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!
-----
⚡ 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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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
-----
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.
-----
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…
❤5
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!
-----
⚡ 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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Look at Gaming #392 | 6.03.2024
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Let's talk about discoverability and platforms.
An article from PGbiz calls out the current state of app stores and how platform owners prioritize ads over useful recommendations.
The issue is obvious: too many games (and entertainment apps), and too little time/attention. Discoverability in mobile is worse because platforms offer prime locations to ad buyers. Additionally, Apple changed its App Store policy in 2017 to become more editorial-focus, like a magazine rather than a marketplace.
Steam's marketplace offers a more equitable and favorable display of games; for example, when searching for a game, users are shown the game and related DLCs, whereas, in the mobile app stores, the top placement is auctioned off to the highest bidder.
The author broke down the three distinct approaches as such:
• Steam = based on sales and user-driven recommendations
• Google = sponsored content upfront
• Apple = editorial content upfront
But don't worry, there's a shift coming. A new direct-to-consumer trend is emerging with the release of alternative app stores. Epic Games' and Xbox's mobile stores will set the benchmark for this new paradigm.
Although outside of the app stores and marketplace, there has always been a dominant discovery platform that no one in web3 talks about. A survey of 1000+ gamers shows that 64% learn about new games via YouTube, with TikTok in second place at 38%.
As if YouTube knew it was the place for discovery, it recently launched YouTube Playables with 75 titles. YouTube is expanding its role and function in a gamer's playflow. Although the titles are largely casual games, I suspect the YT Playable will soon offer more core offerings as that's usually the demographic who watches gameplay on YouTube.
Also, recall that Google owns YouTube. It's not inconceivable to see a future where watching gameplay on YT then launching a vertical slice or a lite instance of the game. At the end of the experience, a prompt to download the game that is launch-able on both YT and as an app on the phone.
Lastly, another platform I want to call out that's (re)making a big splash in gaming. Discord started as a place for gamers to congregate but has since expanded into many other verticals.
However, this return to gaming is notable because Discord sees an opening in the deplatforming of the incumbents. Discord is already home base to many gamers so refocusing its energy here makes sense. More recently, Discord added a questing feature that empowers games to activate their community base and to find new players.
There's a trend of games building atop Discord. I'm not only referring to the party games like Poker but full-blown double AA-quality games. Tatsumeeko is one such game. There was also another sandbox drag-and-drop builder that I saw on the timeline. Our friend Jon from Bitkraft recently wrote a piece on "the third place" — outside of our home and our workplace, there's a third place where we find refuge.
Discord is one of our third places but now with it doubling down on gaming, it might become the only third place.
That's it for this week! Before you go, check out the story on Embracer and Brutally Honest's 12 Tips for UA (Q2 Version). Oh and GameDiscoverCo's piece on Steam sales conversion decreasing over time.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Mobile's broken app store discoverability | PGBiz
Big Games Machine: How People Discover New Games in 2024 | GameDev Reports
YouTube Playables are out now with over 75 games available | PGBiz
Discord’s turning the focus back to games | The Verge
🌊 MARKET 📞
Embracer Group's Breakup: What It Means for the Future of M&A in Gaming | GameMakers
Embracer's Lars Wingefors on the "brutal truth" of the AAA market | GamesIndustry.biz
Mobile's broken app store discoverability | PGBiz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Big Games Machine: How People Discover New Games in 2024 | GameDev Reports
Virtual Pets | Konvoy Venture
Immersion interrupted | SuperJoost Playlist
GM! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Let's talk about discoverability and platforms.
An article from PGbiz calls out the current state of app stores and how platform owners prioritize ads over useful recommendations.
The issue is obvious: too many games (and entertainment apps), and too little time/attention. Discoverability in mobile is worse because platforms offer prime locations to ad buyers. Additionally, Apple changed its App Store policy in 2017 to become more editorial-focus, like a magazine rather than a marketplace.
Steam's marketplace offers a more equitable and favorable display of games; for example, when searching for a game, users are shown the game and related DLCs, whereas, in the mobile app stores, the top placement is auctioned off to the highest bidder.
