Mobile Gaming Today: Gaming Investments Week

Hey Folks, GDC Week 🤟🏻 Hope you’re enjoying the show there. Me? Fully focused on growing Gamigion.com, so much going on here! 😄 Not sure about the next event, but I miss my Event MAFIA! 🔫 👌🏻 Top Gaming Content » Let Players Play Their Way: Personalization 🤟🏻 Gaming personalization isn’t just about algorithms tweaking things behind the scenes, it’s about giving players control. From Candy Crush’s speed toggle to Monopoly Go’s event rewards, the best games let players shape their own experience. More choice = more engagement, better retention, and a game that feels personal. The future? Less invisible segmentation, more meaningful player decisions. Full article here 🤟🏻 🤟🏻 Game of the Week » Lucky Defense Analysis: 111%’s Risky Bet That Won Big They took the classic tower defense genre, rolled the dice, and ended up creating one of […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 18

Journal

Want to review a new game like a pro?

Want to review a new game like a pro? 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. Before diving in, understand the landscape. • Read user reviews in app stores • Play 3-5 competitor games • Take screenshots of key moments • Analyze gameplay tempo, monetization strategies, and engagement hooks 𝟮. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲. 1️⃣ 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵: • Does it engage from the start? • Is the user flow intuitive? • Do mechanics fit together? • Are objectives and progression clear? • Is monetization appealing or intrusive? 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵: • Is the tutorial effective? • Do mechanics evolve or get repetitive? • Are boosters balanced? • Does level design introduce challenges? • Are UI, art, and social mechanics well-integrated? • Are ads and offers well-placed? • Any bugs or glitches? 𝟯. 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀. Once you’ve played, dig into the data. • […]

Anton Slashcev March 18

Highlights

Qatar Development Bank invests in SekGames

Istanbul-based mobile game studio SekGames will use the funding to expand its publishing activities and grow its gaming portfolio. Founded by Ali Osman K., Serkan Çotul, and Alper Kocabiyik in 2020, SekGames continues to make a name for itself in the mobile gaming industry with its innovative projects. Specializing in hybrid casual games, the company aims to deliver fun and immersive experiences for players. SekGames plans to use the funding to expand its game publishing activities and grow its gaming portfolio. The studio, known for successful titles like Police Station Idle, Dream Hospital, Coffee Shop Idle, and Money Print Idle, has been selected for support under the Startup Qatar Investment Program. With nearly 2,000 applications from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, and India, SekGames stood out for its innovative approach and growth potential, earning a spot among the 11 selected startups. AppMagic: […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 18

Highlights

Mobile Gaming industry can no longer ignore Women

Studios are closing, successful teams are being laid off, budgets are being squeezed. The market is oversaturated.At least, that’s what we’re being told. What if there was a massive opportunity lying right in front of us?What if we could tap into an audience and generate profits like we did a few years ago, when gaming was at its peak?I believe it’s possible, and games that embrace female players will be the biggest winners. Here’s how we’ll tackle this: looking at the rise of this audience, observing the UA problem, talking about the disparity in leadership, and the blue ocean lying in front of us.The rise of women in mobile gamingLike in most industries, we lack the data and granularity to properly assess the state of women players in mobile gaming. As highlighted in Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a […]

Julie Tonna March 18

Journal

My Takeaways from State of Subscription Apps

🔥 My key takeaways from the State of Subscription Apps 2025 Beyond the new candlestick charts that I really love (I am a HUGE investing freak), this year’s State of Subscription Apps report is packed with insights on how subscription apps have evolved. This is, in my opinion, the best report on the space, and for the first time, I’m sharing the four trends that stood out most to me:1️⃣ Another year, another drop in trial conversionWith such a saturated market, it’s no surprise that trial conversion rates are down across nearly all categories. Looking at specific categories, Fitness & Health seems to be one of the most affected, with a 4.6% drop—likely influenced by the explosion of AI fitness apps, which have been massively scaling through influencer marketing and web-to-app flows2️⃣Hard Paywalls can work but only if value is […]

David Vargas March 18

Highlights

2025 Unity Gaming Report: Key Findings

The State of Game Development in 2025 The gaming industry remains a global powerhouse, with over 3 billion active players and revenue surpassing $184 billion in 2024. Yet, studios are navigating a turbulent landscape marked by layoffs, closures, and financial uncertainty. Developers are balancing bold creativity with risk mitigation, leveraging technology and strategic decision-making to survive and thrive. 1. Managing Risk by Reducing Costs Studios are prioritizing efficiency. 60% of devs focus on maximizing the value of existing games rather than launching new ones. Strategies include lean teams, debt avoidance, live ops investments, and increased use of efficiency tools. Latin America is an emerging hotspot for game success and market expansion. Studios carefully weigh live update models to keep players engaged without overextending resources. 2. Experimenting with Multiplayer Experiences Multiplayer remains dominant, but approaches are evolving. 64% of studios are […]

Ömer Yakabagi March 18

Journal

Color Sort and Blocks: 12 New Games

I have selected 12 new mobile games your competitors are working on: Color Sort and Blocks. Lots of blocks, in different colors, inside other blocks.My AppMagic puzzle radar working magically! 🎩 Check out the link to set up yours because:your competitors watch you! you WATCH back! 🔭 Here is how I do it:I track major game publishers,Then I trace back so that I can see,Where these games first entering the store,Then I filter through Linkedin to see these teams,I select teams that worth checking with good games,And this is how you track next big thing in advance. Enjoy Bite Size 6! I tagged them Worth Knowing or Checking!

