gifting to the existing Sonic‑related work WildBrain...
PGC Summit Malmö Mid Term Prices End This Week
Pocket Gamer Connects (PGC) Summit Malmö × MeetToMatch, powered by Xsolla, will run May 27‑28 during Nordic Game week. Mid‑term ticket pricing of €68 (about $75) ends this Thursday, April 27. The two‑day program is designed to bring developers, publishers, investors and service providers...
Explore How 2026 Growth Engines Impact Games at Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona
Pocket Gamer Connects Barcelona, scheduled for June 15‑16, will focus on the 2026 growth engines reshaping game development, monetisation, and player acquisition. Industry leaders will dissect how artificial intelligence and direct‑to‑consumer (D2C) strategies are moving from hype to practical implementation....
Sanrio Launches In-House Publishing Label Sanrio Games with $62.9m Investment
Sanrio has created an in‑house publishing arm, Sanrio Games, committing roughly $62.9 million to develop and market ten new titles over the next three years. The first release, Sanrio Party Land, is slated for autumn 2026 on Nintendo Switch and the upcoming...
Tamatem Acquires Ad Tech Firm Playable Factory in AI-First Shift
Jordan‑based game publisher Tamatem has acquired Istanbul‑based ad‑tech specialist Playable Factory, a platform that has delivered over 30 billion impressions and 90,000 playable ads for global gaming clients. The deal coincides with a fresh $10 million funding round led by Next Ventures,...
Xbox Game Pass’ Value Debate and Doki Doki Literature Club’s Policy Clash | Week in Views
Microsoft Gaming executives have publicly acknowledged that Xbox Game Pass has become "too expensive" following price hikes and a shift to a tiered model, prompting calls for a value reset. The added complexity, including bundles like Fortnite Crew, may alienate...
Reforged Studios Secures $30m to Scale Global Games IP Platform
Malta‑based Reforged Studios has secured $30 million in growth investment led by New York’s MEP Capital Management to accelerate its game‑IP platform strategy. The funding follows its recent acquisition of German indie publisher Headup and will fund further acquisitions and lifecycle extensions...
Roblox Launches Agentic AI Tools to Speed up Game Development Workflows
Roblox unveiled a suite of agentic AI tools designed to streamline the entire game‑development pipeline, from concept to testing. The new Planning Mode turns a single prompt into a structured, editable roadmap, while mesh generation and procedural‑model tools let creators...
Disney Solitaire Celebrates First Anniversary with $230.9m in Player Spending
Disney Solitaire, launched on April 17, 2025, has generated $230.9 million in gross player spending during its first year. The game’s monthly revenue kept rising through early 2026, reaching a record $34.1 million in March and $1.5 million on April 11, its most lucrative...
Paramount's Call of Duty Film Set for June 2028 Release Date
Paramount has set a June 30 2028 theatrical debut for its live‑action Call of Duty film, marking the first major cinematic adaptation of Activision’s 500‑million‑copy shooter franchise. Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan and director Pete Berg are leading the creative team, while production is...
Almedia Responds After Freecash Removal From App Store and Google Play
Almedia’s flagship rewarded‑play app Freecash was pulled from both Apple’s App Store and Google Play after media reports alleged data harvesting. The Berlin‑based adtech firm says it has paid out more than $300 million to its users and now serves over...
Highrise Partners with Neopets for a Limited-Time Mobile Crossover
Highrise is launching a limited‑time crossover with the classic virtual‑pet brand Neopets, beginning April 17 and running through mid‑May. Players will be able to collect and customize iconic Neopets such as Kacheek, Xweetok and Aisha, explore familiar Neopia locations, and participate...
New Release Roundup: Jetpack Joyride Racing, Mongil: Star Dive, Chill with You: Lo-Fi Story, and More
A wave of fresh mobile titles hit the market, ranging from action‑packed racers to soothing puzzle experiences. Halfbrick Studios expands the Jetpack Joyride brand with a 3D racing spinoff featuring Discord voice chat, while Nestopi introduces Chill with You, a...
Aptoide Sues Google over Alleged Android App Store Monopoly
Aptoide has filed an antitrust lawsuit in a San Francisco federal court accusing Google of maintaining an anticompetitive chokehold on Android app distribution and in‑app billing. The complaint says Google forces developers onto the Play Store, limiting rival stores even though...
Forecasting Mobile Game Profitability: How Publishers Predict UA Performance
AppQuantum’s head of marketing analytics, Iaroslav Kobozev, outlines a profit‑forecasting system that projects annual ROAS from a single week of D7 performance. By updating coefficient models weekly and enforcing a minimum cohort of 300 installs or 10 payers, the framework...
