Week in Mobile Games E25 - The Gamescom 2024 Survival Guide
Aug 18, 2024
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Excitement brews for Gamescom as the team shares quirky anecdotes and personal preparations. They dive into gaming and film connections, contrasting feelings on trailers, and their competitive gaming journeys. Unity's recent financial shifts shake the mobile gaming landscape, while a push for sustainability takes shape with the Sustainable Games Alliance. Notable gaming sponsorship changes are discussed, linking mobile games with League One football. Plus, insights on AFK Journey's success in Asia and innovative trends in gaming keep the conversation lively.
Gamescom 2024 emphasizes the importance of networking and collaboration among industry professionals to foster industry growth.
The formation of the Sustainable Games Alliance reflects the gaming industry's commitment to addressing environmental concerns and improving sustainability practices.
Deep dives
Preparations for Gamescom
The upcoming Gamescom event is a significant focus for the gaming community, as many industry professionals are preparing for the show in Cologne. Despite not personally attending, a sense of anticipation arises from conversations about the event, with much of the gaming industry busy finalizing their work ahead of the expected quiet week while key players gather at Gamescom. The value of connecting and networking during the event is underscored, reflecting the importance of establishing professional relationships. Attendees are likely to engage in discussions about collaborations and partnerships, highlighting the role of trade events in fostering industry growth.
Unity's Financial Update and Future Outlook
Unity Technologies reported a modest decrease in revenue, though it still surpassed expectations, reinforcing its status as a leading platform for mobile game development. The CEO expressed optimism about the companyโs direction, emphasizing that 70% of mobile games are still being created with Unity despite previous challenges. The upcoming rollout of Unity 6 is highly anticipated, as developers await its features to resolve ongoing issues with the platform. As Unity navigates its financial hurdles, the industry watches closely to see if it can effectively leverage new innovations to regain momentum and attract more developers.
Patreon's New Financial Burden
Patreon is now subject to Apple's 30% fee on in-app purchases, a shift that raises concerns about its impact on smaller creators using the platform. Historically, Patreon may have dodged this fee due to the ambiguity around the sale of digital goods versus services, but the recent move signifies a tightening of Apple's policies. Many of Patreon's creators operate within tight financial margins, making this additional tax particularly burdensome. This decision highlights ongoing frustrations with Apple's monetization strategies, as critics argue that the large corporation should not impose such fees on smaller entities in the gaming and creative sectors.
Emerging Focus on Sustainable Gaming Practices
The formation of the Sustainable Games Alliance represents a growing trend within the gaming industry to address environmental concerns associated with game development. This nonprofit initiative aims to establish standards for measuring and reporting the environmental impact of studios, providing a framework for companies to track their sustainability efforts. As regulations surrounding environmental reporting evolve, especially within the European Union, the alliance seeks to ensure that gaming companies can meet compliance requirements efficiently. By prioritizing sustainable practices, the industry can align with broader societal goals while potentially improving its public image amid increasing scrutiny about environmental impacts.
Craig Chapple, Daniel Griffiths and Aaron Astle from the PocketGamer.biz team discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week.
We offer tips on surviving Gamescom, discuss a drive for games industry sustainability efforts, delve into why Xsolla is sponsoring English League One football team Stevenage FC, and Apple aficionado Daniel gives the iPhone giant a ticking off.
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