The author broke down the three distinct approaches as such:
• Steam = based on sales and user-driven recommendations
• Google = sponsored content upfront
• Apple = editorial content upfront
But don't worry, there's a shift coming. A new direct-to-consumer trend is emerging with the release of alternative app stores. Epic Games' and Xbox's mobile stores will set the benchmark for this new paradigm.
Although outside of the app stores and marketplace, there has always been a dominant discovery platform that no one in web3 talks about. A survey of 1000+ gamers shows that 64% learn about new games via YouTube, with TikTok in second place at 38%.
As if YouTube knew it was the place for discovery, it recently launched YouTube Playables with 75 titles. YouTube is expanding its role and function in a gamer's playflow. Although the titles are largely casual games, I suspect the YT Playable will soon offer more core offerings as that's usually the demographic who watches gameplay on YouTube.
Also, recall that Google owns YouTube. It's not inconceivable to see a future where watching gameplay on YT then launching a vertical slice or a lite instance of the game. At the end of the experience, a prompt to download the game that is launch-able on both YT and as an app on the phone.
Lastly, another platform I want to call out that's (re)making a big splash in gaming. Discord started as a place for gamers to congregate but has since expanded into many other verticals.
However, this return to gaming is notable because Discord sees an opening in the deplatforming of the incumbents. Discord is already home base to many gamers so refocusing its energy here makes sense. More recently, Discord added a questing feature that empowers games to activate their community base and to find new players.
There's a trend of games building atop Discord. I'm not only referring to the party games like Poker but full-blown double AA-quality games. Tatsumeeko is one such game. There was also another sandbox drag-and-drop builder that I saw on the timeline. Our friend Jon from Bitkraft recently wrote a piece on "the third place" — outside of our home and our workplace, there's a third place where we find refuge.
Discord is one of our third places but now with it doubling down on gaming, it might become the only third place.
That's it for this week! Before you go, check out the story on Embracer and Brutally Honest's 12 Tips for UA (Q2 Version). Oh and GameDiscoverCo's piece on Steam sales conversion decreasing over time.
-----
Mobile's broken app store discoverability | PGBiz
Big Games Machine: How People Discover New Games in 2024 | GameDev Reports
YouTube Playables are out now with over 75 games available | PGBiz
Discord’s turning the focus back to games | The Verge
Embracer Group's Breakup: What It Means for the Future of M&A in Gaming | GameMakers
Embracer's Lars Wingefors on the "brutal truth" of the AAA market | GamesIndustry.biz
Mobile's broken app store discoverability | PGBiz
Big Games Machine: How People Discover New Games in 2024 | GameDev Reports
Virtual Pets | Konvoy Venture
Immersion interrupted | SuperJoost Playlist
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Hyper casual games lead ad media buys at 34% share, with US at the forefront of ad spend | PGBiz
Are conversion rates dipping over time on Steam? | GameDiscoverCo
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Netflix announces Minecraft animated series | GamesIndustry.biz
Discord’s turning the focus back to games | The Verge
YouTube Playables are out now with over 75 games available | PGBiz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
How Immutable Nexus is Enhancing Gaming with Dedicated zkEVM Chains | Gam3s.gg
This Week in Crypto Games: 'Notcoin' Hits $1 Billion, 'Hamster Kombat' Token, Tickle-to-Earn | Decrypt.gg
‘Final Fantasy’ Maker Square Enix Moves to Arbitrum for Ethereum Game NFTs | Decrypt.gg
Mythical and Pudgy Penguins Reveal Mobile Party Game | Gam3s.gg
Arbitrum Is About to Unlock $250 Million in Funds for Ethereum Games | Decrypt.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Game audio overview: Sound effects for games | GameDeveloper
11 tips for killer mobile User Acquisition (Q2 version) | Brutally Honest
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Anomaly's AI-powered gaming platform attracts $1.45 million in funding | PG.biz
Gamefam Launches $5 Million Fund for UGC Creators | Gam3s.gg
