Week in Mobile Games E30 - Ubisoft's woes and Genshin Impact hits $6bn in four years(!)
Sep 29, 2024
auto_awesome
This week, the hosts dive into Ubisoft's notable delays and challenges, revealing the impact on their stock prices. They discuss Genshin Impact's monumental achievement, reaching $6.3 billion in just four years while facing some hurdles. The conversation also addresses Netflix's expansion into gaming with a new title related to Lord of the Rings and explores the role of AI in language learning, spotlighting Duolingo's innovative approach. It's a fascinating look at the vibrant yet complex world of mobile gaming.
Ubisoft is currently grappling with significant challenges, including a 20% drop in shares and delays for quality assurance in key titles like Assassin's Creed Shadows.
Genshin Impact has achieved remarkable financial success, reaching $6.3 billion within four years, illustrating the potential for mobile games to generate substantial revenue.
Deep dives
Ubisoft's Challenges and Game Delays
Ubisoft is facing significant challenges marked by a 20% drop in shares following the disappointing launch of Star Wars Outlaws, which received an average rating of 76 on Metacritic. The company has acknowledged its softer-than-expected sales and is reportedly mobilizing its development teams to address these issues. Moreover, the highly anticipated Assassin's Creed Shadows game has been pushed back from November 2024 to February 2025 for further polishing, reflecting the company's strategy of prioritizing the quality of its titles. This decision aligns with past experiences, such as the problematic launch of Assassin's Creed Unity, showcasing Ubisoft's efforts to avoid similar pitfalls.
Success of Dungeon Fighter Mobile
Dungeon Fighter Mobile has achieved remarkable success, grossing over $800 million within just four months of its release, according to App Magic data. This impressive start highlights the game's strong revenue generation, making it one of the most lucrative titles in the market at present. However, despite its phenomenal earnings, there are indications that revenue growth may be slowing down, as illustrated by comparisons with other successful games like Squad Busters. This trend suggests that while Dungeon Fighter Mobile is currently thriving, it will need to innovate and maintain its player base to sustain its financial momentum.
AFK Journey's Growth in the Market
AFK Journey, a sequel to AFK Arena by Lilith Games, has surpassed $158 million in revenue mere months after its Western release, demonstrating substantial growth following its launch in Asia. Despite this impressive figure, the game's success appears modest compared to the enormous $1.5 billion earned by its predecessor, which had a more robust launch strategy. Notably, the game's revenue surged significantly after the Asian release, emphasizing the critical role of international markets in driving mobile game success. This trajectory indicates a promising future for AFK Journey as it taps into the lucrative Asian gaming community.
Craig Chapple and Aaron Astle from the PocketGamer.biz team discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week.
On this week's episode the team discusses Ubisoft's big Assassin's Creed Shadows delay, strike action and other problems. We also analyse the enormous success of Genshin Impact, which has hit $6.3 billion in four years.
** Let's Connect **
👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/
👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform
👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/
👉🏻 PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Industry Trends Survey - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/what-are-the-hottest-mobile-gaming-trends-right-now-let-us-know-in-our-2024-mobile-games-industry-survey/
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode