PocketGamer.biz Podcast

How do you bring a beauty brand into Final Fantasy without losing authenticity?In this special episode recorded live at Gamescom, Paulina Besmehn, Brand Manager at Henkel, shares the story behind Henkel’s first-ever gaming activation—a bold crossover between their Schwarzkopf got2b hair color line and the iconic world of Final Fantasy.The result? Limited edition shades inspired by in-game avatars, influencer partnerships, and a full offline/online campaign designed around self-expression and community fit.Paulina shares how her team chose the right game, pitched the idea internally, collaborated with Square Enix, and made sure the activation respected the culture of gaming—not just the business opportunity.Whether you’re a brand exploring new touchpoints or a game studio open to partnerships, this episode is a masterclass in meeting players where they are—with purpose, not just product.Paulina Besmehn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbesmehn/Henkel Consumer Brands: https://www.henkel-brand-hub.com/business-units/Henkel-Consumer-Brands.htmlFinal Fantasy XIV: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/Schwarzkopf gӧt2b: https://www.schwarzkopf.com/brands/haircolor/got2b-brand.html

From MMOs to Web3, James Hursthouse has seen it all—and now he’s sharing what’s next in gaming.In this episode, Peggy Anne Salz sits down with the founder of Greenstone Initiatives to explore a future where players co-own their experiences, AI augments creativity, and new business models put power back in the hands of developers and fans.James reflects on his journey—from the early days of MMO infrastructure to building global partnerships and helping shape Canada’s games ecosystem. Along the way, he unpacks what’s real (and what’s hype) about Web3, and why the next generation of games will be defined by instant access, ethical data, and cross-media convergence.Whether you’re building games, investing in the space, or just curious about where it’s all heading, this is your front-row seat to the future.James Hursthouse - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshursthouse/Greenstone Initiatives - https://www.greenstone.one/Metaverse Roadmap: Pathways to the 3D Web - https://www.w3.org/2008/WebVideo/Annotations/wiki/images/1/19/MetaverseRoadmapOverview.pdfIron Maiden Legacy of the Beast: https://ironmaidenlegacy.com/

🎮 Welcome to a special episode of the PocketGamer.biz podcast!We’re bringing you two conversations with leaders from Xsolla—because together, they tell a powerful story about where gaming, monetization, and community are headed.First, we sit down with Sarah Chafer, who explains how brands can use gamification and offerwalls to move beyond awareness and into brandformance—campaigns that both build equity and drive measurable action. From loyalty to user choice, Sarah shares real examples (including Paramount+) that show how smart brands are meeting players where they are.Then, we talk to Travis Anderson, who widens the lens. He shares how publishers can unify webshops, offerwalls, social quests and even cloud gaming to create a seamless and rewarding ecosystem—all with fewer resources and a single integration.📌 Whether you’re a brand looking for meaningful reach or a publisher seeking smarter monetization, this episode gives you a glimpse into the future of game commerce.

What does it take to turn a rogue-like poker game into one of the most talked-about indie hits of the year?In this episode of the PocketGamer.biz podcast, Harvey Elliott—CEO of Playstack and publisher of Balatro—joins us to share how the breakout success unfolded, why they bet big on an unconventional title, and what it means for the future of publishing.🎮 Why Playstack said “yes” to Balatro📈 How discoverability still decides winners🧠 Balancing creative freedom and commercial strategy🎯 What Playstack looks for in new titles🚀 Lessons for indie developers and studios trying to scaleIf you’re building, marketing, or publishing games—this conversation is your new cheat code.