Play AI Raises $4.3 Million at $70 Million Valuation | Gam3s.gg
Are conversion rates dipping over time on Steam? | GameDiscoverCo
Netflix announces Minecraft animated series | GamesIndustry.biz
Discord’s turning the focus back to games | The Verge
YouTube Playables are out now with over 75 games available | PGBiz
How Immutable Nexus is Enhancing Gaming with Dedicated zkEVM Chains | Gam3s.gg
This Week in Crypto Games: 'Notcoin' Hits $1 Billion, 'Hamster Kombat' Token, Tickle-to-Earn | Decrypt.gg
‘Final Fantasy’ Maker Square Enix Moves to Arbitrum for Ethereum Game NFTs | Decrypt.gg
Mythical and Pudgy Penguins Reveal Mobile Party Game | Gam3s.gg
Arbitrum Is About to Unlock $250 Million in Funds for Ethereum Games | Decrypt.gg
Game audio overview: Sound effects for games | GameDeveloper
11 tips for killer mobile User Acquisition (Q2 version) | Brutally Honest
Anomaly's AI-powered gaming platform attracts $1.45 million in funding | PG.biz
Gamefam Launches $5 Million Fund for UGC Creators | Gam3s.gg
Play AI Raises $4.3 Million at $70 Million Valuation | Gam3s.gg
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PocketGamer.biz
Mobile's broken app store discoverability
App Store discovery is fundamentally broken. That’s nothing new to say to anyone in the business. Discovery across the games market is an issue - too many games, too
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Look at Gaming #393 | 6.10.2024
GM! Rise and grind. Welcome back to another wonderful week.
Keeping this one short today. I read an interesting opinion piece on how Sony may be wading into the live servicing of games.
Recall that Sony is known for their immersive, story-rich single-player games. And you will pay $70 for the pleasure to experience one of these games.
Sony’s publishing of Helldivers II, a $40 paid-for game with some live service elements, could be telling sign of how the Japanese conglomerate is approaching live service games.
Their new game, Concord, is expected to follow the paid-for game model.
But this half-half, hybrid model is promising. Read the article for a deeper breakdown.
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
Sony avoids F2P as its live service model takes shape | GamesIndustry.biz
As RPGs and casual genres drastically decline, Monopoly Go! gives casino a 34% revenue surge | PGBiz
Ad revenue has "seen better years" on iOS, but some ad formats still pack a punch | PGBiz
🌊 MARKET 📞
Asia & MENA gaming markets approach $100B, 2B players in 2028 | Niko Partners
As RPGs and casual genres drastically decline, Monopoly Go! gives casino a 34% revenue surge | PGBiz
Ad revenue has "seen better years" on iOS, but some ad formats still pack a punch | PGBiz
What do Apple and Google’s direct-to-consumer changes really mean for game developers? | GamesIndustry.biz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
Mobile Gaming Post-IDFA Deprecation | Konvoy Ventures
Sony avoids F2P as its live service model takes shape | GamesIndustry.biz
The Next Era of Modding | Naavik
Sensor Tower: Mobile (Gaming) Market in Q1'24 | GameDev Reports
China Games Market Reports Series | Niko Partners
🌈 Platforms 🏠
Xbox Games Showcase 2024: all the news, trailers, and announcements | The Verge
Ikea will pay 10 Roblox players to roleplay as employees in its virtual store | The Verge
Samsung shows off new barrier-free games for Samsung Smart TV | GamesBeat
Discord is making it easier for app developers to make money | The Verge
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Ethereum Network Ronin Launches ‘Forge’ Program to Onboard More Games | Decrypt.gg
McDonald's Just Launched Its Own Metaverse—And Grimace NFT Owners Are VIPs | Decrypt.gg
Ethereum Wallet MetaMask Now Lets You Launch Crypto Games—Here’s How | Decrypt.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Promoting Your Brand Through Live Streaming Events | StreamHatchet
💲 Fundraising 🤑
‘Xociety’ Developer Raises $7.5 Million to Launch Sui Shooter Game | Decrypt.gg
The Sandbox raises $20 million to empower creators in the open metaverse | PGbiz
Wevr raises $3.5M for spatial computing and game production | GamesBeat
Hypersonic Laboratories raises $7m for modding platform Helix | GamesIndustry.biz
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Riot announces Valorant console beta test at SGF, starting June 14 | GamesBeat
Suicide Squad left a $200 million hole in WBD’s video game division | The Verge
GM! Rise and grind. Welcome back to another wonderful week.
