Gaming
Exclusive Q&A with Alexandre Salem, Global Director of Gaming Partnerships at Huawei
We have had an enlightening interview with Alexandre Salem, Global Director of Gaming Partnerships at Huawei.
Here he talks about the Huawei Gaming Ecosystem, how it’s gearing up to challenge the near duopoly Google Playstore and Apple Appstore, and why game developers shouldn’t miss it.
Here is the full text of the interview.
Q. Let us begin with a brief introduction to the Huawei Gaming Ecosystem. How does it help to facilitate the ultimate mobile gaming experience for users?
A. AppGallery is the official app distribution platform at Huawei, and the third-largest app marketplace in the world. We’ve designed it as a gateway to some of the latest and most exciting mobile game experiences for consumers.
When we look at the increase in people gaming around the world, it’s clear just how significant a role app marketplaces will have to play. We’re looking at 3.2 billion global gamers by 2023, and from that we’re predicting over two thirds will be on a mobile device.
To drive the global growth that we’re seeing, we provide our developers with the innovative technology they need to create the ultimate gaming experiences for their customers. Developers can integrate with elements of Huawei’s HMS Core for example to harness the unique software and hardware capabilities – all in the name of imagining new gameplay for mobile gamers.
There’s also the choice of integrating with app development tools for different Huawei devices, enabling gamers to switch between a MatePad and a P40, for example, with little effort and an overall seamless and enjoyable experience.
We’re already proud of our reputation for building quality hardware to facilitate a superior gaming experience for users, bringning some really unique gameplay to the table. Take Perfect World Games’ ReEvolve, for example. It’s the first mobile game that you can play on folding screen technology.
We’re also continuously looking to grow the number of mobile games available on AppGallery, with the aim of establishing Huawei as a true powerhouse of mobile gaming. Last year for example we launched a one-stop gaming platform for our more committed gamers called GameCenter, promoting an even richer gaming experience to those interested in exclusive discounts, unique gameplay and an exciting reward scheme. While AppGallery is Huawei’s comprehensive marketplace for all app categories, users who particularly love games can download GameCenter for an end-to-end game service.
Q. Could you provide some key stats regarding the number of users, games and developers in the Huawei Gaming Ecosystem currently?
A. AppGallery’s progress is something we’re really excited about. Considering the platform is only three years old in overseas markets, we already have a huge selection of convenient, fun and innovative gaming options to choose from. AppGallery caters to the different interests of its committed mobile gamers, from role-playing, action, MOBA, and MMORPG, to puzzle, turn-based and idle games.
In line with the growth of mobile gaming that we’re seeing more generally, AppGallery is also expanding – there are now 500% more games available on the platform compared to a year ago. Our users are often amongst the first to experience innovative new gameplay from around the world, with launches from the past year including AFK Arena, Asphalt 9: Legends, Clash of Kings and many more.
AppGallery continues to see strong growth in gaming availability, with over 12,000 games available and over 80 million games installed overall. Furthermore, there has been a 100% growth in games revenue in 2020 compared to 2019, and a 120% growth in paying players.
Thanks to the ongoing development of the HMS ecosystem, AppGallery now has 540 million monthly active users. There are 2.7 million registered developers worldwide, 134,000 apps integrated with HMS Core and, in 2020, we saw 384.4 billion app distributions (174 billion more than the previous year) – many of which are attributable to the mobile gaming sector.
Q. Huawei AppGallery boldly attempts to challenge the near duopoly of Google Play store and the App Store. What do developers and publishers gain exclusively by choosing AppGallery?
A. Something that sets AppGallery apart from competitors is the close relationship that we have with developers. We work closely with our partners to identify their own aspirations and desires – and not just in the gaming space.
Something that receives a lot of great feedback from developers and mobile users alike is our dedication to technical and marketing support. We implement a “Global + Local” Strategy, designed to help developers utilise our platform. It works both ways, because not only are we supporting smaller developers at the local level, but we’re also providing our diverse global customer base with the most relevant apps and games for them.
We also provide one-stop, full-spectrum operational support for developers worldwide, covering the entire development cycle. From ideation, development, distribution, operation to data analytics for global developers, we’re there to help. And the partnership doesn’t end at launch – we have dedicated teams to provide ongoing business and commercial support.
Building an ecosystem from scratch is something that takes a lot of time – we’ve been working on this for three years and the progress is so exciting. We’ll continue to prioritise our partners, providing them with an opportunity to tap into the competitive mobile market.
Another differentiating benefit we bring to our gaming partners is an in-depth expertise in the Chinese market, the largest in the world in players number and revenue. For the developers interested in penetrating this market, we can bring a suite of tailor-made services to maximize the chances of success.
