Look at Gaming #370 | 2.21.2024
GM! This headline caught my eye today.
Founded by ex-Blizzard devs, this intrepid studio is raising money from players to fund marketing cost. Frost Giant studios is a real-time strategy PC game developer.
Frost Giant's motivation for going directly to the players stems from them not wanting to work with Publishers, who are cutting staff to prioritizes short-term profits while letting developers and players suffer long-term.
This headline made me think of the play-to-airdrop meta, which is effectively UA. Web3 games give out tokens to users to play its game. But Frost Giant studios is flipping this model.
Instead of giving out money, the studio is taking in $494 investment from players. Players can go to StartEngine website to check out the campaign and learn more details.
The goal is to sell $5M worth of shares at $150M valuation. Previously, the company raised $35M. This isn't their first crowdfunding campaign; they've raised $2M via Kickstarter.
Games raising money via crowdfunding is not novel but Frost Giant's explicitly saying its using the funds for marketing is. Juxtapose that against the web3 games giving tokens makes me wonder which model will be more sustainable.
In other news, we have Pitchbook's investment sentiment analysis, Brutally Honest's discussion on LTVs, and CoD League team is suing ATVI for nearly $700M.
Drop a gg!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Frost Giant asks players to invest in studio | GamesIndustry.biz
🌊 MARKET 📞
Mobile game downloads fell for the first time ever in 2023, down to 88 billion | PGBiz
PitchBook dives deep into gaming VC trends, predictions for 2024 | GamesBeat
Call of Duty League team owner suing Activision Blizzard for $680 million | The Verge
Com2Us escaped the red in 2023 despite "negative seasonality" | PGBiz
Frost Giant asks players to invest in studio | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Can advertisers rely on IP addresses? | MobileDevMemo
Discussing LTVs | Brutally Honest
Frame This | Decentralised.co
Video game consoles are doomed… right? | GamesIndustry.biz
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Lady Gaga Is Coming To Fortnite | GameInformer
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Japan's Gaming Renaissance Via Web3 | Gam3s.gg
Aniomca's Mocaverse x OKX | Gam3s.gg
💲 Fundraising 🤑
GameCentric secures $1.5 million angel investment to fuel growth in MENA | PGBiz
Helika Raises $8M for AI-powered Game Management | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Ubisoft launches Rainbow Six Smol, a roguelite exclusive to Netflix | GamesBeat
-----
Drop a gg!
GM! This headline caught my eye today.
Founded by ex-Blizzard devs, this intrepid studio is raising money from players to fund marketing cost. Frost Giant studios is a real-time strategy PC game developer.
Frost Giant's motivation for going directly to the players stems from them not wanting to work with Publishers, who are cutting staff to prioritizes short-term profits while letting developers and players suffer long-term.
This headline made me think of the play-to-airdrop meta, which is effectively UA. Web3 games give out tokens to users to play its game. But Frost Giant studios is flipping this model.
Instead of giving out money, the studio is taking in $494 investment from players. Players can go to StartEngine website to check out the campaign and learn more details.
The goal is to sell $5M worth of shares at $150M valuation. Previously, the company raised $35M. This isn't their first crowdfunding campaign; they've raised $2M via Kickstarter.
Games raising money via crowdfunding is not novel but Frost Giant's explicitly saying its using the funds for marketing is. Juxtapose that against the web3 games giving tokens makes me wonder which model will be more sustainable.
In other news, we have Pitchbook's investment sentiment analysis, Brutally Honest's discussion on LTVs, and CoD League team is suing ATVI for nearly $700M.
Drop a gg!
-----
Frost Giant asks players to invest in studio | GamesIndustry.biz
Mobile game downloads fell for the first time ever in 2023, down to 88 billion | PGBiz
PitchBook dives deep into gaming VC trends, predictions for 2024 | GamesBeat
Call of Duty League team owner suing Activision Blizzard for $680 million | The Verge
Com2Us escaped the red in 2023 despite "negative seasonality" | PGBiz
Frost Giant asks players to invest in studio | GamesIndustry.biz
Can advertisers rely on IP addresses? | MobileDevMemo
Discussing LTVs | Brutally Honest
Frame This | Decentralised.co
Video game consoles are doomed… right? | GamesIndustry.biz
Lady Gaga Is Coming To Fortnite | GameInformer
Japan's Gaming Renaissance Via Web3 | Gam3s.gg
Aniomca's Mocaverse x OKX | Gam3s.gg
GameCentric secures $1.5 million angel investment to fuel growth in MENA | PGBiz
Helika Raises $8M for AI-powered Game Management | Gam3s.gg
Ubisoft launches Rainbow Six Smol, a roguelite exclusive to Netflix | GamesBeat
-----
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GamesIndustry.biz
Frost Giant asks players to invest in studio
Stormgate developer Frost Giant Studios has asked players to invest in the company to support marketing costs for the u…
❤4
Look at Gaming #371 | 2.22.2024
GM! A new report from Apptica was released covering the mobile gaming market.
Here are some stats that stood out to me:
• The installs ratio between iOS and Android is 6B:51B — Android install is 8x
• The revenue ratio between iOS and Android is $35B:$20B — Android rev is 0.6x
• iOS beats Android retention by 7% on avg
• Avg D1 retention is 32% and D30 is 6.6%
• 53% of of advertisers in the mobile gaming market are... gaming studios.
It never fails to surprise me the disparity between the number of installs on Android vs. iOS. I think this gap is going to keep widening.
iOS installs has always been worth/costs a lot more than those on Android and we see why with both the spending and retention metrics on iOS.
In the report, you can see retention across the genre and iOS pretty much beats out Android in every genre. What's notable is that the genre mix and composition on Android and iOS are quite similar. It seems that players preference do not necessarily differ.
The last metric regarding ads isn't new. Mobile game studios have always been the largest advertisers of mobile game ads. But this statistic has been declining. It's healthy to see exogenous brands and advertisers targeting gamers.
That's it for today! Hope everyone has a good day.
Also check out that Borderlands trailer with Kevin Hart and Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black. Gaming movies are on a revenge arc right now.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Apptica: The State of the Mobile Gaming Market and Advertising in 2023 | GameDev Reports
🌊 MARKET 📞
Apptica: The State of the Mobile Gaming Market and Advertising in 2023 | GameDev Reports
Top 5 Insights from the State of Mobile Gaming Report by data.ai | GameMakers
“Hypercasual is definitely not dead” | PGBiz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
What's behind Xbox’s platform (& subscriber) moves? | GameDiscoverCo
🌈 Platforms 🏠
The Borderlands Movie's First Trailer Looks As Ridiculous As The Games | GameInformer
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Esports Giant Team Liquid Launching Fan Rewards Platform on Sui | Decrypt.gg
Kakao's Metabora Joins Gaming Giants Ubisoft, Sega on Oasys Chain | Decrypt.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
The Borderlands Movie's First Trailer Looks As Ridiculous As The Games | GameInformer
Ubisoft launches first Invincible mobile game for the 21-year-old franchise | PGBiz
-----
Drop a gg!
GM! A new report from Apptica was released covering the mobile gaming market.
Here are some stats that stood out to me:
• The installs ratio between iOS and Android is 6B:51B — Android install is 8x
• The revenue ratio between iOS and Android is $35B:$20B — Android rev is 0.6x
• iOS beats Android retention by 7% on avg
• Avg D1 retention is 32% and D30 is 6.6%
• 53% of of advertisers in the mobile gaming market are... gaming studios.
It never fails to surprise me the disparity between the number of installs on Android vs. iOS. I think this gap is going to keep widening.
iOS installs has always been worth/costs a lot more than those on Android and we see why with both the spending and retention metrics on iOS.
In the report, you can see retention across the genre and iOS pretty much beats out Android in every genre. What's notable is that the genre mix and composition on Android and iOS are quite similar. It seems that players preference do not necessarily differ.
The last metric regarding ads isn't new. Mobile game studios have always been the largest advertisers of mobile game ads. But this statistic has been declining. It's healthy to see exogenous brands and advertisers targeting gamers.
That's it for today! Hope everyone has a good day.
Also check out that Borderlands trailer with Kevin Hart and Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black. Gaming movies are on a revenge arc right now.
-----
Apptica: The State of the Mobile Gaming Market and Advertising in 2023 | GameDev Reports
Apptica: The State of the Mobile Gaming Market and Advertising in 2023 | GameDev Reports
Top 5 Insights from the State of Mobile Gaming Report by data.ai | GameMakers
“Hypercasual is definitely not dead” | PGBiz
What's behind Xbox’s platform (& subscriber) moves? | GameDiscoverCo
The Borderlands Movie's First Trailer Looks As Ridiculous As The Games | GameInformer
Esports Giant Team Liquid Launching Fan Rewards Platform on Sui | Decrypt.gg
Kakao's Metabora Joins Gaming Giants Ubisoft, Sega on Oasys Chain | Decrypt.gg
The Borderlands Movie's First Trailer Looks As Ridiculous As The Games | GameInformer
Ubisoft launches first Invincible mobile game for the 21-year-old franchise | PGBiz
-----
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Substack
Apptica: The State of the Mobile Gaming Market and Advertising in 2023
Overall market data; retention benchmarks; insights on ads.
❤7
Look at Gaming #372 | 2.23.2024
GM! Happy Friday y'all.
Gaming VC funds are increasingly partnering with content creators to gain strategic advantages in evaluating potential investments.
As the gaming market becomes more competitive, with thousands of games being launched each year, VC funds are leveraging creators' taste-making abilities and unique insights into player tastes and the content landscape.
By teaming up with creators, VC funds aim to increase their chances of identifying early and successful investments. Creators also help games get their initial distribution and bring credibility to startups through the backing of influential creators.
Additionally, creators benefit from diversifying their income and supporting developers and games they believe in.
Overall, the collaboration between VC funds and creators is seen as mutually beneficial, helping to drive value to the most promising prospects in the gaming industry amidst a challenging funding landscape.
Lastly, founders/entrepreneurs get the benefits from the financial and business-building expertise of VCs while also leveraging the distribution of content creators.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
VCs team up with creators amid games funding pullback | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
Indonesian election & New Game Industry Regulation | Niko Partners
DDM: Gaming M&A activity reached $76.7bn in 2023 | GamesIndustry.biz
VCs team up with creators amid games funding pullback | GamesBeat
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
The graveyard of features in games: when stuff that seemed promising just doesn’t work | GameDeveloper
Designing maps that complement game mechanics | GameDeveloper
💲 Fundraising 🤑
XPLA secures funding from Play Ventures to foster Web3 innovation | PGBiz
-----
Drop a gg!
GM! Happy Friday y'all.
