Miniclip acquired Lessmore, studio behind We Are Warriors and Eatventure

As reported by MobileGamer.biz, Miniclip has expanded its gaming empire, acquiring German hybrid-casual studio Lessmore, creators of Eatventure and We Are Warriors, for an undisclosed sum at the end of 2024. Confirming the deal, Miniclip CEO Saad Choudri praised Lessmore’s rapid growth: "We were incredibly impressed by their ability to prototype fresh game concepts and scale hit titles. This acquisition strengthens our footprint in new gaming categories, and we’re excited to help Lessmore grow its portfolio." Data: AppMagic Lessmore Co-Founder Jeremy Ries echoed the excitement, calling the deal "an important new chapter" that will leverage Miniclip’s expertise to expand their reach. Data: AppMagic According to Appmagic, Eatventure has racked up 69.3M downloads and nearly $28M in IAP since its 2022 launch, while We Are Warriors has hit 36.3M installs, earning close to $10M. This move is part of Miniclip’s ongoing […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 4

Journal

Influencer Deliverables For YouTube

What deliverables CAN you get with YouTube Influencer Marketing? For performance Influencer marketing, as a basis I always recommend - ✅ 30-60 second integrations✅ In the first 25% of the video ✅ With a clear CTA ✅ A QR code with the tracking link onscreen ✅ Tracking link in description (top line) & pinned commentDepending on your product, campaign objectives, target audience, wider marketing mix, and so on, you could also explore - 🔍 Dedicated videos Great for displaying not just detailed features but the entire experience around using your product/service. But you need to be wary of making it authentic and not salesy. These typically see fewer views than integrations embedded into regular content.✂️ Shorts Typically part of package deals with cross-platform short-form content or highlights from integrations or dedicated content 🔴 LivestreamsA good way to reach engaged and loyal viewers with the opportunity to gamify interactions […]

Marion Balinoff March 4

Highlights

Mobile Gaming Today: Beyond King & AppLovin

Hei Fam, I gave the newsletter a little makeover, waaay more fun now. Hope you love it 🤟🏻 Seen our latest GOAT Episode? 🐐 Week’s Game 🍭 King’s Candy Crush Solitaire » What Went Wrong? 🦄 More in 2.5 Gamers Pod Gaming Investments 🤟🏻 $100M Fund for Mobile Gaming Studios: Welcome, Arcadia Gaming Advisors 🇫🇮 Finnish startup Seven Stars secures seed round to build Next-gen Puzzle Games 🇹🇷 Turkish Studio Surpass Games Secures $1.5M Pre-Seed from Laton Ventures 🇸🇦 Saudi Social Development Bank backs Esports & Game Dev with $122M 🧩 Hybridcasual Puzzle Rocks: Triple Tap Games secures $1.2M Investment ? 10 Questions That Reveal Investors’ True Colors 💰 More at InvestGame Industry Highlights AppLovin Scandal: New Target of Short Sellers? 💰 AppLovin Offloads Games: $500M Cash, $400M in Stock 🎲 Playtika on $450M in M&A, Skipping AppLovin Bid ⛵ […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 4

Highlights

Benchmarking AI with Super Mario?

Thinking Pokemon was a tough benchmark for AI? Researchers at Hao AI Lab threw top AI models into the Mushroom Kingdom to see who could handle the pressure. Claude 3.7 crushed it, followed by Claude 3.5. Meanwhile, Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro & OpenAI’s GPT-4o? Struggling like a noob on World 1-1. The catch? This wasn’t your grandma’s 1985 Mario. The game ran in an emulator using GamingAgent, a framework that let AI control Mario by spitting out Python commands. It got simple instructions like “jump to dodge” and real-time screenshots—but no cheat codes. Here’s where it gets wild: AIs built for deep reasoning played worse than their more instinctive counterparts. Why? Overthinking kills. In a game where milliseconds separate a perfect jump from a pitfall, slow decision-making is a death sentence. Gaming has been an AI testing ground for years, but […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 4

Journal

20 Metrics Game Devs Must Track

20 Metrics Every Game Dev Needs to Track Most game devs overcomplicate data.They obsess over every metric↳ and miss the ones that matter.Let’s cut the noise.If you’re running a live service game,You need to track three key pillars:📌 New Players↳ How you bring people in.📌 Active Players↳ How you keep them engaged.📌 Paying Players↳ How you drive revenue.Simple. But here’s the kicker - 20% of your game’s metrics drive80% of your game’s success.Know them. Track them.And most importantly, use them.

Sergei Vasiuk March 4

Journal

Game-changer Display for Mobile Games

Are you ready to get your mind blown? 🤯 For the first time, I’ve seen Apple’s Live Activities being used in a mobile game—not just for engagement but for monetization! 💰 📲 Live Activities allow real-time updates directly on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, keeping players connected to what’s happening in the game without needing a push notification. 🚀 But here’s where it gets really interesting: Merge Adventure is using it for a limited-time offer reminder! Instead of a simple in-game timer, players see their offer countdown right on the Lock Screen, making it much harder to forget. For mobile games, this could be a game-changer for displaying: ⏳ Time-sensitive offers (like limited-time sales or flash deals) 🎯 Event progress (track ongoing in-game challenges) ⚡ Energy refills or cooldowns (reminding players when they can jump back in) 🏆 Competitive […]

Michael Kopelovich March 4

Journal

Mobile Game Publishers: What Sets Long-Term Winners Apart?

