Tag Archives: Mobile Games

Train2Game News Pocket Gamer Connects Returns

Posted on by

Pocket Gamer Connects, Europe’s leading b2b mobile games industry conference, returns to London for its flagship show after more than two years of digital conferencing.

The event takes place on February 14-15 and will welcome 1,500 professionals representing more than 700 leading companies spanning the entire games industry ecosystem.


This February, the Steel Media team is embarking on their most ambitious conference yet, with Pocket Gamer Connects London not only standing tall as the flagship show in the series, but this edition also offers a brand new experience as a fully hybrid event.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and connect with one another both on-site in London and virtually through Zoom, as well as have full access to seminars, talks and panel discussions delivered by more than 225 industry experts across two days.


Pocket Gamer Connects is an unparalleled opportunity to network with top games industry companies from across the globe.

Since the first Connects conference in 2014, the team has developed a stellar reputation for delivering the highest quality games industry events with the very best opportunities to expand your network and make moves that will push your business forward. Attendees will have the chance to connect with more than 700 leading companies including Netflix, Rovio, King, Disney, SEGA, Jagex, Square Enix, ustwo games and many more.


Alongside a wealth of opportunities to do business, you can also expect to see some of the most exciting speakers in the games industry right now discussing all the hot topics from monetisation and growth strategy, to blockchain, the metaverse and NFTs.

The speaker lineup includes Tencent’s Aras Senyuz, Niantic’s Karla Reyes, Jam City’s John Peterson, Roblox’s Laura Higgins, Animoca Brands’ Yat Sui and more than 200 other industry leaders with priceless knowledge to share.

The full conference schedule is available online now so you can see all of the insightful sessions and elements that make up this exciting two-day event.


Steel Media COO Dave Bradley is excited to get back to meeting in person; “The team at Pocket Gamer Connects has been connecting the global games industry since 2014, and after two years of digital events, we’re really excited to be back in the UK, in London, getting back to doing what we do best. We can’t wait to reconnect with old friends and see all of the new faces who have joined our fine industry more recently. We’ve got a fantastic two-day schedule with something valuable for everyone. You won’t want to miss out!”.


Secure your spot at Pocket Gamer Connects London today and meet with the games innovators of tomorrow by clicking this link:

https://www.pgconnects.com/london/registration/

Train2Game News 2021 Pocket Gamer Mobile Award Winners

Posted on by

MiHoYo’s Genshin Impact took home the biggest prize as it scooped Game of the Year at Steel Media’s fourth annual and industry-leading Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards, supported by Game Insight, held last week.

The ceremony saw the action role-playing title also awarded Best Audio/Visual Accomplishment, while Tencent and TiMi Studio Group secured Best Publisher and Best Developer, respectively.
Innovation of the Year went to Niantic for its ingenious reworking of augmented reality hit Pokémon Go for the 2020 lockdown, Pollen VC was voted Best Service Provider, and Supercell’s Clash Royale conquered the opposition to the Best Live Ops trophy.

As ever the event, which in this pandemic-affected year took place later than its traditional January slot and adopted a hybrid live/digital format hosted by London’s Ham Yard Hotel, aimed to shine a spotlight on the work of the top mobile games companies over the previous year.

Further highlights from the night included the Rising Star award, shared – an event first – by Jana and Sham Al Bdour of Sakura Games, Unity continuing its Best Game Engine dominance with a fourth win in as many years, and Jam City CEO Chris DeWolfe joining the ranks of Mobile Legend.

The coveted People’s Choice Award, nominated for and voted on by readers of Steel Media’s leading consumer site, PocketGamer.com, went to Tilting Point’s SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off.

“We believe the MGAs have a vital role to play in recognising the efforts and achievements of the entire ecosystem that makes mobile gaming the best industry in the world,” said Steel Media CEO, Chris James.

“This is doubly important considering the forced disconnects of the last 16 months and also the incredible role that the mobile games industry has paid not just in contributing to the economy and keeping people in jobs, but moreover in keeping billions of citizens feeling a little more connected and engaged.”

As the full winner breakdown below demonstrates, the 22 categories (including three new additions this year) represent firms spanning the whole industry, from the games developers and publishers to the tools companies, service providers, support agencies, investors and recruiters that all contribute towards this $90 billion sector being the largest and most pervasive in gaming.

