#GamingBusiness

Outplay Entertainment has laid off 21 employees as part of a restructuring move aimed at adjusting to current business conditions. CEO says, "This was not a decision we took lightly," The studio, based in Dundee, Scotland, claims to be the UK’s largest independent mobile game developer with a team of 135, although it’s unclear whether this number reflects the recent job cuts, roughly 15% of the workforce. CEO Douglas Hare explained to MobileGamer that the decision affected team members across multiple departments and was part of a shift toward working more closely with publishing partners on future projects. He emphasized that the layoffs were not taken lightly and expressed gratitude to the affected staff, highlighting their contributions to the company and committing to help them during the transition. Outplay is known for mobile titles such as Gordon Ramsay's Chef Blast, […]

Apple has lost its attempt to delay court-ordered reforms to its App Store, following a ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court denied Apple’s request to pause key provisions of a federal judge’s decision that compels the tech giant to open its App Store to more competition, part of a long-running antitrust case filed by Fortnite developer Epic Games. Highlights? Court Rejects: The appeals court upheld U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' April ruling, which found Apple in contempt for evading an earlier injunction. Reforms Ordered: Apple must halt practices such as its 27% fee on external app purchases and allow developers to link to outside payment methods freely. Epic Celebrates Ruling: Epic CEO Tim Sweeney declared the decision as the end of the "Apple tax" in a post on X. Apple’s Response: The company expressed […]

Playtika lays off staff following Wooga’s recent job cuts. Up to 160 jobs cut on Best Fiends and Redecor teams. Shortly after Wooga’s 50 layoffs, Playtika has reportedly let go of a number of employees, mainly from its Best Fiends and Redecor teams, according to PocketGamer.biz. Multiple current and former team members took to social media to share news of the layoffs. PocketGamer.biz identified around 20 affected individuals now seeking new opportunities via LinkedIn. The roles impacted span various departments, including QA, engineering, team leadership, talent acquisition, art, and development. Some of those affected had only recently joined the company this year. The total number of layoffs has not been confirmed, and Playtika has declined to comment. Data? Player spending in Best Fiends has been steadily declining for several years. Meanwhile, Redecor's revenue has also dropped, leveling out over the […]