Gaming VC funds are increasingly partnering with content creators to gain strategic advantages in evaluating potential investments.
As the gaming market becomes more competitive, with thousands of games being launched each year, VC funds are leveraging creators' taste-making abilities and unique insights into player tastes and the content landscape.
By teaming up with creators, VC funds aim to increase their chances of identifying early and successful investments. Creators also help games get their initial distribution and bring credibility to startups through the backing of influential creators.
Additionally, creators benefit from diversifying their income and supporting developers and games they believe in.
Overall, the collaboration between VC funds and creators is seen as mutually beneficial, helping to drive value to the most promising prospects in the gaming industry amidst a challenging funding landscape.
Lastly, founders/entrepreneurs get the benefits from the financial and business-building expertise of VCs while also leveraging the distribution of content creators.
-----
VCs team up with creators amid games funding pullback | GamesBeat
Indonesian election & New Game Industry Regulation | Niko Partners
DDM: Gaming M&A activity reached $76.7bn in 2023 | GamesIndustry.biz
VCs team up with creators amid games funding pullback | GamesBeat
The graveyard of features in games: when stuff that seemed promising just doesn’t work | GameDeveloper
Designing maps that complement game mechanics | GameDeveloper
XPLA secures funding from Play Ventures to foster Web3 innovation | PGBiz
-----
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VentureBeat
VCs team up with creators amid games funding pullback
In a rocky funding market, VC firms like a16z Games and 1AM Gaming are teaming up with creators to stack the deck in their favor.
Look at Gaming #373 | 2.26.2024
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend.
There quite a few headlines this weekend so let's dive in.
The first one I want to spotlight is a piece about how the way the game industry works is changing. TL;DR, keeping creativity in-house while outsourcing the developer work, better economics and upside for the core studio while leveraging the expertise/specialty of dev shops.
Second headlines are about the ads/UA market. AppLovin's blog is a great source to get educated about the marketing landscape. Check out their App Marketing Trend.
The third piece is a blog from Konvoy Ventures highlighting how Anime is underutilized in gaming. In one of the previous LAGs, I talked about IP in video games and how there's a clear preference for IP-related games in eastern markets. Love for Anime has reached a global audience but adapting these Anime into games has to be tastefully done, if not they end up feeling tacky.
That's it for today! Catch y'all tmrw.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
How the structure of the game industry is changing | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
Suicide Squad failed to meet Warner expectations | GamesIndustry.biz
Master Mobile App Marketing With Our 2024 Mobile App Trends Report! | AppLovin
Peter Levin joins Realm board to adapt gaming IP into podcasts | GamesBeat
Circana: The US gaming market in January 2024 grew by 15% | GameDev Reports
How the structure of the game industry is changing | GamesBeat
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Anime ($31b) is Underutilized in Gaming | Konvoy
How to find opportunities in the kids game market | GamesBeat
How Coda envisions growth for alternative web shops | GamesBeat
Where is the console hardware market headed? | GamesIndustry.biz
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Inside Apple Arcade: axed games, declining payouts, disillusioned studios – and an uncertain future | MobileGamer.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Limitations and Solutions to Blockchain Gaming | Gam3s.gg
Circle Joins Overdare to Add IP Trading, USDC Payouts to Metaverse Gaming Platform | Decrypt.gg
‘We're Promising Nothing’: Telegram Game Notcoin Has 25 Million Players and a Soon-to-be-Real Token | Decrypt.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📚
Four ways to build better indie marketing campaigns | GamesIndustry.biz
Building a Feedback Machine | Konvoy Ventures
What game marketers need to know about driving user acquisition through ad campaigns | PGBiz
Creative framework: How to win in 2024? | Brutally Honest
How to be a great product manager | GameMakers
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Web3 Infrastructure provider Avail raises $27M seed round | GamesBeat
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Nintendo fans might be waiting at least a year for the next Switch console | The Verge
-----
Drop a gg!
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend.
There quite a few headlines this weekend so let's dive in.
The first one I want to spotlight is a piece about how the way the game industry works is changing. TL;DR, keeping creativity in-house while outsourcing the developer work, better economics and upside for the core studio while leveraging the expertise/specialty of dev shops.
Second headlines are about the ads/UA market. AppLovin's blog is a great source to get educated about the marketing landscape. Check out their App Marketing Trend.
The third piece is a blog from Konvoy Ventures highlighting how Anime is underutilized in gaming. In one of the previous LAGs, I talked about IP in video games and how there's a clear preference for IP-related games in eastern markets. Love for Anime has reached a global audience but adapting these Anime into games has to be tastefully done, if not they end up feeling tacky.
That's it for today! Catch y'all tmrw.
-----
How the structure of the game industry is changing | GamesBeat
Suicide Squad failed to meet Warner expectations | GamesIndustry.biz
Master Mobile App Marketing With Our 2024 Mobile App Trends Report! | AppLovin
Peter Levin joins Realm board to adapt gaming IP into podcasts | GamesBeat
Circana: The US gaming market in January 2024 grew by 15% | GameDev Reports
How the structure of the game industry is changing | GamesBeat
Anime ($31b) is Underutilized in Gaming | Konvoy
How to find opportunities in the kids game market | GamesBeat
How Coda envisions growth for alternative web shops | GamesBeat
Where is the console hardware market headed? | GamesIndustry.biz
Inside Apple Arcade: axed games, declining payouts, disillusioned studios – and an uncertain future | MobileGamer.biz
Limitations and Solutions to Blockchain Gaming | Gam3s.gg
Circle Joins Overdare to Add IP Trading, USDC Payouts to Metaverse Gaming Platform | Decrypt.gg
‘We're Promising Nothing’: Telegram Game Notcoin Has 25 Million Players and a Soon-to-be-Real Token | Decrypt.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📚
Four ways to build better indie marketing campaigns | GamesIndustry.biz
Building a Feedback Machine | Konvoy Ventures
What game marketers need to know about driving user acquisition through ad campaigns | PGBiz
Creative framework: How to win in 2024? | Brutally Honest
How to be a great product manager | GameMakers
Web3 Infrastructure provider Avail raises $27M seed round | GamesBeat
Nintendo fans might be waiting at least a year for the next Switch console | The Verge
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VentureBeat
How the structure of the game industry is changing | Gilles Langourieux interview
Gilles Langourieux, CEO of Virtuos, has a bird's-eye view of the game industry as a co-developer. We asked him what he sees.
❤2👍1
Look at Gaming #374 | 2.27.2024
GM! Today I want to highlight a blog from Deconstructor of Fun that discusses the discusses the potential decline of mobile gaming, drawing parallels with the decline of Facebook games in 2012.
It highlights key market trends, including a slowdown in revenue growth and a decrease in the number of game launches. The rise of apps as essential services and the competition for user attention are identified as challenges for the mobile gaming industry.
The worst-case scenario is outlined, where platforms like Apple App Store and Google Play Store prioritize apps over games and restrict distribution channels for games, similar to what happened with Facebook games.
Here are some headwinds:
• Ad monetization shift away from waterfall model by Google Ads as early as January 2024
• Historical data may become obsolete, requiring reassessment of partners and updating LTV calculations
• New consent requirements affecting Google publisher products and Ads demand
• Fingerprinting removal impending, posing additional challenge to performance marketing
• Difficulty in obtaining big advertising budgets
• Shorter payback periods and increasing ROAS targets add pressure on marketing efforts
So mobile gaming may be approaching its ending arc as the platform's revenues account for more than half of all global gaming revenue.
In light of these challenges, it's more important than ever to retain the players. So check out this other article talking about omnichannel messaging. How getting gamers to opt into email, Discords, and even SMS, could drastically improve retention and reactivation.
That's it for today! See y'all tomorrow.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
How Mobile Gaming Could Come to an End | Deconstructor of Fun
🌊 MARKET 📞
Unity shares fall 18% despite revenue growth to $2.2 billion in 2023 | PGBiz
Playtika earmarks up to $1.2bn for M&A as it halts sale search | MobileGamer.biz
data.ai: Mobile Gaming Market in 2024 | GameDev Reports
🤣How Mobile Gaming Could Come to an End | Deconstructor of Fun
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Game devs say Apple Arcade payouts have been on the decline for years | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Forge adds support for Avalanche, Immutable and other protocols | GamesBeat
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Dear Tester, this is how you can help us be innovative | GameDeveloper
How to generate lasting player loyalty with omnichannel messaging | PGBiz
Where's the squeeze, if more games 'succeed' on PC? | GameDiscoverCo
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Ex-Homa staff raise $1.5 million for UGC platform PlayMakers | PGBiz
Avail Raises $27 Million for Web3 Infrastructure | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Nvidia’s free-tier GeForce Now will soon show ads while you’re waiting to play | The Verge
Balatro grossed $1m in eight hours | GamesIndustry.biz
-----
Drop a gg!
GM! Today I want to highlight a blog from Deconstructor of Fun that discusses the discusses the potential decline of mobile gaming, drawing parallels with the decline of Facebook games in 2012.
It highlights key market trends, including a slowdown in revenue growth and a decrease in the number of game launches. The rise of apps as essential services and the competition for user attention are identified as challenges for the mobile gaming industry.
The worst-case scenario is outlined, where platforms like Apple App Store and Google Play Store prioritize apps over games and restrict distribution channels for games, similar to what happened with Facebook games.
Here are some headwinds:
• Ad monetization shift away from waterfall model by Google Ads as early as January 2024
• Historical data may become obsolete, requiring reassessment of partners and updating LTV calculations
• New consent requirements affecting Google publisher products and Ads demand
• Fingerprinting removal impending, posing additional challenge to performance marketing
• Difficulty in obtaining big advertising budgets
• Shorter payback periods and increasing ROAS targets add pressure on marketing efforts
So mobile gaming may be approaching its ending arc as the platform's revenues account for more than half of all global gaming revenue.
In light of these challenges, it's more important than ever to retain the players. So check out this other article talking about omnichannel messaging. How getting gamers to opt into email, Discords, and even SMS, could drastically improve retention and reactivation.
That's it for today! See y'all tomorrow.
