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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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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VentureBeat
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.
❤5
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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Video Game Insights
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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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!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins? | GameDiscoverCo
🌊 MARKET 📞
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
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
The Joy and Pain of Game Mastery | GameDeveloper
-----
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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newsletter.gamediscover.co
What are Fortnite's top 'third-party IP' skins?
We got data! Also: TikTok x wishlists & lots of other news.
❤5
HUGE news happened in MapleStory today.
A player was about to hit the maximum level in the game but then he quit, live on stream with over 25k ppl.
But before he quit, he declared all his grievances and injustices he had to deal with over his 34 months grinding (every single day grinding). He brought up evidence, screenshots, receipts, etc. to back up his case.
This is Player-Activism. God dam I love it.
https://twitter.com/0xkapital_k/status/1783653752337211623
A player was about to hit the maximum level in the game but then he quit, live on stream with over 25k ppl.
But before he quit, he declared all his grievances and injustices he had to deal with over his 34 months grinding (every single day grinding). He brought up evidence, screenshots, receipts, etc. to back up his case.
This is Player-Activism. God dam I love it.
https://twitter.com/0xkapital_k/status/1783653752337211623
X (formerly Twitter)
kiet (@0xkapital_k) on X
This is PLAYER-ACTIVISM.
What an incredible moment in MapleStory history.
What an incredible moment in MapleStory history.
❤6🔥3
Look at Gaming #388 | 4.29.2024
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Let's kick this week off with some direct-to consumer action.
A new era of additional revenue sources and better margins is upon us (maybe?). Cutting that 30% App Store fees down to 10% fee for webshops.
This savings trickle down to the players as well in the form of discounts, freebies, or more affordable premium in-game items.
But this is the game studio's chance to move beyond just in-game items. A webshop expands the offerings to physical goods and maybe even experiences (imagine buying BlizzCon passes and a T shirt to go with it).
The deepening of the D2C relationship could look like this::
1. Offer a discount for signing up for the newsletter with an email address. Huuuge Games does this in their Huuuge Casino title.
2. Provide a free gift for creating an account, enabling tracking of customer actions across devices. For instance, Kabam’s Shop Titans offers daily/weekly free gifts to their registered players via their webshops.
3. Recommend personalized items (either via email or on a webshop) based on browsing history, enhancing conversion and retention. A Thinking Ape’s Party in My Dorm is one good example.
4. Send promotional emails for sales or special gifts to drive conversion and retention. Scopely’s Marvel Strike Force does a great job here, they send a weekly email with promotions that can be found in-game and on their webshop.
5. Develop VIP/loyalty programs that reward players with points for every purchase that they can redeem for discounts and free items. Rovio’s Red Club loyalty program is a great example.
6. Use email addresses of high-spending customers to create targeted audiences on platforms like Meta and Google.
This is definitely a new area that I'm excited to see develop further. We saw what D2C did to brands and ecommerce.
In other news, check out Konvoy's piece on potential upcoming IPOs and the article by GamesIndustry.biz on game engines.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
The era of direct-to-consumer for mobile games is here | GamesBeat
🌊 MARKET 📞
The era of direct-to-consumer for mobile games is here | GamesBeat
InvestGame: Gaming Investment Market in Q1’24 | InvestGames
PocketGamer.biz Podcast Week in Views E09 - Supercell's Squad Busters goes global, Embracer Group splits, and Apple's Vision Pro flops | PGBiz
Activision Blizzard boosts Microsoft financials as Xbox hardware revenue falls | GameDeveloper
Newzoo: Top-10 Games by Revenue in the USA and Europe in Q1'24 | Newzoo
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
WTF Is Happening in Gaming! India! | GameMakers
Gaming IPO Watch List (2024) | Konvoy Ventures
What I think about games investing in 2024 | Naavik & David Kaye
2024 Casual Gaming Apps Report | GameRefinery
How accessible are game engines, and how much is still to be done? | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Ubisoft returns to Web3 gaming with new titles in the works | GamesBeat
Immutable zkEVM Offering Up to $50 Million in Token Rewards to Ethereum Gamers | Decrypt.gg
Zentry x Beam united with $300M treasury to incubate Sophon (Congrats to the frens!!) | Zentry
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Fintech gaming startup Sanlo’s webshop tool could help developers avoid costly app store fees | TechCrunch
Web3 game startup GFAL raises $3.3M from Supercell and Mitch Lasky | GamesBeat
CARV Secures $10 Million For Gaming Data Layer and AI | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly has magnetic Joy-Cons, new cartridges, larger 1080p screen | GamesIndustry.biz
-----
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Let's kick this week off with some direct-to consumer action.
