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Ubisoft Appoints Valentine Piedelievre-Eman as Chief Communications Officer

Ubisoft has appointed Valentine Piedelievre-Eman as Chief Communications Officer, effective February 2, 2026. Operating out of the company’s Paris headquarters, Piedelievre-Eman is tasked with leading the development and implementation of a global communications and corporate brand strategy. This role focuses on aligning the company’s narrative with its creative vision and long-term goals while fostering engagement across international teams and player bases. Reporting directly to Cécile Russeil, Executive Vice President of Communications, Corporate Affairs, DIA, Human Resources, and Legal, the appointment is positioned as a strategic move to support Ubisoft’s ongoing comprehensive business transformation. The selection of Piedelievre-Eman brings significant experience from the entertainment and technology sectors to the gaming industry. She previously served as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Western Europe and Africa at Warner Bros. Discovery, managing publicity and corporate messaging for major brands including HBO Max, Eurosport, and Warner Bros. Pictures. Her professional background also includes senior leadership roles at SAP and Expleo, as well as foundational experience in journalism with Bloomberg and the Associated Press. This leadership change occurs as Ubisoft manages a diverse portfolio of global franchises such as Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six. The company reported net bookings of €1.85 billion for the 2024–25 fiscal year, underscoring the scale of the operations Piedelievre-Eman will now oversee from a communications perspective. By elevating communications to a strategic function, Ubisoft aims to better define its corporate narrative and support its business objectives during a period of organizational evolution.

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UbisoftJan 2026

Whitepaper

OmniGrowth Playbook

The OmniGrowth Playbook outlines a strategic framework for integrating e-commerce capabilities into broader business operations to drive significant expansion through 2026. The central thesis posits that traditional retail and digital sales channels must converge into a unified ecosystem to capture shifting consumer behaviors and maximize revenue potential. By prioritizing omnichannel agility, organizations can better navigate the complexities of a post-pandemic marketplace where the distinction between physical and digital touchpoints has largely evaporated. Key findings suggest that businesses adopting integrated e-commerce strategies are projected to see a substantial increase in market share over the next three years. Data indicates that seamless cross-channel experiences lead to higher customer lifetime value and improved retention rates compared to siloed operational models. The analysis emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making, highlighting that companies utilizing advanced analytics to personalize the shopping journey can expect a measurable lift in conversion rates. Furthermore, the strategic focus extends to supply chain optimization and the implementation of scalable technology stacks that support rapid international expansion. The scope of this strategic outlook covers global markets with a particular emphasis on North American and European retail trends from 2023 through 2026. It addresses multiple industry segments, including consumer packaged goods, electronics, and apparel, providing a comprehensive view of the digital transformation landscape. The methodology relies on a synthesis of market performance data, consumer sentiment surveys, and longitudinal studies of high-growth firms. Ultimately, the findings conclude that the transition to an omnigrowth model is no longer optional but a fundamental requirement for maintaining competitiveness in an increasingly digital-first global economy.

market-analysis global marketing

CircanaJan 2026

Report

State of Digital Advertising India 2026

The analysis presents a comprehensive overview of India’s digital‑advertising landscape, emphasizing its rapid expansion and the shifting strategic focus of advertisers. In 2025 the market surpassed the $4 billion threshold and is projected to exceed $5 billion in 2026, reflecting robust demand across multiple verticals. Shopping emerged as the dominant category, accounting for 28 % of total spend and delivering an 18 % year‑on‑year increase, while software recorded the strongest growth rate at 84 % YoY. Food‑and‑dining services and automotive sectors also posted notable gains of 38 % and 4 % respectively, underscoring a diversified expansion beyond traditional e‑commerce. The competitive environment is concentrated among a handful of large advertisers, with Flipkart, Amazon and Reliance leading in impression share. A clear strategic shift is evident toward performance‑driven, audience‑specific creative, as brands increasingly deploy tailored messaging to capture high‑yield, short‑duration placements. This trend intensifies during the festive half‑year, when domestic players in generative‑AI services, food‑delivery, and film promotion amplify spend on segment‑focused creatives to maximize visibility. Overall, the findings illustrate that India’s digital‑advertising ecosystem is entering a phase of accelerated growth, driven by both expanding spend in core categories and a pronounced move toward data‑centric, personalized creative execution. The outlook suggests continued market deepening, with advertisers likely to prioritize precision targeting and seasonal intensity to sustain momentum through 2026.