Keeping this one short today. I read an interesting opinion piece on how Sony may be wading into the live servicing of games.
Recall that Sony is known for their immersive, story-rich single-player games. And you will pay $70 for the pleasure to experience one of these games.
Sony’s publishing of Helldivers II, a $40 paid-for game with some live service elements, could be telling sign of how the Japanese conglomerate is approaching live service games.
Their new game, Concord, is expected to follow the paid-for game model.
But this half-half, hybrid model is promising. Read the article for a deeper breakdown.
-----
Sony avoids F2P as its live service model takes shape | GamesIndustry.biz
As RPGs and casual genres drastically decline, Monopoly Go! gives casino a 34% revenue surge | PGBiz
Ad revenue has "seen better years" on iOS, but some ad formats still pack a punch | PGBiz
Asia & MENA gaming markets approach $100B, 2B players in 2028 | Niko Partners
As RPGs and casual genres drastically decline, Monopoly Go! gives casino a 34% revenue surge | PGBiz
Ad revenue has "seen better years" on iOS, but some ad formats still pack a punch | PGBiz
What do Apple and Google’s direct-to-consumer changes really mean for game developers? | GamesIndustry.biz
Mobile Gaming Post-IDFA Deprecation | Konvoy Ventures
Sony avoids F2P as its live service model takes shape | GamesIndustry.biz
The Next Era of Modding | Naavik
Sensor Tower: Mobile (Gaming) Market in Q1'24 | GameDev Reports
China Games Market Reports Series | Niko Partners
Xbox Games Showcase 2024: all the news, trailers, and announcements | The Verge
Ikea will pay 10 Roblox players to roleplay as employees in its virtual store | The Verge
Samsung shows off new barrier-free games for Samsung Smart TV | GamesBeat
Discord is making it easier for app developers to make money | The Verge
Ethereum Network Ronin Launches ‘Forge’ Program to Onboard More Games | Decrypt.gg
McDonald's Just Launched Its Own Metaverse—And Grimace NFT Owners Are VIPs | Decrypt.gg
Ethereum Wallet MetaMask Now Lets You Launch Crypto Games—Here’s How | Decrypt.gg
Promoting Your Brand Through Live Streaming Events | StreamHatchet
‘Xociety’ Developer Raises $7.5 Million to Launch Sui Shooter Game | Decrypt.gg
The Sandbox raises $20 million to empower creators in the open metaverse | PGbiz
Wevr raises $3.5M for spatial computing and game production | GamesBeat
Hypersonic Laboratories raises $7m for modding platform Helix | GamesIndustry.biz
Riot announces Valorant console beta test at SGF, starting June 14 | GamesBeat
Suicide Squad left a $200 million hole in WBD’s video game division | The Verge
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GamesIndustry.biz
Sony avoids F2P as its live service model takes shape | Opinion
Sony's decision to devote around a third of the entire runtime of its State of Play event last week to upcoming hero sh…
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Forwarded from thecoreloop.gg — Web3 [SUNSET]
• MEGAWEAPON — Released May Update (Browser release, NewNet & LATAM marketing launch)
• Ember Sword — $EMBER Token Economy Overview
• Sipher — Play 2 Airdrop Season 1 (Still has room)
• Spellborne — May 2024 Update (Early access milestones & highlights)
• Heroes of Mavia — Phase 2: Next Fronter (Reveal on June 14)
• Pirate Nation — $PIRATE Token launch (June 13)
• Illuvium — Official Game Launch on Mainnet (July 25)
• Wanderers — Closed beta reopens (June 13)
• Unioverse — Litepaper release
• Desperado B218 — Android release
• BoomLand — $BOOM token launch (Q3 2024)
• Loot Realms — Launched Force Prime Season 2 Beta (June 6)
• Bitcraft — Closed Alpha 2 (July 8)
• Shrapnel — STX 3.1 Missions (June 24 - 28)
• Beacon — Frontiers Quest Play 2 Airdrop & Play 2 Whitelist (Starts June 10)
• BITKRAFT — How UGC can shape the future of gaming
• Arto (Rumble Arcade) — Are Idle Games Back?