A new era of additional revenue sources and better margins is upon us (maybe?). Cutting that 30% App Store fees down to 10% fee for webshops.
This savings trickle down to the players as well in the form of discounts, freebies, or more affordable premium in-game items.
But this is the game studio's chance to move beyond just in-game items. A webshop expands the offerings to physical goods and maybe even experiences (imagine buying BlizzCon passes and a T shirt to go with it).
The deepening of the D2C relationship could look like this::
1. Offer a discount for signing up for the newsletter with an email address. Huuuge Games does this in their Huuuge Casino title.
2. Provide a free gift for creating an account, enabling tracking of customer actions across devices. For instance, Kabam’s Shop Titans offers daily/weekly free gifts to their registered players via their webshops.
3. Recommend personalized items (either via email or on a webshop) based on browsing history, enhancing conversion and retention. A Thinking Ape’s Party in My Dorm is one good example.
4. Send promotional emails for sales or special gifts to drive conversion and retention. Scopely’s Marvel Strike Force does a great job here, they send a weekly email with promotions that can be found in-game and on their webshop.
5. Develop VIP/loyalty programs that reward players with points for every purchase that they can redeem for discounts and free items. Rovio’s Red Club loyalty program is a great example.
6. Use email addresses of high-spending customers to create targeted audiences on platforms like Meta and Google.
This is definitely a new area that I'm excited to see develop further. We saw what D2C did to brands and ecommerce.
In other news, check out Konvoy's piece on potential upcoming IPOs and the article by GamesIndustry.biz on game engines.
-----
The era of direct-to-consumer for mobile games is here | GamesBeat
The era of direct-to-consumer for mobile games is here | GamesBeat
InvestGame: Gaming Investment Market in Q1’24 | InvestGames
PocketGamer.biz Podcast Week in Views E09 - Supercell's Squad Busters goes global, Embracer Group splits, and Apple's Vision Pro flops | PGBiz
Activision Blizzard boosts Microsoft financials as Xbox hardware revenue falls | GameDeveloper
Newzoo: Top-10 Games by Revenue in the USA and Europe in Q1'24 | Newzoo
WTF Is Happening in Gaming! India! | GameMakers
Gaming IPO Watch List (2024) | Konvoy Ventures
What I think about games investing in 2024 | Naavik & David Kaye
2024 Casual Gaming Apps Report | GameRefinery
How accessible are game engines, and how much is still to be done? | GamesIndustry.biz
Ubisoft returns to Web3 gaming with new titles in the works | GamesBeat
Immutable zkEVM Offering Up to $50 Million in Token Rewards to Ethereum Gamers | Decrypt.gg
Zentry x Beam united with $300M treasury to incubate Sophon (Congrats to the frens!!) | Zentry
Fintech gaming startup Sanlo’s webshop tool could help developers avoid costly app store fees | TechCrunch
Web3 game startup GFAL raises $3.3M from Supercell and Mitch Lasky | GamesBeat
CARV Secures $10 Million For Gaming Data Layer and AI | Gam3s.gg
Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly has magnetic Joy-Cons, new cartridges, larger 1080p screen | GamesIndustry.biz
-----
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VentureBeat
The era of direct-to-consumer for mobile games is here
Direct-to-consumer offers significant advantages to gaming companies: an additional source of revenue while providing more favorable margins.
❤7
Big congrats to our good friends over at GuildFi (now aka Zentry). This is a much deserved shoutout as they've been building in the bear and now coming out swinging!
———
GuildFi has rebranded to Zentry. Please help spread the word!
Rebrand Article on GuildFi Twitter: https://twitter.com/GuildFiGlobal/status/1782751808907346240
Rebrand Trailer on Zentry Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZentryHQ/status/1782751159372956128
Decrypt covering the rebrand: https://decrypt.co/227622/guildfi-rebrands-zentry-game-of-games-reward-players
Expect even more exciting updates in the upcoming weeks!
