Mobile Games Playbook

Welcome to the 50th episode of the Mobile Games Playbook podcast!

We're thrilled to have reached this milestone; thank you to all the listeners who’ve been a part of this amazing journey.

In this special edition, we’re taking a deep dive into the dynamic world of mobile gaming in China.

We’ll discover what makes China an unrivalled hub for mobile gaming as we delve into the fascinating phenomenon of...

Join us as we explore the exciting world of Final Fantasy.

In this episode, we'll uncover the legacy of this iconic franchise within the JRPG genre and its transformative impact on the world of mobile games. From its inception to its latest mobile adaptations, we'll discuss Final Fantasy's remarkable evolution and ability to captivate a new generation of gamers.

We’ll look into how Final Fantasy&ap...

Join us as we unravel the exciting details of the latest addition to the Pokémon universe: Pokémon Sleep. This innovative app has taken the concept of gamification to a whole new level by transforming how we approach sleep.

Are there benefits to merging gaming with sleep? Find out how Pokémon Sleep stacks up against other sleep-related apps. We'll delve into the unique features that make Pokémon Sleep a standout exper...

This episode delves into the dynamic and diverse world of women in gaming. Karen Chen, Account Executive at Liftoff, and Paula Neves, Senior Product Manager at Zynga, join us to spotlight women's challenges and discuss their unique perspectives on the industry.

Despite the proliferation of mobile games aimed at women, there remains a concern for more representation of women in various job roles within the gaming world. We will ...

In this episode, we will be delving into the latest trends in LiveOps and how game studios are utilizing live events to increase player engagement and revenue. Expert analysts from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company, will discuss their new Live Events Tracker tool, which enables game developers to stay ahead of the competition by comparing and analyzing live events across various games and genres.

In the wake of Apple's...

Say farewell to The Mobile GameDev Playbook, as we introduce the new and improved Mobile Games Playbook, brought to you by Liftoff. 

Investing in young talent is crucial for the growth and development of the game development industry because it brings fresh perspectives, new ideas, and diverse backgrounds to the industry, which is vital to safeguard the future of game development. 

Join us as we delve deeper into ...

Is there room for others to succeed in a market dominated by so few companies?

Join us as we explore the current state of the mobile shooter market, the top games dominating the market, their market shares, and the different types of shooters available.

You won't want to miss our overview of games like CoD: Warzone Mobile, Arena Breakout, Undawn Vitality, Division Mobile, Destiny Mobile, and Valorant.

Why have some of the biggest names in the industry pivoted away from gacha-based monetization systems?


Join us as we explore the response from players to these changes in popular games like Brawl Stars, Mario Kart, Diablo Immortal, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Overwatch, Marvel Snap, and Arena Breakout.


We'll examine how these changes have affected players' progression and gameplay experience an...

What makes Marvel Snap such a hit?

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, we review Marvel Snaps’ success, key features, and the first major update. We also discuss the game’s monetization, thoughts on its future and the overall CCG genre.

Joined by Joel Julkunen, Head of Analytics and Chief Game Analyst, Erno Kiiski, from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company. 

You can find The Mobile GameDev Playbook...

What trends and features to look forward to in 2023!

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, we’re joined by Wilhelm Voutilainen and Teemu Palomäki, Chief Game Analysts from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company, to discuss key trends in 2023. 

We discuss upcoming releases, potential new genres, and exciting trends.

We also cover shooter games, predictions for monetization changes, events trends, and what will happen ...

Examining the merge genre and EverMerge.

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, we’re joined by Sergey Neskin, the CEO & co-founder of Neskin Games, and Chief Game Analyst Kalle Heikkinen from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company, to discuss the hit mobile game EverMerge: Merge 3 Puzzle.

We cover what inspired the game, the growth of the merge genre and how it’s evolved, interesting trends, and predictions for the f...

What were the hottest mobile game design trends in 2022? 

In this episode, we look back at 2022 and reflect on the biggest trends that happened in mobile games. Joining us are our resident experts and Chief Game Analysts from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company, Kalle Heikkinen and Erno Kiiski.

We examine some standout releases, trends in gameplay events and features as well as trends in monetization. 

You can now find The ...

How can brands get their IPs into mobile games?

In this episode, we discuss the complexities and processes of how brands and licenses can get their IPs into mobile games. Joining us from Layer Licensing is CEO and Founder, Rachit Moti, and from Tilting Point is Chief Business Officer, Asi Burak, as well as resident expert from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company, Chief Game Analyst Kalle Heikkinen.

We examine the challenges enc...

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, we look at how monetization features have evolved from 2020 till now. Joining us from GameRefinery, a Liftoff Company, are Chief Game Analysts Erno Kiiski and Wilhelm Voutilainen.

We explore innovation in battle passes, IAP mechanics, external web stores, and what monetization may look like in the future for mobile games like Cookie Run: Kingdom, Call of Duty Mobile, and Royal Mat...

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, Mike Taramykin, the founder of HypGames, and Chief Game Analyst Teemu Palomäki from GameRefinery, a Liftoff company, join our host Jon Jordan to discuss the celebrity partnerships in mobile games.

We delve into the strategy behind celebrity partnerships and analyze mobile collaboration trends this year while sharing heartwarming anecdotes of working with stars including Tiger Wood...

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, we’re joined by GameRefinery, a Liftoff company, analysts Erno Kiiski and Sonja Skoglund, who will be discussing seasonal events in mobile games. 

We will cover noteworthy events, interesting trends, and what these events may look like in the future for the three major markets - the USA, Japan, and China. 

You can now find The Mobile GameDev Playbook on GameRefinery’s Youtube ...

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, Teis Mikkelsen, the founder of Multiscription, and senior market analyst Kalle Heikkinen from GameRefinery, a Liftoff company, joins our host Jon Jordan to discuss the topic of subscriptions in mobile gaming.

We will cover the exciting trends in mobile game subscriptions, their mechanisms, the Unleashd service, and what the future may look like for this increasingly common trend. 

...

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, Bob Slinn, Head of Business Development at FunPlus, and game analyst Milka Paunonen from GameRefinery, a Liftoff company, joins our host Jon Jordan to discuss State of Survival’s well-deserved wins in the most recent Mobile GameDev Awards!

We will discuss the development and inspiration behind State of Survival, the recent trends in the 4x strategy genre, its wins in the categories of ...

In this episode of the Mobile GameDev Playbook, we’re joined by GameRefinery, a Liftoff company analysts Erno Kiiski and Kalle Heikkinen for a special episode looking at the games that won at the Mobile GameDev Awards. 

The Mobile GameDev Awards are an annual set of awards by GameRefinery to recognize and celebrate innovation and excellence in mobile games. We will cover what made these games and studios win their respective categor...