-----
How Mobile Gaming Could Come to an End | Deconstructor of Fun
Unity shares fall 18% despite revenue growth to $2.2 billion in 2023 | PGBiz
Playtika earmarks up to $1.2bn for M&A as it halts sale search | MobileGamer.biz
data.ai: Mobile Gaming Market in 2024 | GameDev Reports
🤣How Mobile Gaming Could Come to an End | Deconstructor of Fun
Game devs say Apple Arcade payouts have been on the decline for years | GamesIndustry.biz
Forge adds support for Avalanche, Immutable and other protocols | GamesBeat
Dear Tester, this is how you can help us be innovative | GameDeveloper
How to generate lasting player loyalty with omnichannel messaging | PGBiz
Where's the squeeze, if more games 'succeed' on PC? | GameDiscoverCo
Ex-Homa staff raise $1.5 million for UGC platform PlayMakers | PGBiz
Avail Raises $27 Million for Web3 Infrastructure | Gam3s.gg
Nvidia’s free-tier GeForce Now will soon show ads while you’re waiting to play | The Verge
Balatro grossed $1m in eight hours | GamesIndustry.biz
-----
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Deconstructor of Fun
Mobile games could be facing the same deliberate death-by-a-platform as games on Facebook suffered a decade ago. We’re like frogs being slowly boiled alive. The temperature is gradually increasing due to all the privacy changes. But the changes are happening…
❤5
Look at Gaming #375 | 2.28.2024
GM! Hope everyone is getting through the week alright.
Normally, I don't cover news about game updates but this is special — or should I say these are.
The Pokémon Company commemorated Pokémon Day by unveiling updates for all five of its active mobile games.
First, I didn't realize there were five Pokemon-IP-related mobile games. I mean, I knew they existed but never recognized them as a part of an ecosystem.
This is another example of an IP turning into a platform. The notable part is how these games and applications differ while still being under the same IP umbrella. The diversity of having content from the AR/geolocation game Pokémon Go to the health/wellness app Pokémon Sleep, is a great case study for big IP holders.
Pokémon Go is introducing tie-ins with the Pokémon Horizons anime series, featuring a new Pikachu with unique battle abilities and AR features showcasing characters Liko and Roy. Meanwhile, Pokémon Unite is adding new creatures from the Scarlet and Violet games, along with a minigame and Prize Machine Event for players.
In Pokémon Café ReMix, players can expect to see Scarlet’s mascot Koraidon and earn Gimmighoul Coins through completing puzzles.
Pokémon Sleep is receiving updates with log-in bonuses and the debut of legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei, and Suicune from the Gold and Silver games.
Additionally, Pokémon Masters EX is celebrating its 4.5 year anniversary with the release of Champion Silver and Tyranitar, as well as limited releases of other characters.
Furthermore, a new mobile game titled Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is set to launch in 2024, aiming to digitize the popular card game with features such as collecting, trading, and battling.
I'm looking forward to seeing if this is just a surface-level one-time coordination or if it would be the spark of an integrated ecosystem.
PS. Hoyoverse is another good example of multiple games and categories of app stemming from IP, granted it's not all under one IP.
That's it for today, catch y'all tmrw!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Pokémon’s power in full force as five big mobile games align for updates | PGBiz
🌊 MARKET 📞
Cloud Imperium reportedly hit with layoffs | GamesIndustry.biz
Game M&A hit $11.8B in 2023, lowest since 2019 | Quantum Tech Partners
Google DeepMind Unveils AI ‘Genie’ to Instantly Conjure Playable Games | Decrypt.gg
Shorooq Partners: State of the Gaming Market in MENAP and globally in Q4 2023 | GameDev Reports
ESL Faceit Group lays off 15% of staff 2 years after $1.5B merger | GamesBeat
Playtika earmarks up to $1.2bn for mergers and acquisitions | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Reddit advertising and the limitations of contextual targeting | MobileDevMemo
Digital Turbine: mobile game ads can have more impact than social ads | GamesBeat
The VGHF built an archive of gaming history — and is making it available online | The Verge
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Pokémon’s power in full force as five big mobile games align for updates | PGBiz
Fortnite continues to expand with two new Lego games | The Verge
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Parallel Studios Launches Open Beta for TCG Parallel | Gam3s.gg
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Scuti raises $10M to boost rewards for gamers | GamesBeat
PlayMakers Secures $1.5 Million for User-Generated Content in Games | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
OnePlus partners with Hoyoverse on Genshin Impact phone | GamesBeat
-----
Drop a gg!
GM! Hope everyone is getting through the week alright.
Normally, I don't cover news about game updates but this is special — or should I say these are.
The Pokémon Company commemorated Pokémon Day by unveiling updates for all five of its active mobile games.
First, I didn't realize there were five Pokemon-IP-related mobile games. I mean, I knew they existed but never recognized them as a part of an ecosystem.
This is another example of an IP turning into a platform. The notable part is how these games and applications differ while still being under the same IP umbrella. The diversity of having content from the AR/geolocation game Pokémon Go to the health/wellness app Pokémon Sleep, is a great case study for big IP holders.
Pokémon Go is introducing tie-ins with the Pokémon Horizons anime series, featuring a new Pikachu with unique battle abilities and AR features showcasing characters Liko and Roy. Meanwhile, Pokémon Unite is adding new creatures from the Scarlet and Violet games, along with a minigame and Prize Machine Event for players.
In Pokémon Café ReMix, players can expect to see Scarlet’s mascot Koraidon and earn Gimmighoul Coins through completing puzzles.
Pokémon Sleep is receiving updates with log-in bonuses and the debut of legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei, and Suicune from the Gold and Silver games.
Additionally, Pokémon Masters EX is celebrating its 4.5 year anniversary with the release of Champion Silver and Tyranitar, as well as limited releases of other characters.
Furthermore, a new mobile game titled Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is set to launch in 2024, aiming to digitize the popular card game with features such as collecting, trading, and battling.
I'm looking forward to seeing if this is just a surface-level one-time coordination or if it would be the spark of an integrated ecosystem.
PS. Hoyoverse is another good example of multiple games and categories of app stemming from IP, granted it's not all under one IP.
That's it for today, catch y'all tmrw!
-----
Pokémon’s power in full force as five big mobile games align for updates | PGBiz
Cloud Imperium reportedly hit with layoffs | GamesIndustry.biz
Game M&A hit $11.8B in 2023, lowest since 2019 | Quantum Tech Partners
Google DeepMind Unveils AI ‘Genie’ to Instantly Conjure Playable Games | Decrypt.gg
Shorooq Partners: State of the Gaming Market in MENAP and globally in Q4 2023 | GameDev Reports
ESL Faceit Group lays off 15% of staff 2 years after $1.5B merger | GamesBeat
Playtika earmarks up to $1.2bn for mergers and acquisitions | GamesIndustry.biz
Reddit advertising and the limitations of contextual targeting | MobileDevMemo
Digital Turbine: mobile game ads can have more impact than social ads | GamesBeat
The VGHF built an archive of gaming history — and is making it available online | The Verge
Pokémon’s power in full force as five big mobile games align for updates | PGBiz
Fortnite continues to expand with two new Lego games | The Verge
Parallel Studios Launches Open Beta for TCG Parallel | Gam3s.gg
Scuti raises $10M to boost rewards for gamers | GamesBeat
PlayMakers Secures $1.5 Million for User-Generated Content in Games | Gam3s.gg
OnePlus partners with Hoyoverse on Genshin Impact phone | GamesBeat
-----
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PocketGamer.biz
Pokémon’s power in full force as five big mobile games align for updates
The Pokémon Company’s five active mobile games all have updates on the way, announced on Pokémon’s 28th anniversary - also known as...
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Forwarded from thecoreloop.gg — Web3 [SUNSET]
• Tatsumeeko launched their Web Event, Uncharted Dream allowing users to start playing & earning points — See More
• Battle Bears — Leaving Ronin
• Tokyo Beast — Released BASE prototype site
• Osiris Metaverse — Alpha signup form
• Kuroro Beasts — New Airdrop Quest
• Decentral Games — $BAG now tradable on $BLAST L2
• Holdara — Released new DevBlog
• Aradena — Shared 2024 Roadmap ($AG to be delisted and new ecosystem token launched)
• Fusionist — Endurance Mainnet Upgrade (March 4, 2:00 UTC)
• Fusionist — Announced Prime Ace (ERC 404 NFT collection to be launched on Endurance launchpad)
• Sipher — Open Alpha launch (March 8)
• Wilder World — Released DOMINO roadmap
• StepN — Updated Whitepaper
• Axie Infinity — Guilds will be introduced to Axie Classic this month (Phase 1 - March 7, Phase 2 EOM)
• Gomble Games — Mystery Marbles are claimable at all times
• Matr1x Fire — Approved on iOS App Store
• Nine Chronicles — Monster Collection now available on mobile
• Paradise Tycoon — Now has multiplayer
• Tabi Chain — Released Testnet
• Nyan Heroes — Why Nekovia Codes are so valuable
• Sebastian Park (BITKRAFT) — How to solve the issue of games getting killed by liveops
• Joakim (F4 Fund) — The right direction for gaming startups in 2024
• Robin Guo (a16z) — What we look for to find games that stand out during playtests
• Vader Research — How Portal Founders are Marketing Geniuses
• Jihoz (Axie) — Returning to Axie's core development features to ensure Homeland becomes a more engaging & community-focused experience
• Blockchain Gaming World — Gaming on cross-chain L1 Moonbeam
• Gamecraft — Distribution & why its so important to how video game businesses function
• ChronoForge — Announced their $3m Strategic Round
• JinAnomaly
• Nim Network (Formerly MatchboxDAO)
• Tabi
• Gold
• CropXYZ
• World Engine
• DUPER
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❤3🔥3
GM everyone!
Wanted to wish everyone a great start to your guys' week!
I'm taking some time off the next two weeks for personal reasons. (Don't worry it's good news!!).
So please excuse the delay in Web2 Daily Lag coverage. But the Web3 Gaming Recap will keep on going!
Talk to you guys again soon ❤️ ❤️
Wanted to wish everyone a great start to your guys' week!
I'm taking some time off the next two weeks for personal reasons. (Don't worry it's good news!!).
So please excuse the delay in Web2 Daily Lag coverage. But the Web3 Gaming Recap will keep on going!