———
"Job's not done."
———
GuildFi has rebranded to Zentry. Please help spread the word!
Rebrand Article on GuildFi Twitter: https://twitter.com/GuildFiGlobal/status/1782751808907346240
Rebrand Trailer on Zentry Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZentryHQ/status/1782751159372956128
Decrypt covering the rebrand: https://decrypt.co/227622/guildfi-rebrands-zentry-game-of-games-reward-players
Expect even more exciting updates in the upcoming weeks!
———
"Job's not done."
X (formerly Twitter)
GuildFi (@GuildFiGlobal) on X
New Vision. New Era. New Paradigm.
GuildFi is now Zentry.
https://t.co/W2AnLwD63P
GuildFi is now Zentry.
https://t.co/W2AnLwD63P
❤9
GM folks! I've seen node sales in most decks and deal flow lately so I wanted to dive a little deeper on the topic.
Particularly, I see a lot of gaming/gaming-adjacent projects run these node sales.
So I compiled all my research and my models into this article: https://twitter.com/0xkapital_k/status/1786348784085303417
Particularly, I see a lot of gaming/gaming-adjacent projects run these node sales.
So I compiled all my research and my models into this article: https://twitter.com/0xkapital_k/status/1786348784085303417
X (formerly Twitter)
kiet (@0xkapital_k) on X
Node Sales. Do you know what you are buying?
❤🔥10❤3😍2
Forwarded from thecoreloop.gg — Web3 [SUNSET]
• Research on Node Sales: What is it, when investors can get their capital back, who benefits the most from this meta, and what can be improved going forward — Read More
• Illuvium — Launched Private Beta 4 Testnet (April 30 - May 28)
• Blade Games — Dune Factory Alpha Test (May 1 - 12)
• METALCORE — Closed Beta 2.5 (May 1 - 14)
• Sky Strife — Season 1 Launch on Redstone Mainnet (May 1 - 31)
• Wanderers — Launched First Jump Closed Beta on Epic Games (May 3)
• Mixmob — Coming to Android/iOS (May 7)
• Crypto Unicorns — XAI Migration (May 7)
• THE WATCH — Potential public alpha launch (May 8)
• Paradise Tycoon — Beta Snapshot 2 (May 8)
• EFAS — Citizen Passport WL (May 10)
• Fusionist — ACE Arenas launch (May 15)
• Worldwide Webb — Game playable now as PWA (play.webb.game)
• Fantasy Top — Mainnet Launch
• AI Waifu — Game launch on Base (Free until May 14)
• Rumble Kong League — Partnered up with with Gatorade
• zkCandy — Incentivized testnet coming soon
• Decentralised — Infinite Worlds: AI, IP Composability and Autonomous Agents
• Tax Cuts — The hit-or-miss nature of the gaming industry & why simply using crypto as a false solution to PMF will fail
• Blockchain Gaming World — Why Midnight is building its Evergreen multiverse one game at a time
• Game Economist Cast — Episode 25: The Veblen Goods Model that explains Web3 (w/ Dr. Sam Rosen)
• Doubl3Tap — Episode 17: Ben (Cambria)
• Naavik — Nyan Heroes: Cats, Mechs & Esports in Web3
• Blade Games — Raised $2.4m Seed round led by PTC Crypto & IOSG Ventures
• Saltwater Games — Raised $5.5m Seed round led by Deus X & 4R Capital
• SHADOW War — Raised $5m Series A from Momentum 6, Cointelligence, Cogitent Ventures & Spicy Capital
• G4AL — Raised $3.2m Seed round from Supercell & Mitch Lasky
• XBORG — Raised $5.7m Pre-Sale from the public at $114m FDV
hope helpful wuwu
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❤5🔥2❤🔥1
Look at Gaming #389 | 5.06.2024
GM! Happy Monday.
This week I want to kick it off with mobile games discovery, particularly under the current climate of Apple/Android app stores facing regulatory scrutiny.
Previously, game studios didn't have to worry too much beyond creating a fun game. But today the competition for customers is rough and the burden is on the game studios to acquire users.
