PocketGamer.biz Podcast

PGbiz Podcast
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PocketGamer.biz Podcast

Welcome to your regular glimpse into the business of mobile games. Featuring interviews with games industry experts! Your hosts are the insiders at PocketGamer.biz, the top B2B site for the mobile games industry. It covers the people, technology and deals that drive this multi-billion dollar sector. In our ongoing podcast, you’ll hear the editorial team and their guests dive into the topics and themes at the forefront of the industry. You’ll get unique insight and exclusive Q and As, taking you behind the scenes on the international mobile games scene.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Week in Mobile Games E39 - Mobile's hot new releases and the loot box investigation unpacked

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this week's episode we discuss mobile's hottest new releases, including Infinity Nikki, delve into the BBC's loot box investigation, and debate Ubisoft's obsession with launching Rainbow Six on mobile. ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Everything is a games platform - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/everything-is-a-games-platform/ 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Awards 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/pocket-gamer-awards-2024-winners-revealed/ 👉🏻 Are the UK's top grossing mobile games really breaking loot box rules? - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/are-the-uks-top-grossing-mobile-games-really-breaking-loot-box-rules/ 👉🏻Pokémon TCG Pocket matches 91% of Pokémon Go’s launch month revenue through the power of playground rumours - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/pokmon-tcg-pocket-matches-91-of-pokmon-gos-launch-revenue-through-the-power-of-playground-rumours/ 👉🏻 Rainbow Six Mobile returns with Season Ice Storm ending a near eight-month hiatus - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/rainbow-six-mobile-returns-with-season-ice-storm-ending-a-near-eight-month-hiatus/ 👉🏻 Nominations open for the first Top 30 UK Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/nominations-open-for-first-top-30-uk-game-makers-2025/

    54 min

  2. DEC 4

    Investor Trends Set to Dominate Gaming M&A in 2025 ft. Drake Star’s Michael Metzger

    What made gaming acquisitions attractive in 2024, and what do investors have on their wishlist for 2025? Michael Metzger, Managing Partner at global tech investment bank Drake Star, takes the mic in this episode of the Pocketgamer.biz Podcast to shine a light on the new era of M&A and share advice with studios shaping their growth strategies for the upcoming year. Alongside our host, Peggy Anne Salz, and special co-host Craig Chapple, Michael reveals insights from Drake Star's Global Gaming Report Q3 2024, explaining why 2024 saw a surge in M&A activity—with a 70% year-over-year increase in gaming sales—and how factors like private equity interest, strategic acquisitions, and profitability-focused deals are shaking up the industry status quo. Tune in to determine what's driving the shift, what it means for developers, and why diversification into non-gaming sectors should be on your growth radar for 2025. Drake Star’s Global Gaming Report Q3 2024 - https://www.drakestar.com/news/global-gaming-report-q3-2024 Michael Metzger - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmmetzger/ Drake Star - https://www.drakestar.com/ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:41 - Getting to close 05:42 - Length of acquisition 08:56 - What's driving gaming M&A? 13:00 - Is it sustainable? 17:11 - What are acquiers looking for? 19:49 - Rollups in 2025 23:37 - The financing climate 30:15 - Bullish on blockchain 33:43 - Diversification 35:44 - Investments in 2025 42:09 - Advice for studios * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.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

    49 min

  3. NOV 30

    Week in Mobile Games E38 - Xbox and Adjust mishandle their PR and Supercell's culture revolution

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple and news editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this week's episode we delve into the PR mishandling of Xbox's mobile marketplace plans and the Adjust layoffs. Elsewhere we discuss Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen's insights into the structural and cultural changes at the Clash of Clans developer and how the top grossing charts are evolving. ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Everything is a games platform - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/everything-is-a-games-platform/ 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Awards 2024 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-pocket-gamer-awards-2024-tickets-1042651016257 👉🏻 Microsoft delays Xbox Android store after US court temporarily pauses Google Play remedies - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/microsoft-delays-xbox-android-store-after-us-court-delays-google-play-remedies/ 👉🏻Adjust names new CEO amid layoffs - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/adjust-names-new-ceo-amid-layoffs/ 👉🏻 Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen: “I was actually quite worried about the company" - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/supercells-ilkka-paananen-i-was-actually-quite-worried-about-the-company/ 👉🏻 Full Slush 2024 transcript: Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen on the Clash of Clans developer's evolving culture - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/full-slush-2024-transcript-supercell-ceo-ilkka-paananen-on-the-clash-of-clans-developers-evolving-culture/ 👉🏻 Royal Kingdom is here - Are new hits reshaping the top grossing mobile games charts? - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/royal-kingdom-is-here-are-new-hits-reshaping-the-top-grossing-mobile-games-charts/ 👉🏻"Unconventional characters" and "respect for creative freedom" drive Reverse: 1999’s $100m success - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/unconventional-characters-and-respect-for-creative-freedom-drive-reverse-1999s-100m-success/

    44 min

  4. NOV 26

    Sticky, Loveable, and Loyal: How Developers Create Winning Games with Psychological Segmentation