Q. Tell us about the advantages and support that game developers can enjoy as part of the Huawei Ecosystem.
Mobile gaming is a huge market and one that is growing significantly. Something that we advocate for at Huawei is helping developers to get their foot on the ladder and grow within an increasingly competitive space.
With this in mind, we empower local developers with our on-the-ground support. We now have five global developer centres in Romania, Egypt, Mexico, Malaysia and Russia. We also have three ecosystem labs in Germany, Poland and Russia, as well as over 20 online Huawei Developer Day (HDD) events throughout the year. Developers can also utilise the seven DigiX Lab Innovation laboratories – they’re based in Dublin, Moscow, Düsseldorf, Mexico, Dubai, Johannesburg and Singapore. Here, developers can access real machine debugging, development capability experiences and other tools and guidance.
Our collaboration with developers doesn’t stop when a game is on-boarded in AppGallery. Our goal is to support gaming developers in attracting, converting and retaining as many players as possible. We don’t hesitate to roll up our sleeves alongside our gaming partners to run co-marketing campaigns to boost games discoverability.
Q. What are the options for monetization and the advertisement support that publishers can enjoy as part of the Huawei Ecosystem?
A. Something that we’re passionate about at Huawei is aligning our partners’ business development goals with the tools they need to achieve them. There are a variety of different HMS Core Kits that developers can choose to integrate with to harness the unique software and hardware capabilities we have on offer.
This includes the Huawei Ads Kit which empowers developers to create high-quality and personalized ads within their apps. Alongside the easy-to-use Publisher Service, developers can work seamlessly with third-party advertising and tracking platforms to monitor ad success. We also have a range of platforms to encourage our partners to boost their revenue, from the traffic monetization platform − a one-stop platform for developers to earn more − to advertising identifiers and conversion attributions.
In a nutshell, we provide a flexible set of services for gaming developers to fit their business models, whether they monetize through IAP, ads, premium paid games or a mix of those revenue streams.
Q. Could you enlighten us on the user data protection measures that Huawei has taken to ensure that the personal information of users is not compromised? This is probably an area where even the biggest companies on the internet have an inconsistent record.
A. AppGallery has a full-cycle security and protection system, including developer real-name verification, a four-step review process, download and installation protection as well as a prevention mechanism for secure app operation. Protecting user privacy and security is something that we take very seriously.
In addition to ensuring that all default apps fully comply with privacy compliance requirements, EMUI provides permit management, notification management, audio/video reminders, location service management and other privacy settings for apps, giving users visibility and control over their permissions.
Huawei has also established local data storage in six regional centres and 15 data centres worldwide. Complying with the localized service distribution and deployment policy, personal information is encrypted and stored in the area to which the user belongs. For example, Huawei stores all European user data in Germany, where rules and regulations call for the highest standards of user privacy.
To further ensure the safety of our users, we have implemented an age rating system globally, which intelligently blocks non-age-appropriate content according to user settings to provide a safe and healthy application environment for underage users.
Q. Huawei is betting big on the Internet of Things (IoT). How do you think the IoT is going to make its mark in the gaming sector?
A. In two years’, time, we expect to see 2.6 billion gamers streaming and competing together on mobile devices. The IoT is another area where we have a reputation for taking the lead and driving an industrial-scale digital transformation. Through our all-scenario, modular solutions, we’ll ensure that our mobile gamers have access to the smoothest possible gameplay experience.
In the next few years, we expect to see gamers having access to an increasing number of smart devices and wanting to play their favourite games in a frictionless manner across those devices. Let’s imagine the following user journey: a gamer might receive a notification on their smart watch reminding them to a play the next shooter game level. They might pass a few levels during the commute to work on a smartphone, and continue playing at home on a tablet, before competing with friends on a smart TV over the weekend. This type of cross-device and cross-platform gameplay will require developers to evolve their game development practices. It will mean that we need to bring hardware and software making this “omni-channel gaming” possible.
Q. Finally, what are Huawei’s major initiatives in the near future to deliver the ultimate mobile gaming experience?
A. Our top priority remains our users – we’ll continue to provide them with access to the best, most relevant mobile games in the world. There are a number of unique ways in which we’re able to do this. For example, we listen to our global customers’ needs through Wishlist – a tool that AppGallery users can use to recommend an app that they’d like to see available on the platform.
We also have staff dedicated to reading users’ feedback in Wishlist and analysing apps with the most votes. This allows us to prioritise the most wanted apps and ensure that consumer appeal is addressed, so that AppGallery is adapting to the fast-changing mobile app landscape.
We are also keeping in mind gamers needs and preferences when we design and launch new hardware on the market. I am extremely excited about our line-up of smartphones, smart TVs, connected watches and other devices and I am intimately convinced that this hardware ecosystem will bring the gaming experience to a new level.
