PocketGamer.biz Podcast

Players who relate to your game are easier to retain. But how do you pinpoint the story that enhances your game’s USP, resonates with your player base and sparks the desire to stay in the game? Deniz Kekeç , Performance Marketing Manager for casual simulation game Sunrise Village at Innogames , has cracked the code with a pioneering approach to UA that she calls “narrative marketing.” It’s a conte...

Brian Baglow, Craig Chapple and Daniel Griffiths from the PocketGamer.biz team discuss the latest news from the mobile games industry in our new 'Week in Views' series. We cover Apple's battle with Epic and the European Union's Digital Markets Act, Deconstructor of Fun's games industry predictions for 2024, and InnoGames' disclosure of staff salaries.

Extending a game’s lifespan is every studio’s grand objective, but the path to effective execution is packed with difficult decisions. Studios can lean into Live-Ops to keep content fresh and cultivate profitable partnerships to enhance their marketing mix, or they can centre community management and leverage audience listening. Or, like Innogames , they can do all of the above. Our hosts Peggy An...

Brian Baglow, Craig Chapple, Daniel Griffiths and Aaron Astle from the PocketGamer.biz team discuss the latest news from the mobile games industry in the first episode of our new ‘Week in Views’ series. We cover layoffs, Apple Arcade, Unity’s troubles, why the head of the European Games Developer Federation is unhappy, and much more! ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz...

In Guy Gadney’s eyes, implementing AI into your game development is like “cooking with eggs.” You can use it as an ancillary tool to optimise your current creative endeavours, or you can “make an omelette”, baking AI into your game from the beginning and establishing it as a fundamental component of character or world creation. The application options are endless—if guided by the right questions....

How did Yahtzee break revenue records? What’s up with webshops, and are subscription models shaping up to match past hype? We answer all these questions and more in this episode of the PocketGamer.biz Podcast live from the floor of PGC London. Host Peggy Anne Salz leads a captivating conversation with Steel Media Ltd. executives Chris James (CEO), Craig Chapple (Head of B2B Content), and Aaron Ast...

Past predictions into mobile gaming foresaw an industry slowdown in 2024, but recent data reveals a different reality. Peggy Anne Salz welcomes two mobile mavens onto the show this week to lift the lid on the actual state of the market, and the trends studios should pay the closest attention to in the coming year. First, Karl Knights , Global VP of Customer Success at mobile data and analytics pla...

While some studios are cashing in their chips on hypercasual and casual games, a few future-focused brands are doubling down and winning big by placing their bets on rewarded play. Indeed, though once a taboo UA tactic, rewarded play now opens doors for lasting loyalty and long-term engagement. That’s why Mistplay , a leading loyalty platform for mobile apps, provides rewards that fit the bill for...

In an industry where data-driven decision-making pays dividends and a deep content pool is the difference between customer churn and a long-term connection, game studios need a tool capable of gathering granular user data and satiating consumers' content cravings. NAK3D —a startup recently awarded for its innovation by the World Economic Forum—delivers on both ends. Kelly Vero , CEO and CTO of...

To acquire valuable players and boost rank in the app stores, studios have to shift focus and budget to offer each user a customised experience that aligns with their unique player motivations. But the path to pinpointing player intent isn’t straightforward--especially in a privacy-first landscape that makes prediction more challenging than ever. It’s a perfect storm of conditions for revisiting a...

Profitable UA is about connecting with the right players at the right time in the right context. Using traditional targeting tools, UA managers can manually parse through data to predict who is the best fit. But ultimately, this approach eats up marketers' time—and ad spend. Gamelight’s AI-powered algorithm cuts out the guesswork, locating only the players sure to produce high LTV and deliveri...

The games industry faced a brutal year in 2023, with unofficial layoff estimates reaching an alarming 10,000. The stakes remain high in 2024, and job seekers need to double down to secure a position amidst reduced hiring and increased competition. We learn how to “pimp our LinkedIn” and get the most out of networking opportunities in this episode with Oleg Paliy , CEO of Games Factory Talents , a...

