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Regular readers will be used to the PocketGamer.biz team’s usual week in views round-ups but as the year draws to a close it’s time to take a deeper look at some of the biggest stories of 2024.
Here’s Pocketgamer.biz deputy editor Paige Cook’s take on some of the key moments that have shaped the year.
Layoffs
There’s not one singular story I want to highlight here but rather the widespread layoffs that have impacted both major and smaller studios.
We have seen layoffs at Sony, Microsoft, Riot Games, Ubisoft, Sharkmob, Kwalee, NaturalMotion, Gameloft, Playtika, and many more.
We have seen and heard about the various reasons for such layoffs, with many rounds of layoffs noting some kind of restructuring, with factors including overexpansion during the pandemic, increased operational costs, low company performance, mobile privacy changes, a tough economy, and evolving consumer habits.
These and a host of other reasons have been behind many of the redundancies, and it’s felt that just as one company announces a round of layoffs, another has been soon to follow.
Industry challenges and layoffs haven’t just been prevalent in 2024; we’ve seen them throughout the previous year, not just in games but most of the technology industry. In games, we have heard the phrase ‘survive to 25’, with many believing, or hoping, that the worst will be over in the new year.
It remains to be seen whether that is true or not, but I hope, at the very least, we are through the worst of the storm. Either way, 2025 is already looking to be a massive year for the industry, with much rebuilding to be done.
Tencent and Ubisoft in talks over potential management-led buyout
Now let’s get into what has apparently been my favorite subject in 2024: Ubisoft. If you’re a listener to our weekly podcast – which you totally are… right? You’ll know I’ve gone on more than one tangent about the studio this year.
Let me start by saying that I have a love-hate relationship with Ubisoft. They were once my favourite studio, but in recent years, the quality and care just haven’t felt there. I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so because this past year has been particularly chaotic for the company.
This year has seen poor game reception, with the anticipated Star Wars Outlaws falling short, layoffs, and an all-time low in share price. Not to mention, its shooter XDefiant, released in May, was shut down by December. On mobile, Rainbow Six’s rollout was paused in April and has only recently made a return with a three-phase plan. This means they’re not giving up on it, but that game also feels like it’s on very shaky ground.
Although share prices have risen since some of these stories, the studio’s situation is still not great, and there is general concern over its future.
Those who are close to the matter have stated that any potential buyout would see the Guillemot family wanting to retain control, with Tencent still undecided about raising its own stake.
It feels like the last few years have really caught up to Ubisoft, and a lot of its mistakes have manifested themselves in 2024. I hope 2025 is the year we start to see Ubisoft get set back on the correct path.
Behind the scenes of WeChat Minigames and how it has generated $2.3 billion in the first half of 2024
This was an interesting behind-the-scenes look at WeChat Minigames by Jakub Remiar. In the case of WeChat Minigames, it does feel like it’s this thing that is making a whole bunch of money, but nobody is really talking about it.
These Minigames have gained popularity due to their accessibility and simple integration into WeChat. It means players can easily get involved and play these games with no download needed, which leans into the same thing that makes mobile gaming so popular, it’s convenient.
There’s also the added benefit of a massive WeChat user base and social features, which allow players to make the experience feel like one they can share with friends. As for developers, they benefit from a platform that offers a low barrier to entry and can act as a testing ground for a new game. Some of China’s big games seem to be released here first, and then eventually, they end up on the wider mobile game stores.
I’ll be intrigued to see how its Minigames continue to perform in 2025 and if it can create a larger influence over the games landscape.
Under the hood: Deconstructing Monopoly GO! as it passes $2 billion in revenue
I don’t think I can talk about 2024 without thinking about Monopoly Go, one of the biggest mobile games.
The title has been a massive success since it was released in April of last year and by the middle of 2024 it had already surpassed $3 billion in revenue. In this feature we published on the site, game designer Irene Kurskaya took a closer look at the game and shared details on how Scopley took this popular IP and made it work on mobile.
First and foremost, Monopoly’s IP does some of the work in and of itself; there’s a familiarity there and an already established audience willing to engage. We’ve even gone full circle and seen the creation of a board game version of Monopoly Go. I expect we will only continue to see more of the power of a strong IP across the industry in 2025.
However, it’s not just having an established IP that counts; it’s what you can do with it. Monopoly Go is one of those games where I constantly see new updates and events featured, all of which ensure that they are able to maintain growth.
While we have seen player spending in Monopoly Go decline, it still sits as a top 10 grossing game. With 2025 just around the corner, I expect Scopely will be hoping for its hit title to cross the $4 billion mark soon.
Unity charts a new path forward without the “catastrophic” Runtime Fee
Unity made a big splash last year when it announced its controversial Runtime Fee, but this year, it announced that the fee would be scrapped.
The original announcement of the fee was followed by a massive backlash from game developers, which led to the resignation of then-CEO John Riccitiello and other changes in leadership.
With the Runtime Fee no longer a thing, Unity has returned to its traditional subscription-based model with changes to pricing for both the Pro and Enterprise tiers. These alterations, for the most part, have been a relief for developers, but a lot of trust was broken due to the Runtime Fee, and it’s going to take time to earn it back.
With many developers halting their use of Unity over the past year in favour of the likes of Unreal Engine and Gadot, Unity will be hoping to regain a competitive edge and entice people back to the platform. The release of Unity 6 and its new features will likely lead the charge.
I think a big part of their strategy going forward needs to stem from having transparency with users and making Unity feel like the friendly face it once was in the games industry.
2025 is sure to be a year focusing on recovering what trust has been lost over the past two years.