market-analysis advertising marketing+1

Sensor TowerJan 2026

Report

Digital 2026: Global Overview Report

The global digital landscape continues to expand, with internet penetration reaching nearly two-thirds of the world’s population as of early 2025. This growth is driven primarily by the increasing accessibility of mobile devices and the expansion of high-speed infrastructure in developing economies. Total internet users have surpassed 5.5 billion, representing a steady year-over-year increase that underscores the near-universal integration of digital connectivity into daily life. Mobile remains the primary gateway for this connectivity, accounting for the vast majority of time spent online and influencing consumer behavior across social media, e-commerce, and entertainment sectors. Social media adoption has reached a significant milestone, with active user identities now exceeding 5.2 billion globally. This segment reflects a high degree of platform diversification, as users increasingly spread their time across multiple services rather than relying on a single ecosystem. Video-centric platforms and short-form content continue to dominate engagement metrics, significantly impacting how brands interact with audiences. The average daily time spent on social media remains high, though there is a noticeable shift toward more purposeful and utility-driven usage, such as search and product discovery, rather than passive scrolling. The digital economy is characterized by a robust transition toward mobile-first commerce and integrated financial services. E-commerce adoption remains strong, with a growing percentage of the global population making weekly online purchases. This trend is supported by the rise of social commerce and the integration of seamless payment systems within non-retail applications. Geographically, the most rapid growth is concentrated in South Asia and parts of Africa, while mature markets in North America and Europe show signs of saturation, shifting their focus toward deepening user engagement and increasing average revenue per user through advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and personalized content delivery.

market-analysis player-behavior marketing

We Are SocialJan 2026

Financial

FY2025 Presentation Material

CyberAgent achieved record consolidated net sales of 874 billion yen for the 2025 fiscal year, marking nearly three decades of uninterrupted growth. This performance was characterized by a significant recovery in profitability, as operating income surged nearly 79% to 71.7 billion yen. The primary catalyst for this expansion was the gaming segment, which saw operating income nearly double due to the success of several new hit titles and a six-fold increase in overseas sales following aggressive global expansion. Furthermore, the Media and IP segment reached a major milestone by achieving profitability for the first time since the launch of the ABEMA streaming service, which saw record viewership and a doubling of active users for its original programming. While the gaming and media sectors flourished, the advertising division experienced a 14% decline in operating profit. This contraction resulted from heavy internal investments in artificial intelligence intended to drive long-term structural changes. Despite these costs, overall group sales grew by over 6%, supported by the establishment of new animation studios and expanded global distribution partnerships. The company’s strategic focus remains on diversifying its IP portfolio and leveraging external payment methods to improve margins within its digital storefronts. Looking toward the 2026 fiscal year, the outlook remains stable with projected sales of 880 billion yen, though operating income is expected to moderate to between 50 and 60 billion yen. This conservative forecast accounts for the inherent volatility of the gaming market and the high performance bar set by recent hits. Additionally, the organization is preparing for a significant leadership transition scheduled for late 2025, during which founder Susumu Fujita will transition to Chairman, and Takahiro Yamauchi will assume the role of President to lead the next phase of the company's evolution.

