The gaming industry experienced seismic shifts in 2024, from record-breaking layoffs to China's rising dominance. In this comprehensive analysis, we break down the five key developments that shaped gaming in 2024 and what they mean for 2025. We'll explore: 🔑 The true impact of the gaming recession 🔑 Why live service games are harder than ever to compete with 🔑 How China became a global gaming powerhouse 🔑 The surprising comeback of live operations 🔑 Why UGC platforms struggled to monetize Plus, we'll dive into our predictions for 2025, including: 🔑 The evolution of game development models 🔑 AI's growing role in gaming 🔑 Market recovery catalysts 🔑 Companies to watch 🔑 Industry transformation ahead Whether you're a developer, investor, or gaming enthusiast, this analysis will help you understand where the industry is headed and why it matters. Join us for an in-depth look at gaming's past year and future prospects. Outline 0:00 - Introduction & Overview 2:15 - 2024 Year in Review Overview 3:30 - Gaming Recession Deep Dive (Industry layoffs, Shift in cost-cutting approaches) 7:45 - Live Service Games Dominance (Steam engagement statistics, Why established games maintain power) 12:30 - China's Gaming Success Story (Mobile market dominance, HD gaming breakthrough, Strategic advantages) 18:15 - Live Operations Excellence (Brawl Stars case study, Impact on game performance) 22:45 - UGC Platform Challenges (Monetization struggles, Platform economics) 26:30 - 2025 Predictions Overview 27:45 - New Development Models (Shift from traditional approaches, Efficiency focus) 32:15 - AI Integration in Gaming (Three levels of integration, Future possibilities) 37:30 - Market Recovery Catalysts (Key upcoming releases, Market conditions) 42:15 - Companies to Watch (Detailed analysis of key players, Growth opportunities) 48:30 - Industry Transformation (Workforce changes, Operational shifts) 53:15 - Conclusion & Key Takeaways 55:00 - Final Thoughts

We discuss the impact, economics, and advantages of mobile web stores in a deep discussion with Gil Tov-ly, the CMO of AppCharge, a company that partners with game studios to build optimized web stores. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 1:13 Motivation and economics of mobile web stores: Huge 20-30% total revenue lift 3:42 Amount of transactions through web stores vs. direct IAP, what impacts more web store transactions? 9:34 How web stores can support VIP spenders 10:40 Typical web store support provided by companies like AppCharge 11:40 impact of web stores 13:48 The player experience with web stores 18:32 breakdown of support services to help developers roll out a web store 25:25 How to evaluate webstore partners 28:25 Current legal and regulatory environment around web stores - what are the limitations? 31:18 Rise of alternative app stores and side-loading 32:30 Building direct relationships with customers by having your own web store 36:25 What does the future look like for player monetization channels in 5-10 years 39:30 More info about AppCharge - what is their promotional pitch? 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - AppCharge: https://appcharge.com/ - Gil Tov-ly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giltovly/ SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/ — POPULAR CONTENT — 🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I 🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI 🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s 🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs 🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw 🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso 🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA 🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

A deep dive into the most pressing topics in gaming with industry veterans discussing recent developments, challenges, and future outlooks. ⏱️ Timeline/Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:05 - Ubisoft's Current State & Challenges 14:35 - Unity's Turnaround Story 31:20 - AppLovin Deep Dive 39:15 - China Gaming Market Update 49:40 - Microsoft-Activision Deal Impact 56:10 - Roblox & Hindenburg Report Discussion 📝 Description: Join us for an in-depth discussion of the hottest topics in gaming! Industry veterans break down recent developments at major gaming companies and what they mean for the future of the industry. We analyze Ubisoft's ongoing struggles, Unity's attempted turnaround under new leadership, AppLovin's rising dominance in mobile advertising, China's gaming market dynamics, and the implications of Microsoft's Activision acquisition. Plus, a quick take on the recent Roblox controversy. Topics include: • Why Western AAA game development is struggling • Unity's technical improvements and business challenges • AppLovin's market dominance in mobile advertising • China gaming market outlook and geopolitical risks • Microsoft's Game Pass strategy and the future of gaming subscriptions • Latest industry M&A activity and valuations Whether you're a game developer, industry executive, or just interested in the business of gaming, this discussion provides valuable insights into where the industry is headed in 2024 and beyond.