Could there exist almost themed/genred-based app stores? A way for niches to shine without having to compete with the generalized market which is getting more and more expensive to operate in.
Second order effect from this line of thinking is who would then be the storefront builders and keepers and what novel methods would they adopt to win and retain users.
For example, Netflix could become a storefront. What would it offer? Just the existing and similar titles or would they engender to do more. How about LinkedIn, which recently launched games on their platform? Outside of just casual games, could core gamers recruit players via LinkedIn? Could players list their gaming achievements on their LinkedIn profiles?
These are exciting times, with the shuffling of titans and gatekeepers in the app store landscape. We have a shot to re-empower players and redefine the dynamics.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
The app store standoff is a chance to reshape mobile game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
🌊 MARKET 📞
The Esports Future Summit: 7 things we learned | PGBiz
Meta loses another $3.8 billion on VR/AR | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Liftoff & GameRefinery: Casual Games in 2024 | GameRefinery
Infinite Worlds | Decentralised.co
The app store standoff is a chance to reshape mobile game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Google objects to Epic's proposed changes to Play Store policy | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Over 127 Blockchain Games Now on Epic Games Store | Gam3s.gg
AnimeCoin Launches ‘Gacha Grab’ Game With Ethereum NFT Collection Azuki | Decrypt.gg
Redstone Network Launches to Power Fully On-Chain Ethereum Games | Decrypt.gg
Blockchain Gaming Makes Up 40% Of The Q1 Private Placements | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Manor Lords is slow and frustrating, and I can’t stop playing | The Verge
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GM! Happy Monday.
This week I want to kick it off with mobile games discovery, particularly under the current climate of Apple/Android app stores facing regulatory scrutiny.
Previously, game studios didn't have to worry too much beyond creating a fun game. But today the competition for customers is rough and the burden is on the game studios to acquire users.
Could there exist almost themed/genred-based app stores? A way for niches to shine without having to compete with the generalized market which is getting more and more expensive to operate in.
Second order effect from this line of thinking is who would then be the storefront builders and keepers and what novel methods would they adopt to win and retain users.
For example, Netflix could become a storefront. What would it offer? Just the existing and similar titles or would they engender to do more. How about LinkedIn, which recently launched games on their platform? Outside of just casual games, could core gamers recruit players via LinkedIn? Could players list their gaming achievements on their LinkedIn profiles?
These are exciting times, with the shuffling of titans and gatekeepers in the app store landscape. We have a shot to re-empower players and redefine the dynamics.
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The app store standoff is a chance to reshape mobile game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
The Esports Future Summit: 7 things we learned | PGBiz
Meta loses another $3.8 billion on VR/AR | GamesIndustry.biz
Liftoff & GameRefinery: Casual Games in 2024 | GameRefinery
Infinite Worlds | Decentralised.co
The app store standoff is a chance to reshape mobile game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
Google objects to Epic's proposed changes to Play Store policy | GamesIndustry.biz
Over 127 Blockchain Games Now on Epic Games Store | Gam3s.gg
AnimeCoin Launches ‘Gacha Grab’ Game With Ethereum NFT Collection Azuki | Decrypt.gg
Redstone Network Launches to Power Fully On-Chain Ethereum Games | Decrypt.gg
Blockchain Gaming Makes Up 40% Of The Q1 Private Placements | Gam3s.gg
Manor Lords is slow and frustrating, and I can’t stop playing | The Verge
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GamesIndustry.biz
The app store standoff is a chance to reshape mobile game discovery | Opinion
2024 hasn't exactly gotten off to the best start for the game industry: mass layoffs loom over large publishers like Ep…
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Forwarded from Shoal Research Hub
> The telegram's new policy allow Ads to be published on channels without owner's permission
> Scammers already taking advantage of this feature
> Please do not interact with these ‘pop up adds’!
Source: AlexClay
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Forwarded from Note to Self
thecoreloop will never run any ads so please do not click or interact with any ads you see.
Please take a screenshot and dm any ads to me if you se them!!
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Look at Gaming #390 | 5.20.2024
GM! Welcome back to another wonderful Monday.
There's been quite the development in the industry that I want to cover. The first spotlight is about Netflix and Roblox.