Looking at the growth that the gaming industry has seen this year alone, it’s our mission to ensure that Huawei remains at the forefront of mobile gaming.
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Central Europe
Number of companies and employees in German games industry falls for first time in years
After years of growth, the number of companies and employees in the German games industry declined in 2025. This was announced today by game – The German Games Industry Association on the basis of data from gamesmap.de in cooperation with Goldmedia. According to the data, the number of companies in Germany that develop and/or publish games has dropped by 4 per cent within the past year, to 910. The boom in start-ups in the games sector, which was set in motion by the introduction of the German Federal Games Funding Programme in 2020, has now completely subsided. Last year’s figures already indicated a clear slowdown. This decline was due in particular to the consolidation of the global games market and the unreliable availability of games funding to date in Germany.
Three times since 2020, there have been months-long suspensions placed on funding applications. Despite the newly registered drop, the number of companies has risen by 46 per cent overall since the initial start of the games funding programme in 2020. Of the 910 present companies, 454 work exclusively in game development and 52 exclusively as publishers. The remaining 404 companies are active in both the development and publishing of games.
‘Last year was another very difficult one for the German games industry,’ says Felix Falk, Managing Director of game. ‘Germany’s international competitiveness was further decreased by the ongoing flip-flopping of the games funding policy, which ran right into the consolidation wave that swept the global games sector. Fortunately, the new federal government has already taken the necessary steps to level the playing field for companies in this country. The future funding budget is to be increased and thus adjusted to actual needs, and applications can be submitted from August onwards. These are crucial growth impulses that are urgently needed. The additional funds will not only give companies more planning security, but also time to implement additional tax breaks for games, as set out in the coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD. The improved conditions will finally give games companies a boost, which will hopefully soon be reflected in more start-ups and the creation of new jobs.’
The number of employees at games companies in Germany has also declined over the last year. Whereas game developers and publishers employed 12,408 workers in 2024, the current figure stands at just 12,134 – a drop of 2 per cent. As with the number of companies, the employee numbers had previously shown strong growth since the introduction of the games funding programme at the federal level: a rise of 23 per cent from 2020 to 2024. The recent decline indicates that the current conditions for the games industry, which offer limited scope for planning due to the repeated funding application stoppages and significant current funding restrictions, are having an impact on the job market. A year ago, there were still more companies with ongoing projects that were internationally competitive thanks to funding at levels comparable to those in other countries – financing that had stabilised Germany’s game sector, despite the global consolidation wave and a lack of funding certainty for the industry here. The game industry secures a total of over 30,000 jobs in Germany. In addition to jobs in development and publishing, these include, for example, skilled professionals in educational institutions, the media and the public and commercial sectors.
About the data
The data is drawn from a survey carried out by Goldmedia on the basis of entries on gamesmap.de. It was conducted on behalf of game – The German Games Industry Association for the period ending on 12 May 2025.
The post Number of companies and employees in German games industry falls for first time in years appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
METABORA, a global casual game developer and blockchain project operator, has announced a strategic partnership with LINE NEXT Inc. Through this partnership, METABORA will distribute Web3 games via the LINE Messenger–based Dapp Portal, expanding its reach in the Web3 gaming space.
The Dapp Portal is a platform built on the KAIA ecosystem that offers Mini Dapps (decentralised applications) directly within the LINE Messenger app. Users can enjoy a variety of Mini Dapps—ranging from games to social features—without needing to install separate applications. Since its launch in January this year, the platform has garnered significant attention, surpassing 100 million cumulative users.
Through this new partnership, METABORA and LINE NEXT will work closely to accelerate the growth of the Mini Dapp’s gaming ecosystem. Leveraging its network of development partners and global experience in game development and publishing, METABORA will supply Web3 games to the Dapp Portal. LINE NEXT will expand accessibility to Web3 games and support marketing of these games through its platform.
As part of the collaboration, METABORA will also expand the utility of its BORA token within the LINE Messenger–based Mini Dapp ecosystem. The company plans to implement a payment infrastructure that enables users to purchase in-game items currently planned for upcoming titles to be released under the BORA brand. Additionally, METABORA will apply Gas Abstraction technology, allowing users to make in-app purchases with BORA without needing KAIA tokens to cover gas fees. This feature is expected to be fully implemented in the second half of the year.
By expanding the utility of the BORA token, METABORA aims to elevate its value beyond the confines of the BORA Chain, laying the groundwork for broader integration across the Web3 ecosystem.
In addition, METABORA and LINE NEXT plan to continue their collaboration by researching and developing infrastructure to support the use of stable coins such as USDT, further enhancing the Web3 gaming experience within the LINE ecosystem centered on the Dapp Portal.
