Mergers & Acquisitions reports and market data
524 documents·48 writers·1,233 charts and tables
Documents
The Game Business25 min
Tencent’s bid to create the next FromSoftware and Larian
Tencent Games, through its Interactive Entertainment and Game Global (IEG) division, is actively pursuing a long-term strategy to cultivate category-leading game studios capable of achieving the global success seen by developers like FromSoftware and Larian.
- Tencent is shifting its global strategy to cultivate category-leading studios capable of producing high-quality console and PC titles, modeled after the success of FromSoftware and Larian.
- The company currently manages approximately 20 studios worldwide, utilizing a 'long game' approach that prioritizes creative autonomy and operational support over rigid corporate oversight.
- Tencent is leveraging the global success of Chinese-developed titles like Black Myth: Wukong to bridge the gap between its traditional mobile-centric expertise and the high-end console market.
The Game BusinessSep 2026
Deconstructor of Fun52 min
Life at the Speed of Play: Mark Pincus, Zynga founder, on Leadership and Risk
Product success in the gaming industry hinges on the ability to distinguish between intuitive instincts and flawed ideas.
- The gaming industry has grown from a $23 billion market in 2007 to a $280 billion global powerhouse, yet it remains dominated by ephemeral, time-wasting experiences that lack social or dimensional depth.
- Founders should utilize the 'proven, better, new' strategic framework, which anchors products in established mechanics and incremental improvements to mitigate the high failure rates of purely novel features.
- Effective leadership requires a 'democratic dictatorship' model where CEOs prioritize being right over being liked, dedicating at least 50% of their time to product strategy rather than administrative tasks.
Deconstructor of FunSep 2026
Deconstructor of Fun59 min
TWIG #402: Xbox Bets on Kojima, Halo Gets Handed to CoD and AppLovin Hits the Road
The gaming industry is currently undergoing a period of intense structural realignment, characterized by aggressive consolidation and a strategic pivot toward transmedia expansion.
- Microsoft is restructuring its internal studios into vertical business units—Activision, Bethesda, and King—to streamline operations and reduce corporate hierarchy.
- The Halo franchise has been moved under the Activision umbrella as part of a strategic effort to stabilize the brand's performance.
- Microsoft has taken control of Hideo Kojima’s espionage project, Physint, following Sony's withdrawal due to concerns over high production costs and limited commercial reach.
Deconstructor of FunSep 2026
Jason Schreier24 min
Xbox Layoffs, Halo To Activision, Destiny's Back (And More)
The gaming industry is currently navigating a period of significant structural shifts, characterized by ongoing corporate restructuring, long-term project planning, and strategic pivots for major franchises.
- Microsoft is laying off approximately 300 additional employees as part of an ongoing restructuring, with the company reporting it is now 75% through its planned reset.
- Halo development is being moved to Activision, with a small team remaining at Halo Studios to support existing games and the community, while Playground Games and Turn 10 are merging.
- Bungie has reversed its stance on the future of the Destiny franchise, announcing that Destiny 2 will unvault previous campaigns, destinations, and raids to remain a foundational part of the studio's future.
Jason SchreierSep 2026
Mobilegamer.biz18 min
Oakever Games shenanigans, King and the Xbox cuts, Hipster Whale, One State, Monopoly Go, more
The mobile games industry is currently navigating a period of significant structural change, legal scrutiny, and strategic consolidation.
- Oakever Games is facing multiple copyright infringement lawsuits, including a loss to Hungry Studio regarding the game Qblock, amid allegations that the company systematically clones successful titles and uses aggressive user acquisition to drown out competitors.
- Xbox’s latest restructuring resulted in 268 job cuts across its first-party studios, though the mobile-focused King division appears largely unaffected, despite looming strike actions in its Stockholm and Malmo offices.
- Hipster Whale, following its acquisition by Atari for $29.3 million, has gained access to Atari’s deep IP archive and plans to develop modern takes on classic titles like Pong, Breakout, and Centipede for mobile.
Mobilegamer.bizSep 2026
Deconstructor of Fun52 min
How 15 People Built a $50M Mobile Studio After a Failed Sale | Michael Martinez, FunCraft
FunCraft demonstrates that a lean, high-output mobile studio can achieve significant financial scale by prioritizing operational efficiency and rapid iteration over traditional development cycles.
- FunCraft achieved a $50 million annual revenue run rate with a lean team of only 15 people, resulting in $2.4 million in revenue per employee.
- The studio utilizes a proprietary HTML5 engine to maintain a rapid development cycle, allowing for the launch of new titles in as little as six weeks.
- The business model relies on a portfolio-based strategy that aggregates revenue across multiple turn-based titles rather than depending on a single hit franchise.
