Background
  • arrow_back Home
  • keyboard_arrow_rightcategories
  • keyboard_arrow_rightJournal

Journal

Results 265-277 of 1802 remove Page 23 of 151

trending_flat

Scopely to acquire Niantic’s Games, including Pokémon GO!

$3.5B deal is official now! Scopely, the U.S.’s top mobile games company, is set to acquire Niantic’s games business, bringing "Pokémon GO," "Pikmin Bloom," and "Monster Hunter Now" into its portfolio. This move strengthens Scopely’s commitment to community-driven play, expanding its reach to over half a billion players in 2024. Massive Growth and Engagement Niantic’s games boast over 30 million MAUs and generated $1 billion+ in revenue in 2024. "Pokémon GO" remains a global juggernaut, ranking in the top 10 mobile games yearly since 2016, with 100M+ unique players in 2024. The combined portfolio will create one of the largest player communities in the world. Last Week: 3.5$ Billion Deal: Pokémon Go maker Niantic to Sell its Games Division Scopely’s Vision for the Future Scopely, known for "MONOPOLY GO!," "Stumble Guys," and "MARVEL Strike Force," aims to enhance the longevity […]

trending_flat

How Much Ad Revenue Mobile Games Make Per 100k DAU?

How much ad revenue should a game generate per 100k of DAU? “Quiet wealth” or “quiet luxury” emphasizes privacy and discourages overt displays of wealth that cause attention. In Mobile, once you earn IAP revenue, it’s akin to firing off a giant flare gun to the development community. Anyone with Sensor Tower access can, in real time, track your progress and if your project is worth copying or not. IAP revenue is loud, brash, and easy to track. Whereas ad revenue, the second income stream for mobile apps, is opaque, concealed, and difficult to estimate. In mobile, Ad Revenue is “Quiet Revenue”, and IAP is “Loud Revenue”. I estimate that the mobile ad monetization market pays mobile publishers between $38 and $55 million per day to show impressions in their apps. This means mobile publishers collectively receive between $14 and […]

trending_flat

Conversions on iOS Campaigns: Meta Underestimates, Google Overestimates

📢If you run iOS campaigns on Google Ads and Meta using their modeling technologies simultaneously, you need to know this: 👉Google ALWAYS tends to overestimate conversions👉Meta ALWAYS tends to underestimate conversionsAnd to prove it, I will share a recent case I had with one new client which I recently audited and had NOT SKAN schema in place (they just had cv=0 for installs and that's it)First, let's analyze Google Ads numbers: They were running one AEO campaigns for "start_trial" in the US. Since they didn't set up any event in SKAN schema, these trials were purely modeled by Google.➡Google modeled installs: 537➡SKAN installs: 427➡ASC App Referrer: 419 installs With ASC and SKAN being so close, it’s hard to trust Google’s numbers. (I know ASC & SKAN are not attributed in the same way, and they're even different conversions)➡Google modeled trials: 139 […]

trending_flat

Use of Tension in Game Design

After playing recently hours, and hours more, extraction shooters and several mobile games for entertainment — as well as for research purposes, as the case may be — I’ve grown being interested, and even hooked a bit, to the tension elements of these games. In addition to engaging with games with tension playing a big part in them, I’ve also become interested of how tension can be used effectively in game design, economy design, monetization design as well as on live ops and product marketing. This is what we’ll be covering in this article. Tension in Game Design Tension is a critical component of game design, shaping player engagement, emotional investment, and overall immersion. It plays a role across various genres, from fast-paced mobile battles to slow-growing, high-stakes encounters in PC and console games. In this post, I’ll break down […]

trending_flat

Applivery Secures Strategic Investment from Supercell

Cloud-based app distribution powerhouse Applivery has landed a strategic investment from Supercell. The funding will accelerate Applivery’s mission to enhance device and software management across Android, Apple & Windows platforms. A Perfect Match “At Applivery, we empower companies with seamless, secure control over their devices and apps,” said CEO César Trigo. “Supercell’s trust in our technology validates our vision and fuels our drive to push innovation even further.” Supercell’s Developer Services Lead, Vadim Liman, echoed the enthusiasm: “The Applivery team has built something remarkable. As we sought a trusted partner in app distribution, Applivery stood out. We’re excited to deepen our partnership and support their growth.” Supercell’s Head of Investments, Jaakko Harlas, added: “This collaboration is off to a fantastic start. Investing in Applivery was the natural next step—we believe in their vision and are eager to support them on […]

trending_flat

Tilting Point launches new $150M UA fund for Game Devs

Keep control & Scale faster. Mobile Games Publisher Tilting Point is rolling out a massive $150 million User Acquisition fund, designed to supercharge developers without the usual publishing constraints. Unlike traditional deals, developers retain full autonomy over their marketing. Tilting Point steps in only when requested, offering financial backing for growth without meddling in strategy. This is the company’s third major UA fund, following similar initiatives in 2016 and 2018. Early beneficiaries include Mythical Games, Begin, and a soon-to-launch web-based gaming hub. A Proven Growth Engine “With over 200 successful games, we’ve seen firsthand how impactful our UA funds can be,” said Tilting Point CEO Kevin Segalla. “It’s a powerful tool, letting developers scale efficiently while keeping their capital focused elsewhere.” CBO Asi Burak added: “We pioneered this model, and its strength lies in truly flexible, unlimited spending—while ensuring developers […]

