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AGHANIM RESEARCH GAUGES DMA AWARENESS AND POTENTIAL IMPACT ON DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER DISTRIBUTION
Aghanim, a mobile gaming fintech company founded by the former CEO and CTO of Xsolla, today reveals fascinating new research among mobile game developers relating to the recently launched Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The research is based on interviews with 300 mobile game developers across the US, UK and Germany in the weeks leading up to the introduction of the Act. The new European Union legislation aims to ensure a higher degree of fairness and competition in European digital markets and designates a number of major tech corporations including Apple and Alphabet (Google) as “gatekeepers”.
The key findings of the study shows:
- 62% of mobile game developers are aware of the Digital Markets Act
- 82% have at least some understanding of how it will impact their business. Almost a fifth (19%) feel they have a complete understanding of the DMA’s impact
- 31% of mobile game developers feel they will have more freedom under the DMA, though just 9% are confident they’ll be able to keep more of their revenue
- Only 13% have ruled out making changes to their payment processes. A third (33%) have begun implementing them
- Awareness of the DMA is highest in Germany (70%), followed by the UK (68%). Less than half (47%) of US developers are aware of the legislation. While the DMA is a European framework, it applies to US developers operating in the EU
Constantin Andry, Co-founder and Co-CEO at Aghanim, commented: “This data shows that there’s an appetite for change among game developers. Yes, the platform holders instigated the $92 billion mobile games industry, but we need to be asking why game developers – the people who make the games – now only see about 10% of this. With direct-to-consumer distribution, there’s an opportunity to ensure a further $18 billion of annualized value remains within the video games industry, with game creators, which will help soften many ongoing issues including layoffs. Otherwise, the business of making mobile games could soon become unviable.”
Konstantin Golubitsky, Co-founder and Co-CEO at Aghanim, added: “The opportunity for game developers is to create a web-based game hub for their titles which provides added value for their most engaged and valuable users, keeping them coming back regularly. Ultimately, players spend where they see the most value, and our goal is to help developers provide them with the greatest value at the lowest cost.”
A key promise of the Digital Markets Act is to provide fairer competition and greater choice to gamers and game studios. However, Apple’s latest business terms introduced a Core Technology Fee which, for many game developers, cancels out the potential benefits of third-party distribution. Despite the game developers being surveyed before the introduction of the Core Technology fee, just 40% said Apple is a positive force for the games industry. 39% were neutral, while 21% felt Apple was having a negative impact. Since the introduction of App Tracking Transparency in 2021, game developers have increasingly explored direct-to-consumer platforms such as browser stores to supplement on-platform monetization with lower-fee options.
An online survey was conducted on behalf of Aghanim by Atomik Research among 305 mobile game developers in the UK (101), Germany (103), and the USA (101). The research fieldwork took place between 18-22 February 2024. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides by MRS code.
PG Soft has launched Reel Royale Showdown, a wrestling-inspired video slot built for mobile play. The company says the title is set in a wrestling arena and uses a 6-reel layout.
Reel Royale Showdown includes a Wild Addition mechanic and an escalating multiplier that increases with each win. A Wild symbol substitutes for all symbols except the Scatter and appears only on reels two, three, four and five.
In the base game, three Wild slots above the reels start deactivated. Each winning round activates one Wild slot. Once all three are activated, Wild symbols are added to every empty position on reels two to five before the next round begins.
The Free Spins feature triggers when four or more Scatter symbols land anywhere on the reels, awarding 10 free spins. Each additional Scatter adds two extra spins. In Free Spins, the multiplier starts at x1 and increases by one after every winning combination, including after wins are paid and new symbols cascade into place.
PG Soft said free spins can be retriggered and the maximum win is 5,000x. A spokesperson said: “Reel Royale Showdown puts players in the front row for an epic battle, where the spoils go to the champion willing to fight to the end. The Wild Addition mechanic makes this a show-stopper,, while the escalating multipliers in Free Spins mean big rewards are always just one cascade away.”
The post PG Soft releases wrestling-themed slot Reel Royale Showdown appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Initial rollout brings 10 slots from Iron Dog Studio and Prospect Gaming to the state-owned operator, via Light & Wonder.
1X2 Network has entered the Finnish market after signing a content partnership with Veikkaus, Finland’s state-owned gaming operator.
Under the agreement, a selection of titles from 1X2 Network studios Iron Dog Studio and Prospect Gaming will go live for Finnish players for the first time. The initial rollout includes 10 games, with named titles including 3 HOT CHILLI PEPPERS, 3 PORKY BANKS HOLD and WIN EXTRA, BURN IN HELL, and PIÑATA GO GO.
1X2 Network said the integration was enabled through its collaboration with Light & Wonder, which is supplying the route to market for the content.
Kevin Reid, Chief Executive Officer at 1X2 Network said: “We are delighted to partner with Veikkaus and bring our games to players in Finland. Veikkaus has built a strong reputation as a trusted and responsible operator, and this launch represents an exciting opportunity for us to introduce titles from our flagship studios, Iron Dog Studio and Prospect Gaming to a brand-new audience.”
Riikka Seppänen, VP, iCasino at Veikkaus said: “We are pleased to welcome content from 1X2 Network to our platform. Their games offer engaging gameplay and popular features that we believe will resonate well with our players while supporting our commitment to delivering high quality and responsible entertainment.”
The post 1X2 Network launches in Finland via Veikkaus deal appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Neosurf has reorganised its operations as it prepares to scale products and expand across Europe and the Americas, the cash-to-digital payments provider said.
The company said the updated structure is intended to better support the rollout of “new market-ready products” and help it deliver its payment solutions “on a wider scale.” Neosurf did not disclose what specific organisational changes were made or whether the move affects headcount.
Neosurf also positioned the reorganisation as a way to improve agility in response to future regulatory changes, saying the company aims to remain flexible operationally and technologically as it moves into its “next major phase of its evolution.”
Andrea McGeachin, Global CEO at Neosurf, said: “As we continue to grow our new digital wallet products across Europe and the Americas, it’s important that our organisation evolves alongside our ambitions. Our new structure ensures that we’re built for agility, resilience, and long-term success, and we remain committed to our mission of bridging the gap between cash and digital payments with an optimised foundation that’s built to proactively anticipate and adapt to future regulatory change.”
Neosurf said it will share further updates on its plans “shortly.”
The post Neosurf reorganises operations as it targets Europe and the Americas expansion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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