Stay Informed with Our Weekly Mobile Industry Roundup
Start your week off right by catching up on the latest news and developments in the mobile industry. To prepare you for the week ahead, we’ve compiled the most significant stories from the past seven days.
1) Monster Hunter Marks 20th Anniversary Milestone
Ryozo Tsujimoto, the series producer for Monster Hunter, expressed gratitude to fans for their unwavering support as the franchise approaches its 20th anniversary. The current roster of games across various platforms, including the mobile title Monster Hunter Now, has continued to keep players engaged with over 10 million installations and $100 million in revenue within a few months.
From its humble beginnings on the PS2, Monster Hunter has expanded to encompass every major gaming system, from the Wii and 3DS to Xbox One, PC, and mobile.
2) Unity Announces Staff Layoffs as Part of Company Restructuring
In an effort to streamline operations and achieve profitable growth, Unity has announced plans to lay off around 1,800 employees, representing 25% of its global workforce. The decision comes as Unity faces challenges, including backlash over the proposed Runtime Fee, which led to a change in plans.
3) Playtika Set to Implement Additional Job Cuts
Following previous rounds of layoffs in 2022, Playtika plans to reduce its workforce by up to 400 employees, representing a 10% reduction. While the impact on its Israeli offices is expected to be minimal, the company continues to navigate changes amidst stock price declines.
4) Mobile Usage and App Installations Reach Record Highs in 2023
According to the State of Mobile 2024 report by data.ai, the mobile landscape experienced significant growth, with 257 billion app installs in 2023, amounting to nearly 500,000 installations per minute. In-app spending also surged to $171 billion, accompanied by a 6% increase in time spent on mobile apps, particularly in the non-gaming app category.
5) China and US Dominate Mobile Game Spending in 2023
The report also highlighted spending discrepancies across regions, with the US and China accounting for over 50% of the $107 billion spent on mobile games in 2023. While smaller territories such as the UK experienced growth in consumer spending, Japan’s spending far surpassed its number of downloads.
