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The video games business strikes shortly and whereas tales might come and go there are some that we simply cannot let go of…
So, to present these significantly thorny subjects an extra going over we have created a weekly digest the place the members of the PocketGamer.biz group share their ideas and go that little bit deeper on a number of the extra fascinating issues which have occurred in cellular gaming previously week.

Craig Chapple
Head of Content material
Aonic on the state of video games funding in 2025 and ideas for elevating funds
Over the previous six months, anecdotally, it’s felt like extra funding money has labored its approach again into the video games business.
We’ve been reporting on a bunch of reports tales – simply this previous week, Circle Video games raised $7.25 million, Million Victories secured $40m, Gamezop obtained $4m, and International Worldwide closed an “oversubscribed” funding spherical.
Make no mistake – it’s nonetheless powerful on the market. The ambiance at this week’s Develop: Brighton would flip pretty glum when it got here to the subject of the state of the business, significantly within the wake of Microsoft’s mass layoffs and the again of a tricky few years.
I hosted a hearth chat with Aonic co-founder and chief product officer Olliver Heins on stage on the present, who has expertise each acquiring funding and offering funds for different studios.

When he raised cash for his first firm, Heins mentioned he contacted 700 completely different traders in three months. In the meantime at Aonic, securing the corporate’s current €152 million ($160m) increase took a yr, with the funds set to be deployed on M&A and supporting its present portfolio.
He mentioned funding was making its approach again into the business, however it’s rather more selective.
“They’re rather more targeted on doing the best due diligence,” he mentioned. “Years in the past you might go to an investor and say ‘hey, I used to work for Blizzard 20 years in the past’, ‘oh, right here’s your cheque’. The video games business, significantly with Covid, was so hyped, it was very straightforward to get large, large investments.
“Now, you continue to can get large investments, however in addition they realized they should be educated in regards to the business.”
For recommendations on navigating the present funding panorama, remember to take a look at the complete article.

Pokémon Go celebrates ninth anniversary and $8.8bn in gross participant spending
Pokémon Go celebrated its ninth anniversary on July sixth, a significant achievement for any cellular sport – not to mention one of many greatest on the earth, persevering with to common nearly $1 billion in participant spending yearly.
That’s primarily based on AppMagic estimates of Google Play and App Retailer income, so Go’s true earnings are seemingly increased nonetheless. However from these shops alone, the AR large has nonetheless achieved a colossal $8.8bn in its lifetime.
In fact, this was additionally Go’s first anniversary to be celebrated below Scopely’s possession.

It was a reasonably predictable occasion – Pokémon carrying occasion hats, appearances from outdated classics Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle, and new celebratory apparel for gamers’ avatars. However of all issues, the newest piece of art work did seize my consideration, quietly that includes two Paradox Pokémon from Swap video games Scarlet and Violet.
Nice Tusk and Iron Valiant made appearances within the promotional piece – historic and futuristic variants of Donphan – all however confirming these creatures will probably be making their strategy to the sport, and opening the floodgates to extra Paradox Pokémon thereafter.
I suppose that’s becoming for Go’s tenth yr, to have a look at the previous and future each.