[LATEST UPDATE: March 31st] As the COVID-19 novel coronavirus continues its spread and has hit pandemic level, there has been a growing impact on the game industry. The game sector’s problems, of course, are trivial compared to the millions impacted and the potential danger to millions more across the world.  However, the earlier Taipei Game Show and Mobile World Congress were previously cancelled amidst concerns around the virus, the potential arrival of the next-generation consoles may – or may not – [...]

The classic video game arcade has almost become a trope for nostalgia. They appear across contemporary fiction as shorthand for a fondly remembered version of the 1970s and 1980s. The arcade’s ‘passing’ is often lamented in tandem with warm, fuzzy memories of growing up in those decades; even if that lamenting started while arcades were still active. Indeed, arcades are still active. Here in the UK there may be very little of any ‘arcade industry’ remaining, and that is true at many [...]

TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: Team17 picks up Yippee Entertainment; Worldwide Christmas spend on apps tops USD$277m (£209.6m); and Nexon sells off mobile development subsidiary for JPN¥1 (£0.007). Team17 picks up Yippee Entertainment Long-standing UK developer and publisher Team17 has acquired Yippee Entertainment for close to £1.4m. Founded in 2011, Yippee develops own IP alongside end-to-end creation of games on a third-party basis. The company has also served as a digital publisher. Now wholly owned [...]

TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: Tencent to leverage partnership with Nintendo; US gaming industry ad spend reaches USD$60.3m (£47.2m); and Homescapes passes USD$1bn (£782m) in lifetime revenue. Tencent to leverage partnership with Nintendo Tencent is seeking to sell more console titles in the US and Europe by leveraging its current partnership with Nintendo, according to an representative speaking to The Wall Street Journal on condition of anonymity. The official stated, “What we want [...]

TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: Niantic establishes developer fund and location sponsorship; China and US agree to roll back tariffs; and US gaming spending reaches USD$9.18bn (£7.13bn) in Q3 2019. Niantic establishes developer fund and location sponsorship Niantic has announced that it has established the Niantic Creator Program, a USD$10m (£7.8m) sponsorship fund for developers of augmented reality (AR) titles. Successful applicants to the programme will also be eligible for direct support from [...]

TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: The FCC can repeal net neutrality; Rune raises USD$2m (£1.62m); and AlphaDream files for bankruptcy. The FCC can repeal net neutrality – Court of Appeals The US District of Columbia Court of Appeals has upheld the right of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to repeal net neutrality, ruling against Mozilla which brought the court case forward. However the court also ruled that individual states could maintain net neutrality [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the trending stories in gaming. In today’s edition: THQ Nordic sales increase by 36%, announces multiple acquisitions; Loot Crate files for bankruptcy; and US delays tariffs on China-made games consoles. THQ Nordic sales increase by 36%, announces multiple acquisitions THQ Nordic AB has released its interim report for Q1 FY 2019-2020, announcing that net sales have increased during this period by 36% year-on-year to SEK1.142bn (£99m). The growth has largely been attributed to strong sales on its [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the trending stories in gaming. In today’s news: PlayStation 4 has sold 100 million units worldwide; GitHub access restricted in Iran, Syria and Crimea; and Qualcomm and Tencent announce partnership. PlayStation 4 has sold 100 million units worldwide Sony’s PlayStation 4 has sold 100 million units worldwide since its launch in November 2013, reportedly making it the fastest home console to reach this milestone, surpassing the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo Wii. 3.2 million PS4 units were [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the trending stories in gaming. In today’s news: Harry Potter Wizards Unite due to gross USD£10m (£7.85m) in first month; Nintendo opens second retail store; and US government blocks League of Legends in Iran and Syria. Harry Potter Wizards Unite due to gross USD£10m in first month Mobile AR title Harry Potter Wizards Unite is due to take in USD$10m (£7.85m) in its first month, according to data from analytics body Sensor Tower. The title shifted 400,000 [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the trending stories in gaming. In today’s news: global gaming market set to generate USD$152.1bn (£121.3bn) in 2019; Bernie Sanders endorses game industry unionisation; and Twitch acquires social networking platform Bebo. Global gaming market set to generate USD$152.1bn (£121.3bn) in 2019 The global gaming market is set to generate USD$152.1bn (£121.3bn) in revenue through 2019, an increase of 9.6% on last year, according to a study from analytics and market research company Newzoo. The US is also set [...]