In mobile game publishing, true success isn't just about launching a great game, it's about building a lasting partnership with your publisher. The best studios go beyond expectations, creating strong relationships that lead to repeat success and bigger opportunities.📑 Build a Long-Term, Positive Relationship🔹 Be Proactive: Share progress, highlight wins, and bring fresh ideas to the table; don’t wait for your publisher to reach out.🔹 Visit Regularly: Face-to-face interactions build trust. Visiting your publisher or inviting them to your studio strengthens bonds.🔹 Stay Engaged: Attend their meetings, support other projects, and contribute to broader strategy discussions. Show you’re invested in their success too.📌 Rule #1: Proactive engagement and consistent presence build trust, which is the key to long-term success.🔢 Become Part of the Publisher’s Long-Term Vision🔹 Align Your Goals: Understand your publisher’s strategy and show how your studio fits into […]

John Wright March 3

Highlights

$100M Fund for Mobile Studios: Akin Babayigit Launches Arcadia Gaming Advisors

Akin Babayigit, co-founder of Tripledot Studios, is back in the game—this time as an investor. The gaming entrepreneur has launched Arcadia Gaming Advisors, a new investment firm armed with a $100 million fund dedicated to mobile game companies. According to sources speaking to Bloomberg, the firm is targeting studios shaping the future of mobile gaming. London Roots & A Familiar Face A Companies House filing confirms Arcadia Gaming Advisors was established in London in December 2024, with Babayigit joined by Orkun Kilic—neither holding a majority stake. While Babayigit has yet to officially announce the firm, Spyke Games CEO Rina Onur Sirinoglu spilled the news on LinkedIn, congratulating her "long-time friend, brother, colleague, and investor." A Power Player in Gaming & Investment Babayigit co-founded Tripledot Studios in 2018, propelling it to one of the UK's top mobile game publishers. The company […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 3

Journal

The 80 to 20 Rule in Game Dev & Design

Stop wasting time on what doesn’t matter. Focus on the 20% that gets 80% of the wins.Think about Mario 🍄↳ you don’t need to master everything.8️⃣0️⃣% of obstacles? Cleared with perfect jumps.8️⃣0️⃣% of enemies? Beaten by nailing 20% of tough levels.8️⃣0️⃣% of time saved? From just 20% of speedrun tricks.Same in business. Same in life.Most people grind on everything, but the top players? They prioritize.

Sergei Vasiuk March 3

Journal

Scalable LiveOps System for Games

Designing an advanced, scalable LiveOps system for games requires a robust architecture that can handle continuous updates, large player bases, and real-time personalization. Such a system treats the game as a live service – enabling ongoing content deployment, event scheduling, A/B tests, player segmentation, automated offers, and dynamic monetization. It must be scalable across multiple games, cloud-agnostic, and modular for future AI/ML integration. The following sections break down the key engineering components, and how they integrate into a cohesive LiveOps platform. Core Backend Infrastructure (APIs, Services & Game Integration) A strong backend is the foundation of LiveOps. Adopting a microservices architecture is widely preferred for complex, evolving games over a monolithic design. In a microservice approach, distinct services handle specific domains (events, player profiles, economy, etc.), allowing independent updates and scaling. This modularity means new LiveOps features can be added […]

Michael Khripin March 3

Highlights

Hybridcasual Puzzle Rocks: Triple Tap Games secures $1.2M Investment

Triple Tap Games secures $1.2 million in pre-seed funding led by Eximius Ventures and Kalaari Capital. Mumbai-based Triple Tap Games has raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding to craft next-gen hybridcasual puzzle games. The studio—helmed by former Crazy Labs & Super Huge Studios veterans—is setting its sights on US and European markets, with plans to expand its team and supercharge its AI-driven content pipeline. Powering Up with Top Investors The funding round was led by Eximius Ventures and Kalaari Capital, alongside influential angel investors from the gaming and entertainment world. The capital will bolster rapid prototyping, data analytics, distribution, and monetization efforts. A Team with Proven Hits Founded in 2024 by ex-Crazy Labs India head Karan Khairajani, Triple Tap Games brings together industry heavyweights from Firescore Interactive, Games2win, Super Huge Studios, and Nukebox Studios. Their track record? 400 million+ downloads […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 3

AppLovin selling games business to focus on Ad Tech

Highlights

AppLovin Offloads Games: $500M Cash, $400M in Stock

Yes, it's still a hot topic. After what? AppLovin Monopoly in Mobile Gaming? AppLovin Scandal: New Target of Short Sellers? AppLovin to Sell Its Gaming Division for $900M AppLovin’s $900M Games Sale: Mystery Buyer, Big Moves & Strategic Shifts Ad Tech Titan AppLovin is offloading its gaming division in a $900 million deal—$500M in cash, $400M in equity—to a still-undisclosed buyer. The acquirer has signed a non-binding term sheet and plans to borrow up to $250M to fund the purchase. If financing falls through, AppLovin will step in with a promissory note. The February 12, 2025 agreement comes with a catch: AppLovin can’t negotiate with other buyers for now. While speculation swirls, one major contender is Savvy Games Group, while public giants like Playtika and Tencent are ruled out. Why the Sale? Despite strong gaming revenue, $1.5B in 2024, up […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 3

Journal

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