trending_flat

AI Gaming & UGC: Liminal Experiences secured $5.8M

Liminal Experiences, a fresh gaming startup blending AI with user-generated content, secured $5.8 million in funding to revolutionize storytelling in games. The round includes backing from industry giants like Bitkraft Ventures, Riot Games, and OTK Media Group, with Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill also investing. CEO Brendan Mulligan envisions Liminal as a game where players don’t just play; they create. With AI-powered tools, users can craft immersive RPG adventures, design characters, and build worlds alongside friends. Inspired by childhood imagination, Liminal removes coding barriers, allowing anyone to shape and share interactive stories. “AI in gaming is controversial, with concerns over job replacement and ethical debates,” Mulligan. “Most studios quietly explore AI, leaving the public conversation to outsiders. We believe in AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human creativity.” Liminal provides a platform for both original stories and beloved […]

trending_flat

State of Mobile Gaming 2025

Sensor Tower's State of Mobile Gaming breaks down how the market evolved in 2024, who the winners were, and what opportunities lie ahead for 2025. With the Q1 2025 drawing to a close, we can state at least one thing for certain - mobile gaming is back on track. Though downloads plateaued through 2024, IAP revenue, time spent, and sessions are all on the rise. The illustrated and interactive 50+ page report includes:  ✅ A data-driven overview of the most important trends in the industry, including downloads, revenue, and engagement. ✅ A detailed exploration of the winners of 2024 and what drove their success ✅ A deep dive into mobile game marketing, including which ad networks saw the most impression share growth in 2024 and the three creative trends of 2024 you need to know But don’t take our word […]

trending_flat

Tripledot is making $1.3M a Day!

Tripledot Studios is making around 1,3 million a day 🤑 in ad revenue within its portfolio, and it is the secret buyer 😲 of AppLovin gaming business, as we learned last week 💡. Why is the company so successful, and how big are they? Check out: $900M Deal: Tripledot Buys AppLovin’s Games As said, the key lies in ad revenue 💸, which is a little bit hard to spot with our usual industry tools, but as we have Felix on the team, the problem is solved 😎.The game that did put the company on the map is Woodoku, which is an ultra-casual Tetris like puzzler, which even though does currently just low, 30K daily downloads, still has a monster 1,3 Mil. DAU, with US playerbase being 15% of that. That's where the money is made 💰. Looking at last months […]

trending_flat

Game Studio Growth: PvX Partners Secures $3.8M

PvX Partners is the financing platform built to help Mobile Games & Apps scale. Founders include NetEase, Mobile Premier League & Morgan Stanley veterans. As reported by PocketGamer, PvX Partners has raised $3.8 million in a seed investment round. The round was co-led by Play Ventures and General Catalyst, with key backing from Michail Katkoff (Deconstructor of Fun) & Matej Lancaric (Two & a Half Gamers)—two of the most respected voices in gaming growth strategy. Faster, Founder-Friendly Game Financing Scaling a game is all about timing. Studios with predictable marketing returns often hit a critical growth window, but traditional financing options come with trade-offs: slow bootstrapping, painful equity dilution, or risky debt. PvX Capital changes the game with Cohort Financing, giving studios fast, flexible capital—up to $25M per year—while sharing downside risk. With term sheets in 24 hours and funds […]

trending_flat

Game Development is a Roulette Wheel

Game development is a roulette wheel, and we’re all just spinning it, hoping to land on a hit. The illusion of control is what deceives us. We think we make strategic decisions, plan roadmaps, and predict market trends, but in reality, we are simply navigating the chaotic laws of randomness. Success in this industry is a puppet show, where market shifts, player behavior, and even platform algorithms pull the strings, while we scramble to keep up, pretending we have a say. Each project is a gamble. Some teams strike gold seemingly overnight, while others, with just as much talent and effort, watch their work fade into obscurity. Some try to crack the code, searching for patterns, building “foolproof” monetization strategies, chasing trends, and relying on data-driven decisions. But the hard truth is that no formula guarantees success. What worked yesterday […]

trending_flat

Who’s actually playing your game?

Who’s actually playing your game? Understanding your players is key to designing experiences they’ll love. One of the best ways to do that: Use 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚'𝙨 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚𝙨 to identify what motivates them. Here’s a quick breakdown: 💀 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 • What drives them: Dominance • How they play: Raid others, trash talk, dominate in PvP • How to design for them: Competitive modes, ranked ladders, PvP arenas (while keeping toxicity in check) 🏆 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 • What drives them: Rewards and mastery • How they play: Grind levels, complete quests, collect rare items • How to design for them: Clear progression systems, leaderboards, milestone rewards 💬 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿𝘀 • What drives them: Connection and collaboration • How they play: Chat, form guilds, join co-op missions • How to design for them: Robust social features, friend lists, community events 🧭 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀 • What drives […]

Login to enjoy full advantages

Please login or subscribe to continue.

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Unfollow Cancel

Cancel subscription

Are you sure you want to cancel your subscription? You will lose your Premium access and stored playlists.

Go back Confirm cancellation