Talk to you guys again soon ❤️ ❤️
❤15⚡1
Forwarded from thecoreloop.gg — Web3 [SUNSET]
• Sipher launches Open Alpha starting with US, Brazil, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Argentina, Venezuela, & India. Progress, achievements & earned items will carry over to global launch — See More
• Spellborne — Released Feb Developer Update
• Axie Infinity — Classic guilds are now live
• Guild of Guardians — NFT Migration to Immutable zkEVM
• Shrapnel — Token Unlock Schedule Revision (April 2024 unlock reduced by 75%)
• Mystery Society — Released new playtest
• Illuvium — Released Feb 2024 Governance Newsletter
• Everseed — Launched Season 2
• Kuroro Beasts — $KURO airdrop extended (7% of supply to be distributed)
• Soba — Launched Open Beta
• SkyArk Chronicles — Opened staking
• Crypto Unicorns — 3.1.2 Tuning Update
• Pegaxy — Released Pre-registration (March 8 - 22)
• ZTX — Genesis Home NFTs are now integrated into ZTX Beta
• Decentral Games — Blast Deposits are now LIVE
• Parallel — Closed Beta S7 Card / Cosmetic Claims are extended
• Planet Mojo — Announced Gogo Mojo, a new interoperable
• Block Games — Integrating Ronin into their player network ecosystem
• Holdara — Released new Dev Blog
• Bitcraft — Released gameplay reveal trailer & alpha sign-up form (Alpha starts April 2)
• Worldwide Webb — Revealed 2024 Roadmap
• XTREMEVERSE — DN404 Anime Gaming NFT Collection Minted out
• Aavegotchi — Gotchiverse Roadmap
• Sparkcsays (Wolves DAO) — How to Not Fuck Up in Web 3: From Traditional Gaming to Crypto
• John Patten (Treasure DAO) — Why blockchain games are able to blow up
• Jonah Blake (Real Third Web) — Crypto gaming on mobile will take over
• Vader Research — Pixelmon Analysis
• Animoca Brands — How Imaginary Ones is Creating Global IP Through Web3
• All Chat — Spatial Computing Today (How it compares to Meta, experience developing for iOS & challenges of investing in the space)
• Rebel Cars
• Play AI
hope helpful wuwu
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❤8🔥3🤝1
Look at Gaming #376 | 4.03.2024
GM everyone! I am BACK from leave. Yours truly is a new father so thank you for your patience! Let's get back in it.
Today's headline that caught my attention is about Discord's new questing platform. This is notable because there are numerous web3 projects that are basically glorified questing platforms so Discord's new product feature is highly competitive.
This particular Discord quest involves The Finals, which is a F2P FPS game. The users have to stream themselves playing the game to friends in their Discord server for 15 mins.
Players are rewarded with the Skill Issue set, includes virtual rewards such as a Beanie with Headphones, Skill Issue Sneakers, Skill Issue Blackout Tattoo, Skill Issue Slacks, Skill Issue Tank, and Attention Grabbers Sticker.
This initiative is part of a collaboration with Embark Studios to celebrate the latest updates to The Finals, including new modes, maps, abilities, weapons, and gadgets.
Using quests to activate or push live ops and rewarding users with cosmetics is good but these are just surface level interactions with the questing platform. I envision Discord quests growing into a massive second-screen experience for these game studios.
Mini games or lite-versions of the game could be played on Discord as part of their questing campaign and it may start as a campaign then scale into a permanent fixture in the game design.
There's ONE web3 game/infra project that's tackling User Acquisition/Activation this way. Drop a gg in the comments and I'll share it.
Catch y'all tomorrow!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Discord users can get Skill Issue in The Finals game by completing a quest | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
FTC denies facial age estimation as verification tactic | GamesIndustry.biz
PC and console market grew 2.6% in 2023, but playtime hours fell | Newzoo
Embracer CEO says restructuring is over, no other studios for sale | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Supercell explains Brawl Stars’ big comeback, from an all-time low to 8.8x revenue | MobileGamer.biz
Supermarket Simulator: Best Streaming Debut of All Simulator Games | Stream Hatchet
The meaning of the massive success of Scopely’s Monopoly Go | GamesBeat
32% of mobile gamers plan to spend less on in-app purchases in 2024 | Mistplay
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Discord users can get Skill Issue in The Finals game by completing a quest | GamesBeat
Gaming social platform Discord set to embrace ads for revenue boost | PGBiz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Azuki Chooses Arbitrum for Anime-Focused Project AnimeChain | Decrypt.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Playable ads make the biggest splash in gaming apps | Liftoff
The Backend Jungle: A Short Guide for Game Executives | Deconstructor of Fun
💲 Fundraising 🤑
A16Z Games commits $75M to accelerator program for early game startups | GameDeveloper
Ludus Ventures invests $1M in Turkish studio Midas Games | PGBiz
BloodLoop Raises $4M to Fuel Blockchain Hero-Shooter | Gam3s.gg
XION Raises $25M Funding to Drive Web3 Mass Adoption | Gam3s.gg
Laton Ventures Launches $35M Global Gaming VC Fund | Gam3s.gg
Wargaming co-founder launches $50 million investment fund Mika Games to support mobile studios | PGBiz
Lil Snack raises $3.1M for snackable games built by devs with AI tools | GamesBeat
Helika Launches $50 Million Crypto Gaming Accelerator | Gam3s.gg
Shifty Eye Games raises $580K and appoints gaming luminaries as advisers | GamesBeat
----
Drop a gg!
GM everyone! I am BACK from leave. Yours truly is a new father so thank you for your patience! Let's get back in it.
Today's headline that caught my attention is about Discord's new questing platform. This is notable because there are numerous web3 projects that are basically glorified questing platforms so Discord's new product feature is highly competitive.
This particular Discord quest involves The Finals, which is a F2P FPS game. The users have to stream themselves playing the game to friends in their Discord server for 15 mins.
Players are rewarded with the Skill Issue set, includes virtual rewards such as a Beanie with Headphones, Skill Issue Sneakers, Skill Issue Blackout Tattoo, Skill Issue Slacks, Skill Issue Tank, and Attention Grabbers Sticker.
This initiative is part of a collaboration with Embark Studios to celebrate the latest updates to The Finals, including new modes, maps, abilities, weapons, and gadgets.
Using quests to activate or push live ops and rewarding users with cosmetics is good but these are just surface level interactions with the questing platform. I envision Discord quests growing into a massive second-screen experience for these game studios.
Mini games or lite-versions of the game could be played on Discord as part of their questing campaign and it may start as a campaign then scale into a permanent fixture in the game design.
There's ONE web3 game/infra project that's tackling User Acquisition/Activation this way. Drop a gg in the comments and I'll share it.
Catch y'all tomorrow!
-----
Discord users can get Skill Issue in The Finals game by completing a quest | GamesBeat
FTC denies facial age estimation as verification tactic | GamesIndustry.biz
PC and console market grew 2.6% in 2023, but playtime hours fell | Newzoo
Embracer CEO says restructuring is over, no other studios for sale | GamesIndustry.biz
Supercell explains Brawl Stars’ big comeback, from an all-time low to 8.8x revenue | MobileGamer.biz
Supermarket Simulator: Best Streaming Debut of All Simulator Games | Stream Hatchet
The meaning of the massive success of Scopely’s Monopoly Go | GamesBeat
32% of mobile gamers plan to spend less on in-app purchases in 2024 | Mistplay
Discord users can get Skill Issue in The Finals game by completing a quest | GamesBeat
Gaming social platform Discord set to embrace ads for revenue boost | PGBiz
Azuki Chooses Arbitrum for Anime-Focused Project AnimeChain | Decrypt.gg
Playable ads make the biggest splash in gaming apps | Liftoff
The Backend Jungle: A Short Guide for Game Executives | Deconstructor of Fun
A16Z Games commits $75M to accelerator program for early game startups | GameDeveloper
Ludus Ventures invests $1M in Turkish studio Midas Games | PGBiz
BloodLoop Raises $4M to Fuel Blockchain Hero-Shooter | Gam3s.gg
XION Raises $25M Funding to Drive Web3 Mass Adoption | Gam3s.gg
Laton Ventures Launches $35M Global Gaming VC Fund | Gam3s.gg
Wargaming co-founder launches $50 million investment fund Mika Games to support mobile studios | PGBiz
Lil Snack raises $3.1M for snackable games built by devs with AI tools | GamesBeat
Helika Launches $50 Million Crypto Gaming Accelerator | Gam3s.gg
Shifty Eye Games raises $580K and appoints gaming luminaries as advisers | GamesBeat
----
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VentureBeat
Discord users can get Skill Issue in The Finals game by completing a quest
Discord is launching a new Quest on its platform to enable players to earn a feature dubbed Skill Issue as an exclusive item for The Finals.
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Forwarded from thecoreloop.gg — Web3 [SUNSET]
• Parallel launched Open Beta Season 2 which includes patch update 0.28 featuring a new Battle Pass, brand new game mode and several additional bug fixes. — See More
• Crypto Unicorns — 7 step migration plan to XAI
• Mahjong Meta — Riot of Cherry Blossoms Event (April 1 - 28)
• Lumiterra — Genesis Mystery Box moved to OKX NFT Marketplace
• Palio — Launched Palio Odyssey, earned points swappable for Xterio Ecosystem Airdrop
• Guild of Guardians — Web3 Read Only Test Launch (April 3)
• Gomble Games — Airdrop Alliance Level 3 (April 2 - 25)
• Matr1x — $FIRE Unlock (April 7)
• HYCHAIN — Guardian Node Software v0.0.01 release
• Nyan Heroes — End of Airdrop & Pre-Alpha Demo (April 9)
• Balthazar DAO — $BZR Airdrop & Ordinal Migration
• Pegaxy — Blaze now available on iOS / Android
• METALCORE — Closed Beta 2 (April 9)
• Webaverse — Moemate Update
• My Pet Hooligan — Early Access Update
• Planet Mojo — Play To Airdrop (April 4 - 12)
• Saga — SSC Testnet V1 & Pegasus Testnet V1 Deprecated
• Thetan World — $THC to $THG Conversion
• MEGAWEAPON — Opening testing to general community
• Spellborne — Season 1 Build Complete
• Payton — Marketing & Distribution in Web3
• Madotsuki — The messy system of Pokemon bridging and crypto's potential in solving game interoperability & asset preservation
• Naavik — Guild of Guardians on Immutable + Web3 Pulsecheck
• 7 Digital Labs — Raised $4m seed funding for Hero-Shooter game BloodLoop
• VectorShift
• First Light Games
• Ronin Launchpad
• Verse Foundation
• Pirate Battle
• OPEN
• Play AI
hope helpful wuwu
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❤4🔥1
Look at Gaming #377 | 4.04.2024
GM!
NewZoo is a trusted data provider for the gaming space. The 2023 Global Gamer Study reported that out of the total online population, 72% of women play video games.
What's more jarring is that out of the population that says they play video games, nearly half (45%) were women, half of which are PAYING users.
Women are absolutely and unequivocally no longer a small "niche" in the gaming space. This is particularly important for mobile game studios because about 44% of female gamers play strictly on mobile.
But as expected female mobile players prefer casual titles. For the more core female gamers, we must look at the Console and PC platforms, where there seems to be an even split across the three categories of genres (casual, midcore, core).
This is fantastic news as the "gamer" demographic is expanding, which means brands are more willing to invest in products targeting gamers and marketeres are more likely to spend on gamer-focused ads.
In other news, check out Voldex purchasing another Roblox game in a multi-million dollar deal, a team of PhD from MIT created AI agent companions to play Minecraft with you, and a must-read interview with SuperJoost founder on data in the games industry.
