Game Publishing reports and market data
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Fireside Chat: How Yodo1 Grew Transformers: Earth Wars Webshop Revenue Share 2.2× In Under A Year.
This discussion examines the successful implementation of a direct-to-consumer (DTC) web shop strategy for the mobile game Transformers: Earth Wars, which resulted in a 2.2-fold increase in web shop revenue share within one year.
- Yodo1 Games increased the webshop revenue share for Transformers: Earth Wars by 2.2x in under a year by shifting player spending away from in-game stores to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) web platform.
- Moving transactions to a webshop allows developers to bypass the 25-30% commission fees typically charged by Google and Apple, significantly increasing profit margins.
- To drive initial traffic and habituate users to the webshop, Yodo1 offered free gifts and lower-value conversion bundles that were not available inside the game.
Session: D2C Monetisation: A Cost-Saving Shift Or Something More? - Liam Wiltshire, Tebex
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) monetization in the gaming industry has evolved from a simple cost-saving measure into a strategic necessity for long-term growth.
- D2C monetization is shifting from a platform-fee avoidance strategy to a core growth engine focused on enhancing player lifetime value (LTV) and direct engagement.
- In many global regions, up to 70% of transactions are conducted via local wallets or alternative payment methods rather than traditional credit cards, necessitating localized payment strategies.
- Successful D2C implementation requires treating payments as a specialized product function to manage the complexities of global tax compliance, fraud detection, and chargeback mitigation.
Session: Bringing Your Mobile Title To The Epic Games Store - Walter Somol, Epic Games
The Epic Games Store (EGS) is actively expanding its footprint as a multi-platform ecosystem, positioning itself as a unified storefront for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android.
- The Epic Games Store (EGS) now offers a revenue share model where developers keep 100% of the first $1 million in revenue per title per year, followed by the standard 88/12 split.
- EGS operates as a multi-platform store across PC, Mac, Android (globally), and iOS (in the EU, with expansion planned for Brazil, Japan, and the UK).
- The platform achieved $1 billion in total PC ecosystem spend in 2024, with over two-thirds of its players actively engaging with third-party content rather than just first-party titles.
Session: How To Get To 30% DTC Revenue Share - Omer Torok-Arlosoroff, Appcharge.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) revenue strategies have transitioned from optional experiments to mandatory components for mobile game studios.
- Direct-to-consumer (DTC) web stores are now considered a mandatory strategy for mobile game studios, with top performers achieving 30% to 40% of their total revenue share through these channels.
- Achieving three repeat purchases on a web store creates a high retention threshold, with an 84% probability that the user will continue to conduct the majority of their future transactions there.
- Web store offers should prioritize adding 15% to 25% more value to a purchase rather than offering simple discounts, as this approach is more effective at driving both first-time deposits and higher average revenue per user.
Session: What’s Really Limiting Publisher Monetisation Today - Olga Zharuk, TeqBlaze.
Modern mobile game monetization is increasingly hindered by an overly complex ad technology stack that strips publishers of essential control over their own revenue streams.
- The modern mobile ad tech stack has become overly fragmented, forcing publishers to rely on multiple vendors and mediation platforms that prioritize their own internal metrics over the publisher's long-term business health.
- Current monetization infrastructure functions as a 'black box,' preventing publishers from auditing auction outcomes, diagnosing revenue fluctuations, or maintaining granular control over the specific ads displayed in their apps.
- Loss of control over the ad stack creates operational risks, including the unintentional promotion of direct competitors and the delivery of poor-quality, long-form ads that negatively impact player retention.
Panel: Running DTC at Scale - Lessons From Mobile Game Leaders.
This panel discussion explores the strategic shift toward Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) models within the mobile gaming industry, emphasizing how publishers are leveraging web shops to bypass traditional app store fees and improve monetization.
- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) web shops are now a core strategic requirement for mobile game publishers to bypass app store fees and improve monetization in a difficult user acquisition environment.
- Aggressive education of creators and players can drive rapid adoption, with one platform increasing web shop revenue from 10% to 40% in just a few months.
- Successful DTC implementation requires integrating the web shop into the core product vision rather than treating it as a bolted-on utility.