Introducing Nextworld. THe ultimate digital theme park on Roblox that brings all of your Netflix favorites to pixelated life. The first 3 activations are around Stranger Things, One Piece, and Rebel Moon, with an upcoming release of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory.
Imagine exploring the Upside Down with your friends or braving the open ocean with Luffy. All within a frictionless nested world.
I think this is more than just another example of content going transmedia. If these game experiences are operated like live service games then I expect the stickiness of these users to be quite high.
Plus, User A may have come for Stranger Things but then stayed to explore One Piece. This multi-IP amalgamation leads to numerous streams of inbounding traffic plus lengthening the user stickiness as demonstrated previously.
This represents a pivotal moment in film/movie IP as the "consumable hours" are no longer limited to the length of the show, season, or movie. The extension to live service games delivers continuous enjoyment and engagement for fans. I've frequently found myself at the end of a show going on to YouTube to search for cast interviews or breakdowns just to extend my enjoyment just a tad further.
Now, I can persist my escapism by diving into these imaginary worlds.
The second spotlight article is about YouTube being the dominant and most-trusted platform for game discovery.
A survey of 1000 gamers revealed that 64% of them discovered games via YouTube, with TikTok at 36%. Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly) Twitter is amongst the least trusted source.
Perhaps it's time for web3 games to expand beyond targeting just CT but then again, these web3 games would have to compete against the uber polished web2 games. Big fish little pond situation.
In other headlines we have Xbox closing down 4 Bethesda studios, a LiftOff report that shows CPI per ad type (avg about $2), and a bunch of fundraising announcements!
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⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Netflix and Roblox unveil Netflix Nextworld digital theme park on Roblox | GamesBeat
Study finds YouTube is the most popular and trusted platform for game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
🌊 MARKET 📞
Xbox shutting down four Bethesda studios | GamesIndustry.biz
‘If Roblox and TikTok had a baby’: Supercell-backed HypeHype edges closer to launch | MobileGamer.biz
Stream Hatchet: Streaming Market Trends in Q1’24 | GameDevReports
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Nintendo, Microsoft, Square welcome us to the era of fewer big video games | Game File
What's the state of Switch, leading into 'Switch 2'? | GameDiscoverCo
Is Strategy design due for a shakeup? | GameDeveloper
The rise of the audio-only video game | The Verge
GameDiscoverCo: Conversion benchmarks of Steam wishlists into sales in the first month | GameDevReports
From Hypercasual to Hybridcasual - The Supercent story | Brutally Honest
CPI and D7 ROAS benchmarks in Mobile Game | LiftOff
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Steam currently banned in Vietnam | GamesIndustry.biz
EA CEO wants games to be a platform for socialization and self-expression | GamesBeat
Netflix and Roblox unveil Netflix Nextworld digital theme park on Roblox | GamesBeat
Study finds YouTube is the most popular and trusted platform for game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Ethereum Game ‘Fantasy Top‘ Now One of Crypto's Most Profitable Apps | Decrypt.gg
Rug.fun Turns Minting Ethereum Meme Coins Into a Competitive Game | Decrypt.gg
Pixels Surpasses 1 Million Daily Active Users | Gam3s.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Narration Avenues in Multiverse Games | GameDeveloper
Game trailers and the art of storytelling | GameDeveloper
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Neurable raises $13M for brain-computer interface with everyday products | GamesBeat
Iconic Arts raises $3.1M to create original properties for games and Hollywood | GamesBeat
GM! Welcome back to another wonderful Monday.
There's been quite the development in the industry that I want to cover. The first spotlight is about Netflix and Roblox.
Introducing Nextworld. THe ultimate digital theme park on Roblox that brings all of your Netflix favorites to pixelated life. The first 3 activations are around Stranger Things, One Piece, and Rebel Moon, with an upcoming release of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory.
Imagine exploring the Upside Down with your friends or braving the open ocean with Luffy. All within a frictionless nested world.
I think this is more than just another example of content going transmedia. If these game experiences are operated like live service games then I expect the stickiness of these users to be quite high.
Plus, User A may have come for Stranger Things but then stayed to explore One Piece. This multi-IP amalgamation leads to numerous streams of inbounding traffic plus lengthening the user stickiness as demonstrated previously.