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CyberAgentNov 2025

Legal

Bushiroad Announces “Bushiroad EXPO 2026”: Expanding on a Global Scale

Bushiroad Inc. has officially announced the return of its international event series with Bushiroad EXPO 2026, marking a significant expansion of the company’s global outreach strategy. Building upon the momentum of previous iterations in 2024 and 2025, the upcoming circuit aims to bring the company’s diverse entertainment portfolio to twenty regions worldwide. This expansion reflects a strategic commitment to strengthening the brand's presence in international markets and engaging directly with a growing global fanbase across multiple entertainment verticals. The 2026 series is scheduled to launch with events in Taipei, Bangkok, and Chicago, serving as the initial anchors for a broader global tour. These exhibitions are designed as comprehensive showcases for the Bushiroad Group’s integrated media mix, encompassing trading card games, console gaming, music, live stage performances, and anime. By hosting these events in diverse geographic locations, the company seeks to provide localized experiences that include hands-on demonstration sessions for card games, exclusive merchandise sales, and interactive stage events featuring various intellectual properties. While specific schedules and detailed content lineups remain forthcoming, the initiative underscores a broader industry trend of Japanese entertainment conglomerates seeking direct-to-consumer engagement on a global scale. The scope of the project highlights the company's transition toward a more aggressive international distribution model, utilizing large-scale physical events to unify its various business segments. This multi-region approach serves as both a promotional vehicle for existing products and a foundational effort to cultivate long-term brand loyalty in key Asian and North American markets.

marketing global live-ops

BushiroadNov 2025

Report

Digital Marketing Index Report: Q4 2025

The analysis evaluates global digital‑marketing dynamics for the final quarter of 2025, emphasizing shifts in channel performance, the rise of generative‑AI as a discovery source, and the concentration of retail‑media reach among dominant platforms. Growth patterns reveal a stark regional divide: India stands alone among the five largest markets as the only one posting positive overall change, while other leading economies recorded declines or stagnation. In the United States, retail‑media impressions expanded 13 percent quarter‑over‑quarter to reach 123 billion, with Amazon accounting for the entire volume and delivering more than six times the impressions generated by Walmart. This concentration underscores Amazon’s expanding role as the primary conduit for retail‑media exposure in North America. Across the same period, generative‑AI referrals, although still representing less than one percent of total traffic, surged dramatically—up 133 percent year‑over‑year in the United States, United Kingdom and France, and 126 percent in Canada. The rapid acceleration signals that chat‑based assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are emerging as significant discovery engines despite their modest share of overall visits. Conversely, traditional organic search experienced the only decline among major acquisition channels, falling four percent year‑over‑year. Paid advertising, email marketing and other performance‑driven tactics continued to post gains, reinforcing a broader transition toward paid and AI‑augmented pathways for user acquisition. The findings collectively illustrate a digital‑marketing ecosystem increasingly dominated by platform‑centric retail media and AI‑driven referral mechanisms, while legacy search channels lose ground in mature markets.

marketing advertising global+2

Sensor TowerOct 2025

Report

Southeast Asia: Mobile Game Market Insights 2025

Southeast Asia solidified its position as the world’s second-largest mobile gaming market by downloads in early 2025, reaching 1.93 billion installs. While the region currently ranks seventh globally in revenue at $625 million, it demonstrates significant monetization potential fueled by expanding digital payment infrastructure and rising smartphone penetration. Indonesia serves as the primary volume driver with 870 million installs, while Thailand leads the region in consumer spending, generating $162 million. This growth is increasingly supported by publishers based in Singapore and Vietnam, who have emerged as a dominant global force, contributing over 5.8 billion installs to the international market through a mix of hypercasual hits and competitive titles. Market dynamics reveal a shift toward high-engagement genres and localized content strategies. Although casual arcade and simulation games drive the highest download volumes, monetization is concentrated in Strategy, MOBA, and RPG segments. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang remains the regional revenue leader, sustained by hyper-local live operations and community engagement. Simultaneously, the 4X Strategy genre is experiencing rapid expansion, highlighted by a 77.7% revenue surge for titles like Last War: Survival. Conversely, traditional MMORPGs have seen a decline of nearly 20%, making way for Open World Adventure RPGs and sophisticated strategy games that leverage deep social and competitive mechanics. The regional landscape is characterized by distinct national preferences and the global expansion of local firms. Vietnam has become a powerhouse for survival-themed hypercasual games, while Thailand shows a unique affinity for realistic sports simulations. Established titles like Garena Free Fire continue to dominate global charts by blending cultural relevance with nostalgic collaborations. Ultimately, the region’s trajectory is defined by a transition from high-volume downloads to sophisticated monetization, driven by a combination of community-led activations and the strategic global influence of Southeast Asian publishers.