Session: Bring Your Games To China—Unity China Publish Service - Wang Wei, Unity.
The Chinese gaming market represents approximately one-quarter of the global industry, with a player base of nearly 700 million people.
- The Chinese gaming market represents approximately 25% of the global industry, with mobile games accounting for 70% of total revenue.
- Mini-games—playable directly within apps like WeChat and TikTok without downloads—are a major growth driver, with the sector expected to reach $10 billion annually by 2025.
- Entering the Chinese market requires navigating a fragmented ecosystem of local app stores (e.g., Huawei, Xiaomi, TapTap) and obtaining a government-issued ISBN number, which is mandatory for legal monetization.
Fireside Chat: A Life in Mobile: From Games to Music to Apps – 15 Years of Wins, Losses and Learns.
This discussion explores the evolution of mobile development through the career of Simon Hade, a veteran entrepreneur who transitioned from founding the mobile studio Space Ape to his current role as Head of New Subjects at Duolingo.
- Duolingo is actively recruiting game developers to transition from traditional gaming to app-based product development, focusing on making core user experiences inherently fun rather than relying solely on gamification or paywall-focused product management.
- The shift in the mobile industry has moved from the early era of 'aping' successful titles like Clash of Clans to a current landscape where success requires deep product differentiation and specialized studio expertise.
- Modern studio fundraising now requires a complete, experienced team and a clear ambition to build a game that can self-fund the studio, as investors are less likely to fund concepts without proven execution capabilities.
Welcome to PocketGamer Connects London 2026 - Chris James, Steel Media.
PocketGamer Connects London 2026 serves as a milestone event for Steel Media, marking the company’s 20th anniversary.
- The global games industry saw a record year for M&A activity in 2024, with a total deal flow of $161 billion across acquisitions and investments.
- While early-stage investment in new companies declined to $509 million, the overall market remains active with over 150 investors attending the event to seek new opportunities.
- Despite high-profile struggles in the AAA sector, smaller projects and indie titles continue to achieve significant commercial success and industry recognition.
TWiG #369: Genie 3 Explodes, Game Stores Die, & High Guard Stumbles
The gaming industry is currently undergoing a period of intense volatility, characterized by the rapid obsolescence of traditional retail models and the disruptive, often speculative, influence of generative artificial intelligence.
- The unveiling of Google DeepMind’s Genie 3, capable of generating 3D environments, triggered a $47 billion valuation drop across the gaming sector as markets reacted to the potential disruption of traditional production models.
- Physical game retail is in a state of collapse, evidenced by widespread storefront closures in the UK and the downsizing of major chains, cementing digital distribution as the industry's undisputed standard.
- High-budget marketing playbooks are failing to sustain player retention, as demonstrated by Highguard’s rapid decline despite high initial visibility, highlighting the necessity of clear value propositions and transparent community engagement.
How D2C lets you "take the power back" from app stores | David Stelzer from AppCharge #PGConnects
The direct-to-consumer (D2C) model in the mobile gaming industry has evolved from a niche strategy into a necessary operational framework for developers and publishers seeking to reclaim control over their revenue and customer relationships.
- Converting 20% to 25% of total player traffic to D2C channels is considered a benchmark for success, resulting in substantial cost savings and improved profit margins.
- D2C storefronts allow developers to bypass app store restrictions by implementing features like multi-item carts, alternative currency exchanges, and direct loyalty programs.
- Web-based storefronts function as comprehensive IP hubs that integrate physical merchandise, linear media, and community initiatives, rather than serving solely as transaction points.
Vietnam's Mobile Dev Opportunity
Vietnam’s mobile game sector has evolved from a consumer-centric market into a burgeoning production hub, driven by a skilled talent pool forged through outsourcing, stringent regulatory frameworks that forced local publishing entities to emerge, and the explosive rise of mobile gaming.
- Vietnam has emerged as a major global mobile development hub with over 35,000 game programmers and more than 300 active local publishers.
- In 2024, five Vietnamese studios ranked among the world’s top 25 publishers, generating 2.4 billion downloads and $133 million in revenue.
- Since 2020, the sector has experienced significant growth, marked by a 67% increase in downloads and an 82% rise in earnings.