#GamingBusiness

A bold new chapter begins for Istanbul’s Fuse Games. Istanbul-based Fuse Games has secured $7 million in a funding round led by Griffin Gaming Partners, with participation from Lakestar, NFX Capital, and Actera. Known for their game Playground Legends — pitched as “your ultimate multiplayer and battle royale destination” — Fuse is on a mission to build globally accessible, deeply engaging games that blend technical innovation with pure player joy. 🗣️ Griffin's Ibrahim Hafeez praised the team’s “creative excellence, operational discipline, and intuitive understanding of what players want,” adding: “They’re not just chasing trends—they’re building the future of games.” 💬 CEO Akin Şahan said: “Fuse was founded on the idea that truly great games marry accessibility with depth. This partnership helps us scale without compromising the creative spirit that defines us.” The funding will power original IP development, team expansion, […]

A new player just stepped onto the board — and they’re already backed by some of the biggest names in gaming and venture capital. Tel Aviv-based startup Sett has officially emerged from stealth mode with a total of $27 million in funding, raised in two tranches. The latest, a $15M Series A round, was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Saga VC, Vgames, and Akin Babayigit, founder of Tripledot and now head of Arcadia Gaming Advisors. Sett’s earlier $12M seed round came from F2, Bessemer, and leading gaming angels. 🏗️ What's Sett Doing: Sett builds AI agents to help studios develop and market mobile games faster and cheaper — reportedly 15x faster and 25x cheaper than traditional pipelines. Their product focuses on automating the creation of interactive in-game moments and “playable ads”, which have become essential for user […]

In a bold move, ad tech powerhouse AppLovin has proposed a strategic merger with TikTok Global, aiming to unite all assets outside China—not a buyout, but a next-gen partnership. The pitch? Combine forces to supercharge ad revenue, tackle global data and content challenges, and bring Axon AI to one of the most engaging platforms on the planet. AppLovin projects TikTok's ad revenue outside China to reach 80bn with the integration of its Axon AI. 🔍 The Big Bet: TikTok’s non-China ad revenue, projected at $20B in 2024, could skyrocket to $80B with AppLovin’s Axon AI baked in. But, AppLovin warns: without tighter control, security and data issues will cap that growth. 📌 3 Pillars National Security – AppLovin would lead to ensure unbiased algorithms and global data privacy. Youth Safety – Built-in content moderation for age-appropriate experiences. Economic Growth – […]

Monopoly Go! just did what few mobile games ever could: rake in $5 billion in under two years. It’s the fastest a mobile title has ever reached that milestone, putting it in the elite club with Genshin Impact, Pokémon Go, and Royal Match. But it wasn’t just a lucky roll of the dice. Back in 2016, Scopely bet big on an ambitious idea: reimagining Monopoly for mobile in a way that felt fresh, social, and addictively fun. Seven years and $70 million later, they cracked the code—not by mimicking the board game, but by bottling the feeling of it. “How do you bring Monopoly’s energy—the thrill of getting rich, bankrupting your siblings, and laughing through it all—to mobile?” asked Scopely co-CEO Javier Ferreira. Reinventing A Classic Early versions missed the mark. Too skill-based. Not social enough. What turned the tide? […]

A Strategic Power Play Liftoff, the AI-powered engine behind some of the mobile app economy’s fastest-growing names, just secured a new ally in its ascent: General Atlantic. The global investment giant has acquired a minority stake from Blackstone, who remains the majority shareholder, marking a major milestone in Liftoff’s evolution as a performance marketing powerhouse. Jeremy Bondy, CEO of Liftoff “This is a defining moment—a fusion of momentum and ambition. Over the last three years, we’ve merged two powerhouses, launched our Cortex AI platform, and built serious velocity. General Atlantic’s investment validates that progress and propels us into the next chapter. We’re still in the early innings of a massive, fast-moving market, and with the right team and partners, we’re ready to lead the mobile economy into the future.” AI, Mergers, Momentum This isn’t just a financial transaction—it’s the next […]

Major win for iOS developers. A U.S. judge just ruled that Apple violated a court order by making it harder for app developers to link users to external payment methods. ✅ Developers can now bypass Apple’s 30% cut ✅ Avoid Apple’s 27% “workaround fee,” which the court deemed anti-competitive ✅ Freely promote external payment options to users For indie devs and small teams, this is a real opportunity to keep more of what you earn and build sustainable businesses without the platform fee. Monetization freedom is finally becoming real. Source US judge rules Apple violated order to reform App Store The EU Commission Tells Meta No Way to 'Pay or Ok' Under DMA Using alternative payment options on the App Store in the EU US judge orders Google to open up app store to competition Epic Game-Changer: 0% Fees & […]