Gökhan Üzmez March 18

Journal

600K Downloads a Day: I am Cat & I am Security

The mobile games "I am Cat" and "I am Security" are each doing 600K downloads a day 🙀 topping the download charts. The plot twist is that both are originally VR games 🕶️! Lets look deeper into this crazy story 🕵 You can find both games on Steam for premium price developed by New Folder Games. Actually I am Security was released on Meta's Quest store in June, 2024. Fast forward to today, both games are now published by Estoty Vilnius Feb 15th and Feb 23rd on mobile stores, and adapted for mobile gameplay, which is the key to this success. You have the full joystick control scheme with abilities and other adjustments, so it is pretty seamless. There are even ability buttons for watching ads 😅 Both games are "life simulators". I am Security is iteration on Paper's please, […]

Jakub Remiar March 18

Journal

Adjust’s new Gaming Report is out, good one!

Adjust’s new gaming report is out. As usual it’s a good one, I decided to go through and give you all my highlights: 1. Mobile is still King, Retention is the battle we all need to fight.• Mobile accounts for 49% of total gaming revenue, compared to both console (28%) and PC (23%).• 1.9 billion players are expected by 2027, showing continued growth.• Retention remains a challenge, with sessions down 0.6% YoY, despite a 4% increase in installs.2. AI Is Reshaping the Mobile Gaming Playbook• AI-driven procedural content generation is revolutionizing game development, making experiences more dynamic and personalized.• AI-powered player retention strategies predict churn and deliver customized incentives to keep users engaged.• AI-driven real-time pricing & ad optimization are improving monetization while enhancing the player experience.3. Cross-Platform Play Is a Must, Not a Luxury• Cross-play drives higher retention, increased […]

John Wright March 17

Analysis

Habby Dominates the Roguelike Genre

Habby dominates the roguelike genre. 𝟭. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 🕹️ • Fast, action-packed sessions with wave-based combat • Simple joystick/tap controls for easy access • Deep strategy and skill-based progression 𝟮. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 📈 • Players pick abilities, creating unique builds each run • Early levels are easy to attract players • Late-game challenges push skill (or spending) 𝟯. 𝗦𝗺𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 🔽 • Minimal tutorials, letting players learn by doing • Core mechanics are intuitive • Advanced mechanics require player experimentation 𝟰. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 ♻️ • New maps, enemies, and mechanics keep gameplay fresh • Talent and upgrade systems provide long-term growth • Achievements and events encourage deeper exploration 𝟱. 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 💰 • No intrusive ads for uninterrupted gameplay • IAPs, special offers, and rewarded ads for revenue • Free progression is possible, but paid options speed it up 𝟲. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 […]

Anton Slashcev March 17

Journal

VR to Mobile: I Am Security

I Am Security: From VR to Mobile 📱 Ranked №1 among the Top Trending Free Games last month, I Am Security by New Folder Games has already surpassed 11M downloads since its February release—and it's still climbing, with over 450k daily installs 💣Originally launched as a VR experience on Meta Quest, the game has now made its way to mobile, which is not a very typical case for this type of games!In I Am Security, players take on the role of a bouncer, scanning guests for prohibited items and ensuring they adhere to the club's dress code before allowing entry 🔍The game’s viral success can largely be credited to YouTube and TikTok, where creators have showcased the many ways to "abuse" their power as a bouncer—yes, there are quite a few questionable interactions you can have while checking guests 😈Curious […]

Andrei Zubov March 17

Analysis

Lucky Defense Analysis: 111%’s Risky Bet That Won Big

An All-in-One Deep Dive That's Actually Fun to Read! Alright, let’s talk about Lucky Defense—the game that took the classic tower defense genre, rolled the dice (literally), and ended up creating one of the most chaotic, fun, and weirdly addictive experiences out there. This isn’t your average game analysis. Nope. We’re going full throttle into the depths of Lucky Defense—from its epic rise, gameplay mechanics, wild community moments, and even the monetization that’ll make you ask, "Am I gambling or gaming?" So, buckle up. It’s about to get lucky (or unlucky) 🎉 The Origin Story: When Luck First Struck Lucky Defense was officially launched by 111% (a South Korean dev studio) on May 23, 2024. And it didn’t just drop quietly—it absolutely exploded in South Korea. We're talking about skyrocketing to the #1 download spot and pulling in over $11 million in revenue within its first two months. Not too shabby for […]

Aylin YAZICI March 17

Journal

Login to enjoy full advantages

Go Premium!

Enjoy the full advantage of the premium access.

Stop following

Cancel subscription