    Accurate segmentation makes the difference between a good game and a great one, but with the declining availability of third-party data, developers face mounting challenges in finding strategies that drive installs and reduce churn. The opportunity? Psychological segmentation, which taps into player motivations and traits rather than relying on surface-level demographics or behaviors. This week, Joe Schaeppi, CEO and Co-Founder of Solsten, joins our hosts Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow to reveal how this approach gives developers a winning edge. From understanding the "why" behind player behavior to uncovering untapped personas and creating experiences that truly resonate, Joe breaks down how psychology-driven segmentation empowers developers to connect with players on a deeper level. The result? Games that are not only sticky but also lovable and loyalty-worthy. Tune in to learn about the science of resonance, why it beats relevance, and how to design games that foster enduring player relationships and scalable success. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:45 - Risk & fun 04:30 - What kind of player are you? 07:39 - Resonance vs relevance  11:46 - How to use resonance to stand out 19:24 - Solsten is an insurance policy 25:34 - How does Solsten work? 32:37 - It starts during development 36:30 - Values show up during play 40:01 - Integrating brands 46:33 - If 50% of VCs like your idea 50:16 - Favourite games Q&A   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.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

    53 min

  5. NOV 26

    Week in Mobile Games E37 - Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket's blockbuster launch and Royal Kingdom hype

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and News Editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this week's episode we discuss the success of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, Dream Games' big Royal Kingdom launch, and ask: are developers burned out on mobile? ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Everything is a games platform - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/everything-is-a-games-platform/ 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Awards 2024 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-pocket-gamer-awards-2024-tickets-1042651016257

    1h 2m

  6. NOV 19

    The 84% Problem: What Bad Ads Are Costing Game Publishers

    84% of players uninstall games due to disruptive or poorly placed ads, proving that bad ads don't just hurt a game's reputation but its bottom line, too. Our hosts, Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow, dive into AppHarbr's recent report, “Player Sentiments On In-Game Ads” — a one-of-a-kind survey of over 600 players — before Peggy hits the floor at Gamesforum London to ask games professionals how they combat problematic creatives. Ad monetisation and growth experts from Kwalee, Product Madness, Moloco, GameBiz Consulting and Playtika share the steps to taking back control of your game's ad quality and where they see the most growth for games in 2025. Božo Janković - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bozoj/ John Wright - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwright1987/ Bruno Balistrieri - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruno-balistrieri-5b10a8194/ Piyush Mishra - https://www.linkedin.com/in/piyush-mishra-4333a340/ Or Zilberman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/or-zilberman-469834131/ Michael Fortune - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mifortune/ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:35 - AppHarbr Survey 03:41 - Relevance, timing, and quality 07:09 - Božo Janković - GameBiz Consulting 13:57 - John Wright - Kwalee 22:19 - Bruno Balistrieri - Kwalee 24:56 - Piyush Mishra - Product Madness 31:38 - Or Zilberman - Playtika 34:38 - Michael Fortune - Moloco * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.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

    39 min

  7. NOV 18

    Week in Mobile Games E36 - Games industry M&A hits overdrive with Plarium and Easybrain deals

    PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and News Editor Aaron Astle discuss the latest mobile games industry news from the past week. On this week's episode we discuss Miniclip's $1.2 billion acquisition of Easybrain, MTG's big deal for Plarium and ask why is Microsoft talking about mobile acquisitions? ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz 👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/ 👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz 👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz 👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform 👉🏻Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Winners - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/mga2024/winners/ 👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2024 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2024/👉🏻 Everything is a games platform - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/everything-is-a-games-platform/

    1h 8m

  8. NOV 12

    Scrambly.io’s Golden Rules To Fighting Fraud Before It Starts

    Offerwall campaigns are rapidly climbing the ranks of top-performing game-mon strategies, delivering 86.1% higher D7 retention rates compared to rewarded video and interstitials, according to Unity's Mobile Growth and Monetisation Report 2024. The good news: high-value players (and whales) are snapping at the bait. The not-so-good news: a growing appetite for rewards can increase the risk of fraud. This week, Alexander Hrankin, CEO and Co-Founder of Scrambly, joins our host, Peggy Anne Salz, to share how the company’s rewarded-discovery platform connects users with games and apps that match their interests and hunts and blocks bad actors and bots. It will always be an uphill battle, but Alex, once a professional boxer, shares how the right training and a can-do attitude can fight off fraudsters. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 02:09 - Boxing as games training 03:45 - FinTech verification  05:45 - Aspects of user quality 08:05 - Fraud vs a high-value user 11:27 - How to counteract bad actors 13:02 - Which metrics matter? 16:30 - Low-quality vs bad actors 19:50 - Stopping fraud as it happens 21:51 - Shifts in rewarded 25:47 - Advice for studios starting out 31:25 - Favourite games Q&A * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  ** Let's Connect ** 👉🏻 X - https://x.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

    34 min
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About

Welcome to your regular glimpse into the business of mobile games. Featuring interviews with games industry experts! Your hosts are the insiders at PocketGamer.biz, the top B2B site for the mobile games industry. It covers the people, technology and deals that drive this multi-billion dollar sector. In our ongoing podcast, you’ll hear the editorial team and their guests dive into the topics and themes at the forefront of the industry. You’ll get unique insight and exclusive Q and As, taking you behind the scenes on the international mobile games scene.

Information

  • Creator
    PGbiz Podcast
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © PGbiz Podcast
  • Show Website
    PocketGamer.biz Podcast

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