After the lobbying and shortlisting phases – the biggest and most complex to date – which took place from March to May, the finalists were subsequently voted on throughout June by our panel of 100-plus mobile games experts from every corner of the industry.

Steel Media is hugely grateful to everyone who took the time to submit themselves, their colleagues, company, or contemporaries, as well as everyone who attended the ceremony itself during these tricky times – whether in person or digitally.

Additionally, we would like to thank main sponsor Game Insight, together with Admix, Huawei Ads, Jam City, Scopely and Tilting Point for coming on board as category sponsors – their support helped make the event a success in a particularly challenging year.

And last but by no means least, congratulations to all the finalists – it really was a hard-fought affair this year – and, of course, the heartiest of praise to the winners themselves.

More info on all things PG Mobile Games Awards at the official website:
www.mobilegamesawards.com

Train2Game News You’re a wizard!

Posted on by

Niantic, Inc. and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced the development of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite™, an augmented reality (AR) mobile game inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. 
Published by Niantic and co-developed by Niantic and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, under the Portkey Games label, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite™ will use state-of-the-art augmented reality mobile technology to put magic in the hands of aspiring wizards and witches worldwide.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite™ will reveal that magic is all around us, and allow players to be a part of Harry Potter’s rich world, through Niantic’s AR + real-world mobile game platform and the franchise expertise of WB Games San Francisco’s development and publishing team. By exploring real-world neighborhoods and cities across the globe, players will go on adventures, learn and cast spells, discover mysterious artifacts, and encounter legendary beasts and iconic characters.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite™ is part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Portkey Games, a new games label dedicated to creating video game and mobile experiences inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.

 “At Niantic, our goal is to leverage technology to create real world experiences that help people to discover the wonderful, and often magical parts of the world around them,” said John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic, Inc. “The beloved Harry Potter stories have captured imaginations worldwide for more than 20 years and soon we’ll turn the fantasy into augmented reality, allowing fans and their friends to become wizards and witches.”

 “With this game, we are allowing the passionate, worldwide fan base to experience J.K. Rowling’s deeply powerful and imaginative universe in a new, truly immersive way,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “It is wonderful to have Niantic’s remarkable augmented reality expertise as we develop this incredibly rich wizarding world for players to explore in their everyday lives.”

Additional details for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite™ will be announced in 2018.

To stay up to date on Harry Potter: Wizards Unite™, please visit www.harrypotterwizardsunite.com and sign-up to receive the latest information and follow the game on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HPWizardsUnite/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HPWizardsUnite

Train2game News Yogscast new mobile channel

Posted on by

image

Yogscast, the UK’s leading games video specialist, is pleased to announce the forthcoming launch of TAPP, a new YouTube channel dedicated to all things mobile gaming.

TAPP is being created by Yogscast’s in-house production team and will be fronted by the firm’s star personalities including Kim, Duncan, Martyn and Hannah and will produce regular video entertainment focussed on iOS and Android gaming.

The TAPP launch is in partnership with IPC Ventures, who are using the channel to promote their Gaming Top Talent competition to find the best mobile gaming devs in the world, and reward them with prizes worth over $1M.

TAPP will launch with a range of programming covering the latest games being released and regular features on 3 May.

“We’re really excited to be launching TAPP, which we’re confident will quickly become the leading channel for iOS and Android gaming on YouTube,” said Mark Turpin, CEO of Yogscast.

“We all play games on our phones and tablets as well as PCs and consoles and it’s always been a frustration that it’s hard to find great videos that will help us find new games or enjoy the ones we’re already playing. I’m also delighted to have a legitimate reason to be able to expense all my gem purchases in Clash of Clans.”
“Gaming Top Talent is a great partnership for us as it means we’ll also be able to discover the best new mobile games while they’re still in development – and with the prizes on offer we know there will be both strong competition and high quality games being produced,” Turpin added.

“Through our Gaming Top Talent initiative we are taking on the challenge of finding the best mobile games being made and sharing them with the world”, said Shelley Lau, Managing Partner at IPC Ventures, “which is why we are excited to partner with Yogscast, a pioneer in the games video industry with a dedicated, game-loving fanbase.”