market-analysis mobile southeast-asia+3

Sensor TowerJun 2025

Financial

2Q FY2025 Presentation Material

CyberAgent achieved record-high consolidated sales of 217.3 billion yen in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, representing a 1.2% year-on-year increase. This growth was primarily fueled by the Media and Internet Advertisement segments, which offset a 23.4% revenue decline in the Game business. Despite the year-on-year dip in gaming—attributed to a high-base comparison from a major release in the previous year—the segment demonstrated a significant 4.6x quarter-on-quarter profit recovery. Overall operating profit reached 20.8 billion yen, placing the company in a strong position to meet its annual targets, with current earnings already accounting for nearly 70% of the full-year forecast. The strategic focus has shifted toward a high-profit business model that integrates Media and IP segments to create a global ecosystem for intellectual property production and monetization. To stabilize and grow the gaming division, the company is leveraging a pipeline of six upcoming titles, including high-profile projects like Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, while expanding high-margin external payment methods. Furthermore, the aggressive implementation of artificial intelligence remains a core operational priority, evidenced by the launch of an internal AI agent platform designed to enhance advertising effectiveness and internal efficiency. Corporate governance and long-term sustainability are addressed through the CyberAgent Way 2024 framework, which emphasizes succession planning and ESG initiatives. The company maintains a diverse and valuable portfolio of intellectual property, featuring major titles such as Umamusume: Pretty Derby and Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade. While the current financial trajectory remains positive, future performance remains subject to market volatility and the inherent risks of the competitive digital entertainment and advertising landscapes. This balanced approach between established media services and new technological integration defines the current fiscal strategy.

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CyberAgentMay 2025

Report

Retail Media Playbook: United States

Retail media has emerged as the fastest-growing digital advertising channel, with United States expenditures projected to reach $130 billion by 2028. While established giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Target command the largest share of total investment, emerging platforms such as Uber Eats and Meijer are experiencing triple-digit year-over-year growth. This expansion is characterized by a strategic shift toward full-funnel marketing, where brands leverage retailer first-party data to coordinate off-site awareness campaigns with on-site conversion tactics. Success in this landscape requires precise benchmarking against category-specific trends and competitor flighting strategies, particularly during high-intent seasonal windows like Black Friday and Memorial Day. The current investment landscape reveals a significant diversification into off-site channels, with Facebook, OTT, and YouTube receiving the highest allocations. However, social platforms like Instagram and TikTok are currently the fastest-growing segments for retail media spend. Despite this diversification, Amazon remains the dominant market leader, recording $261 million in spend in early 2025. Amazon’s strategy is uniquely focused on high-intent shoppers, with 53% of its ad spend occurring on-site. This concentration is even more pronounced among top-tier advertisers like L’Oréal and Samsung, who often allocate over 90% of their budgets to Amazon’s on-site display ads to capture consumers at the point of purchase. Geographic variations further define the global retail media market, as platform dominance shifts across borders. While Amazon leads in the United States, Facebook serves as the primary retail media channel in the United Kingdom, and YouTube leads in Canada. Regardless of the region, the industry is moving toward a mobile-led environment where the integration of on-site and off-site data is essential for maintaining a competitive edge. Brands must balance these multi-channel investments to navigate the increasing complexity of the retail media ecosystem and capitalize on the rapid growth of both established and emerging platforms.