Deconstructor of FunSep 2026
Mobilegamer.biz19 min
That EA-Scopely supergroup, Reform's mobile game, King strikes, Mattel, Roblox, Mizuguchi, more
The mobile games industry is currently navigating significant shifts in corporate consolidation, regulatory pressure, and platform evolution.
- Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is considering a merger of its gaming assets, including Savvy Games Group, EA, Scopely, and Moonton, to create a unified gaming supergroup.
- King faces potential strikes at its Stockholm and Malmo offices on September 25th following a year-long dispute over a collective bargaining agreement that the company rejected in June.
- Roblox announced new technology allowing creators to export games as standalone native titles for mobile, PC, and console, alongside a new 'Roblox Wallet' for daily real-currency creator payouts.
Mobilegamer.bizSep 2026
Two & a Half Gamers11 min
🚨📢BREAKING NEWS: EA merging with Savvy? Chinese market hits $50bn, Pokemon GO record spend week
The gaming industry is currently experiencing significant shifts driven by market expansion in China, potential large-scale corporate consolidation, and aggressive monetization strategies.
- The Saudi Public Investment Fund is reportedly exploring a merger between Electronic Arts and Savvy Games Group, a move that would consolidate major franchises including EA Sports FC, Battlefield, and Monopoly Go.
- The Chinese gaming market has surpassed $50 billion in annual revenue, with a projected player base of 769 million by 2030 and mini-games now accounting for nearly 20% of mobile revenue.
- Live-service optimization continues to drive record-breaking performance, evidenced by Pokémon Go achieving its highest weekly revenue since launch and Delta Force reaching $10 million in daily spending.
Two & a Half GamersSep 2026
Mobilegamer.biz21 min
Games on iPhone Duo, Lego builds mobile arm, more App Store news, August’s top performers and more
The mobile games industry is currently navigating significant shifts in hardware, corporate strategy, and market performance.
- Apple's new iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display, an A20 Pro chip with a seven-core GPU, and performance metrics claiming up to 40% faster graphics and 35% better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro.
- Reports indicate that new Apple leadership, including App Store boss Eddy Cue and CEO John Ternus, are seeking to increase App Store revenue, a strategy that reportedly contributed to the departure of former head Phil Schiller.
- LEGO Digital Play has acquired Offroad Games, the developer behind Chrome Valley Customs, as part of an expansion of its London-based mobile gaming division.
Mobilegamer.bizSep 2026
PocketGamer.biz37 min
Gamescom 2026 insights and Sony Music's shock Puzzle & Dragons investment | Week in Mobile Games
The global gaming industry is currently navigating a period of strategic realignment, characterized by shifting developer allegiances, significant capital movements, and a renewed focus on core gameplay experiences.
- Sony Music has acquired a 23.29% stake in GungHo Online Entertainment, the developer behind the mobile hit Puzzle & Dragons.
- Godot is gaining significant market share as an open-source alternative to established engines, becoming the most-used engine in the GMTK Game Jam with 47% usage compared to 39% the previous year.
- W4 Games, a company supporting the Godot engine ecosystem, has secured $18 million in new investment.
PocketGamer.bizSep 2026
Jason Schreier21 min
How Double Fine Survived The Xbox Bloodbath
Double Fine Productions, the San Francisco-based studio led by Tim Schafer, has returned to independence following a seven-year tenure under Microsoft’s Xbox division.
- After seven years under the Xbox umbrella, Double Fine has returned to independence following a shift in Microsoft's corporate strategy under Sarah Bond, which prioritized higher profit margins over the studio's niche, quirky output.
- The transition to independence involved a grueling negotiation process in June 2026, resulting in Double Fine securing ownership of its intellectual property and necessary runway capital, though the studio was forced to lay off 23 employees.
- Double Fine is pivoting to a 'Double Fine Action Labs' model, focusing on smaller, experimental titles and rapid prototyping to mitigate the financial risks associated with high-budget game development.
Jason SchreierSep 2026
Deconstructor of Fun58 min
TWIG #399: GTA VI Breaks Netflix, EU Targets Roblox and Zero Company's Studio Implodes
Gamescom 2024 solidified its status as a premier global event, drawing 368,000 attendees with a significant 72% of exhibitors originating from outside Germany.
- Gamescom 2024 attracted 368,000 attendees with 72% of exhibitors based outside Germany, underscoring the event's evolution into a global, fan-centric industry hub.
- The marketing campaign for GTA VI has reached non-traditional audiences through partnerships like Netflix, driving early pre-order revenue estimates of $500 million.
- The European Union has designated Roblox as a 'very large online platform,' signaling a shift toward stricter regulatory oversight for major gaming platforms.
Deconstructor of FunSep 2026