• CryptoClash (EthGlobal HackFS Hackathon) — 3D Multiplayer Crypto Fighting Game
• Kaito AI — TLDR of Treasure DAO's Twitter Space about Arbitrum's $200m gaming fund
• AI-meda Research — Wayfinder: An AI Agent for Web3
• Sasha Fleyshman (Arca) — 2024 is the Cambrian Explosion moment for Web3 Gaming
• Sinjin (MAYG) — For Web3 Game founders, understand the meta, get the attention, be part of the discussion but keep your eye on the prize
• tamagucci — The game genre that benefits the most in the Web3 gaming space are MMORPGs
• Blockcrunch — Episode 257: YGG is Building the First Guild Protocol (Gabby Dizon)
• Stash (Justin Kan) — Go To Market in Games w/ Mitch Lasky
• Web3 Gaming Pod — Episode 12: Deconstructing Cambria
• donn — Good YouTube playlist doing a critical review of crypto games
• Xociety — Raised $7.5m Pre-Series A funding round led by Hashed & Sui to continue developing their AAA third-person shooter game
• Sandbox — Raised $20 million in convertible debt at a $1 billion valuation. Currently, $SAND has a market capitalization of $942 million. Previously, Sandbox raised $93 million in a Series B funding round in 2021 and aimed to raise $400 million at a $4 billion valuation in 2022
• Variance
• PlayMini
• Cryptara
• Market Wars
• Monark Games
• StarCrus
• GOAT Gaming
• Nowhere3
• Night Market
• Dappmon
• Jutsu World
• Gilded Honor
• Confiction Labs
• Atemu
• Permaverse
• Cyberseum
• Neuphoria
hope helpful wuwu
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Forwarded from thecoreloop.gg — Web3 [SUNSET]
• Heroes of Mavia — Phase 2: Next Fronter will include ability to convert Ruby to $MAVIA & $MAVIA to Ruby
• Gangster Arena — Gangster Arena 2 Launch Update (NFT holders can start staking + $GREED token airdrop claimable)
• Wanderers — Second Closed Beta (June 13 - 17)
• Crystals of Naramunz — Closed Beta (June 12)
• Sipher — Play 2 Airdrop now LIVE
• Pirate Nation — Start of Booty Season 2 (June 11)
• Beacon — New Frontiers Quest is LIVE
• Isaac (SNZ Holding) — What is Treasure ($MAGIC), Arbitrum's Gaming Catalyst Program (GCP), how are they linked & what to look out for in the coming weeks
• Aylo — Why Zentry is building a game of games and why you should pay attention if you play any games at all (Web2 or Web3)
• Crypto: The Game — Uniswap Labs is acquiring Crypto: The Game
• Gaming Chronicles — P2A Events, SocialFi, Market Narratives, and more in GC Alpha #1
• GamesTX — Contextualizing Arbitrum's $220 million gaming bet
• Into The Metaverse — E.L.F. Beauty's Roblox Domination: A Masterclass in Cultivating Community
• Playtest AI
• Elixir DAO
• Azura
• Goose Agent
hope helpful wuwu
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Look at Gaming #394 | 6.17.2024
GM! Happy Monday. Let's get after it!
First I'll take us down memory lane with a brief history of the mobile games industry.
Although there are linkages way back to 1990s with games like Snake, I want to start post-iPhone in the 2007/8s. (You can read this if you want to go all the way to the 90s)
In the beginning, there were premium games. Remember Angry Birds? What about Fruit Ninja? But those days were short lived as the Free-to-Play shift happened.
This change was hard on the dominant studios. Rovio (creator of Angry Birds) struggled to ship AB2 and even then had to rebuild the game post-launch. King was a browser-based games company that had to transition the whole studio to launch Candy Crush on mobile. Another was Zynga. FarmVille and Mafia Wars were games on Facebook.
Even now, mega studio/publishers like Activision and Take-Two are still feeling their way through mobile. Tencent is a slightly separate story as the company built its gaming initiatives atop the ubiquitous WeChat app. Plus mobile penetration was extremely high in China so the market and the fit was ripe for the taking.