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the 65th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On this week’s show we cover:Insights from the show floor at Gamescom 2025.Google Play's new App Store-like rules for Europe.India's real-money gaming ban that has shocked the country's games industry and international investors.Uma Musume: Pretty Derby's international performance.** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com👉🏻 Download our free Barcelona games industry report now - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/download-our-barcelona-games-industry-report-now/👉🏻 Voting begins for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2025/vote/👉🏻 Download our free report on China's games industry with insights from executives and key market data - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/gain-key-insights-into-chinas-games-industry-with-our-free-report

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, news editor Aaron Astle and Steel Media COO Dave Bradley discuss the latest games industry news on the 64th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On this week’s show we cover:Insights from our recent trip to ChinaJoy and Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai.How much money games publishers are earning from their direct-to-consumer strategies.Rovio and Sega's revenue slump.** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com👉🏻 Download our free Barcelona games industry report now - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/download-our-barcelona-games-industry-report-now/👉🏻 Voting begins for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2025/vote/👉🏻 Download our free report on China's games industry with insights from executives and key market data - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/gain-key-insights-into-chinas-games-industry-with-our-free-report

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, news editor Aaron Astle and events content coordinator Charlie Scowen discuss the latest games industry news on the 63rd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On this week’s show we cover:Takeaways from the Esports World Cup after a visit to Riyadh.Clash Royale's Brawl Stars moment.Why the team at NextBeat is joining Duolingo's gamified learning revolution and the challenges of launching new games.How Talofa Games' Monster Walk aims to stand out from Pokémon Go.Unity's attempts to claw back ground lost from AppLovin in the ads space with Vector.** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com👉🏻 Download our free Barcelona games industry report now - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/download-our-barcelona-games-industry-report-now/👉🏻 Voting begins for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2025/vote/👉🏻 Download our free report on China's games industry with insights from executives and key market data - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/gain-key-insights-into-chinas-games-industry-with-our-free-report👉🏻 Esports World Cup CGO: “We want to make esports go mainstream” - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/esports-world-cup-cgo-we-want-to-make-esports-go-mainstream

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the 62nd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On this week’s show we cover:The EU's "total capitulation" on App Store regulation and the UK's slow crawl to reining in Apple and Google.The most lucrative and fastest-growing mobile game genres of 2025 so farOur interview with Nazara CEO Nitish Mittersain and his comments on why M&A fails.The big mobile news from Pokémon Presents - Is this a blueprint for Nintendo?** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com👉🏻 Download our free Barcelona games industry report now - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/download-our-barcelona-games-industry-report-now/👉🏻 Voting begins for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2025/vote/👉🏻 Download our free report on China's games industry with insights from executives and key market data - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/gain-key-insights-into-chinas-games-industry-with-our-free-report

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the 61st episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On this week’s show we cover:How Rollic scored a $100m hybridcasual hit by ideating 1,000 games a month.Zynga CEO Frank Gibeau's interview with The Game Business discussing Star Wars Hunters, direct-to-consumer, triple-A and game difficult.The new 4X strategy game titans Whiteout Survival and Last War: Survival.Moon Active's soft launch of the Monopoly Go-like Coin Master - Board Adventure.How Tencent is adapting Age of Empires to mobile again.Savvy Games Group-owned Steer Studios' decision to temporarily take Grunt Rush offline.** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com👉🏻 Download our free Barcelona games industry report now - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/download-our-barcelona-games-industry-report-now/👉🏻 Voting begins for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2025/vote/👉🏻 Download our free report on China's games industry with insights from executives and key market data - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/gain-key-insights-into-chinas-games-industry-with-our-free-report👉🏻 How Rollic scored a $100m hybridcasual hit by ideating 1,000 games a month - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/how-rollic-scored-a-100m-hybridcasual-hit-by-ideating-1000-games-a-month

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest games industry news on the 60th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.On this week’s show we cover:Games investment tips from Aonic co-founder and chief product officer Olliver Heins.Clash Royale's evolution, new game mode, and revenue surge.China's rising global influence.Anniversaries and revenue milestones for Pokémon Go and Zenless Zone Zero.** Let's Connect **👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com👉🏻 Download our free Barcelona games industry report now - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/download-our-barcelona-games-industry-report-now/👉🏻 Voting begins for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2025/vote/👉🏻 State of play: Inside China's increasingly influential games industry - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/state-of-play-inside-chinas-increasingly-influential-games-industry/