PocketGamer.biz Podcast

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the 52nd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s show we: Discuss the Epic Games vs. Apple ruling that is opening up the US App Store to third-party payments and what this means for the games industry and entire mobile ecosystem. Delve into Tripledot’s $800 millio...

This week, Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow welcome a true PocketGamer OG to the show. Joining the industry in 2001, Oscar Clark has worn many hats—one of which makes him instantly recognizable at every event—from developing some of the earliest mobile games to prototyping PlayStation Home to hosting countless PocketGamer Connects sessions. Now, Founder and CEO of Fundamentally Games Ltd , Oscar s...

Investing seriously in community engagement is one of the most cost-effective levers a studio can pull in a time when UA demands more budget space and organic growth remains the gold standard. But where should studios start, especially those with limited marketing spend? Mike Gallagher, Founder and CEO of Untitled Advertising Lab, says reigniting older titles can drive major growth (a 30% revenue...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the 51st episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s show we cover: The EU's €500 million fine to Apple over its anti-steering policies. How the US is getting tough on Google's ads monopoly . The news that Discord CEO Jason Citron has stepped down as it gears...

Tune in for a very special episode of the PocketGamer.biz Podcast Week in Mobile Games - it's our 50th show! PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s episode we cover: The early days of the podcast, strange mannerisms and our favourite moments fr...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this week’s episode we discuss: The crazy Trump tariffs and their impact on the games and wider tech industry. Supercell’s celebrity marketing campaigns - Is it worth it? AppLovin’s intent to merge with TikTok’s entire "undermonetised" i...

In mobile, where budgets are tight and timelines even tighter, catching friction early in development can save you millions — and keep your game out of the app store graveyard. But what does effective playtesting actually look like? And how do you turn player feedback into real, actionable improvements? That’s exactly what PlaytestCloud set out to answer in their first-of-its-kind report, Steal Th...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the Week in Mobile Games Podcast. On this special episode, we dive into the launch details of the Nintendo Switch 2 , discussing the games, features and that $450 price point. We also cover Ubisoft and Tencent's $1.25 billion deal to prop up the publisher's leadership , France's ATT...

What if creative production in games worked more like a film set — flexible, efficient, and built around doing your best work when it’s needed most? That’s the pitch behind creative as a service, and this week’s guest, Casey Dickinson, CEO of SuperFaction, is making a strong case for it. In this episode, Casey lays out how the just-in-time model helps studios bring in external talent at exactly th...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, Steel Media CEO Chris James and COO Dave Bradley round up their final thoughts on GDC 2025. On this episode, they discuss: A quieter year and what that means for the conference and games industry at large. AI’s big presence without the big announcements. Who was and wasn’t on the show floor. Cancelled flights and turbulence for British travellers. **...

When MobilityWare reorganized its teams and reimagined its creative strategy, the result wasn’t just a fresh perspective—it delivered a 21% boost in CTR, powered by the tools and insights of key partners InMobi and AppsFlyer. That transformation didn’t happen in isolation; it was the product of smart collaboration, bold experimentation, and a laser focus on performance.  We turned this episode of...

Hugo Obi , Founder of the Lagos-based Pan-African studio Maliyo Games , joins hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow on this episode of the Pocketgamer.biz Podcast to share how he is driving the growth of Africa’s indie game development sector. While much of the region’s gaming revenue still comes from Western-made titles, Hugo is actively changing that by building a thriving ecosystem of African...

In an era where discovery is harder than ever, community isn’t just important—it’s the deciding factor of your game's success. The usual approach? Build the game first, then work to attract the right audience. But Fateless Games followed a different path. They started as HH Gaming—a gaming content creation and community focused on mobile hero collector RPGs, particularly Raid: Shadow Legends—S...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news on the Week in Mobile Games podcast. On this episode, we: Analyse Scopely’s $3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic’s games business (check out our Pocket Gamer Reacts video for more insights). Highlight the recent flurry of investment news stories that could signal a more positive f...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news on the Week in Mobile Games podcast. On this episode, we discuss: Tripledot’s surprise impending acquisition of AppLovin’s games business . Ludia’s plans for M&A and hiring spree after its exit from Jam City. The management shake up at RuneScape developer Jagex as CEO Phil Ma...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and Steel Media CEO Chris James discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this episode, we discuss: AppLovin vs. short-sellers : We discuss the claims, AppLovin's response and what it all means for the company and the wider advertising market. Is the industry seeing more investment? We look at where the money is flowing a...

Nailing mobile ad strategy isn’t just about making eye-catching creatives—it’s about understanding what works, iterating quickly, and scaling effectively, even on a tight budget. In this episode, Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow sit down with Z, Founder and CEO of BLKBOX.ai, to discuss how AI-driven creative optimization is transforming the way gaming studios approach ads. By following BLKBOX’s Fi...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this episode, we discuss: NetEase's Marvel Rivals layoffs , it's change in investment strategy and how it echoes the global strategies of Japanese publishers like DeNA and Gree in the past , and why its plans are strictly business, not political. The report...

"If you don't do D2C, you're leaving money on the table." David Stelzer, President of Xsolla, is blunt and bullish about direct-to-consumer strategy in his interview with Peggy Anne Salz at Pocketgamer Connects London. He shares his impressions of the gaming industry, insights from Xsolla's latest State of Play report, and why implementing a D2C in your monetisation mix is an...

AI isn’t here to replace marketers—it’s here to empower them. In this week's PocketGamer podcast, Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow chat with Bob Hollanders from Appier and Matej Lančarič, a UA expert known for his innovative approach, about how AI is transforming creative strategies in 2025.Matej reveals how he's using AI to generate a high volume of UGC ads on a minimal budget with impres...

Peggy Anne Salz pulls Dean Day, CEO of Black Smoke Studios, aside at PGC London to learn from his playbook on extending the lifecycle of games and enhancing cross-channel play. They delve into their experiences with Stumble Guys, the strategic shift to direct-to-consumer models, and the games approaching light monetization in free-to-play games the right way. Dean Day - https://www.linkedin.com/in...

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this episode, we discuss Supercell's financials and the details on why Brawl Stars had a mega revival while Squad Busters had a lacklustre launch . We also delve into why AppLovin is selling its games division for $900 million , talk about Unity's l...

At PGC London, Andrew Seow, Director of Monetisation at Tripledot Studios, dropped some serious ad mon advice. From hacking auctions to boost CPMs to mixing up monetization models like a pro, 2025 is all about getting creative with how to boost the bottom line. Expect smarter segmentation, data-driven insights, and a focus on engagement that actually pays off. The secret to success? Patience, stra...

Arr matey! Andrew Mattingley, Founder/Director of indie studio NineZyme OÜ, sank his anchor at PGC London last week to learn more about UA and promote his studio's newest title: Tiles Tales: Pirates. In this interview, he chats with Peggy Anne Salz about embracing nostalgia to bring new energy and new users to indie games. Tune in to collect your treasure! Andrew Mattingley - https://www.linke...

Level up your next family game night! Peggy Anne Salz chats with Adam Cain, company owner, at PGC London about Pixel Playground, a brand offering immersive VR experiences for the whole family in Southport, UK. They dive into emerging technologies in the VR space, merging with mobile, and how to leverage cross-channel gameplay to get everyone in the family playing. Listen and learn! Pixel Playgroun...