2022 was a year of big news and even bigger industry movements. Mobile gaming was no different. Here are the stories that set the scene back in October 2022.
Celebrating the MENA region in 2022
In October 2022 we took the opportunity to focus on the MENA region with a series of features and profiles on the publishers and developers that make up this most vibrant territory on the mobile landscape.
With not one but two great events coming up in the region in November, our October work set the scene, including the production of our first-ever Top 30 MENA games business guide celebrating companies in the region and helping companies connect with those looking to explore new opportunities.
Tencent loses status as China’s biggest company
Fortunes come and go and 2022 marked an important turning point for Chinese gaming giant Tencent as they lost their grip of the mantle as China’s biggest company.
In fact, by October 2022 the company’s value had fallen 64% from its high in January 2021 – a drop of $623 billion…
Blame the ongoing influx of Chinese gaming legislation. 2021 saw the country halt the issuing of new gaming licences (effectively preventing previously powerhouse developers from releasing new games) as the government sought to rein in what they saw as an unwelcome intrusion into the population’s daily lives. In particular there were strict regulations on young gamers, restricting those under eighteen to one hour of gaming on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Later in the year Tencent would reveal plans to become more international in order to move away from China’s hold.
PlayStation eyes new investment in mobile and PC
It’s easy to rest on your laurels and let the big opportunity in mobile pass you by… Hence sony making moves in October to get into mobile before it’s too late. Or “Make further investments in areas that will strengthen the expansion on to PC, on to mobile and into live services,” as PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst put it.
Although of course best known in the games space for its PlayStation console, Sony spent 2022 making a concerted effort to expand its reach, both with the foundation of PlayStation Mobile and the release of certain PlayStation exclusives, such as Marvel’s Spider-Man, on PC.
BMW Group partners with AirConsole to bring casual gaming into vehicles in 2023
2022 saw gaming in cars become ‘a thing’ with the likes of Mercedes and Volkswagen talking up the power of their in-car entertainment. After all there’s a screen in practically every new car in 2022 – why not put some games on it?
Tesla have had games on their in-car screens since the offset and keen to catch up BMW made perhaps the first major-player move on establishing an in-car standard with its partnership with N-Dream’s AirConsole in October 2022.
“This will make every waiting situation inside the vehicle, such as charging, an enjoyable moment,” said Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President BMW Group Connected Company Development. Just make sure you park up first, eh?
Do you have a favourite mobile story from 2022? Take to Twitter with the hashtag #PocketGamerYearInReview to tell us your highs and lows of the year.
Want more? Our final 2022 round up lands here tomorrow. Happy new year!