New Studio Kemet Entertainment Opens in Cairo
Kemet Entertainment, a new Egyptian studio, has launched to develop globally competitive mobile games. The lean team of fewer than 10 aims to use AI‑driven rapid prototyping and continuous iteration. While rooted in the MENA region, it targets a worldwide...
Dice Throne Launches $100k Kickstarter for Digital Adaptation
Dice Throne has opened a $100,000 Kickstarter to fund Dice Throne Digital, a PC, mobile, and mixed‑reality adaptation of its tabletop hit. The digital version targets a February 2027 release on Steam and mobile, with a Meta Quest version slated...
Navigating the Global Payments Frontier - an Interview with Fastspring's Christopher Bunk
FastSpring’s new Chief Product & Technology Officer Christopher Bunk explains how the company’s merchant‑of‑record (MoR) platform abstracts tax, compliance, fraud and currency handling for game studios. He argues that as AI‑driven development accelerates global launches, the operational complexity of selling...
How Pitching Competitions Support Indie Developers
Pitching competitions such as the Big Indie Pitch, part of Pocket Gamer Connects conferences, give indie game developers a five‑minute platform to showcase their titles to publishers, journalists, and investors. Participants receive immediate verbal feedback, a detailed assessment emailed afterward,...
How Tilting Point and AN Games Are Taking on the 4X Strategy Space with Avatar: Realms Collide
Tilting Point and AN Games launched Avatar: Realms Collide, a mobile 4X strategy game built on the beloved Avatar franchise. In its first year the title surpassed 3.6 million installs and has a live‑ops team of roughly 60 members maintaining steady...
Supercell’s Titan Engine: Spanning Flagships to "the Cheapest, Oldest Android Handset" In the World
Supercell has unveiled details of its proprietary Titan engine, a mobile‑first game engine that runs on everything from the latest flagship smartphones to the oldest Android handsets still playing Clash Royale. The engine underpins all of Supercell’s titles, supporting 300 million monthly...
Discover How to Enter and Navigate China's Games Market in 2026 at PGC Summit Shanghai
The Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai on July 29, 2026 will serve as a direct gateway for international game makers to enter China’s massive market, which generates roughly 20% of global player spending. Attendees will meet regulators, publishers, and platform...
Find Out the Secrets Behind Sweden's Games Industry Success in Malmö on May 27th to 28th
Sweden’s games sector, powered by strong education, early internet adoption and government backing, has produced global hits like Minecraft and Candy Crush. The ecosystem combines major studios—Mojang, Paradox, King—and a vibrant indie scene supported by hubs such as Game Habitat and...
UK Games Market Hit Record £8.8bn in 2025
The UK video‑games market reached a record $11.2 bn in 2025, expanding more than 7% year‑over‑year. Digital software accounted for $6 bn of that total, with console sales alone hitting $3.2 bn, while physical game sales dropped to $405 m. Hardware contributed $2.8 bn, buoyed...
Government Pledges £28.5m for UK Games Fund to Boost Industry
The UK government announced a £30 million (≈$37.5 million) Games Growth Package, allocating £28.5 million (≈$35.6 million) to the UK Games Fund. The fund is divided into three tracks—Entry (£20 k/~$25 k), Emergent (£100 k/~$125 k), and Expansion (£250 k/~$312 k)—to support studios at different stages. Additionally, £1.5 million (≈$1.9 million) will...
Five Studios Come Together to Form Nova Assembly
Five independent game studios—Unfrozen, Sad Cat Studios, VEA Games, Game Garden and Weappy—have merged under the new developer‑led holding Nova Assembly. Denis Fedorov will serve as CEO and Ilya Yanovich as creative director. The consortium will share production expertise, reduce reliance on...
Playtika’s Next Move, The Division Resurgence’s Early Numbers and Game of Thrones’ Next Mobile Title | Week in Views
Playtika has reopened a portfolio‑wide strategic review to boost shareholder value, despite its market cap shrinking to $1.19 billion after a series of costly acquisitions. The company’s SuperPlay studio is the only bright spot, while older titles show declining revenue. Ubisoft’s...
Zynga Launches Borderlands Mobile on the App Store
Zynga and NaturalMotion have quietly launched Borderlands Mobile, a free‑to‑play looter shooter, on the US App Store. The game adapts Gearbox’s flagship Borderlands franchise for smartphones, featuring campaign missions, Tower of Terror and Circle of Slaughter modes. Developed by London‑based...
AFK Arena Celebrates Seventh Anniversary and over $1.5bn in Lifetime Earnings
Mobile idle RPG AFK Arena celebrated its seventh anniversary by crossing $1.5 billion in lifetime player spending, according to AppMagic. The game generated $469.8 million in its first year and peaked with $105.4 million in a single month in January 2020, while annual...