Gaming
GameRefinery Market Review February 2023
GameRefinery by Liftoff’s latest analysis of the US, China, and Japan’s key mobile game markets, has just been released.
Here’s what they found:
February was a big month for Marvel Snap as it finally introduced PvP with its new friendly Battle Mode. It also saw the start of its new season, Into the Quantum Realm, which coincides with the theatrical release of the new film Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. MCU fans were keen to pick up the associated new Battle Pass, as daily revenue spiked by almost 600%.
Right around the time of the release of Hogwarts Legacy across Ps5 and Xbox Series consoles, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened jumped on the hype of the wizarding world by introducing a new desert-themed map area that intertwined roguelite mechanics with two new home systems.
February also saw a number of in-game collaboration events with anime franchises. GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE hit the 25th-grossing rank in the US after hosting an event themed around Chainsaw Man, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang introduced a Jujutsu Training event based on Jutjusu Kaisen, and Puzzle & Dragons added several new characters based on the Japanese mecha-anime franchise Gundam.
Gardenscapes added a Secret Ingredient event with merge2 mechanics, which was almost identical to an earlier update in one of Playrix’s other titles, Homescapes. Playrix appears to now be actively pushing merge events across its games, with Township set to follow closely with its own mirrored merge event in March.
X-Hero continued its use of minigames that differ from its core gameplay, replacing its Save Doge mode with a new UA-focused minigame called Chess Wanted. What’s unique about this addition is that everything stayed the same for existing players, who still have SaveDoge as their minigame, whereas new players must play Chess Wanted as part of the tutorial and can access it later as a permanent minigame.
In Japan, Umamusume Pretty Derby raced to the top of the charts as it launched its second-anniversary update, complete with a playable training scenario called Grand Masters. This featured narration by the famous Japanese racing announcer Kiyoshi Sugimoto.
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ARK Games
Flexion Enters into Partnership with ARK Games
Flexion has signed a partnership with ARK Games to bring Fishing Travel to its growing portfolio of titles on the alternative app stores. The game will launch on the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Samsung Instant Play, Xiaomi GetApps, Epic Games Store and ONE store during during Q2 2026.
Fishing Travel is currently a Top 30 Grossing Casual game in the US alone. It has over 1 million downloads on Google Play and a 4.5-star user rating.
Flexion handles the technical work of bringing a game to alternative channels. This approach relies on 20 years of expertise and a deep bench of alternative market experts. On average, Flexion adds more than 10% in incremental revenue to the titles it represents. Its current portfolio includes 37 top-grossing games, including four titles that have reached the Top 10 grossing charts on Google Play.
As part of this agreement, Flexion will use its Exprexion Markets service to manage the technical requirements and platform relations for ARK Games.
“The old playbook for mobile growth is broken. For too long, developers have been forced to rent their audiences from a duopoly that takes a 30% cut of every dollar earned. We are providing the independence studios need to expand. By using Exprexion Markets, we help partners like ARK Games reclaim their margins and reach global audiences on their own terms,” said Jens Lauritzson, CEO of Flexion.
The mobile market is shifting towards alternative distribution as a strategic necessity. High store taxes and rising acquisition costs have made the traditional model difficult for many studios to sustain. Flexion acts as a partner in scaling revenue and securing earned margins without the typical upfront costs.
“We built Fishing Travel to be a high-quality simulation, and we want to reach the widest possible audience of enthusiasts,” said Xie Xiaoran, BD Director, ARK Games.
Fishing Travel is an exploratory fishing game where players choose from a variety of settings—lakes, rivers and the open ocean. Each location hosts unique species that require specific skills to catch.
The post Flexion Enters into Partnership with ARK Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brasilia
BiS Brasília focuses on responsible governance for Brazil’s gaming and betting future
BiS Brasília is confirmed for June 2–3, bringing a strong focus on responsible governance and the future of the gaming and betting industry in Brazil.
The event will take place on June 2–3 at the Royal Tulip Brasília Alvorada hotel.
The event will gather key stakeholders, authorities, and industry leaders to discuss major developments shaping the sector.
In its second edition, the event expects a 20% increase in attendance compared to last year.
“Reaching the second edition of BiS Brasília represents the consolidation of an essential space for dialogue between the private sector, authorities, and experts at a decisive moment for the Brazilian market.
Brasília is the center of the country’s major regulatory discussions, and bringing together key ecosystem players in the federal capital reinforces the event’s commitment to building a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable industry,” said Alessandro Valente, the cofounder.
Tickets are available at: https://brazilianigamingsummit.com/brasilia/
About BiS Brasília
In its second edition, BiS Brasília is an event dedicated to the iGaming and betting ecosystem, fostering dialogue between the private sector, public authorities, and society on the development of Brazil’s regulated market for gaming, casinos, and lotteries.
The event brings together business leaders, regulators, and industry experts to discuss key strategic topics such as Brazilian regulation, taxation, integrity, innovation, responsible gaming, compliance, AML / anti-money laundering, licensing, sports integrity, government relations, advertising, and CONAR standards.
BiS SiGMA South America is part of the SiGMA World events portfolio, one of the leading global platforms for B2B business networking and events focused on the gaming and betting industry.
The post BiS Brasília focuses on responsible governance for Brazil’s gaming and betting future appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
casino games
Tequity Publishing launches Mirror Image Gaming’s K-Pop Drop with Stake exclusivity
Tequity Publishing has launched K-Pop Drop, a Burst Game from Mirror Image Gaming, with an exclusive first release on Stake. The game went live on 11th May 2026 and will be available only on Stake initially, before expanding to Tequity’s wider operator network the following week.
According to the companies, K-Pop Drop is an anime-inspired Burst Game featuring escalating multipliers and interactive mechanics. The title includes potential multipliers of up to 5000x and follows a character called Sakura as she progresses through gameplay features including boosts, landing zones, bonus triggers, and hazards.
“K-Pop Drop immediately stood out to us as the type of modern, high-energy content we believe is becoming increasingly important within the market,” said Dominic Sawyer, VP Growth at Tequity. “Players today are looking for more interactive, entertaining experiences that feel highly engaging from the first second of gameplay. Mirror Image Gaming has done a fantastic job creating a game with real personality and strong replayability, and we’re excited to launch it first with Stake before rolling it out across the wider network.”
Mirror Image Gaming CEO Gray Wagner said the Stake launch is intended to broaden the game’s reach. “We wanted K-Pop Drop to feel fast, unpredictable, energetic, and memorable – something that instantly stands out both visually and through gameplay,” said Wagner. “Working with Tequity Publishing and launching first with Stake gives the game an incredibly strong platform from day one, and we’re excited to see players experience it.”
Tequity said K-Pop Drop will become available to its wider operator network from the week commencing 18th May.
The post Tequity Publishing launches Mirror Image Gaming’s K-Pop Drop with Stake exclusivity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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