PocketGamer.biz Podcast

MENA is a region ripe with opportunities for game industry professionals. Our host, Peggy Anne Salz, sits down with an expert on the area and headline speaker at the GameExpo Summit powered by PG Connects, Kadri Harma. Co-Founder of the investment fund and mentoring program, GameFounders, and Venture Partner at Sisu Game Ventures, Kadri brings her on-the-ground expertise to the show this week, lifting the lid on unlocking the MENA market. She shares the investment opportunities and player behaviour that make the region stand out, the government initiatives that empower the local industry, and the actions indie studios can take to attract the attention of the investor community. Listen in and register now for the GameExpo Summit on May 1-2.  CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:57 - Understanding the MENA market 07:57 - MENA's appeal 12:48 - Opportunities for investment 20:36 - Favourite games Q&A * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz  👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/  👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz  👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz  Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Brian Baglow, Paige Cook, Craig Chapple, and Daniel Griffiths from PocketGamer.biz discuss UK games industry skills crisis, Fallout TV show success, and Epic's legal battles with Apple and Google. Also mention layoffs, Nintendo's future plans, and address the skills crisis in the UK games industry

Faith Price, Director of Growth Marketing at DoubleDown Interactive, shares tips on lifecycle marketing to extend app lifespan. Topics include acquiring vs retaining features, timing communications, testing routines, and reinventing oneself in the industry.

Industry experts Brian Baglow, Paige Cook, Craig Chapple, and Daniel Griffiths discuss the Finnish games industry, Squad Busters soft launch, and the presence of retro game emulators on the App Store. They delve into challenges and opportunities in the mobile gaming sector, including the impact of AI advancements, industry updates, and the potential for retro games on iOS. Listen for insights into the evolving gaming landscape and future developments.

In today's noisy, data-constrained market, studios can't afford to splash the cash on multiple soft launches. Instead, they must identify innovative ways to test and validate concepts while keeping their costs low. It's a path stacked with strategic decisions that can seem daunting for smaller studios or leaner teams. In this episode, Peggy Anne Salz links up again with Piyush Mishra, Director of Growth at Product Madness, to learn about his playbook for producing stellar games on a shoestring budget, from concept testing to global launch. He reveals the metrics that matter most when evaluating creative and the questions to ask to effectively greenlight games across genres. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 03:22 - The creative metrics that matter 08:12 - Using UA to test and validate concepts 11:38 - Keeping costs down during testing 15:36 - Using UA to test gameplay creative 17:29 - Benchmarks for greenlighting a game  23:15 - Marketing must be there from the start 27:28 - What genres does this work for? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz  👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/144491/  👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz  👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz  Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

Craig Chapple and Daniel Griffiths from PocketGamer.biz talk about Sensor Tower's acquisition of data.ai, Monument Valley's 10th anniversary, and PocketGamer.biz's upcoming MENA Month. They discuss market challenges, game preservation, and the significance of Monument Valley in the mobile gaming industry.

Meet Clary Xiaodan Zhang, Head of UAM at Elia Games, who shares how her no-code automation system saves marketers 50 hours/week. She discusses the benefits of using Google Sheets and Notion, democratizing data, and delivering smart alerts. Clary explains how AI is reshaping job roles, disrupting industries, and cultivating creativity in game development. She also provides insights on how studios of all sizes can build their own automation system in-house.

Industry experts from the mobile games sector discuss the EU's investigation into Apple and Google, GDC highlights, and MENA market news. Topics include Dragon's Dogma 2 mechanics, guitar-synthesizer fusion, Bracer's studio sale, blockchain gaming, ad evolution in games, and GDC insights.

Brian Baglow, Daniel Griffiths, and Paige Cook discuss Sensor Tower acquiring data.ai, Epic Games Store coming to mobile, and Apple's antitrust issues. They cover the impact on competition, future pricing, and market trends. The podcast also explores the entry of tech giants into gaming, advertising strategies, and gamer types. Insightful discussions on industry dynamics and challenges.

Discussion on Supercell's new development structure and strategic decisions, and the potential US ban of TikTok. Insights into successful mobile games, industry investments, and Capcom's employee pay rise.