This represents a pivotal moment in film/movie IP as the "consumable hours" are no longer limited to the length of the show, season, or movie. The extension to live service games delivers continuous enjoyment and engagement for fans. I've frequently found myself at the end of a show going on to YouTube to search for cast interviews or breakdowns just to extend my enjoyment just a tad further.
Now, I can persist my escapism by diving into these imaginary worlds.
The second spotlight article is about YouTube being the dominant and most-trusted platform for game discovery.
A survey of 1000 gamers revealed that 64% of them discovered games via YouTube, with TikTok at 36%. Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly) Twitter is amongst the least trusted source.
Perhaps it's time for web3 games to expand beyond targeting just CT but then again, these web3 games would have to compete against the uber polished web2 games. Big fish little pond situation.
In other headlines we have Xbox closing down 4 Bethesda studios, a LiftOff report that shows CPI per ad type (avg about $2), and a bunch of fundraising announcements!
-----
Netflix and Roblox unveil Netflix Nextworld digital theme park on Roblox | GamesBeat
Study finds YouTube is the most popular and trusted platform for game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
Xbox shutting down four Bethesda studios | GamesIndustry.biz
‘If Roblox and TikTok had a baby’: Supercell-backed HypeHype edges closer to launch | MobileGamer.biz
Stream Hatchet: Streaming Market Trends in Q1’24 | GameDevReports
Nintendo, Microsoft, Square welcome us to the era of fewer big video games | Game File
What's the state of Switch, leading into 'Switch 2'? | GameDiscoverCo
Is Strategy design due for a shakeup? | GameDeveloper
The rise of the audio-only video game | The Verge
GameDiscoverCo: Conversion benchmarks of Steam wishlists into sales in the first month | GameDevReports
From Hypercasual to Hybridcasual - The Supercent story | Brutally Honest
CPI and D7 ROAS benchmarks in Mobile Game | LiftOff
Steam currently banned in Vietnam | GamesIndustry.biz
EA CEO wants games to be a platform for socialization and self-expression | GamesBeat
Netflix and Roblox unveil Netflix Nextworld digital theme park on Roblox | GamesBeat
Study finds YouTube is the most popular and trusted platform for game discovery | GamesIndustry.biz
Ethereum Game ‘Fantasy Top‘ Now One of Crypto's Most Profitable Apps | Decrypt.gg
Rug.fun Turns Minting Ethereum Meme Coins Into a Competitive Game | Decrypt.gg
Pixels Surpasses 1 Million Daily Active Users | Gam3s.gg
Narration Avenues in Multiverse Games | GameDeveloper
Game trailers and the art of storytelling | GameDeveloper
Neurable raises $13M for brain-computer interface with everyday products | GamesBeat
Iconic Arts raises $3.1M to create original properties for games and Hollywood | GamesBeat
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Jamango raises $2.5M to launch browser-based game maker this year | GamesBeat
Inco and Privy partner to enable safe gaming on Telegram Messenger | GamesBeat
Yellow raises $5M from A16z for Gen AI-powered 3D modeling tool | GamesBeat
Steel City Interactive raises £15m in funding | GamesIndustry.biz
Bladerite Game Developer Seeds Labs Raises $12 Million | Gam3s.gg
Galaxis Raises $10 Million to Expand NFT Community Empowerment | Gam3s.gg
Blade of God X Secures Multimillion Dollar Investment | Gam3s.gg
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Zelda: Majora’s Mask is now a native PC game, and every N64 title could follow its lead | GamesIndustry.biz
Hades II is the perfect Steam Deck game | The Verge
Inco and Privy partner to enable safe gaming on Telegram Messenger | GamesBeat
Yellow raises $5M from A16z for Gen AI-powered 3D modeling tool | GamesBeat
Steel City Interactive raises £15m in funding | GamesIndustry.biz
Bladerite Game Developer Seeds Labs Raises $12 Million | Gam3s.gg
Galaxis Raises $10 Million to Expand NFT Community Empowerment | Gam3s.gg
Blade of God X Secures Multimillion Dollar Investment | Gam3s.gg
Zelda: Majora’s Mask is now a native PC game, and every N64 title could follow its lead | GamesIndustry.biz
Hades II is the perfect Steam Deck game | The Verge
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VentureBeat
Netflix and Roblox unveil Netflix Nextworld digital theme park on Roblox
Netflix and Roblox announced the launch of Netflix Nextworld, a digital theme park on Roblox that expands the worlds of fans’ favorite films and series.
