On the podcast: King and the Xbox cuts, Meta’s ‘TikTok for games’, alot of Scopely news, game closures, MTG, more
The mobile games industry saw significant developments this week across major players and platforms. Microsoft’s substantial Xbox cuts sparked discussions about the future role of King (Candy Crush developer) within the company hierarchy. Meta has quietly soft-launched Pocket, a new social gaming app positioned as a “TikTok for games,” signaling continued investment in gaming infrastructure.
Scopely announced multiple strategic moves including the establishment of a new studio in Japan, a rebrand of teams formerly acquired from Niantic, and released celebratory data marking Pokémon Go’s 10-year milestone. Meanwhile, several notable mobile titles are sunsetting: Nintendo’s Mario Kart Tour, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis, and Rumble Arcade are all closing, highlighting ongoing challenges in the live-service mobile gaming sector.
In executive moves, Magic: The Gathering (Wizards of the Coast) hired a veteran marketer from Supercell to lead marketing efforts at what’s described as Europe’s largest collection of midcore studios. The podcast also covered additional game data releases and soft launches across the industry.