In the mid-to-late 2010s, Hypercasual was at the forefront. These titles' revenue were largely driven by ads. So far we've seen the mobile industry go from premium games, to in-app purchases, then heavy ad monetizations. With nearly a decade and a half of experience, mobile publishers refined their user funnels to drive maximum LTV and conversion rates.
This crescendoed during the COVID lockdown. Gaming across the board hit all-time-highs on basically every metric that matters. What an incredible moment in video game history. Then the party ended.
Apple and Google effectively cracked down on privacy which kneecapped the mobile games industry. If we were to abstract away all of the art, core loop, narrative, mobile games are simply an arbitrage between CAC and LTV. When CAC exploded but LTV remained flat (if not decreased), the math just doesn't math anymore.
Fortunately another shift is underway — albeit a regulatory shift but still potentially good. The EU forced Apple and Google to allow for alternative app stores. Almost immediately companies like Epic Games announced that it would launch a store. Then Microsoft. Then Sony. Then hundreds of others.
The first app store called Aptoide just launched last week with 6 gaming titles. The store is slowly being released to the market with 500 to 1000 daily access codes distributed. There are 100+ developers and 20k users in the waitlist to deploy on the newest app store.
Apptoide is charging 20% for IAP. Additionally, it's reportedly paying $1-$2k to developers to launch a game on their platform. I suppose this is somewhat competitive? But I expect more choices to come to the market and thus the fees would keep compressing.
As an aside, this reminds me of Ben Thomspon (Stretchery) notion on bundling and unbundling. This is clearly an unbundling of the app store but the concept is that this cycle will repeat itself so I wonder if in the future, there were 1000+ app stores, would we need to bundle them up again?
In other news, there are more layoffs in 2024 (as of May) than all of 2023. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo all stop supporting X (Twitter) as a source to share content. Yet all of us are still on Twitter.
Oh and Bethesda accrued $80M+ in incremental revenue from the TV show. Bullish on transmedia.
Catch y'all next Monday!
-----
⚡ Spotlight 🤩
A brief history of the mobile games industry | PGbiz
Aptoide becomes first non-Apple iOS store | The Verge
All three game console makers have now abandoned X integration | The Verge
There have already been more layoffs in 2024 than in 2023 | Game Industry Layoffs
🌊 MARKET ☎️
There have already been more layoffs in 2024 than in 2023 | Game Industry Layoffs
The state of the hypercasual genre in 2024 | PGBiz
💎 Deep Dives 🔎
GlobalData: The Cloud Gaming Segment Will Grow 7 Times by 2030 | Global Data
Gaming is Personal | Fandom
GM! Happy Monday. Let's get after it!
First I'll take us down memory lane with a brief history of the mobile games industry.
Although there are linkages way back to 1990s with games like Snake, I want to start post-iPhone in the 2007/8s. (You can read this if you want to go all the way to the 90s)
In the beginning, there were premium games. Remember Angry Birds? What about Fruit Ninja? But those days were short lived as the Free-to-Play shift happened.
This change was hard on the dominant studios. Rovio (creator of Angry Birds) struggled to ship AB2 and even then had to rebuild the game post-launch. King was a browser-based games company that had to transition the whole studio to launch Candy Crush on mobile. Another was Zynga. FarmVille and Mafia Wars were games on Facebook.
Even now, mega studio/publishers like Activision and Take-Two are still feeling their way through mobile. Tencent is a slightly separate story as the company built its gaming initiatives atop the ubiquitous WeChat app. Plus mobile penetration was extremely high in China so the market and the fit was ripe for the taking.
In the mid-to-late 2010s, Hypercasual was at the forefront. These titles' revenue were largely driven by ads. So far we've seen the mobile industry go from premium games, to in-app purchases, then heavy ad monetizations. With nearly a decade and a half of experience, mobile publishers refined their user funnels to drive maximum LTV and conversion rates.
This crescendoed during the COVID lockdown. Gaming across the board hit all-time-highs on basically every metric that matters. What an incredible moment in video game history. Then the party ended.
Apple and Google effectively cracked down on privacy which kneecapped the mobile games industry. If we were to abstract away all of the art, core loop, narrative, mobile games are simply an arbitrage between CAC and LTV. When CAC exploded but LTV remained flat (if not decreased), the math just doesn't math anymore.
