The games industry moves quickly, and while stories may come and go, there are some that we just can’t let go of. So, to give those particularly interesting topics a deeper examination, the PocketGamer.biz team has created a weekly digest to share their thoughts on the most intriguing events in mobile gaming.
Head of Content
Craig Chapple is a freelance analyst, consultant, and writer with specialist knowledge of the games industry. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo, and Develop.
Elden Ring free-to-play mobile game reportedly in the works from Tencent
As a fan of Elden Ring (and the Bloodborne and Dark Souls series), I’m intrigued by Tencent’s plans to create a free-to-play mobile game based on the IP. It comes at a time when Tencent has pulled the plug on titles like Apex Legends Mobile and a Nier game with Square Enix after two years in development. The news also comes after Tencent chairman Pony Ma said the firm had been “resting on its laurels” in the games space. But the fact is, Tencent needs to show returns for its big investments in the global games industry and it needs new hits to navigate the challenging regulatory environment in China.
Elden Ring was a smash hit, but can it really make it as a free-to-play mobile game? The idea seems to brush up against the core of what a Souls game is all about and what the audience would be clamouring for in the next entry into the series. It does feel a bit like a sign of the times. Big gaming IP going cross-platform and companies looking for top licenses to help propel them up the app stores in a tough marketing landscape. I wouldn’t put success past the teams at Tencent, but I’m curious, in light of recent failures in bringing console and PC IP to mobile, how this particular project will fare and if it will ever make it to a global release.
Editor – PocketGamer.biz
Daniel Griffiths is a veteran journalist who has worked on some of the biggest entertainment media brands in the world. He’s interviewed countless big names, and covered countless new releases in the fields of video games, music, movies, tech, gadgets, home improvement, self build, interiors and garden design. Yup, he said garden design… He’s the ex-Editor of PSM2, PSM3, GamesMaster, and Future Music, ex-Deputy Editor of The Official PlayStation Magazine and ex-Group Editor-in-Chief of Electronic Musician, Guitarist, Guitar World, Rhythm, Computer Music, and more. He hates talking about himself.
Apple has acquired more AI companies than any of its competitors
The lack of noticeable updates to Siri since its launch over 12 years ago is striking, given Apple’s track record of annual hardware and software refreshes. However, it seems that Apple is quietly hoovering up AI tech at a greater pace than any of its rivals. The prospect of a significant Siri update is tantalizing and could potentially position it as the fastest and smartest digital assistant on the market. Hopefully, this will be revealed at Apple’s WWDC this year.
Deputy Editor
Paige is the Deputy Editor on PG.biz who, in the past, has worked in games journalism covering new releases, reviews, and news. Coming from a multimedia background, she has dabbled in video editing, photography, graphic and web design! If she’s not writing about the games industry, she can probably be found working through her ever-growing game backlog or buried in a good book.
Disney invests $1.5 billion into Epic Games as it plots new “entertainment universe” with Fortnite
The announcement of Disney’s $1.5 billion investment into Epic Games was quite the story this week. Not only is that a large sum of money, but the deal is between two absolute giants. Love it or hate it, Fortnite has changed the face of gaming and will likely continue to do so, something that Disney is obviously aware of and now wants a piece of.
The story notes that Disney is looking toward creating a new ‘entertainment universe’ where users can play, watch, shop, and engage with content from the world of Disney and everything under its umbrella, such as Star Wars and Marvel. Disney has always had an interest in gaming, but they have lacked a certain level of commitment to it, so to me, it makes complete sense for them to team up with Epic Games to compete in the market. Is this another push toward the elusive metaverse? Perhaps, but buzzwords aside, Disney knows much of its current and future audience are and will be gamers, so they need to create an evolving space for them and what better way to do that than through Fortnite?