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Look at Gaming #391 | 5.27.2024
GM! Hope everyone had a good weekend. I sure did!
To kick off this week, I have a few spotlights for you. Let's start with how everything is an ad network.
Netflix announced that it's launching an in-house ad tech platform that's scheduled for a global rollout. But this shouldn't be a surprise to my readers. There were clear signs that an ad network was the attention aggregation and coordination layer that was missing in Netflix's ecosystem.
Per NBC news, as of March 2024 Netflix's ad tier has 40M MAU, double January's number. Late last year, Netflix reported that ~1% of its subscribers (so about 2.5M users) engaged with their mobile game offerings. Mobile user acquisition cost is expensive and rising, partly due to data protection and competition. But that won't be the case with Netflix.
I suspect that Netflix would have full visual into the data and preferential ad rates for its mobile games which would add to the broad goal of keeping its subscribers within the ecosystem more effectively. Not to mention the most recent expansion in the ecosystem with Nextworld, a Roblox experience created around key Netflix IPs.
If Netflix's ad network is able to tape directly into Roblox's ad system, then this is a complete game changer as this signifies the first time Roblox openning its ecosystem to an external ad network.
But we shall wait and see how this plays out.
In other news, GameAnalytics dropped some industry benchmarks for us to gobble up. For the mid-core category in North America, the average D1, D7, and D28 retention are 30%, 8%, and 2.5% respectively. On the other end with the casual category, we see a similar D1 at 30%, then D7 and 7%, and D28 at 2%. Frankly these figures surprised me a bit as I thought the core category would see higher retention rates. For Asia region, D1 is 25%. D7 and D28 is basically half of the US counterparts.
The median session time is 4 minutes 45 seconds across all regions and all genres. So keep that in mind when designing your game's core loop. Yes, even the core games like RPG and Strategy genre barely eek out 5 and a half minutes of session time.
Speaking of mobile, recall that Microsoft had plans to launch a mobile app store but they're not alone. Sony is also entering the mobile arena. I'm very keen to see what happens as Sony isn't particularly strong in the mobile space (given their current lack of mobile titles and mobile studios). But what they do have are a treasure trove of content and IP.
Another IP giant that you might have heard of called Disney will let Fortnite creators use its IP to make games. This is the UGC dream realized! When I was making Roblox games, I can't believe the number of Marvel super hero games I saw that I knew were NOT Disney-approved.
But but but... we all know how protective Disney is of their IP so I anticipate this UGC leash to be quite short. Lessons to take from this is actually around Disney's policy on approving and policing UGC content using their IP. Games today are all aiming to create new IP that then turns into UGC platforms. All roads lead to that so it's shrewd to study the best practices by the biggest players.
I know that was A LOT to take in but we had a big week last week. I hope you guys learned something. I sure did this week.
Catch you next Monday!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Netflix to launch in-house ad tech with global rollout set for 2025 | PG.biz
GameAnalytics: Benchmarks in Mobile Games for Q1’24 | GameDev Reports
Report: Sony planning mobile games platform | GamesIndustry.biz
Disney will let Fortnite creators use its IP to make games | PG.biz
🌊 MARKET 📞
FaZe, 100 Thieves, and OpTic Reveal The Founding Fathers LAN Tournament | The Fudge Retort
Judge orders Google to calculate the costs of Epic’s biggest Play Store demand | The Verge
Modders are Developers - It’s Time to Pay Them | GameDeveloper
IGN scoops up Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and more | The Verge
GM! Hope everyone had a good weekend. I sure did!
To kick off this week, I have a few spotlights for you. Let's start with how everything is an ad network.
Netflix announced that it's launching an in-house ad tech platform that's scheduled for a global rollout. But this shouldn't be a surprise to my readers. There were clear signs that an ad network was the attention aggregation and coordination layer that was missing in Netflix's ecosystem.