Lim Youngjun, Co-CEO of METABORA, said: “We’re pleased to partner with LINE NEXT, a company making remarkable strides in the global Web3 gaming market with its vast user base. Through our strong network of development partners, we will carefully select and bring high-quality games to the Dapp Portal, working together to create a leading example of Web3 gaming reaching a mainstream audience.”
Kim Woosuk, CSO at LINE NEXT, said: “Through this partnership with METABORA, we look forward to creating a major success case for Mini Dapp. Moving forward, we will continue working closely together across multiple fronts, including enabling USDT stablecoin support to improve game onboarding and the overall user payment environment.”
The post METABORA Partners with LINE NEXT appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming
Limited Run Games Achieves the Impossible: Announcing Pre-Orders for Standard and Collector Editions of DOOM(™) on the Super Nintendo™ Entertainment System!
Limited Run Games, a premium publisher of physical and digital games, announced today the opening of pre-orders for the long-awaited DOOM, arriving on physical cartridge for use with the Super Nintendo
Entertainment System!
To celebrate this remarkable release, Limited Run Games are also pleased to announce the opening of pre-orders for the SNES compatible Rumble Tech Controller, bringing vibration technology to SNES games for the very first time!
In a move that only Limited Run Games could have the audacity to pull off, the impossible became real, partnering with Bethesda Softworks to introduce a remarkable special edition of the classic game, some 30 years after the original DOOM first debuted for the SNES.
Headed up by legendary programming wizard Randal Linden, who first worked on DOOM for the SNES in 1995, this enhanced version is no mere re-release of the original. Determined to do justice to the iconic shooter which birthed the modern FPS, this new version expands upon the original with a host of new features, ‘impossible’ graphical tricks and engineering dark magic that will leave 16-bit gamers breathless with excitement!
Created utilizing an all-new, custom-made board, designed specifically for this project, Limited Run Games’ version of DOOM for the Super Nintendo, greatly enhances performance which SNES enthusiasts will scarcely believe possible. Limited Run Games have fully restored the entire DOOM experience, featuring all four episodes of DOOM including ‘Thy Flesh Consumed,’ which was originally introduced in 1995 as part of the updated PC release ‘The Ultimate DOOM’. There’s much more than that though, also included are levels that were missing from the original release due to technical limitations, with five new levels implemented including E1M6, E2M2, E2M5, E2M7 and E3M5, delivering a complete DOOM experience for the humble SNES for the very first time.
Limited Run Games ain’t done yet: In addition to the improved performance and restored levels, DOOM now proudly includes support for circle-strafe, monster re-spawning on Nightmare difficulty, an appearance by the dreaded translucent Spectre monster, full-motion video logos and so much more.
A release this special demands a new controller to take advantage of the enhanced features, and here, Limited Run Games have gone the extra mile. Pre-orders open on 7/11/25 for the SNES compatible Rumble Tech Controller (sold separately), an open-source gamepad which will feel familiar to fans of the original SNES controller but now comes complete with powerful dual vibration support! Naturally, this new version of DOOM includes rumble support, but Limited Run Games are showing love to the community, offering open-source support to developers and modders, allowing third parties to update their games to include rumble support or code new titles utilizing the feature!
Back to the game and players will take note of a new music player which has been included to relive the superb score of the game, high quality title and score-card screens added, and a Level Selection menu alongside a Level Code system, which allow gamers to tackle DOOM in the method of their choosing.
It’s DOOM that shouldn’t be possible, fusing old-school technology with state-of-the-art enhancements to deliver a thrilling new take on the iconic game.
Two versions of DOOM for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System will be available, with both open for pre-order on 7/11/25:
Doom Standard Edition – Super Nintendo Entertainment System – $99.99 MSRP
- Metallic Gunmetal Colored SNES Cart
- Instruction Booklet
- 12” x 16” Poster
- Retro SNES Box
Doom Collector’s Edition – Super Nintendo Entertainment System- $174.99 MSRP
- Exclusive Collector’s Edition SNES cartridge – Metallic-ink Gunmetal color with Blood Splatter print and Metal Plate Label
- Premium Embossed Foil Box
- Instruction Booklet
- 12” x 16” Poster
- Individually Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
- Limited to 666 copies
Pre-orders for Doom on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System go live on 7/11/25, but be quick, pre-orders close on 8/10/25. Visit Limited Run Games for more information.
The Limited Run Games SNES compatible Rumble Tech Controller will retail for an MSRP of $34.99 and will be open for pre-order on 7/11/25.
The post Limited Run Games Achieves the Impossible: Announcing Pre-Orders for Standard and Collector Editions of DOOM(™) on the Super Nintendo™ Entertainment System! appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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