market-analysis advertising marketing+1

Sensor TowerApr 2025

Report

Digital 2025: Global Overview Report

The global digital landscape in 2025 reflects a state of near-ubiquity in connectivity, with internet users now accounting for approximately two-thirds of the total world population. This expansion is driven primarily by the continued proliferation of mobile devices and the expansion of high-speed infrastructure in developing regions. Mobile phones have solidified their position as the primary gateway to the internet, capturing the vast majority of daily screen time and serving as the central hub for social interaction, financial transactions, and entertainment consumption. Social media engagement remains a dominant force in digital behavior, with the average user now spending more than two and a half hours per day across various platforms. While established networks maintain high total user counts, newer short-form video platforms are capturing a disproportionate share of attention and driving cultural trends. This shift toward video-centric content is reshaping the digital advertising market, as brands increasingly prioritize immersive, algorithmically driven placements over traditional search or display formats. The digital economy continues to evolve as e-commerce integration becomes more seamless within social ecosystems. Consumers are increasingly comfortable making purchases directly through social interfaces, a trend that is particularly pronounced in Asian markets but gaining significant traction globally. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence into consumer-facing applications is beginning to alter search behaviors and content creation, signaling a transition toward more personalized and automated digital experiences. These findings underscore a global environment where the boundaries between physical and digital life are increasingly indistinguishable.

market-analysis global advertising+2

We Are SocialJan 2025

Legal

Joint Industry Statement

A coalition of European and international industry associations representing technology, media, banking, hospitality, travel, e‑commerce and fintech firms has voiced collective concern over the proposed unconditional refund right for merchant‑initiated transactions (MITs) in the EU Payment Services Regulation. The central argument is that extending the eight‑week unconditional refund provision, originally designed for SEPA Direct Debits (SDDs), to all MITs would create an unbalanced regulatory framework that undermines legal certainty, increases fraud risk and jeopardises the sustainability of many business models across the European economy. The coalition points to existing consumer protections under PSD2, which already grant an unconditional eight‑week refund for SDDs and a conditional dispute right for MITs, as sufficient. It cites a 2024 consumer fraud survey indicating that 40 % of adults admitted to some form of online fraud in the past year, 45 % view exploiting policy loopholes as acceptable, and 26 % regularly use multiple accounts to obtain free digital content. Extending unconditional refunds to MITs would likely amplify these behaviours, exposing merchants to systematic refund claims for goods and services already consumed. Sector‑specific analysis highlights heightened vulnerability for digital content providers, hospitality operators and subscription‑based e‑commerce services, where unconditional refunds could erode revenue predictability, increase operational costs and strain smaller merchants. The coalition warns that such outcomes run counter to EU objectives of supporting SMEs and maintaining a trustworthy payments ecosystem. The position urges legislators to retain the refund right exclusively for SDDs, rely on the existing PSD2 dispute mechanisms, and await the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act before introducing additional consumer‑protection measures in payments law.

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Video Games EuropeJan 2025

Report

Target. Connect. Engage: Driving Profitable App Growth with Revenue-Boosting Strategies

The central argument is that a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) has become indispensable for app‑centric marketers seeking accurate, privacy‑compliant attribution and real‑time insight across the full acquisition funnel. By delivering granular user‑behavior data, fraud protection and cross‑platform visibility, an MMP enables precise budget allocation, higher return on ad spend (ROAS) and longer‑term value (LTV) while meeting the expectations of today’s consumers—71 % of whom demand personalized interactions and 76 % who become frustrated when they are absent. Industry analysis shows that without deep attribution, 20‑50 % of marketing spend is wasted. Privacy‑first changes on iOS and Android have accelerated the adoption of SKAdNetwork‑based solutions, single‑source‑of‑truth attribution, value‑modeling and data clean‑rooms. When combined with TikTok’s self‑reporting network, value‑based optimization (VBO) and app‑event optimization (AEO), marketers gain richer, privacy‑safe signals that translate into measurable performance gains; for example, Rappi recorded an eight‑fold lift in user acquisition and a 26 % improvement in key metrics after integrating the stack. Case studies illustrate the impact at scale. Carrefour Brazil’s TikTok‑focused, creator‑driven strategy produced a 29 % increase in in‑app revenue and a 17 % rise in new users within three months, delivering ROI three times higher than other display and video channels, while a single video generated over three million views and a click‑through rate more than 50 × the industry benchmark. Real‑time cost and revenue APIs from AppsFlyer allow marketers to identify low‑ROAS campaigns instantly and reallocate spend, supported by best‑practice guidance on creative measurement, granular in‑app events, data sharing via Data Locker and incrementality testing. New users can access three months of free TikTok mobile measurement to begin optimizing immediately.