Per NBC news, as of March 2024 Netflix's ad tier has 40M MAU, double January's number. Late last year, Netflix reported that ~1% of its subscribers (so about 2.5M users) engaged with their mobile game offerings. Mobile user acquisition cost is expensive and rising, partly due to data protection and competition. But that won't be the case with Netflix.
I suspect that Netflix would have full visual into the data and preferential ad rates for its mobile games which would add to the broad goal of keeping its subscribers within the ecosystem more effectively. Not to mention the most recent expansion in the ecosystem with Nextworld, a Roblox experience created around key Netflix IPs.
If Netflix's ad network is able to tape directly into Roblox's ad system, then this is a complete game changer as this signifies the first time Roblox openning its ecosystem to an external ad network.
But we shall wait and see how this plays out.
In other news, GameAnalytics dropped some industry benchmarks for us to gobble up. For the mid-core category in North America, the average D1, D7, and D28 retention are 30%, 8%, and 2.5% respectively. On the other end with the casual category, we see a similar D1 at 30%, then D7 and 7%, and D28 at 2%. Frankly these figures surprised me a bit as I thought the core category would see higher retention rates. For Asia region, D1 is 25%. D7 and D28 is basically half of the US counterparts.
The median session time is 4 minutes 45 seconds across all regions and all genres. So keep that in mind when designing your game's core loop. Yes, even the core games like RPG and Strategy genre barely eek out 5 and a half minutes of session time.
Speaking of mobile, recall that Microsoft had plans to launch a mobile app store but they're not alone. Sony is also entering the mobile arena. I'm very keen to see what happens as Sony isn't particularly strong in the mobile space (given their current lack of mobile titles and mobile studios). But what they do have are a treasure trove of content and IP.
Another IP giant that you might have heard of called Disney will let Fortnite creators use its IP to make games. This is the UGC dream realized! When I was making Roblox games, I can't believe the number of Marvel super hero games I saw that I knew were NOT Disney-approved.
But but but... we all know how protective Disney is of their IP so I anticipate this UGC leash to be quite short. Lessons to take from this is actually around Disney's policy on approving and policing UGC content using their IP. Games today are all aiming to create new IP that then turns into UGC platforms. All roads lead to that so it's shrewd to study the best practices by the biggest players.
I know that was A LOT to take in but we had a big week last week. I hope you guys learned something. I sure did this week.
Catch you next Monday!
-----
Netflix to launch in-house ad tech with global rollout set for 2025 | PG.biz
GameAnalytics: Benchmarks in Mobile Games for Q1’24 | GameDev Reports
Report: Sony planning mobile games platform | GamesIndustry.biz
Disney will let Fortnite creators use its IP to make games | PG.biz
FaZe, 100 Thieves, and OpTic Reveal The Founding Fathers LAN Tournament | The Fudge Retort
Judge orders Google to calculate the costs of Epic’s biggest Play Store demand | The Verge
Modders are Developers - It’s Time to Pay Them | GameDeveloper
IGN scoops up Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, and more | The Verge
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GameAnalytics: Benchmarks in Mobile Games for Q1’24 | GameDev Reports
Mobile game publishers spend $21M on backend tech | Metaplay
Lower-cost regions are key to the industry's rebuilding | GamesIndustry.biz
Game Producer: The Role Everyone Loves to Debate | a16z Games
Mastering the Roblox Meta | Naavik
Report: Sony planning mobile games platform | GamesIndustry.biz
Microsoft will integrate its Copilot AI into Xbox and PC games | GameDeveloper
Netflix to launch in-house ad tech with global rollout set for 2025 | PG.biz
Disney will let Fortnite creators use its IP to make games | PG.biz
Integrate Web3 into Any Game in Minutes | Gam3s.gg
Immutable Hits Over 1 Million Passport Signups | Gam3s.gg
What is ERC-5189 Account Abstraction | Gam3s.gg
Deep Dive: Harnessing the power of player feedback with Dying Light 2 | GameDeveloper
Anomaly Raises $1.45M for AI-Driven Layer 3 Gaming Platform | Gam3s.gg
Famitsu: Nintendo Switch has become the best-selling console in Japan's history | GameDev Reports
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www.pocketgamer.biz
Netflix to launch in-house ad tech with global rollout set for 2025
Streaming giant Netflix is launching its own advertising technology platform less than two years after entering the ads industry. The move not only signif
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