Drop a gg fams! Miss ya!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
72% of women play video games with half of female players being payers | PGBiz
🌊 MARKET 📞
Voldex snaps up Ultimate Football | GamesIndustry.biz
Lara Croft crowned the most iconic video game character of all time | BAFTA
Judge allows Roblox illegal gambling suit to proceed | The Verge
72% of women play video games with half of female players being payers | PGBiz
Meet the Team Bringing AI Agents to Minecraft | a16z Games
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Why older games rule - and new games drool - in Discoveryland | GameDiscoverCo
How data can help you understand the game industry | Joost Van Dreunen interview
The big economy of small advertisers | MobileDevMemo
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Coachella Launching Avalanche NFT Quests Game at Music Festival | Decrypt.co
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Godot vs. Unity: All You Need To Know | Kevuru Games
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Bitkraft Ventures unveils new $275m fund | GamesIndustry.biz
-----
GM!
NewZoo is a trusted data provider for the gaming space. The 2023 Global Gamer Study reported that out of the total online population, 72% of women play video games.
What's more jarring is that out of the population that says they play video games, nearly half (45%) were women, half of which are PAYING users.
Women are absolutely and unequivocally no longer a small "niche" in the gaming space. This is particularly important for mobile game studios because about 44% of female gamers play strictly on mobile.
But as expected female mobile players prefer casual titles. For the more core female gamers, we must look at the Console and PC platforms, where there seems to be an even split across the three categories of genres (casual, midcore, core).
This is fantastic news as the "gamer" demographic is expanding, which means brands are more willing to invest in products targeting gamers and marketeres are more likely to spend on gamer-focused ads.
In other news, check out Voldex purchasing another Roblox game in a multi-million dollar deal, a team of PhD from MIT created AI agent companions to play Minecraft with you, and a must-read interview with SuperJoost founder on data in the games industry.
Drop a gg fams! Miss ya!
-----
72% of women play video games with half of female players being payers | PGBiz
Voldex snaps up Ultimate Football | GamesIndustry.biz
Lara Croft crowned the most iconic video game character of all time | BAFTA
Judge allows Roblox illegal gambling suit to proceed | The Verge
72% of women play video games with half of female players being payers | PGBiz
Meet the Team Bringing AI Agents to Minecraft | a16z Games
Why older games rule - and new games drool - in Discoveryland | GameDiscoverCo
How data can help you understand the game industry | Joost Van Dreunen interview
The big economy of small advertisers | MobileDevMemo
Coachella Launching Avalanche NFT Quests Game at Music Festival | Decrypt.co
Godot vs. Unity: All You Need To Know | Kevuru Games
Bitkraft Ventures unveils new $275m fund | GamesIndustry.biz
-----
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www.pocketgamer.biz
72% of women play video games with half of female players being payers
Header: Strap: Gone are the days when women were a small percentage of gamers, as we now see a much more even split between men and
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Look at Gaming #378 | 4.08.2024
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Today, let's cover UEFN. In 2023, creator payouts hit $320M.
But there's trouble in paradise islands. Creators are going after each other — alleging trademark violations, unfair suspensions, "Like" cheating and manipulations.
Some creators even went as far as filing Digital Millennium Copyright ACT (DMCA) takedown notices. Creators are blaming Epic for not helping creators protect their creations. But some weaponized these notices by filing bogus claims at competing maps.
"Like" Cheating and manipulation is when creators maliciously place in-game action buttons above the favoriting button. This lead players to favorite the map, thus increasing the map's ranking. The result of staying on top of the discovery funnel is worth $15M in revenue for some games.
When Epic is given notice of a DMCA notice, it automatically removes the game. This action completely destroys the game's discoverability with the algorithm.
These copyright / IP issues extends beyond Epic Games and involves UGC as a whole. From simple cosmetic items to more robust mods like game types, we need better practices in place to foster innovation without encouraging malicious anti-competitive tactics.
Hope everyone has a good start to their week!
-----
⚡️ Spotlight 🤩
Epic Games faces complaints of UEFN DMCA takedown manipulation and ‘like cheating | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
Epic Games faces complaints of UEFN DMCA takedown manipulation and ‘like cheating | GamesBeat
Ten years later, Facebook’s Oculus acquisition hasn’t changed the world as expected | TechCrunch
Jackbox Games creates successes by creating memories | GamesBeat
Helldivers 2 launch on par with big games like Modern Warfare II and Apex Legends | GamesBeat
We're in the era of the perennial game: plan accordingly | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Esports Questions: Where's My #$@%ing Money? | The Fudge Retort
Accessibility in Gaming: “We All Win” | Konvoy Ventures
Mobile Games in 2024 | SensorTower
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Apple allows retro game emulators on App Store | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3️⃣ + Meta 🌐
Federal Watchdog Takes Aim at Crypto Gaming | Decrypt.gg
GAM3S.GG and Immutable Partner to Expand Web3 Gaming | Gam3s.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
The accidental, inimitable success of Monument Valle | GamesIndustry.biz
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Raiinmaker Secures $7.5 Million for AI Training Tools | Gam3s.gg
Today Raises $5 Million for Web3 Game with AI NPCs | Gam3s.gg
-----
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Today, let's cover UEFN. In 2023, creator payouts hit $320M.
But there's trouble in paradise islands. Creators are going after each other — alleging trademark violations, unfair suspensions, "Like" cheating and manipulations.
Some creators even went as far as filing Digital Millennium Copyright ACT (DMCA) takedown notices. Creators are blaming Epic for not helping creators protect their creations. But some weaponized these notices by filing bogus claims at competing maps.
"Like" Cheating and manipulation is when creators maliciously place in-game action buttons above the favoriting button. This lead players to favorite the map, thus increasing the map's ranking. The result of staying on top of the discovery funnel is worth $15M in revenue for some games.
When Epic is given notice of a DMCA notice, it automatically removes the game. This action completely destroys the game's discoverability with the algorithm.
These copyright / IP issues extends beyond Epic Games and involves UGC as a whole. From simple cosmetic items to more robust mods like game types, we need better practices in place to foster innovation without encouraging malicious anti-competitive tactics.
Hope everyone has a good start to their week!
-----
⚡️ Spotlight 🤩
Epic Games faces complaints of UEFN DMCA takedown manipulation and ‘like cheating | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
Epic Games faces complaints of UEFN DMCA takedown manipulation and ‘like cheating | GamesBeat
Ten years later, Facebook’s Oculus acquisition hasn’t changed the world as expected | TechCrunch
Jackbox Games creates successes by creating memories | GamesBeat
Helldivers 2 launch on par with big games like Modern Warfare II and Apex Legends | GamesBeat
We're in the era of the perennial game: plan accordingly | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Esports Questions: Where's My #$@%ing Money? | The Fudge Retort
Accessibility in Gaming: “We All Win” | Konvoy Ventures
Mobile Games in 2024 | SensorTower
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Apple allows retro game emulators on App Store | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3️⃣ + Meta 🌐
Federal Watchdog Takes Aim at Crypto Gaming | Decrypt.gg
GAM3S.GG and Immutable Partner to Expand Web3 Gaming | Gam3s.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
The accidental, inimitable success of Monument Valle | GamesIndustry.biz
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Raiinmaker Secures $7.5 Million for AI Training Tools | Gam3s.gg
Today Raises $5 Million for Web3 Game with AI NPCs | Gam3s.gg
-----
VentureBeat
Epic Games faces complaints of UEFN DMCA takedown manipulation and ‘like cheating’
Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the gaming industry’s top leaders? Learn more about GamesBeat Summit sponsorship opportunities here. Epic Games is facing some pressure from popular creators to do more about bad behavior among map creators…
❤4
Look at Gaming #379 | 4.09.2024
GM! I'm getting back into the swing of things and here's an original thread that I wrote about my experience playtesting MapleStory Universe.
The playtest was for friends and family only so it was a great pleasure for me to had been invited to participate.
I anticipated the game to be similar to its web2 counterpart but I was pleasant surprise when it wasn't just a reskin of the current MapleStory with NFTs.
My prediction is that MapleStory Universe will reignite the MMORPG genre. The reintroduction of social gameplay and integration of new game economics.
MapleStory Universe comprises of the content-rich world of MapleStory + Blockchain Technology + New Dynamic Pricing + New Item Distribution Mechanism.
I wrote in detail about the Dynamic Pricing and the Item Distribution Mechanism in my thread. I hope you enjoy and that you see why I'm so dam bullish on MSU.
Catch y'all tomorrow.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Alpha from MapleStory Universe Friends & Family Playtest | thecoreloop
🌊 MARKET 📞
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Xterio and AltLayer Collaborate to Launch Gaming-Oriented Blockchain | Gam3s.gg
Alpha from MapleStory Universe Friends & Family Playtest | thecoreloop
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
A decade in Tamriel: Takeaways as Elder Scrolls Online turns ten | GamesIndustry.biz
Breakdown of AFK Arena | Brutally Honest #107
-----
GM! I'm getting back into the swing of things and here's an original thread that I wrote about my experience playtesting MapleStory Universe.
The playtest was for friends and family only so it was a great pleasure for me to had been invited to participate.
I anticipated the game to be similar to its web2 counterpart but I was pleasant surprise when it wasn't just a reskin of the current MapleStory with NFTs.
My prediction is that MapleStory Universe will reignite the MMORPG genre. The reintroduction of social gameplay and integration of new game economics.
MapleStory Universe comprises of the content-rich world of MapleStory + Blockchain Technology + New Dynamic Pricing + New Item Distribution Mechanism.
I wrote in detail about the Dynamic Pricing and the Item Distribution Mechanism in my thread. I hope you enjoy and that you see why I'm so dam bullish on MSU.
Catch y'all tomorrow.
-----
Alpha from MapleStory Universe Friends & Family Playtest | thecoreloop
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
Xterio and AltLayer Collaborate to Launch Gaming-Oriented Blockchain | Gam3s.gg
Alpha from MapleStory Universe Friends & Family Playtest | thecoreloop
A decade in Tamriel: Takeaways as Elder Scrolls Online turns ten | GamesIndustry.biz
Breakdown of AFK Arena | Brutally Honest #107
-----
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X (formerly Twitter)
kiet (@0xkapital_k) on X
I was invited to the Family & Friends Test of the highly anticipated MapleStory N.
Here's the alpha.
• Players can financially PvP each other (I like this a lot)
• PvP for items through PvE
• Duo combo of on-chain/off-chain assets & currency(ies)
• UI/UX…
Here's the alpha.
• Players can financially PvP each other (I like this a lot)
• PvP for items through PvE
• Duo combo of on-chain/off-chain assets & currency(ies)
• UI/UX…
❤4
Look at Gaming #380 | 4.10.2024
GM! Happy hump day. Can't believe the week is already almost over!