marketing user-acquisition mobile+1

AppsFlyerJan 2025

Report

Mapping IP fandom with the Global Gamer Study

This analysis explores the intersection of intellectual property (IP) fandom and player engagement within the global gaming industry. The primary thesis is that while transmedia collaborations are essential for driving player acquisition and retention in a live-service landscape, the effectiveness of an IP is heavily dictated by regional awareness and cultural sentiment. Success in global gaming requires a move away from one-size-fits-all licensing toward market-specific strategies that align with local fanbases. The findings are based on the 2025 Global Gamer Study, which surveyed over 73,000 consumers across 36 markets, tracking awareness and attitudes toward 42 popular entertainment IPs. Data indicates that a majority of gamers in 24 of the 36 countries are more likely to play a game featuring their favorite IP. This influence is strongest in South Asia (74%) and Latin America (64%), while Western Europe and Oceania show more reserved engagement levels (45%). The research categorizes IPs into four quadrants based on the relationship between awareness and favorability. Global Favorites, such as Harry Potter and Disney, maintain near-universal recognition (90%) and high sentiment. Familiar Faces like Star Wars and Barbie possess high awareness but suffer from polarizing or lower favorability in specific regions. Hidden Gems, including Studio Ghibli and various anime titles, maintain niche global awareness but command intense loyalty in specific markets like Japan or Vietnam. Finally, IPs with Limited Appeal, such as Doctor Who or Percy Jackson, struggle with both low recognition and lukewarm sentiment outside their core territories. Geographic variations are stark; for instance, anime franchises like Dragon Ball achieve 85–90% awareness in Latin America and Southeast Asia, nearly double their recognition in the West. Conversely, Western staples like DC Comics see high awareness in the U.S. (70%) but significantly lower traction in Japan (21%). The study concludes that cultural resonance, linguistic accessibility, and historical distribution patterns are the primary drivers of IP success in the gaming sector.

market-analysis player-behavior marketing+1

NewzooJan 2025

Report

Plan Your Chart-Topping Game Launch: Monster Hunter Case Study

The case study demonstrates how Capcom leveraged Stream Hatchet’s campaign platform and Sideqik’s influencer‑management tools to create a viral cultural moment for the launch of Monster Hunter Wilds. The core strategy combined a 12‑hour marathon live stream hosted by high‑profile YouTube creator iShowSpeed, bespoke in‑game weapon and armor designs from cosplay influencers, and a DLC‑code giveaway that directed viewers to a custom landing page. Data‑driven planning, contract coordination, and cross‑team communication were used to ensure seamless execution and to maximize both paid and earned reach across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitch. Performance metrics show the initiative generated 5.03 million earned‑media views, placing iShowSpeed at the fifth‑most‑watched Monster Hunter Wilds streamer on launch day, and achieved a 7.1 percent engagement rate on earned media. Seventy‑two earned‑media posts contributed to the view total, while platform‑level analysis recorded earned‑view shares of roughly 3.8 percent and paid‑view shares of 3.7 percent, with an overall engagement rate of 3.2 percent. Overlap analysis identified a low‑overlap, large‑audience segment of approximately 7.2 million Twitch users, informing future audience‑targeting decisions. The methodology relied on Stream Hatchet and Sideqik SaaS platforms to capture real‑time chat sentiment, viewer overlap, benchmark comparisons, and code‑distribution analytics. A dedicated team of data analysts produced a comprehensive post‑campaign report that highlighted strengths, weaknesses, and actionable modifications for subsequent launches. The campaign’s geographic scope was global, focusing on the major streaming ecosystems active in early 2025, and targeted the core gaming and esports audience segments associated with action‑RPG titles.

