In this week’s episode, Xander and Warren really dive into the nitty-gritty of current events.
First, we discuss AppLovin’s new Vessel app – a marketplace where mobile game developers can integrate NFTs into games to drive engagement and revenue. This sits at the intersection of three huge areas of focus for us: Web3, mobile games, and performance marketing. It’s exciting news – and also interesting in the fact that AppLovin has managed to work within Apple’s strict policies to bring an NFT marketplace into the App Store.
Next we discuss Google’s announcement that Stadia will be shutting down in January. The cloud-gaming service has struggled to gain traction, but the company believes the technology will be useful in other areas of its business – such as with industry partners, YouTube, Google Play, etc. Google will be refunding all Stadia hardware, games, and add-ons purchased through Stadia’s store.
In another gaming goodbye, Playtika is shuttering Best Fiends maker Seriously – supposedly over discord and clashes between the studio and its parent company on aggressive monetization, budgeting, and other issues. Leaks regarding the fallout seem to heavily favor Seriously, which likely indicates they came from sources within the studio. An article from Mobilegamer.biz promises that a new studio will “rise from the ashes” in coming months.
Shifting to incoming games, we highlight the release of Overwatch 2 and it’s interesting pivot into a completely live-services model. The game is also doing away with loot boxes in favor of a new in-game shop that uses in-game currency. It’s been a long time coming, but that’s not surprising given everything Blizzard has been through in the last few years.
Finally, we end on the news that App Store net revenue declined 5% year-over-year for the month of September – a record low for the store. The news was highlighted by Stephanie Link and retweeted by Eric Seufert, who noted that “ATT wreaked havoc on the mobile gaming market, which comprises the vast majority of App Store revenues. The growth of Apple’s ad platform, substantial as it has been, was not sufficient to offset that loss within the broader Services category.”
Industry Insights
AppLovin Launches First NFT Marketplace for App Developers to Monetize Mobile Gaming
Google is shutting down Stadia in January 2023
Playtika closes Best Fiends maker Seriously after clash over studio direction
Overwatch 2 Explained: Battle Pass, Shop, Hero Unlocks, and More
Twitter thread on App Store revenue news
Need help using data to grow your mobile game? Let’s talk!