Daily Mobile Gaming News

A cleaner daily brief on mobile game launches, updates, and pre-registration moves worth watching.

News Fri, Jul 10, 2026

New Zealand game studios earn $829M in 2025/26, boosted by GDSR

New Zealand's game development studios generated a combined revenue of $829 million in the 2025/26 fiscal year, marking a 17% increase year-over-year. This growth is largely attributed to the support from the Game Development Sector Rebate (GDSR), which distributed $21.9 million to 43 participating studios in 2026, down slightly from the $22.4 million allocated in 2025. The number of studios benefiting from GDSR support rose from 40 to 43, with the total number of games in development increasing from 170 to 194. Notably, small and medium-sized businesses made up 90% of the recipient studios, highlighting their significance in the industry. Medium-sized studios led the growth with a remarkable 44% increase in revenue, while small studios saw a 21% rise, and large studios experienced a 10% increase. Export revenue accounted for 98% of the total income generated by these studios, underscoring the sector's role as a vital digital export industry. Despite a decline in total full-time equivalent employment from 1,288 to 1,124 across recipient studios, the average GDSR-supported studio managed to expand its workforce by 14%, even amidst broader industry layoffs. Chantelle Cole, GDSR programme director at NZ On Air, emphasized the importance of small and medium-sized studios to New Zealand's gaming landscape. The latest GDSR results reflect the rapid success of New Zealand's gaming sector, which surpassed $1 billion in total revenue last month, achieving this milestone two years ahead of the New Zealand Game Developers Association's initial 2028 projection. The continued growth of New Zealand's game studios, especially among smaller entities, indicates a thriving industry poised for further international recognition and success.

News Fri, Jul 10, 2026

Zynga partners with PubMatic to enhance mobile ad access for advertisers

Zynga has announced a partnership with PubMatic aimed at expanding advertisers' access to its premium mobile gaming audiences. This collaboration will enable Zynga to integrate PubMatic's OpenWrap SDK, streamlining the supply path for advertisers and enhancing their buying capabilities. Currently, gaming apps represent 8.1% of the US app ad spend, which has surged by 42% year-over-year. Projections indicate that by 2026, mobile gaming audiences will encompass 53.8% of the US population, equating them with shopping app audiences. This growth highlights the increasing importance of mobile gaming within the advertising sector. The partnership will introduce innovative advertising formats, including Click to Cart, which allows brands to create interactive shopping experiences within games. Advertisers can also leverage PubMatic's AgenticOS and Activate platform for AI-powered media buying campaigns across Zynga's gaming inventory. According to PubMatic's VP of mobile, Lashanne Phang, this partnership addresses the existing gap in tools for advertisers to effectively reach engaged mobile gaming audiences. By combining demand diversity and creative capabilities, Zynga and PubMatic aim to position mobile gaming as a pivotal element within advertisers' media strategies.

News Fri, Jul 10, 2026

eFootball™ tops latest mobile game sales ranking in Japan

eFootball™ has emerged as the top-selling mobile game in Japan, reflecting its evolution from the well-known Winning Eleven series. The game has undergone significant changes, rebranding to eFootball™ and enhancing gameplay mechanics. New players can easily grasp the basics through an intuitive tutorial that rewards completion with a special player, Lionel Messi. Players can start with their favorite teams from various leagues worldwide, including Europe, America, and Asia. The game offers a special player list featuring current superstars and legendary figures in football, alongside standard player options that allow for targeted acquisition. The tactical depth is further enhanced by a diverse roster of managers, each with unique strategies. In terms of gameplay, users can compete against AI or engage in online matches to climb the ranks in the eFootball™ League. The game features thematic events aligned with the football season, maintaining a competitive atmosphere. Notably, players can also recruit friends for 3v3 matches, showcasing their crafted teams. For those looking to enhance their players, eFootball™ allows player development through match participation and item usage, enabling customization of skills to suit individual play styles. The game also features a Live Update system that reflects real-world player performances and transfers, ensuring a dynamic gaming experience. As a reminder, eFootball™ requires approximately 3.3GB of storage for download, and a stable internet connection is essential for optimal gameplay. The ongoing updates promise to introduce new features and events, keeping the content fresh and engaging for players.

News Fri, Jul 10, 2026

Eclipse: The Awakening teases light MMORPG features ahead of launch

Eclipse: The Awakening is generating buzz as players await its release. A recent video from the development team highlights the game's focus on light MMORPG elements, raising excitement among fans. The character modeling team appears to be working diligently, suggesting high-quality graphics and character designs. Players are eager for the pre-registration phase to start, as they anticipate more updates from the team. As the community grows impatient, the interest in this title continues to build, with many hoping for a strong launch soon.