Warren Woodward, co-founder and CMO at Upptic, provides real, no-nonsense advice about the current state of mobile performance marketing. What are the current problems and issues in the market and how can studios grow their player base through mobile user acquisition today? OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 0:47 Why Warren is great to talk to about UA 2:00 Current state of mobile marketing & UA: What’s working and not working 12:50 What IDFA really did to mobile marketing 15:30 What happens if fingerprinting goes away 21:50 The problem with imprecise data 25:10 What are the channels and tactics that are currently successful Applovin vs. Unity 31:37 Modern-day performance marketing team structure and staffing 40:19 The importance of unifying teams and data for success - avoiding the “blame game” 45:30 Advantages of UA at massive scale 52:37 Is the future of UA all about “brutal efficiency”? 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Warren Woodward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrendwoodward/ - Upptic: https://upptic.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

Explore the fierce rivalry between Tencent and NetEase, two giants of the gaming industry. Discover Tencent's expansive business strategies and the challenges of penetrating Western markets. Hear personal anecdotes about Tencent's collaborations and internal efficiencies. Get insights into NetEase’s growth opportunities and the competitive dynamics shaping their future. Delve into the regulatory hurdles both companies face within China, revealing the complexities of their global expansion efforts.

Anton Bernstein, CEO of Pocket Worlds, discusses the intricacies of cosmetics monetization in free-to-play games. Learn about player motivations, game design considerations, primary vs. secondary markets, and cultural differences in monetization strategies. Gain valuable insights on key metrics and best practices for successful cosmetic-based revenue in games like Fortnite, CS:GO, and High Rise. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 0:45 Most important topics around cosmetics monetization 2:11 Anton Bernstein background and Pocket World business 3:17 The kinds of games that sell cosmetics well: 6:20 How does Fair to play vs. free to play impact cosmetics sales 11:48 How necessary is high engagement to cosmetics sale? 14:16 How does 1st vs. 3rd person perspective impact kinds of cosmetics sales? 16:38 How does motivation around vanity vs. speculation impact cosmetics sales? 21:00 The best games to study for F2P cosmetics monetization 23:40 ARPU and spend depth for cosmetics sales 27:50 Form of cosmetics sales that perform best: Battle pass, loot box, etc. 31:50 The importance of big IP and scale to sell cosmetics well 35:00 Player motivations behind buying cosmetics 38:55 Cosmetics monetization East vs. West 45:00 Primary vs. secondary markets - developer business model 52:47 KPIs and metrics to watch for cosmetics sales 55:50 Dangers of selling cosmetics 57:32 Final message and contacting Anton 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Anton Bernstein, CEO of Pocket Worlds: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonber/ - Pocket Worlds: https://www.pocketworlds.com/ SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/

Gaming expert Joseph Kim joins a roundtable discussion on the Brawl Stars Godzilla event's impact, revenue increase, and downloads surge. They compare Brawl Stars with Wild Rift, discuss game design, female player base, and insights on kids' preferences. The event mechanics, player reactions, pay-to-win elements, and potential return are analyzed. They also touch on game modes, balance, and participants' experiences with the event.

Exploring the rise and fall of Embracer Group, the implications for future game M&A, comparison with Zynga's strategy, impact of easy money on M&A, split-off companies' outlook, importance of post-acquisition integration, advantages of scale for gaming studios, potential consideration of Roblox, and outlook for M&A in 2024 and beyond.

CEO of Convai, Purnendu Mukherjee, discusses the future of AI NPCs, focusing on technical challenges, application in gaming, competitive advantages, integration steps for developers, economic strategies, and potential impacts on global audiences. Explore insights into AI NPC latency, interactive storytelling, and the entrepreneurial journey of creating human-like AI characters for immersive user experiences.

Comparison between Embracer and Ubisoft in terms of business performance, valuation, and future outlook. Analysis of Embracer's financials, debt situation, tabletop gaming business, and potential growth. Discussion on Ubisoft's financials, upcoming titles, revenue per employee issues, and mobile gaming efforts. Explore concerns and investment potential for both companies, highlighting their strategies and challenges in the gaming industry.