Gaming
Winners unveiled for the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2023
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22 businesses and individuals were highlighted and celebrated in a night to remember for the global mobile games industry
This year’s Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards winners were announced during an exclusive ceremony on April 20th at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, London. The global games industry gathered for an evening of celebration to highlight and champion the very best business and individuals who are driving the $90 billion mobile games industry forward.
The Steel Media team is pleased to announce the winners and recipients of the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2023:
Pocket Gamer People’s Choice sponsored by AppGallery – Disney Mirrorverse (Kabam)
Best Advertising & UA Service sponsored by Enthusiast Gaming [JOINT WINNERS] – Unity Ads & AppLovin
Best Analytics / Data Tool – AppsFlyer
Best Developer sponsored by Coherence.io – Tripledot Studios
Best GAAS Tools & Tech – Photon
Best Audio / Visual Accomplishment – Candy Crush Saga (King)
Best Game Engine / Platform – Unity
Best Storytelling – Star Trek: Lower Decks (East Side Games)
Rising Star – Philippa Layburn
Best Tools Provider – Unity Gaming Services
Best Service Provider – Xsolla
Best Live Ops – Stumble Guys (Scopely)
Best QA & Localisation Service Provider – TransPerfect Gaming Solutions
Best Indie Developer sponsored by PocketGamer – Rusty Lake
Best PR / Marketing Team sponsored by PocketGamer.biz – King (Candy Crush Saga ’10 Years of Fun’ campaign)
Best Alternative App Store – AppGallery
Investment Fund of the Year – Play Ventures
Best Publisher sponsored by Pingle – Scopely
Most Promising AI Games Tech sponsored by Beyond Games – Solsten
Most Impactful Web3 Company sponsored by Raptor PR – ZEBEDEE
Game of the Year sponsored by Tilting Point [JOINT WINNERS] – Marvel Snap (Nuverse) & Subway Surfers Tag (Sybo)
Mobile Legend – Nour Khrais (Maysalward)
This year’s Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards winners were announced during an exclusive ceremony on April 20th at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, London. The global games industry gathered for an evening of celebration to highlight and champion the very best business and individuals who are driving the $90 billion mobile games industry forward.
Steel Media CEO Chris James presented a total of 22 categories throughout the evening and was understandably excited and enthused about the current state of the mobile games industry:
“This is always one of my absolute favourite nights of the year – and 2023’s edition certainly didn’t disappoint! I really love the chance to connect with friends old and new and celebrate the incredible achievements of these companies and individuals in this amazing mobile games industry – the only shame is that we can’t give everyone a prize!
Whilst there’s been a little doom and gloom from some quarters after the games industry’s first contraction in 2022, tonight showed the mobile industry is actually stronger than ever and showcased the spirit, enthusiasm, creativity and raw talent that will ensure our future is very bright (and we’ll break the $100 billion barrier very soon!”.
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Crash Games
Evoplay launches Caramelo Dog Lucky Run crash game for Brazil
Evoplay has launched Caramelo Dog Lucky Run, a new crash-style instant win game themed around Brazilian street culture and the widely recognised “Caramelo Dog” reference.
The title follows Taco, a dog navigating a neighbourhood filled with obstacles. Players move step by step across roads as the multiplier increases, choosing to cash out or keep going.
Evoplay said the game uses randomised obstacle patterns so each round plays differently. Players can choose between four difficulty settings — Easy, Medium, Hard, and Hardcore — with higher difficulty increasing obstacle intensity and the multiplier.
Caramelo Dog Lucky Run also includes a cash-out function that can be triggered after Taco safely stops, plus customisable autoplay settings for stake preferences and stop conditions.
Ivan Kravchuk, CEO at Evoplay, said: “Caramelo Dog Lucky Run brings a completely fresh personality to our portfolio through its vibrant Brazilian-inspired setting and charming main character.
“Players in Brazil need games that feel familiar, authentic and culturally connected to them. When a player recognises something that reflects their everyday life and online culture, it creates a far deeper level of engagement than entertainment alone, and that is exactly what Caramelo does in this game.”
The post Evoplay launches Caramelo Dog Lucky Run crash game for Brazil appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
S8UL streamer Payal Dhare and OWND! launch gamer-curated fashion capsule
S8UL gaming creator and streamer Payal Dhare has partnered with OWND!, the Gen Z-focused fashion brand from Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited, to launch a gaming-inspired fashion capsule called ‘Gamer Drop’. The companies describe it as India’s first female gamer-curated capsule. The collection will be available on OWND!’s website and in the brand’s stores across India.