An evolving market calls for an evolved approach to user acquisition—one that treats players as individuals and weighs each user’s needs against all available acquisition tactics. When preparing to adopt this approach, though, game studios must consider one key question: Should they stick with the mainstream channels (META, Google, Apple, etc.) that provide reliability but unpredictable ROAS or fo...

The path to profitable growth is fraught with tough choices. Studios can net new audiences by pumping out new titles and features at the pace of change, or they can push the envelope (and extend the lifecycle of their legacy title) with content, Live Ops and real-life events. Or, in the case of Zynga , they can do all of the above. Yaron Leyvand , Executive VP at Mobile Studios at Zynga , joins ho...

Success starts with a great game, but profitable growth is fueled by ongoing engagement that treats players as individuals. And, although it’s not rocket science, the SuperScale report, Good Games Don’t Die , reveals this is where most studios miss the mark. Nearly 40% fail to deliver relevant and engaging content to their users. It’s also one reason 83% of games fail within three years of launch....

During the hypercasual reign, short-term metrics, like the seven-day LTV curve, were the golden standard for an app’s scalable potential. Now, looking further down the road and building an environment that encourages players to set down roots for 30, 60, or even 365+ days is how studios can come out on top and predict profitability. So, how can studios get to the bottom of what causes churn and re...

There’s no shortage of benefits that games bring to players, from increased creativity to developing interpersonal skills to greater self-confidence. Yet, gaming popularity grows, so do the silent risks posed to children online. Fortunately, there is an organisation leading the fight against child abuse and developing safe game design guidelines. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty...

In a time when investors are calling for prudence and playing it safe, one company has managed to not only persevere but prevail. Elena Grigorian , CEO of MY.GAMES , joins hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow to explain the key strategies and developments that delivered a 14-fold increase in MY.GAMES’ effective marketing investments, a 4-fold increase in the company’s business, and an opportunit...

Good games offer great experiences, and accurate and timely issue resolution is imperative to keeping LTV high and your game in good graces with its users. And it’s not just a must to please your players. App store algorithms have begun to rank games based on performance metrics and can punish games that go on the fritz. But, as all devs know, pinpointing the source is complicated, especially sinc...

If your ASO strategy isn’t motivated by real-time data insights that dive deeper than traditional tools to provide hourly insights into hot keywords and trends, you’re missing a massive opportunity. This is top-of-the-list advice from Mike Rhodes , CEO and Founder of ConsultMyApp , an app marketing agency with awards from Top CRM Consulting Company UK to Most Effective Use of Data 2022. ConsultMyA...

The PG.biz Podcast team has known that games can be used for more than just entertainment. We’ve discussed charity and climate action use cases, but what about self-care, mental development, and skills improvement? Trail-blazing gaming company Skillprint enhances all three. Skillprint combines neuroscience and AI to create adaptive and personalised games that equip devs and players with actionable...

It’s already known that games can positively impact mental health, but did you know they can positively impact the planet, too? Lisa Pak , Sustainability Consultant and Project Manager at Playing for the Planet , joins host Peggy Anne Salz to describe how, with its superpower reach, the games industry can wield the power of play in the fight against the climate crisis. Lisa brings her passion for...

Few franchises can stand toe to toe with the IP power of Jurrasic Park. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the renowned first film and the 5th anniversary of Jurrasic World Live, a game with seismic numbers behind it. The geolocation game has racked up 33 million downloads and 2.3 billion play minutes, prevailing through the pandemic and fast-moving game market, proving studios can stand the...

Removing friction, taking control of user data, and enhancing customer engagement throughout the funnel are necessary steps to increase game margins and retain valuable players. However, the app store duopoly can put a block in the road, restricting access to players in growing markets, charging high transaction fees, and limiting commerce capabilities. This week’s guest, Xsolla , clears those obs...

The best and brightest gaming professionals gathered in Helsinki this September to share their thoughts, tips, and predictions about the latest gaming trends and what teams need to know to make their mark in the marketplace. Listen in as Steel Media CEO Chris James and COO Dave Bradley recap the candid conversations that took place in Finland’s capital city last month. From IP as a brand and reven...