Start your week right with our quick take on the stories that are impacting the mobile industry right now.
To help get you primed and ready for another week in mobile gaming, we’ve curated the biggest stories you need to know from the last seven days.
1) Apple rolls out Unity-like Runtime Fee for downloads as it seeks to outrun new EU regulations
The Digital Markets Act is coming into force in the European Union, which aims to challenge the market dominance of big tech companies and create “fairer” conditions for all businesses on large online platforms.
Unity’s response to pressure on its 30% revenue share and App Store exclusivity has been to offer business terms that lower its share to 17%, while adding an annual €0.50 fee per install over one million downloads. The new model is reminiscent of Unity’s controversial Runtime Fee.
2) Apple to the EU: Catch me if you can
Our head of content Craig Chapple analyses Apple’s new business terms for the EU, and what they mean for developers and publishers.
“Apple has shown it won’t go down without a fight, and is willing to change the rules of the game each time it faces a challenge to ensure the house always wins.
“It’s no wonder web shops were the talk of the show at PGC London. Publishers want out.”
3) YouTube Games chief Leo Olebe is among 100 job cuts in their gaming division
YouTube is the latest company in the games and tech space to suffer job cuts, with Google laying off 100 staff. Among them, the firm has let go of the head of YouTube Gaming, Leo Olebe, a seasoned gaming executive who has previously served as Meta’s senior global director for game partnerships.
Not content with founding the developer behind one of the UK’s biggest mobile gaming success stories, Golf Clash, the founders of Playdemic, Paul Gouge and Alex Rigby have launched new studio ForthStar. We caught up with Gouge to find out more about the startup’s plans and why it’s experimenting with a four-day work week.
5) King’s Candy Crush Blast is now available in soft launch
King has been busy expanding the Candy Crush IP into new spaces – with the latest iteration coming in the form of the soft-launched Candy Crush Blast.