News Fri, Jul 10, 2026

Digimon UP launches July 15, 2026, with over 1 million pre-registrations

Digimon UP, the latest mobile RPG from the Digimon franchise, is set to officially release on July 15, 2026. This announcement was made via an official post on X on July 8, urging interested players to pre-register ahead of the launch. The pre-registration for Digimon UP began on May 1, 2026, and has already surpassed 1 million sign-ups. As a reward for this milestone, all pre-registered players will receive buddy characters Tai Yagami and Agumon, among other bonuses, upon the game's official launch. Digimon UP is designed as a monster-raising RPG that emphasizes building bonds with your Digimon. Players will experience a unique growth process based on their nurturing methods, allowing their Digimon to evolve from baby to adult forms. The game promises to blend nostalgia with new content by featuring beloved characters from previous installments as well as fresh creatures. Players can expect a variety of battles where trained Digimon will take center stage. As they embark on adventures, they will face numerous enemies, offering opportunities for further growth and development within the game. With its focus on character development and strategic battles, Digimon UP aims to capture both veteran fans and newcomers alike.

News Thu, Jul 9, 2026

June’s Top Grossing Mobile Games: Honor of Kings Holds Strong

According to Appmagic data, June saw significant movements in the mobile gaming revenue landscape, with Honor of Kings maintaining its dominance despite a month-on-month drop of $50 million in in-app purchase (IAP) revenue. The total for Tencent’s flagship MOBA reached nearly $111 million, a figure that remains robust compared to its lower earnings during the downturn in November and December 2022, when monthly revenue dipped below $90 million. Whiteout Survival and Royal Match exhibited remarkable consistency, each generating around $110 million and $100 million, respectively, for the past few months. Microfun’s Gossip Harbor experienced a slight decline, dropping to just under $93 million after surpassing the $100 million threshold for the first time in March. Roblox and Monopoly Go also reported decreases, marking the third consecutive month of IAP revenue declines. Scopely's Monopoly Go posted between $82 million and $83 million, while Roblox's revenue dipped slightly. Century Games’ Kingshot had typical performance, but Candy Crush Saga faced a sharp decline from nearly $97 million in May to just over $77 million in June, marking its lowest monthly earnings since April 2022. Both LastWar and PUBG Mobile have seen significant revenue drops, with LastWar falling from over $120 million to just over $71 million since February. PUBG Mobile's June earnings were just above $62 million, a stark contrast to its $130 million+ performance earlier this year. In the rankings beyond the top five, Coin Master earned $52 million, followed by eFootball at $43 million, and Township at $42.9 million. Gardenscapes and Delta Force rounded out the list with revenues of $41 million and $38 million, respectively. Notably, eFootball has been performing well in Japan but has yet to gain traction in Western markets. The revenue of Pokémon Go stabilized at around $30 million, notably lower than the ~$45 million figures from earlier in the year. Brawl Stars dropped out of the top 20, bringing in under $27 million in June after previously earning between $34 million and $38 million over the last three months. Meanwhile, Wuthering Waves benefitted from a Cyberpunk crossover, with IAP revenue surpassing the $25 million mark.

Update Thu, Jul 9, 2026

Bluey: Let's Play Hits 75 Million Downloads with Major Update

Budge Studios has marked a significant milestone for Bluey: Let's Play, celebrating 75 million downloads worldwide with its largest update yet. This update introduces new gameplay features that enhance storytelling and interactive play for families, continuing to bring the beloved Bluey television series to mobile players. The update includes a highly anticipated Dress Up Mode, allowing players to customize characters with a variety of hats, outfits, and accessories through a swipe-to-style mechanic. Once saved, these custom outfits can be worn by characters throughout the game. Additionally, two new mini-games have been added. Players can give Dad a makeover by shampooing, curling, braiding, or blow-drying his hair, using playful items like hair chalk and water balloons. The new barbecue activity lets players prepare skewers, burgers, and vegetables, unlock secret recipes, and trigger humorous reactions from characters when they are fed. Michael Elman, co-CEO of Budge Studios, expressed gratitude towards their partners at BBC Studios and Ludo Studio, stating, "Hitting 75 million downloads is a spectacular milestone for us, and it wouldn't have been possible without the incredible collaboration of our partners. To thank our amazing community, we wanted to deliver our biggest update yet. The new Dress Up mode truly unlocks boundless imagination, allowing kids to bring their own personal touch to Bluey’s world and change the way they tell stories in the game."

