- The PocketGamer.biz team share their thoughts and go that little bit deeper on some of the more interesting things that have happened in mobile gaming in the past week
The games industry moves quickly and while stories may come and go there are some that we just can’t let go of…
So, to give those particularly thorny topics a further going over we’ve created a weekly digest where the members of the PocketGamer.biz team share their thoughts and go that little bit deeper on some of the more interesting things that have happened in mobile gaming in the past week.
Daniel Griffiths
Editor – PocketGamer.biz
The key takeaway from Apple’s AI-laden WWDC keynote? It’s time to buy a new iPhone
Well done, Apple. You’re finally on the AI gravy train, you surprised no-one, your share price held steady and your future looks bright. Consider this week’s WWDC 2024 keynote a success.
Apple’s own on-device large language model is able to do all kinds of clever stuff from conjuring up ‘Genmojis’ and other fun artwork out of nowhere, to helping you pen your emails. And hopefully boring (and frequently confused) Siri tasks such as setting a timer or turning the music up won’t now require a server on the other side of the planet to get involved.
And if the task does need that bit more there’s Apple’s own secure servers to help out too. Need EVEN MORE? Then this is the best bit. ChatGPT is built right in and ready to pounce once you get past a familiar ‘Are you sure?’ dialogue box – no subscription or sign in required. (Just don’t ask who’s doing what with your data at this point, eh?)
Is a brilliant compromise. Rather than stick to their guns and forever deliver ‘the fourth best AI on the planet’ from now until the end of time, Apple are instead promising to incorporate more (and all) AI language models right into the OS behind the kind of ease of use that they’re famous for.
Just as the first Mac was “the computer for the rest of us” so Apple’s first AI service (Apple Intelligence) is billed as “AI for the rest of us”. Smart.
The only fly in the AI soup? The odds are you’ll need to upgrade your phone this year to take advantage of all the new goodies…
They said that Apple was missing the AI boat. But it looks like they’re playing the game just perfectly…
It’s time to stop sexist creatives in user acquisition – here’s how
This article by Matej Lančarič delves into the concerning issue of sexist ads that persist in mobile game advertisements. These ads are not just shocking but also a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to eradicate such harmful content.
Many of these games are casual titles, match-3, or what is supposed to be something quite tranquil, so why any aggressive themes are being used at all seems ill-fitting, never mind ones that clearly show abuse, sexism, body shaming and a whole host of bad behaviours.
Although many platforms have regulations, guidelines, and, of course, advertising standards, it seems that many are still getting away with showing these ads.
While you should still report these ads and make it a known issue, we, as an industry, must also speak up and ensure the rest of the industry knows we shouldn’t tolerate such ads. Not only are they offensive and send out the wrong message to players, but some of these games actually target children, and such creatives could be incredibly damaging to impressionable minds.
I understand the market is competitive, and standing out from the crowd is a challenge, but lines are being crossed, and studios need to think of the bigger picture and be accountable for the message they are sending out to their players.
Many of these studios will have people from all walks of life, genders, races and sexualities who should speak up if they feel their creatives are crossing a line. Collectively, as an industry, more people can make their voices heard and show that we can do better.
Zenless Zone Zero surpasses 40 million pre-registrations, beating Supercell’s Squad Busters
So, just after Squad Busters eked its way to 40 million pre-registrations in time for launch, HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero has exceeded that total with three weeks still on the clock.
If that isn’t the strongest bit of evidence for hype around the game – and in gamers’ trust in HoYoverse to deliver a stellar product – then I don’t know what is. 40 million downloads with three weeks until launch… Putting that in perspective, HoYoverse’s highly anticipated 2023 title Honkai: Star Rail gathered up around 23 million pre-registrations before it released, so Zenless Zone Zero could well be heading for double.
To put it simply, this game’s going to be huge. Expect to hear all about its record-breaking achievements in the coming weeks, when it inevitably surpasses Honkai: Star Rail’s 20 million day one downloads. Watch this space…
