Author: Tim Rogers

Snap’s stock plunged 30% on Tuesday after announcing Q4 2023 results that didn’t meet analyst expectations. On the earnings call, CEO Evan Spiegel said the company is taking a few steps this year to fuel growth. These include unifying experience across Stories and Spotlight, improving ad interactions across platforms, and increasing engagement and user growth in North America and Europe. The social network launched its TikTok-rival Spotlight over three years ago and it has seen promising results. Total time spent watching Spotlight increased 175% year-on-year and average monthly active users grew 35% year-on-year, according to the company’s Q4 2023 earnings…

Genshin Impact, released in 2020 across multiple platforms including mobile, has achieved significant success. According to data from data.ai, the game has earned over $5 billion from players worldwide. However, the release of miHoYo’s Honkai: Star Rail last year saw a surge in its popularity, reaching 20 million downloads within two days. This surge in the new game’s success appeared to have caused a decline in the monthly revenue of Genshin Impact soon after. With the release of Honkai: Star Rail, it raised the question of whether Genshin Impact players shifted their focus to the new game. In this analytical…

The foundational vocabulary of any new medium is inherited from that of its predecessor. For example, in the early days of television, many shows were essentially radio programs captured on film. The success of the new medium depends on the development of its own unique vocabulary, setting it apart from previous paradigms. In the case of Vision Pro, the connection to a predecessor is quite apparent. A major part of Apple’s content strategy is the ability to run iPadOS apps on the headset. When users browse the visionOS App Store, they can choose between content developed specifically for the platform…

There has been a lot of talk in the gaming community about Microsoft’s supposed plans to bring Xbox games to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms. Numerous rumors have surfaced, suggesting that Microsoft may be shifting towards a ‘multiplatform focus’ in the near future. Phil Spencer has addressed these claims and has promised to provide clarity on the subject in an upcoming business talk. Many believe that this move indicates a shift towards non-exclusivity, with core Xbox titles being published on rival platforms. This departure from the norm is concerning for Xbox fans, as it may dilute the Xbox brand, particularly if…

Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the gaming industry’s top leaders? Learn more about GamesBeat Summit sponsorship opportunities here. Brands understand that gaming is a powerful opportunity to cultivate the next generation of fans, but finding the right way to reach their target audience is easier said than done. The NFL is doing its best to reach out to new audiences (see Taylor Swift) and gaming is a prime opportunity. For the last two seasons, the league has partnered with Enthusiast Gaming and its production partner WePlay Studios to build weekly original programming designed for fans…

The arrival of Peacemaker in MK 1 has been highly anticipated by fans for quite some time now. While other fighting game series like Tekken have released new installments, MK fans have patiently awaited the arrival of the next DLC character. Now, we finally have a release date for the character – early access for Peacemaker in MK 1 is set to begin in February! The latest addition to the Mortal Kombat’s roster has been teased since its release, and fans have been eagerly awaiting their arrival. Adding more characters to the game is always exciting, especially for one of…

Are you looking to showcase your brand in front of the gaming industry’s top leaders? Learn more about GamesBeat Summit sponsorship opportunities here.  Fast Travel Games announced that Vampire: The Masquerade — Justice launches on SteamVR today. Players on PC can try out the stealth RPG, which follows a vampire stalking the streets of Venice. It was released on the Meta Quest and PlayStation VR2 last year. The new version of the game supports several headsets on PC. Justice is also one of several new Vampire: The Masquerade games that have launched in the last few years, though PC players…

The casual puzzler Chrome Valley Customs, developed by UK developer Space Ape, has had an impressive start, generating $40 million in its first six months. According to Space Ape co-founder Simon Hade in an interview with mobilegamer.biz, the company anticipates that the game will surpass the earnings of their enduring hit Beatstar this year. “We’re expecting Chrome Valley Customs to grow and be our biggest grossing game within the year. For context, Beatstar took two years to gross $120m and Transformers six years to gross $150m – our other games did around $50m each,” Hade told the site. “The Chrome…

Developers have avoided privacy regulations like the GDPR for a long time. However, the upcoming Digital Markets Act in the EU is a game-changer. This means it’s time to take user consent seriously. Regulators have been trying to improve user privacy in the digital content industry for years, with some success. But many creators still disregard the rules. The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is different because it targets gatekeepers rather than individual developers. This means that tech giants like Apple and Google will enforce compliance from any developer using their platforms. This has led to what mobile insiders are…

Spotify, known for its criticism of Apple, responded strongly to Apple’s compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, calling it “extortion” and a “farce.” However, Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek expressed a more tempered view during the Q4 2023 earnings call, stating that there are no real downsides from an investor standpoint and potential significant future upsides as companies can remain on their current terms with Apple. Spotify is among the many vocal critics of the new law, joining others like Epic Games, Mozilla, and Microsoft, who have raised concerns about Apple’s implementation. Apple’s compliance with the law involves complicated new…