This news came out yesterday but I didn't get the chance to cover it. Disney is expanding further into games and we should pay attention.
Recall that Disney already plowed $1.5B into Epic Games earlier this year to create a new universe of entertainment and fun. Historically, Disney has been quite removed from the game creation process — typically licensing their IP or "codeveloping" a game with large publishers (ex. EA & Star Wars).
Therefore this marked transition into gaming is notable. Now, even the leadership team internally at Disney is changing to reflect this new direction.
Disney recruited executives from storied studios like Blizzard Entertainment and Ubisoft as well as promoting talent from within.
These executives' efforts are spread across Disney's game portfolio from licensing to co-development. Disney game titles have received more than 1.5B global installs with 9 franchises hitting that $1B threshold.
Disney also has their own Disney+ streaming service to act as a distribution channel to reach users directly. Though Netflix has had mediocore success with their game rollout, the accessibility to user shouldn't be discounted. Disney has a similar potential.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
Embracer Sells Gearbox, Sega Sells Relic | Rock Paper Shotgun
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Apple’s privacy “nuclear option” | MobileDevMemo
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Fortnite Festival lets users play on virtual Coachella stages | GamesBeat
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Sui Gaming Handheld Targets Steam Deck, Runs PC and Crypto Games | Decrypt.gg
Hearthstone' and 'Parallel' Card Game Fans Have Beef—Here's Why | Decrypt.gg
Saga launches mainnet with more than 350 Web3 projects | GamesBeat
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
The Ultimate Game Dev's Guide to Working with Content Creators | a16z Games
-----
GM! Happy hump day. Can't believe the week is already almost over!
This news came out yesterday but I didn't get the chance to cover it. Disney is expanding further into games and we should pay attention.
Recall that Disney already plowed $1.5B into Epic Games earlier this year to create a new universe of entertainment and fun. Historically, Disney has been quite removed from the game creation process — typically licensing their IP or "codeveloping" a game with large publishers (ex. EA & Star Wars).
Therefore this marked transition into gaming is notable. Now, even the leadership team internally at Disney is changing to reflect this new direction.
Disney recruited executives from storied studios like Blizzard Entertainment and Ubisoft as well as promoting talent from within.
These executives' efforts are spread across Disney's game portfolio from licensing to co-development. Disney game titles have received more than 1.5B global installs with 9 franchises hitting that $1B threshold.
Disney also has their own Disney+ streaming service to act as a distribution channel to reach users directly. Though Netflix has had mediocore success with their game rollout, the accessibility to user shouldn't be discounted. Disney has a similar potential.
-----
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
Embracer Sells Gearbox, Sega Sells Relic | Rock Paper Shotgun
Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games | GamesBeat
Apple’s privacy “nuclear option” | MobileDevMemo
Fortnite Festival lets users play on virtual Coachella stages | GamesBeat
Sui Gaming Handheld Targets Steam Deck, Runs PC and Crypto Games | Decrypt.gg
Hearthstone' and 'Parallel' Card Game Fans Have Beef—Here's Why | Decrypt.gg
Saga launches mainnet with more than 350 Web3 projects | GamesBeat
The Ultimate Game Dev's Guide to Working with Content Creators | a16z Games
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Disney Games expands leadership team to invest further in games
Disney has promoted and hired new game industry veterans that show it's getting more serious about games. It has promoted Sean Shoptaw to EVP.
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Look at Gaming #381 | 4.11.2024
GM! I've been extolling about web shops for a hot minute now but Xsolla gave an informative and convincing presentation on how to get your users out of mobile "jail".
But first, what are web shops? These are alternative mobile stores where users could purchase in-game currencies and items — think IAP but done outside the app.
There are two types of web shops: Platforms vs. Boutiques. Platforms are a shared store experience, like a shopping mall with multiple brands. A boutique is a white-label, single-store rendition that's dedicated just to one game.
Web stores aren't just simply a place to sell in-game goods. It's a new wholly-owned direct-to-customer relationship that games never had before. This new relationship is worth up to 20% of additional revenue and comes with a 40-60% boost in conversion rate from login to purchase per Xsolla case studies.
The largest friction to web shop conversion is existing user payment behavior. So how do we overcome this?
"Whales don't want to save money," said Xsolla's Region Director Andrey Kalugin, who launched 150 web shops for hundreds of games.
Whales are the primary audience, but remember that they don't care for discounts. So the web shop needs to deliver value to the Whale user (eg. daily webshop check-ins for boosts, web shop-only items, etc.).
It is important to cement the first purchase behavior to be conducted on the web shop so optimize for that initial conversion. Then reward repeat purchases via web shop and as aforementioned induce more
repeat visits. For other players, use bundling/savings to attract them.
Lastly is to activate the community to drive referrals to the web shop (but NEVER use the words 'web shop', instead direct them to a FAQ, community page, leaderboard etc.)
If you’re launching a mobile game, do check out the video from PGbiz below.
ONE more day till Friday :)
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Xsolla’s Andrey Kalugin talks web shops tips to get users out of mobile "jail" | PGBiz
🌊 MARKET 📞
Xsolla’s Andrey Kalugin talks web shops tips to get users out of mobile "jail" | PGBiz
62% of Gen Alpha gamers play 5+ hours per week, VS only 17% of Gen Z | PGBiz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
The New York Times, a Wordle company | SuperJoost
Indie showcase’s biggest stars are AAA game characters | Game File
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Apple News is testing a game that kind of looks like NYT Connections | TechCrunch
Microsoft is bringing its Xbox dashboard to the web with party chat and more | The Verge
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
How to soft launch a mobile game in 2024? Benchmarks & Real data inside! | Brutally Honest
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
A Monopoly movie is coming courtesy of Margot Robbie and Lionsgate | The Verge
Vintage Cartoon FPS Mouse Gets New Trailer With Grappling Hook, Spinach Power-Up, And More | GameInformer
Royal Match races from $2 billion to $3 billion earnings faster than any other game | PGBiz
-----
GM! I've been extolling about web shops for a hot minute now but Xsolla gave an informative and convincing presentation on how to get your users out of mobile "jail".
But first, what are web shops? These are alternative mobile stores where users could purchase in-game currencies and items — think IAP but done outside the app.
There are two types of web shops: Platforms vs. Boutiques. Platforms are a shared store experience, like a shopping mall with multiple brands. A boutique is a white-label, single-store rendition that's dedicated just to one game.
Web stores aren't just simply a place to sell in-game goods. It's a new wholly-owned direct-to-customer relationship that games never had before. This new relationship is worth up to 20% of additional revenue and comes with a 40-60% boost in conversion rate from login to purchase per Xsolla case studies.
The largest friction to web shop conversion is existing user payment behavior. So how do we overcome this?
"Whales don't want to save money," said Xsolla's Region Director Andrey Kalugin, who launched 150 web shops for hundreds of games.
Whales are the primary audience, but remember that they don't care for discounts. So the web shop needs to deliver value to the Whale user (eg. daily webshop check-ins for boosts, web shop-only items, etc.).
It is important to cement the first purchase behavior to be conducted on the web shop so optimize for that initial conversion. Then reward repeat purchases via web shop and as aforementioned induce more
repeat visits. For other players, use bundling/savings to attract them.
Lastly is to activate the community to drive referrals to the web shop (but NEVER use the words 'web shop', instead direct them to a FAQ, community page, leaderboard etc.)
If you’re launching a mobile game, do check out the video from PGbiz below.
ONE more day till Friday :)
-----
Xsolla’s Andrey Kalugin talks web shops tips to get users out of mobile "jail" | PGBiz
Xsolla’s Andrey Kalugin talks web shops tips to get users out of mobile "jail" | PGBiz
62% of Gen Alpha gamers play 5+ hours per week, VS only 17% of Gen Z | PGBiz
The New York Times, a Wordle company | SuperJoost
Indie showcase’s biggest stars are AAA game characters | Game File
Apple News is testing a game that kind of looks like NYT Connections | TechCrunch
Microsoft is bringing its Xbox dashboard to the web with party chat and more | The Verge
How to soft launch a mobile game in 2024? Benchmarks & Real data inside! | Brutally Honest
A Monopoly movie is coming courtesy of Margot Robbie and Lionsgate | The Verge
Vintage Cartoon FPS Mouse Gets New Trailer With Grappling Hook, Spinach Power-Up, And More | GameInformer
Royal Match races from $2 billion to $3 billion earnings faster than any other game | PGBiz
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PocketGamer.biz
Xsolla’s Andrey Kalugin talks web shops tips to get users out of mobile "jail"
Whales don’t want to save money, said Xsolla regional director Andrey Kalugin. He shared this insight among his many key learnings from 150 web
❤3
Look at Gaming #382 | 4.12.2024
GM! Happy Friday. I have a good data dump for you today. This one is about F2P games on Steam.
Some top level statistics:
• 51% of games on steam are F2P
• 8% are under $10
• 31% are $10-$50
• 11% are above $50
A look deeper into the stats reveal that F2P ceded market share in terms of total hours spent to premium ($10-50) live service games. This hints at a potential shift in the content preferences. Players are leaning into more core genres with richer content. The premium games with live services meet players where they're heading.
But back to F2P games that do manage to hold onto their gamers. The top 25 F2P Games Capture 88% of CCU share (player engagement). This is extremely top heavy — exhibit 1: Counter-Strike 2 accounts for 25%. When you overlay this data point with the fact that the avg age of a Top 10 F2P Game is 7 years, it paints a stark landscape for existing and particularly new F2P titles.
But a new blue ocean may be openning up in the premium-lite live-service games. Games that are priced between $10-$30 with a promise of more content offers dev studios some reprieve with immediate sales and potential for continued revenue. Plus the player demographic that take a chance on these titles is growing.
In other news, check out Gam3s.gg's Q1 blockchain report. The team delivered a fairly comprehensive yet not too boring to read recap.
Have a wonderful weekend! See you Monday.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
State of Free to Play on Steam in 2024 – Industry Report | VG Insights
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
State of Free to Play on Steam in 2024 – Industry Report | VG Insights
🌈 Platforms 🏠
King talks soft launched Candy Crush games, making a movie and more | Mobilegamer.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Deep Dive Big Blockchain Game Report Q1 2024 | Big Blockchain Game List & TLDR by Gam3s.gg
Ubisoft Web3 Game Champions Tactics Exclusive Trailer | Gam3s.gg
-----
GM! Happy Friday. I have a good data dump for you today. This one is about F2P games on Steam.