Fortunately another shift is underway — albeit a regulatory shift but still potentially good. The EU forced Apple and Google to allow for alternative app stores. Almost immediately companies like Epic Games announced that it would launch a store. Then Microsoft. Then Sony. Then hundreds of others.
The first app store called Aptoide just launched last week with 6 gaming titles. The store is slowly being released to the market with 500 to 1000 daily access codes distributed. There are 100+ developers and 20k users in the waitlist to deploy on the newest app store.
Apptoide is charging 20% for IAP. Additionally, it's reportedly paying $1-$2k to developers to launch a game on their platform. I suppose this is somewhat competitive? But I expect more choices to come to the market and thus the fees would keep compressing.
As an aside, this reminds me of Ben Thomspon (Stretchery) notion on bundling and unbundling. This is clearly an unbundling of the app store but the concept is that this cycle will repeat itself so I wonder if in the future, there were 1000+ app stores, would we need to bundle them up again?
In other news, there are more layoffs in 2024 (as of May) than all of 2023. Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo all stop supporting X (Twitter) as a source to share content. Yet all of us are still on Twitter.
Oh and Bethesda accrued $80M+ in incremental revenue from the TV show. Bullish on transmedia.
Catch y'all next Monday!
-----
A brief history of the mobile games industry | PGbiz
Aptoide becomes first non-Apple iOS store | The Verge
All three game console makers have now abandoned X integration | The Verge
There have already been more layoffs in 2024 than in 2023 | Game Industry Layoffs
🌊 MARKET ☎️
There have already been more layoffs in 2024 than in 2023 | Game Industry Layoffs
The state of the hypercasual genre in 2024 | PGBiz
GlobalData: The Cloud Gaming Segment Will Grow 7 Times by 2030 | Global Data
Gaming is Personal | Fandom
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Newzoo: How Women play Games in 2024 | Newzoo
🌈 Platforms 🏠
All three game console makers have now abandoned X integration | The Verge
Aptoide becomes first non-Apple iOS store | GamesIndustry.biz
✨ Web 3⃣ + Meta 🌐
Uniswap Labs Acquires 'Crypto: The Game' Ahead of Next Season | Decrypt.gg
Sequence and Aethir to Offer Decentralized GPUs for Games | Gam3s.gg
Arbitrum to Launch $215 Million Gaming Catalyst Program | Gam3s.gg
🧠 Knowledge Hub 📘
Mock reviews and game evaluations: what are they, and why are they useful for devs? | GamesIndustry.biz
💲 Fundraising 🤑
Distance Technologies raises $2.7M for glasses-free extended reality apps | GamesBeat
Pixelverse Secures $5.5 Million From Top VCs | Gam3s.gg
Astrocade AI secures $12m in seed funding round | Astrocade AI
👾 Game & Stats Releases 📊
Supercell's Squad Busters team tell all on what's become their biggest launch yet | PGBiz
VG Insights: Fallout TV Series generated over $80M in Incremental Revenue for Bethesda | VGI
All three game console makers have now abandoned X integration | The Verge
Aptoide becomes first non-Apple iOS store | GamesIndustry.biz
Uniswap Labs Acquires 'Crypto: The Game' Ahead of Next Season | Decrypt.gg
Sequence and Aethir to Offer Decentralized GPUs for Games | Gam3s.gg
Arbitrum to Launch $215 Million Gaming Catalyst Program | Gam3s.gg
Mock reviews and game evaluations: what are they, and why are they useful for devs? | GamesIndustry.biz
Distance Technologies raises $2.7M for glasses-free extended reality apps | GamesBeat
Pixelverse Secures $5.5 Million From Top VCs | Gam3s.gg
Astrocade AI secures $12m in seed funding round | Astrocade AI
Supercell's Squad Busters team tell all on what's become their biggest launch yet | PGBiz
VG Insights: Fallout TV Series generated over $80M in Incremental Revenue for Bethesda | VGI
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PocketGamer.biz
A Brief History of Mobile Games: Introduction
Trying to write a history of something as young and fragile as mobile games may seem like an odd, or thankless, task, but mobile games have changed, evolved...
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