More details about TAPP and the initiative with Gaming Top Talent and other partners ​will be released over the next few weeks.

Train2Game News 2016 Mobile Gaming Insights

Posted on by

image

SOOMLA, an innovator in mobile gaming analytics, today announced its latest Q1 2016 Mobile Gaming Insights report, which illustrates user spending habits by cross-game behaviour, virtual economy model and game genre.

The new report reveals that users who completed an in-app purchase in one game are six times more likely to pay in another game, compared to any random user who hasn’t purchased. Furthermore, the likelihood of a user to pay in a second game increases by up to 40% based on the amount spent in the first game. Over 20 million players from more than 200 countries were included in the study, which is now available publicly on the company website.

The findings emphasize the contribution of cross-game purchase data to the ability to predict paying users, a coveted virtue in an industry where only 2% of consumers spend in games. Furthermore, knowing a user’s in-app purchase history by genres played, dollars spent and virtual items bought empowers game developers to tailor personalized offers at the user’s “comfort zone” price point.

Yaniv Nizan, Co-founder and CEO of SOOMLA, said: “Attracting payers to your game is like finding a needle in a haystack, but when crossing in-app purchase data from thousands of other games, our payer prediction technology reveals which user segments will eventually convert and what they’re likely to buy.”

Key Report Insights:

●      Past in-game payers are six times more likely to pay in another game.
●      Quick payers (first in-app purchase within 24 hours of install) are nine times more likely to pay in another game.
●      Over 40% of users who paid $25 or more in one game, will also pay in another game.
●      Holiday season savvy developers achieve an average revenue per paying user (ARPPU) lift in December of 83% above the annual average.
●      For each in-game item users purchase with real currency, an average of 18 additional items are purchased with virtual currency.
●      65% of all app revenue comes from “lifetime” goods (e.g. characters, level packs, remove ads), which cost $2.60 USD on average.
●      “Single use” goods (e.g. “save me”, ammo, 30-second boost) account for 71% of all in-game purchases.

Solomon Foshko, Manager of Strategic Intelligence at Wargaming Inc., said: “SOOMLA’s latest report provides a greater understanding of key trends in the mobile market and how best we can apply that insight for a competitive advantage within our product portfolio.”

Additionally, the report provides developers with insights on when players are more likely to play and how they play. For instance, daily active users increase as much as 33% over weekends, and this occurs primarily on phones, although sessions on tablets are often longer. Usage patterns differ across game genres as well, with strategy games boasting the highest average session duration of 11 minutes – 2.6 times more than other genres.

SOOMLA enables payer segmentation with its realtime payer prediction system – a programmatic API that detects when a highly likely paying user has just walked into your game.  Developers can adapt the game to potential payers from the first session and segment them for targeting and in-game promotions. For big publishers, SOOMLA offers highly targeted payer audiences through its recently introduced Audiences dashboard. Mobile marketers can build custom and lookalike audiences based on SOOMLA’s proprietary dataset and provision their campaigns to reach the best users.

Train2Game News AppGameKit update

Posted on by

image

The Game Creators today released App Game Kit Version 2.0.15. This significant key release adds many new features including animated 3D features, Bullet physics support and Assimp 3D model format importing.

Developers can now take their app ideas into the third dimension and have projects up and running in record time.

AppGameKit is available for both Windows, Mac and Linux platforms and apps can be deployed cross platform including iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Mac and Linux. The pay once, royalty free price also drops down to an even more affordable $79!

The Game Creators Development Director, Rick Vanner, said “The new 3D engine has been eagerly awaited by our community and they’ve already started creating demos and games with it. We’re very excited to see what users do with all this new power.”

Alongside this release are four new DLCs that complement the core AppGameKit product. There are two detailed user guides that are designed and written to take any novice coder and turn them into an expert game developer in easy-to-follow steps. Witten by educationalist Alistair Stewart, the Guides are available in two versions; the Official AppGameKit Beginners Guide ($29.99) for novice users, and the Official AppGameKit User Guide ($39.99) covering many more programming subjects.

To aid developers two Giant Asset Packs are also being launched today. They are packed to the rafters with thousands of sprites, backdrops and sample demo projects. Users can incorporate any of the assets into their projects for just $19.99 each.