News Thu, Jul 9, 2026

June’s top mobile game downloads: Arrows, Amaze Go, Free Fire Max, Roblox

According to Appmagic data, the leading mobile game downloads for June highlight significant trends in the market, even as the estimates exclude the fragmented Android market in China. Notably, the Arrows games continue to dominate download charts, primarily driven by India. Three of these titles made it into the top ten for the month, with two of them developed by Easybrain, a subsidiary of Miniclip/Tencent. The original Arrows game, identified by its icon, narrowly outperformed its close competitor, Amaze Go, which rebranded from Arrows Go last month. Estimates show only a couple of million downloads separated these two games. Easybrain's other Arrows game secured fifth place with 16.4 million installs, solidifying its dominance in this burgeoning subgenre. Garena’s Free Fire Max maintained its strong performance with approximately 23 million downloads, while Roblox experienced a resurgence with about 19 million monthly downloads, bouncing back after a previous decline. Ludo King remained reliable in its downloads, although Block Blast faced its third consecutive month of decline, dropping from over 26 million installs in March to below 14 million in June. This raises questions about its sustainability amid the rising popularity of the Arrows games. Subway Surfers, Pizza Ready, and Vita Mahjong showed slight month-on-month decreases but have firmly established their positions in the top ten. Meanwhile, Learnings’ Meowdoku benefited from a recent marketing push, garnering over 10 million installs in its initial month and just missing a top ten placement. If the marketing momentum continues, it is poised to break into the top ten in July. In the 11-20 bracket, Soccer Superstar, EA Sports FC Mobile, Football League 2026, and eFootball saw notable month-on-month increases, likely fueled by World Cup excitement. Block Crazy Robo World Craft also continued its unexpected consistency with another strong month. However, Fortnite dropped eight spots following its iOS rerelease in May, now sitting outside the top twenty, while Dream Games’ Royal Kingdom fell to 24th place with approximately 7.9 million installs in June.

News Thu, Jul 9, 2026

Voting Open for Mobile Games Awards 2026 with Samsung Gaming Hub

The Mobile Games Awards 2026, in partnership with Samsung Gaming Hub, has unveiled its list of finalists, and the voting process has officially begun. This year’s awards will take place on August 25th in Cologne, coinciding with Gamescom week. Voting will remain open until midnight on July 20th, offering industry insiders a chance to recognize excellence among their peers over the past year. The Mobile Games Awards highlight achievements across the mobile gaming landscape, celebrating contributions from indie developers to major publishers, as well as tool providers, advertising solutions, analytics, marketing teams, payment platforms, QA support, new technology, and, of course, the games themselves. This annual event aims to acknowledge outstanding accomplishments from various sectors within this vibrant industry. For those wishing to attend the gala and witness the live announcement of winners, tickets are currently on sale and are expected to sell out quickly. Last year's winners can be viewed on the official awards site.

News Wed, Jul 8, 2026

Nexon Reveals Tokyo Game Show 2026 Lineup with Mabinogi Mobile and Project RX

Nexon has confirmed its lineup for the Tokyo Game Show 2026, set to take place at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to September 21, 2026. Among the highlighted titles are Mabinogi Mobile and the highly anticipated Project RX, both of which will be showcased at the company’s booth. A teaser website has been launched to provide updates as the event approaches. Mabinogi Mobile, developed by devCAT, is a reimagining of Nexon’s enduring MMORPG franchise tailored for mobile devices and PC. Unlike a straightforward adaptation, this version introduces a fresh storyline while retaining beloved features such as character customization, cooking, housing, and social interaction. It also supports cross-play between mobile and PC. Initially launched in South Korea in 2025, Mabinogi Mobile quickly surpassed four million downloads, topping charts on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, and earned the title of Game of the Year at the 2025 Korea Game Awards. Following its release in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau in July, the game is expected to arrive in Japan later this year. Project RX, in contrast, remains more enigmatic. Developed by Nexon’s IO division, the same studio that created Blue Archive, this title combines an anime-inspired cast with a focus on story-driven gameplay, daily life activities, and combat utilizing Unreal Engine 5 technology. As of now, Nexon has not provided a release window for Project RX. Additional information regarding both games, including booth activities and other exhibition plans, will be disclosed on the Tokyo Game Show teaser site in the weeks leading up to the event.