Some top level statistics:
• 51% of games on steam are F2P
• 8% are under $10
• 31% are $10-$50
• 11% are above $50
A look deeper into the stats reveal that F2P ceded market share in terms of total hours spent to premium ($10-50) live service games. This hints at a potential shift in the content preferences. Players are leaning into more core genres with richer content. The premium games with live services meet players where they're heading.
But back to F2P games that do manage to hold onto their gamers. The top 25 F2P Games Capture 88% of CCU share (player engagement). This is extremely top heavy — exhibit 1: Counter-Strike 2 accounts for 25%. When you overlay this data point with the fact that the avg age of a Top 10 F2P Game is 7 years, it paints a stark landscape for existing and particularly new F2P titles.
But a new blue ocean may be openning up in the premium-lite live-service games. Games that are priced between $10-$30 with a promise of more content offers dev studios some reprieve with immediate sales and potential for continued revenue. Plus the player demographic that take a chance on these titles is growing.
In other news, check out Gam3s.gg's Q1 blockchain report. The team delivered a fairly comprehensive yet not too boring to read recap.
Have a wonderful weekend! See you Monday.
-----
State of Free to Play on Steam in 2024 – Industry Report | VG Insights
State of Free to Play on Steam in 2024 – Industry Report | VG Insights
King talks soft launched Candy Crush games, making a movie and more | Mobilegamer.biz
Deep Dive Big Blockchain Game Report Q1 2024 | Big Blockchain Game List & TLDR by Gam3s.gg
Ubisoft Web3 Game Champions Tactics Exclusive Trailer | Gam3s.gg
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State of Free to Play on Steam in 2024 – Industry Report | Video Game Insights
Exploring the popularity of FtP within Steam and looking at the top games over time.
❤2
Look at Gaming #383 | 4.15.2024
GM! Welcome back to another week!
Today there's a hodgepodge of headlines I want to spotlight. We're starting with some learnings from Epic execs.
According to Epic Games CTO, big brands like Disney are pivoting or outright adopted gaming/digital experiences as a core part of how they interact with their customers. These iconic brands see Fortnite as a blank canvas that enables novel ways for players to connect with the brand's products and IP.
See Fortnite's LEGO survival game. LEGO wanted to create an experience that's very far from the traditional battle royale. What's notable is not that LEGO created a different genre game, but that the LEGO assets, IP, and brand awareness will translate over to UEFN.
As more and more brands onboard to Fortnite, UEFN grows to becoming the biggest toy store and sandbox in the world with untold number of IPs.
Another headline that caught my attention was Roblox adding video ads into their advertising product suite. When I used to do UA on Roblox for our games, the ad tech platform was horrendous. No data analytics. No automation. No targeting. The ad creatives were all static images and banners.
Now, there are numerous options for advertisers, from in-game billboards/portals to reward video ads. Plus the ad platform now allows for programmatic media buying. This is important because of Roblox's player demographics. At one point, half of US kids were playing Roblox.
There isn't another platform in which advertisers could use to reach this demo when they're most engaged.
Last headline to spotlight is Chase (yes the big bank) is launching an ad network that consists of its 80M users based on their purchase data. This reminds me of how in crypto advertisers can target users based on wallet holdings and activities. Chase Bank's ad network could be a great comparable case study to see how valuable the crypto ad market would be.
That's it for Monday! I know its a big one but lets start the week off strong!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Epic execs say IP holders don't care about Fortnite, but they really want its ecosystem | GameDeveloper
🌊 MARKET 📞
Skybound returns to Republic crowdfunding to fund Invincible title | GamesBeat
Apple denies violating court order over alternative payments | GamesIndustry.biz
Gaming Industry Report - Q1 2024 | Konvoy Ventures
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Matej Lancaric: The Story of a Solopreneur | Brutally Honest
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Epic execs say IP holders don't care about Fortnite, but they really want its ecosystem | GameDeveloper
Roblox partners with PubMatic to power video ads | PGBiz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
STEPN Partners With Adidas For Exclusive NFT Sneakers | Gam3s.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Pre-Production and Brainstorming Optimization | GameDeveloper
How to build branching narrative without breaking the bank | GameDeveloper
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Avalon raises $10M to launch hybrid Web3 MMO | GamesBeat
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Sony’s PS5 Pro is real and developers are getting ready for it | The Verge
Content Warning sells 1 million copies following launch giveaway | GameDeveloper
-----
GM! Welcome back to another week!
Today there's a hodgepodge of headlines I want to spotlight. We're starting with some learnings from Epic execs.
According to Epic Games CTO, big brands like Disney are pivoting or outright adopted gaming/digital experiences as a core part of how they interact with their customers. These iconic brands see Fortnite as a blank canvas that enables novel ways for players to connect with the brand's products and IP.
See Fortnite's LEGO survival game. LEGO wanted to create an experience that's very far from the traditional battle royale. What's notable is not that LEGO created a different genre game, but that the LEGO assets, IP, and brand awareness will translate over to UEFN.
As more and more brands onboard to Fortnite, UEFN grows to becoming the biggest toy store and sandbox in the world with untold number of IPs.
Another headline that caught my attention was Roblox adding video ads into their advertising product suite. When I used to do UA on Roblox for our games, the ad tech platform was horrendous. No data analytics. No automation. No targeting. The ad creatives were all static images and banners.
Now, there are numerous options for advertisers, from in-game billboards/portals to reward video ads. Plus the ad platform now allows for programmatic media buying. This is important because of Roblox's player demographics. At one point, half of US kids were playing Roblox.
There isn't another platform in which advertisers could use to reach this demo when they're most engaged.
Last headline to spotlight is Chase (yes the big bank) is launching an ad network that consists of its 80M users based on their purchase data. This reminds me of how in crypto advertisers can target users based on wallet holdings and activities. Chase Bank's ad network could be a great comparable case study to see how valuable the crypto ad market would be.
That's it for Monday! I know its a big one but lets start the week off strong!
-----
Epic execs say IP holders don't care about Fortnite, but they really want its ecosystem | GameDeveloper
Skybound returns to Republic crowdfunding to fund Invincible title | GamesBeat
Apple denies violating court order over alternative payments | GamesIndustry.biz
Gaming Industry Report - Q1 2024 | Konvoy Ventures
Matej Lancaric: The Story of a Solopreneur | Brutally Honest
Epic execs say IP holders don't care about Fortnite, but they really want its ecosystem | GameDeveloper
Roblox partners with PubMatic to power video ads | PGBiz
STEPN Partners With Adidas For Exclusive NFT Sneakers | Gam3s.gg
Pre-Production and Brainstorming Optimization | GameDeveloper
How to build branching narrative without breaking the bank | GameDeveloper
Avalon raises $10M to launch hybrid Web3 MMO | GamesBeat
Sony’s PS5 Pro is real and developers are getting ready for it | The Verge
Content Warning sells 1 million copies following launch giveaway | GameDeveloper
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Game Developer
Epic execs say IP holders don't care about Fortnite, but they really want its ecosystem
Epic CTO Kim Libreri and EVP Saxs Persson explain why the likes of Lego, Disney, and more are flocking to Fortnite.
❤2
Look at Gaming #384 | 4.16.2024
GM! I always like to study Roblox's policies.
As one of the largest UGC platform in the world, Roblox has unique access to data and insights on user behaviors at scale — player-developer, player-player, and developer-developer relationships.
The intricate balancing act that Roblox must conduct when setting its policy is the endproduct of its analysis of its ecosystem and stakeholders.
So today I want to spotlight their newest policy called "Publishing Advance".
UGC marketplaces are riddled with subpar content — some are outright fraudulent or IP infringements. To combat this, Roblox instilled a new policy, in which creators must pay an upfront fee when they publish an asset onto the marketplace.
Each time their item is sold, the creator will receie a rebate from Roblox until the Publishing Advance fee is repaid, only after that would Roblox receive its platform fees.
This is quite an interesting model. I can absolutely see a policy like this being adopted in crypto. This is also like a "staking" and "gas paying "mechanic rolled into one.
Creators must pay "pay gas" to list the item so they can't spam the marketplace. But, that gas payment turns into a "stake", then creators would receive some rewards whenever a sale was made.
Roblox also recently relaunched their whole marketplace so I'm sure new policies are sure to be released overtime.
That's it for today folks!
Catch y'all tomorrow.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
🌊 MARKET 📞
StreamElements & Rainmaker.gg: State of the Streaming market in March 2024 | GameDev Reports
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Revealed: the state of Steam wishlist conversions & 'long tail' in 2024 | GameDiscoverCo
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
Fortnite's Next Star Wars Crossover Will Span Lego, Festival, and Battle Royale Modes| GameInformer
Skybound turns to crowdfunding for triple-A Invincible game | GameDeveloper
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Web3 AI-powered Game AVALON Raises $10 Million | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Fallout games double in player count after Prime series premiere | GameDeveloper
MiHoYo green lights Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail movies with government backing | PGBiz
-----
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
🌊 MARKET 📞
StreamElements & Rainmaker.gg: State of the Streaming market in March 2024 | GameDev Reports
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Revealed: the state of Steam wishlist conversions & 'long tail' in 2024 | GameDiscoverCo
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
Fortnite's Next Star Wars Crossover Will Span Lego, Festival, and Battle Royale Modes| GameInformer
Skybound turns to crowdfunding for triple-A Invincible game | GameDeveloper
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Web3 AI-powered Game AVALON Raises $10 Million | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Fallout games double in player count after Prime series premiere | GameDeveloper
MiHoYo green lights Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail movies with government backing | PGBiz
-----
GM! I always like to study Roblox's policies.
As one of the largest UGC platform in the world, Roblox has unique access to data and insights on user behaviors at scale — player-developer, player-player, and developer-developer relationships.
The intricate balancing act that Roblox must conduct when setting its policy is the endproduct of its analysis of its ecosystem and stakeholders.
So today I want to spotlight their newest policy called "Publishing Advance".
UGC marketplaces are riddled with subpar content — some are outright fraudulent or IP infringements. To combat this, Roblox instilled a new policy, in which creators must pay an upfront fee when they publish an asset onto the marketplace.
Each time their item is sold, the creator will receie a rebate from Roblox until the Publishing Advance fee is repaid, only after that would Roblox receive its platform fees.
This is quite an interesting model. I can absolutely see a policy like this being adopted in crypto. This is also like a "staking" and "gas paying "mechanic rolled into one.
Creators must pay "pay gas" to list the item so they can't spam the marketplace. But, that gas payment turns into a "stake", then creators would receive some rewards whenever a sale was made.
Roblox also recently relaunched their whole marketplace so I'm sure new policies are sure to be released overtime.
That's it for today folks!
Catch y'all tomorrow.