Lee Bamber, CEO of The Game Creators, said “AppGameKit is the perfect choice for beginners and professionals looking to create cross platforms apps, combining an easy to learn programming language with a powerful and flexible engine capable of turning your ideas into reality. Supported by a fantastic community and a wealth of additional resources, such as a 900-page full-color user guide and thousands of assets via the DLCs, help is here if you need it.”

The Game Creators developed Driving Test Success Theory, Hazard Perception and Highway Code apps for UK publisher Focus Multimedia, deploying them onto the App Store, Google Play, Amazon, Mac Store and Blackberry World – all from AGKs executable code. These Driving Test Success apps are now the UK’s #1 ‘Learning to Drive’ apps.

The App Game Kit official website: http://www.appgamekit.com/

Train2Game News European games devs driving global digital economy

Posted on by

image

The Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) has presented a report by Deloitte that shows how European games companies are a driving force behind the global digital economy.

The report Mobile Games In Europe explores the emergence of the in-app purchase model in mobile video games. It shows how that model now supports 21,000 full-time employees in the European Union, many of them working in small enterprises that have been able to build sustainable businesses. The report highlights how mobile game developers now enjoy a lower barrier to entry and can start and build successful businesses anywhere in Europe. Regional industry hubs have attracted talent and capital and created new types of jobs and flexible, innovative business models.

ISFE expects to see double-digit growth in the mobile games industry until 2017, making it the fastest growing ‘content’ sector in Europe, with consumer spending estimated at more than €20 billion in 2015 alone.

The Deloitte report demonstrates that the in-app purchase model is popular with consumers, who show a high level of awareness of these games and enjoy more choice and variety. It also shows that only a small percentage of these gamers ever make in-app purchases. Consumers now download more free and in-app purchase mobile games than paid games. 

On Tuesday 15th of September, ISFE organised a high-level event at the Microsoft Executive Briefing Center in Brussels to present the findings of the report. The event featured a keynote speech by MEP Kaja Kallas (ALDE) and a panel discussion during which representatives from the games industry, the European Parliament and the European Commission discussed how the growth and leading position of the European games industry could be ensured while supporting the EU’s Digital Single Market initiative.

“Of the top 10 apps in the Apple iOS and Google Play app store in June 2015, six were made by game companies headquartered in Europe”, says Simon Little, Managing Director of ISFE. “We can be proud of our leading position, while keeping the focus on fostering a business environment where skills and talent keep our companies at the top.”

ISFE represents the European video games industry to the European Union and international organisations. ISFE spreads the word on its members’ positions regarding the main political and legal initiatives of European and international institutions in fields such as intellectual property, e-commerce, trade negotiations and the protection of minors.

Train2game News Fallout Shelter now available on Android

Posted on by

image

Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced that Fallout Shelter™, the first-ever mobile game set in the celebrated Fallout® universe from Bethesda Game Studios®, is now available worldwide for FREE on Google Play for Android devices.

Praised for its fun, addicting gameplay, and for its player-friendly approach to in-app purchases, Fallout Shelter has received accolades from some of the industry’s leading outlets, earning ‘Game of the Week’ from Touch Arcade and nominations for ‘Biggest Surprise’ from IGN and ‘Best Handled/Mobile Game’ from the official Game Critics Awards.

Today’s launch includes all-new game updates, including the introduction of Mr. Handy – the ultimate robotic companion – as a premium reward. Use him to collect resources inside your Vault, send him into the wasteland to collect caps, or defend your Vault from creatures and disasters, including new Deathclaw invasions and Molerat infestations.

Fallout Shelter is a post-nuclear strategy and simulation experience that puts you in control of a state-of-the-art underground Vault. Build the perfect Vault from a variety of rooms, oversee your very own thriving community of Vault Dwellers, and protect them from the dangers of the Wasteland.

To download Fallout Shelter for Android devices, visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bethsoft.falloutshelter

To learn more about Fallout Shelter, visit the game’s official website: www.FalloutShelter.com.

Train2Game News PEGI rating comes to mobile

Posted on by

image

PEGI announced today the expansion of its rating system to mobile and digital storefronts in Europe, as part of a global initiative with other classification authorities from around the world.