According to the press release, ‘Gamer Drop’ includes menswear and womenswear pieces built around gaming culture and streetwear, positioned as a creator-led collection rather than conventional creator merchandise. The campaign leans on the growing overlap between gaming culture, creator communities, and youth fashion.
Marco Agnolin, Chief Executive Officer, OWND!. said, “We see gaming today as a powerful cultural force that is shaping how young consumers express themselves, communicate, and engage with fashion. As one of India’s biggest gamers, Payal Dhare represents this new generation perfectly through her authenticity, confidence, and deep connection with the gaming community. Her influence extends far beyond gaming content, making her an ideal face for our gaming collection. Through this collaboration, we aim to celebrate individuality and connect with India’s digitally native youth in a way that feels relevant, inclusive, and culture-driven.”
Payal Dhare aka Payal Gaming said, “Gaming today has become a culture and a form of self-expression for millions of young people across the country. That’s what makes this collaboration with OWND! so exciting for me. With this curation, I wanted to create something that genuinely reflects my vibe and the energy of my community. It’s stylish, comfortable, expressive – and made for people who want to own who they are.”
The release also points to India’s expanding creator economy. Citing a Boston Consulting Group report, it says India has nearly 2 to 2.5 million creators, with more than 60% of consumers exposed to creator-led content and over 30% of shoppers influenced by creators in purchase decisions.
The post S8UL streamer Payal Dhare and OWND! launch gamer-curated fashion capsule appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Berkley Egenes
Xsolla Brings Creator Strategy and Game Commerce Expertise to Toronto’s Leading Industry Events
Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, is participating in two leading co-located industry events, XP Game Summit Toronto and Xsolla Connect Toronto, on May 21-22, in Toronto. Xsolla will engage with partners, creators, and industry leaders across both events, focusing on the evolving gaming ecosystem.
At XP Game Summit Toronto, Xsolla will showcase its Web Shop solution, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform that helps developers build and scale their own storefronts outside traditional app stores. The Web Shop ecosystem integrates storefronts, LiveOps tools, and player engagement features, enabling studios to strengthen player relationships while increasing revenue and operational control.
Xsolla will also highlight its global payments infrastructure, which supports more than 1000+ payment methods across 200+ geographies. Designed to optimize conversion and deliver localized checkout experiences, Xsolla Payments enables developers to reach players worldwide while adapting to regional preferences and regulatory environments.
Additionally, Xsolla will showcase how they are connecting developers with premium entertainment-based intellectual property (IP). By simplifying licensing and partnership opportunities, Xsolla Agency helps studios enhance player acquisition, drive engagement through LiveOps, and unlock new monetization pathways.
In addition to showcasing its product offerings and solutions, Xsolla will also present a featured panel session titled “Building the Creator Pipeline: How Smart Partnerships Are Scaling Influencer Marketing”. The panel will include John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla; Scott Christian, Studio Director & Founder of Hilltop Games; Gem Johnson, CEO at Corvian Marketing; and Corina (Newby) Diaz, Marketing and Social Media Director at Mighty Yell. They will share practical insights on building sustainable creator ecosystems, leveraging strategic partnerships, and driving measurable impact through influencer marketing initiatives.
In addition to the company’s participation in XP Game Summit Toronto, Xsolla will host Xsolla Connect Toronto, further expanding opportunities for meaningful engagement between developers and publishers through curated programming and networking experiences. Xsolla Connects are designed to give local communities the opportunity to engage, collaborate, and integrate with Xsolla’s industry leaders in an open and transparent environment and through conversations.
“Toronto continues to emerge as a key hub for gaming innovation and collaboration in North America. We’re excited to participate in XP Game Summit and host the Xsolla Connect to connect with the community while sharing insights on how creators and partnerships are helping to build the future of game growth,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla.
“Toronto has built itself into a major Canadian video game hub. We are glad to contribute to the continued growth of the local industry as well as Ontario’s Game Industry as a whole. What makes it special is the combination of deep technical talent, global creative diversity, and a production ecosystem that truly scales. That’s why gatherings like XP Game Summit and Xsolla Connect matter so much: they bring that energy together, and we’re excited to be part of it and help showcase what this community can do,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla.
The post Xsolla Brings Creator Strategy and Game Commerce Expertise to Toronto’s Leading Industry Events appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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