marketing game-launch streaming+1

Stream HatchetJan 2025

Report

The Global State of Game Publishing & Marketing 2025 Industry Report

The global game publishing market is entering a period of significant expansion, with revenues projected to rise from $117.4 billion in 2025 to $150.5 billion by 2030. This growth is underpinned by a fundamental shift toward digital distribution, which already accounted for 95% of industry revenue in 2023. While traditional publishers maintain a competitive edge through high-budget user acquisition and advanced analytics, the democratization of the industry via platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store has enabled self-published titles to achieve massive commercial success. Consequently, the industry is moving toward a hybrid landscape where multiplatform launches have increased by 40% to maximize player engagement and revenue potential. Strategic success in the current market relies heavily on closed-loop marketing and data-driven publishing. Developers are increasingly utilizing real-time telemetry and AI analytics to optimize player retention and monetization strategies. This is particularly evident in the rise of Live Service Games, with 95% of studios now developing titles designed for recurring revenue. However, community management and influencer marketing have emerged as equally vital pillars; approximately 40% of gamers now make purchases based on creator recommendations, and social touchpoints drive over 54% of player motivation to continue gameplay. Furthermore, transmedia collaborations, such as television adaptations of gaming franchises, have doubled their share of box office revenues, illustrating the power of cross-media synergy. The monetization landscape is further diversifying through the growth of subscription services and the esports sector. Subscriptions are expected to reach 318 million active users and a $21.6 billion valuation by 2030, while the esports market is projected to hit $87.7 billion in the same timeframe. To navigate this complexity, many developers are adopting publishing-as-a-service models and leveraging AI to manage diverse revenue streams across platforms. Ultimately, the integration of cross-platform development, which can boost revenue by up to 40%, combined with sophisticated digital marketing and community-focused strategies, defines the modern trajectory of the global gaming industry.

market-analysis market-forecast marketing+1

Game Publishing & Marketing SummitJan 2025

Report

From Games to the Big Screen: The Impact of IP Across Platforms

The entertainment industry is increasingly leveraging a transmedia strategy where video game intellectual property serves as the foundation for high-budget scripted content. This approach creates a symbiotic relationship between platforms, where the release of films and television series triggers a boomerang effect that revitalizes interest in the original games. Data indicates that these adaptations drive significant growth across multiple metrics, including active users, digital downloads, and in-app purchases, while simultaneously boosting the performance of the streaming services hosting the content. The scope of this analysis covers major cross-platform releases between 2024 and 2025, focusing on global mobile, PC, and console gaming segments alongside digital advertising and streaming app performance. Key findings highlight the success of the Minecraft movie, which grossed over $900 million and led to a 44% spike in mobile in-app revenue and a 36% increase in console sales. Similarly, the Fallout television series drove a 23% increase in Amazon Prime Video downloads and a massive 410% surge in daily sales for Fallout 4 on PC. The longevity of this impact is notable, with daily active users for legacy Fallout titles remaining 225% higher for up to 20 weeks following the show's premiere. Methodology relies on proprietary data from Sensor Tower, tracking digital market insights, app usage, and advertising spend. The data reveals that strategic marketing is essential to this success; for instance, Amazon increased its desktop video ad spend twentyfold to promote Fallout, specifically targeting gaming-focused platforms like Twitch and IGN. While results vary based on the faithfulness of the adaptation and the monetization model of the game, the overarching trend suggests that transmedia releases are a powerful tool for re-engaging historical players and attracting new audiences to established gaming franchises.

market-analysis player-behavior marketing+2

Sensor TowerJan 2025

Report

Creative Analytics

The mobile advertising landscape in the third quarter of 2023 reveals a shifting environment characterized by a decline in total advertisers but a significant surge in video-centric content. Data indicates that the total number of advertisers fell to 54,900, a 7% year-over-year decrease compared to the 59,000 recorded in the third quarter of 2022. Despite this overall contraction, the gaming, entertainment, and lifestyle verticals maintained upward momentum in advertiser activity. In the United States specifically, the market saw 4.68 billion downloads and $6.5 billion in revenue, with gaming securing the top position in both metrics despite slight year-over-year market drops. Creative strategies have pivoted heavily toward video formats, which now account for 80% of all creatives, up from 69% in the previous quarter. This growth comes at the expense of static images, while playable ads remain a niche segment at 2% of the market. Analysis of the 15.2 million total creatives shows a heavy platform bias toward Android, which hosts 68% of ad content compared to 32% on iOS. In the competitive US market, top-tier advertisers maintain a massive scale, averaging nearly 54,000 creatives across nine different ad networks. The rise of User-Generated Content (UGC) has become a central pillar of modern mobile UA strategy. Effective creative execution now relies on organic trends, charismatic creators, and native storytelling techniques. Key findings suggest that successful UGC ads utilize "problem-solution" narratives, text overlays to accommodate sound-off viewing, and sketches that align with brand values. By leveraging creators who mirror the target audience and utilizing cliffhangers or popular music, advertisers are increasingly focusing on engagement and virality to offset the broader downward trend in the number of active market participants.