The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) was recently established to streamline the process for assigning age and content ratings to the high volume of digitally delivered games and mobile apps coming into the market today. The IARC.system is currently adopted for use in Google Play and Firefox Marketplace, and Microsoft’s Xbox Live Store, Nintendo eShop and the Sony PlayStation Store are expected to do so at a later date. 

Founded in late 2013, the IARC system represents the first time international ratings organisations have joined forces to agree on a unified process that simultaneously generates ratings for multiple territories while preserving each of their distinct cultural standards. Currently, the IARC process assigns the familiar and trusted content rating icons from PEGI (Europe), ESRB (North America), ClassInd (Brazil), USK (Germany) and the Classification Board in Australia, with more rating authorities expected to join in the future. All publishers on the participating platforms will be required to use the IARC procedure during the on-boarding process. There is no cost to publishers to obtain ratings via IARC and the process is designed to be fast and easy.

“I really applaud this responsible move”, says Robert Madelin, Director General of DG CONNECT, European Commission. “Age-rating apps in a way that is generally applicable, transparent, and consistent and that is familiar and understandable to users is an important step in making the internet a better place for children.”

“The market for digital games and mobile apps is exploding across the globe.  With a single click, developers can publish their games and apps on digital storefronts reaching a worldwide audience. These realities have created regulatory and cultural challenges that call for an innovative solution like IARC to help developers and storefronts provide consumers with culturally relevant, legally compliant and reliable guidance about the age appropriateness of the content in games and apps they may be considering for download,” said Dirk Bosmans, Communication Manager of PEGI S.A.. “It is encouraging that digital storefronts recognise the benefits of this groundbreaking initiative.”

The IARC system assigns age ratings, content descriptors and interactive elements for digitally delivered games and apps.  Developers can only access the system and use IARC ratings on digital storefronts that have licensed and integrated the system into their on-boarding process.  There is no cost for developers to use the system, which features a single questionnaire that once completed immediately assigns different ratings for various territories around the world.  Those IARC-certified ratings are then ingested by the storefront and mapped to their respective regions.  IARC and its participating rating authorities are responsible for monitoring and ensuring the accuracy of ratings assigned by the system. The fundamental goal is to enable digital consumers, especially parents, to have broad access to established, credible and locally relevant ratings for interactive entertainment products, regardless of the device on which they consume them. 

The initial five IARC rating authority participants, which collectively represent regions serving approximately 1.5 billion people, include:

    Pan European Game Information (PEGI) – Europe
    Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) – Germany
    Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) – North America
    Classificação Indicativa (ClassInd) – Brazil
    Classification Board – Australia

For more information about IARC, please visit www.globalratings.com

Train2Game News Nintendo partner with DeNa

Posted on by

image

Nintendo Co., Ltd. and DeNA Co., Ltd. today entered into a business and capital alliance to develop and operate new game apps for smart devices and build a new multi-device membership service for consumers worldwide.

Leveraging the strength of Nintendo’s intellectual property (IP) and game development skills in combination with DeNA’s world-class expertise in mobile games, both companies will develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo’s IP, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices. The alliance is intended to complement Nintendo’s dedicated video game systems business and extend Nintendo’s reach into the vast market of smart device users worldwide. Under the alliance, DeNA will also be able to strengthen its gaming business at a global scale by leveraging Nintendo’s IP. To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimised for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.

In order to create completely new game experiences for smart devices, all Nintendo IP will be eligible for development and exploration by the alliance. As these consumers enjoy the unique kind of gameplay found only with Nintendo, they will have the opportunity to explore even more premium experiences on Nintendo’s dedicated video game platforms. Information on upcoming games and availability will be forthcoming.

Nintendo and DeNA also plan to develop an online membership service that is accessible from smart devices, PC and Nintendo systems, such as the Nintendo 3DS portable system and the Wii U home console. The membership service, which is targeted to launch in the fall of 2015, will be built on DeNA’s extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services.

As part of the long-term relationship and commitment by each company, Nintendo and DeNA have also agreed to form a capital alliance. Under the capital alliance, Nintendo will acquire 15,081,000 of DeNA’s treasury shares, which corresponds to 10.00 percent of its total outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. DeNA will simultaneously acquire 1,759,400 of Nintendo’s treasury shares, which corresponds to 1.24 percent of its outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. The payment is due April 2, 2015.