-----
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
StreamElements & Rainmaker.gg: State of the Streaming market in March 2024 | GameDev Reports
Revealed: the state of Steam wishlist conversions & 'long tail' in 2024 | GameDiscoverCo
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
Fortnite's Next Star Wars Crossover Will Span Lego, Festival, and Battle Royale Modes| GameInformer
Skybound turns to crowdfunding for triple-A Invincible game | GameDeveloper
Web3 AI-powered Game AVALON Raises $10 Million | Gam3s.gg
Fallout games double in player count after Prime series premiere | GameDeveloper
MiHoYo green lights Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail movies with government backing | PGBiz
-----
-----
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
StreamElements & Rainmaker.gg: State of the Streaming market in March 2024 | GameDev Reports
Revealed: the state of Steam wishlist conversions & 'long tail' in 2024 | GameDiscoverCo
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace | GameDeveloper
Fortnite's Next Star Wars Crossover Will Span Lego, Festival, and Battle Royale Modes| GameInformer
Skybound turns to crowdfunding for triple-A Invincible game | GameDeveloper
Web3 AI-powered Game AVALON Raises $10 Million | Gam3s.gg
Fallout games double in player count after Prime series premiere | GameDeveloper
MiHoYo green lights Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail movies with government backing | PGBiz
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Game Developer
Roblox introducing new 'publishing advance' fee as it opens up creator marketplace
Creators looking to sell their own user-made Roblox assets must pay the rebatable advance when they publish to Marketplace.
❤5
Look at Gaming #385 | 4.17.2024
GM! Can't believe its halfway through the week already! Today I want to talk about esports.
Its quite evident now that the esports still haven't solved for its economic model. But yet, there was an announcement about the Esports World Cup's record-breaking prize pool of over $60 million for 2024 marks a significant milestone in the esports industry.
Record-Breaking Prize Pool: The $60 million prize pool surpasses the previous record of $45 million, demonstrating the growing scale and importance of esports events globally.
Venue and Timing: The event will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from early July through August. It will eventually be held in Qiddiya, an entertainment city under construction, showcasing the country's commitment to becoming a hub for esports.
Participating Games: The Esports World Cup will feature 20 different tournaments across a variety of games, including popular titles like League of Legends, Dota 2, Fortnite, and Counter-Strike 2.
Club Championship: A unique feature of the event is the Club Championship, where the top 16 clubs based on overall performance across different games will be awarded a total of $20 million.
Distribution of Prize Pool: The prize pool will be distributed across various categories, including Game Championships, MVP Awards, and Qualifiers. Each participating game will have its own prize pool.
Sustainable Business Model: The Esports World Cup Foundation, as a nonprofit organization, aims to create a sustainable esports ecosystem. Revenue streams include sponsorships, merchandise, ticketing, and media rights, with host country fees playing a significant role.
Overall, the Esports World Cup's massive prize pool underscores the growing significance of esports on the global stage and highlights efforts to create sustainable and inclusive competitive gaming environments.
Additionally, in other esports news, we saw that CoD esports is changing the way they interact with teams/managers. The official CoD esports league is extending a 2-year guaranteed revenue contracts to teams.
That's it for today! Catch yall tomorrow.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Esports World Cup will have record-breaking prize pool of more than $60M | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
GTA publisher Take-Two to cut 5% of staff as it cancels new games | PGbiz
70 percent of devs unsure of live-service games sustainability | GameDeveloper
How 10 Chambers is using Lurkit as a force for creator engagement | GamesIndustry.biz
Call of Duty League offers better financial terms for esports teams | GamesBeat
Esports World Cup will have record-breaking prize pool of more than $60M | GamesBeat
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Mobile gaming’s haves and have-nots | MobileDevMemo
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Ronin EVM sidechain onboards popular South Korean MMORPG IP Ragnarok | The Block
TikTok parent company explores on-chain possibilities for Web3 gaming and AI | Coin Telegraph
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Navigating the supply maze: Picking the best demand platform in 2024 | PGBiz
Why it's become harder to raise investments in mobile game development in 2024 | GamesIndustry.biz
💲 Fundraising 🤑
A16z raises second gaming fund at $600M as part of $7.2B funding | GamesBeat
Red Rover Interactive secures $15M in Series A funding round | GamesBeat
Indie gamers Avalon gear up for global launch with $10 million investment | PGBiz
-----
GM! Can't believe its halfway through the week already! Today I want to talk about esports.
Its quite evident now that the esports still haven't solved for its economic model. But yet, there was an announcement about the Esports World Cup's record-breaking prize pool of over $60 million for 2024 marks a significant milestone in the esports industry.
Record-Breaking Prize Pool: The $60 million prize pool surpasses the previous record of $45 million, demonstrating the growing scale and importance of esports events globally.
Venue and Timing: The event will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from early July through August. It will eventually be held in Qiddiya, an entertainment city under construction, showcasing the country's commitment to becoming a hub for esports.
Participating Games: The Esports World Cup will feature 20 different tournaments across a variety of games, including popular titles like League of Legends, Dota 2, Fortnite, and Counter-Strike 2.
Club Championship: A unique feature of the event is the Club Championship, where the top 16 clubs based on overall performance across different games will be awarded a total of $20 million.
Distribution of Prize Pool: The prize pool will be distributed across various categories, including Game Championships, MVP Awards, and Qualifiers. Each participating game will have its own prize pool.
Sustainable Business Model: The Esports World Cup Foundation, as a nonprofit organization, aims to create a sustainable esports ecosystem. Revenue streams include sponsorships, merchandise, ticketing, and media rights, with host country fees playing a significant role.
Overall, the Esports World Cup's massive prize pool underscores the growing significance of esports on the global stage and highlights efforts to create sustainable and inclusive competitive gaming environments.
Additionally, in other esports news, we saw that CoD esports is changing the way they interact with teams/managers. The official CoD esports league is extending a 2-year guaranteed revenue contracts to teams.
That's it for today! Catch yall tomorrow.
-----
Esports World Cup will have record-breaking prize pool of more than $60M | GamesBeat
GTA publisher Take-Two to cut 5% of staff as it cancels new games | PGbiz
70 percent of devs unsure of live-service games sustainability | GameDeveloper
How 10 Chambers is using Lurkit as a force for creator engagement | GamesIndustry.biz
Call of Duty League offers better financial terms for esports teams | GamesBeat
Esports World Cup will have record-breaking prize pool of more than $60M | GamesBeat
Mobile gaming’s haves and have-nots | MobileDevMemo
Ronin EVM sidechain onboards popular South Korean MMORPG IP Ragnarok | The Block
TikTok parent company explores on-chain possibilities for Web3 gaming and AI | Coin Telegraph
Navigating the supply maze: Picking the best demand platform in 2024 | PGBiz
Why it's become harder to raise investments in mobile game development in 2024 | GamesIndustry.biz
A16z raises second gaming fund at $600M as part of $7.2B funding | GamesBeat
Red Rover Interactive secures $15M in Series A funding round | GamesBeat
Indie gamers Avalon gear up for global launch with $10 million investment | PGBiz
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VentureBeat
Esports World Cup will have record-breaking prize pool of more than $60M
The Esports World Cup announced that its prize pool for 2024 will be a record-breaking $60 million for its massive esports tournament.
❤5
Look at Gaming #386 | 4.18.2024
Look at Gaming #386 | 4.18.2024
GM! We are over hump day and the weekend is right... there.
But before that, let's look at Fortnite's top third-party IP cosmetics and skins. It's almost like, "If you don't have your own Fortnite skin, were you even that popular?"
Fortnite allows third-party websites like Fortnite.gg to track cool and obscure things about the game. The good folks over at GamesDiscoverCo (GDC) decided to dive deeper into the popularity of certain skins/cosmetics.
The methodology is that skins that came with the battle pass (aka "free skins") are in one group and the other group are pay-to-download skins. GDC looked at player data on the most recent patch when the skin was released and here's what they found.
Amongst the top 20 free skins, number one was Neymar Jr, used by 13% of the players. Not only was this skin number one, but was the only real-life celebrity skin used. Fourteen out of the top 20 skins are superhero-related — across DC and Marvel.
That speaks to the superhero craze that we're currently in for pop culture. But when we look at pay-to-download skins, we see that players prefer real-life celebrities with Travis Scott, his alter ego Astro Jack, and Slim Shady (Eminem) being the top 3 skins. Additionally, we see some world-class anime IP such as Naruto and Dragon Ball being in the top 20 paid skins.
That's crazy! Players preferring to dress up as their favorite real person rather than superheroes or IPs wouldn't have been my guess. But I suspect that the Travis Scott and Eminem skins probably act as souvenir merch from their in-game concert. Plus seeing my childhood Anime up there was also quite cool.
Fortnite is more than just a battle royale game but it is a platform for pop culture.
Catch you tomorrow!
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What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins? | GameDiscoverCo
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What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins? | GameDiscoverCo
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The Joy and Pain of Game Mastery | GameDeveloper
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Look at Gaming #386 | 4.18.2024
GM! We are over hump day and the weekend is right... there.
But before that, let's look at Fortnite's top third-party IP cosmetics and skins. It's almost like, "If you don't have your own Fortnite skin, were you even that popular?"
Fortnite allows third-party websites like Fortnite.gg to track cool and obscure things about the game. The good folks over at GamesDiscoverCo (GDC) decided to dive deeper into the popularity of certain skins/cosmetics.
The methodology is that skins that came with the battle pass (aka "free skins") are in one group and the other group are pay-to-download skins. GDC looked at player data on the most recent patch when the skin was released and here's what they found.
Amongst the top 20 free skins, number one was Neymar Jr, used by 13% of the players. Not only was this skin number one, but was the only real-life celebrity skin used. Fourteen out of the top 20 skins are superhero-related — across DC and Marvel.
That speaks to the superhero craze that we're currently in for pop culture. But when we look at pay-to-download skins, we see that players prefer real-life celebrities with Travis Scott, his alter ego Astro Jack, and Slim Shady (Eminem) being the top 3 skins. Additionally, we see some world-class anime IP such as Naruto and Dragon Ball being in the top 20 paid skins.
That's crazy! Players preferring to dress up as their favorite real person rather than superheroes or IPs wouldn't have been my guess. But I suspect that the Travis Scott and Eminem skins probably act as souvenir merch from their in-game concert. Plus seeing my childhood Anime up there was also quite cool.
Fortnite is more than just a battle royale game but it is a platform for pop culture.
Catch you tomorrow!
-----
What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins? | GameDiscoverCo
Royal Match vs. Monopoly Go Smackdown! | GameMakers
Merge Market Overview | Brutally Honest
What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins? | GameDiscoverCo
What it’s like to make a video game with Nintendo | Game File
The Joy and Pain of Game Mastery | GameDeveloper
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What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins?
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