marketing advertising in-game-advertising+2

AppticaJan 2025

Report

Strategies for Creating Global Hit Formats: Exporting and Localizing K-Broadcast Formats

The interview with Jin‑Woo Hwang, CEO and executive producer of Something Special, outlines a strategic framework for turning Korean broadcast formats into globally successful products. Central to the thesis is that formats must be conceived with a “global‑oriented concept” and then deliberately exported and localized, rather than relying on passive inbound interest. Hwang identifies six core attributes—simplicity, flexibility, scalability, authenticity, compelling storytelling, and play‑along participation—that distinguish formats capable of crossing cultural boundaries, and he emphasizes the “Korean Twist,” a hybrid, genre‑blending approach that reflects Korea’s dynamic audience preferences. The discussion situates these ideas within a practical scope that spans Asia, Europe, and North America. Something Special’s recent LEAP project with Taiwan’s Creative Content Agency, alongside new co‑development deals with major French and Spanish media firms, illustrates active outbound collaboration. Past successes such as “Grandpas Over Flowers” and “I Can See Your Voice” are cited as case studies where market insight, differentiation articulation, and extensive pitching were essential. Hwang stresses that legal risk management—registering formats with FRAPA’s Format Registration System, maintaining detailed e‑trail documentation, and constructing a “format bible” for localization—are critical to protecting intellectual property and enhancing commercial value. Technology is addressed as both an opportunity and a challenge; AI and VR can enrich format expression, yet integrating these tools abroad requires careful cost‑benefit analysis and protection of core technologies. Hwang warns that entering the U.S. market without experience in intermediate territories often demands significant sacrifice, underscoring the need for a stepwise, experience‑based expansion strategy. Ultimately, the interview calls for Korean producers to choose active global expansion, invest in long‑term partnerships, and view format export as a dual process of contract negotiation and sustained localization, positioning Something Special as a hub for Korea’s future format IP ecosystem.

game-development marketing global+1

KOCCA – Korea Creative Content AgencyJan 2025

Report

Securing Competitiveness in Human-Creativity-Driven BGM Production in the Age of AI-Generated Music: South Korea

The interview with Hong Eun‑Ji, CEO of T2Sound, examines how background‑music (BGM) producers in South Korea can preserve competitive advantage as AI‑generated music becomes increasingly affordable and rapid. The central thesis is that human creativity—particularly the ability to convey authentic emotion and intent—remains the decisive factor that AI cannot replicate, and that leveraging AI as a collaborative tool rather than a threat can enhance, not replace, the artistic value of BGM. Key insights emphasize that quality and emotional resonance, achieved through meticulous mixing and mastering, are the core values guiding T2Sound’s work. The company prioritises collaboration with external creators, believing that collective expertise yields richer nuance than isolated in‑house production. Market trends reveal a shift among overseas buyers toward tracks with distinctive sonic signatures rather than generic pleasantness, and Korean BGM’s success abroad is linked to its unique emotional line and texture. In short‑form media, the interview highlights the necessity of an immediate, memorable hook within the first few seconds to secure brand recognition and audience immersion. Looking ahead to 2026, the conversation predicts a consolidation around financially proven genres such as hip‑hop and trot in Korea, reflecting an industry increasingly driven by economic sustainability. The interview’s qualitative methodology—direct dialogue with a leading BGM provider—offers a focused perspective on the evolving interplay between AI tools, human artistry, and global market demands within the South Korean audio‑content sector.

ai south-korea market-analysis+1

KOCCA – Korea Creative Content AgencyJan 2025