2026 has been another eventful year for the global mobile games industry. Major acquisitions, significant investments, executive appointments, changing app store economics and an increasingly competitive market have continued to reshape the sector.
While established publishers have focused on strengthening their portfolios and extending the lifespan of successful games, emerging studios have continued to attract substantial investment, particularly in fast-growing markets such as Türkiye.
Here, we highlight the key stories that have shaped the mobile games industry in 2026.
M&A, Investments and Exec Appointments
Electronic Arts Acquired in $55bn Take-Private Deal
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and its partners completed the $55bn acquisition of Electronic Arts in August 2026, taking the gaming company private. The transaction represents one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the games industry and further strengthens Saudi Arabia's position as a major international gaming investor.
Scopely Acquires Majority Stake in Loom Games at $1bn+ Valuation
Scopely acquired a majority stake in Istanbul-based Loom Games, the developer of Pixel Flow, in a transaction valuing the studio at more than $1bn. The deal came just months after Loom Games launched its debut title, highlighting continued investor interest in successful emerging mobile games studios.
Supercell Completes Acquisition of Metacore
Finnish mobile games developer Supercell completed its acquisition of Metacore in October, taking full ownership of the Helsinki-based developer behind Merge Mansion. Supercell was already Metacore's majority shareholder, and the transaction brings the studio and its flagship title fully into Supercell's portfolio.
Savvy Games Group Agrees to Acquire Moonton for $6bn
Savvy Games Group agreed to acquire Moonton, the Shanghai-based developer behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, from ByteDance in a deal reportedly valued at $6bn. The acquisition agreement represents another major expansion of Savvy's gaming portfolio, which already includes Scopely.
Grand Games Raises $70m in Series B Funding
Istanbul-based mobile games developer Grand Games raised $70m in Series B funding in May 2026, led by Balderton Capital, taking its total funding to $103m. The investment will support the expansion of its hybrid-casual games portfolio, marketing activities and team growth, further strengthening Türkiye's position as a major centre for mobile games development and investment.
NCSoft Agrees to Acquire Majority Stake in JustPlay for $204.8m
South Korean games developer and publisher NCSoft agreed to acquire a 70% stake in Berlin-based JustPlay in a transaction valued at $204.8m. The acquisition marks a significant investment in the European mobile gaming market by one of Asia's established games companies.
Nazara Acquires Controlling Stake in Bluetile for $100.3m
Indian gaming group Nazara Technologies agreed to acquire a 50% controlling stake in Barcelona-based Bluetile Games, formerly Playvalve, and its rewarded engagement business BestPlay Systems for $100.3m. The transaction expands Nazara's presence in European casual mobile gaming.
Tripledot Studios Acquires Supersonic from Unity for $40m
UK-based mobile games publisher Tripledot Studios acquired Supersonic, Unity's hyper-casual and hybrid-casual publishing business, for $40m in August. The transaction followed Tripledot's $800m acquisition of AppLovin's games business in 2025, further expanding its international publishing operations.
Sensor Tower Acquires Mobile Market Intelligence Rival AppMagic
Mobile market intelligence company Sensor Tower acquired AppMagic in May 2026, further consolidating the market for mobile app analytics. AppMagic will form part of Sensor Tower's offering for small and medium-sized businesses, following its earlier acquisition of data.ai in 2024. The transaction brings together several major providers of mobile app market data under one company.
AppsFlyer Secures More Than $1bn in Investment
Mobile measurement and marketing analytics company AppsFlyer secured more than $1bn in investment from a group of major advertising and technology companies, including Moloco, Google, Meta and Unity, in June 2026. The investment highlights the growing importance of mobile advertising measurement, analytics and attribution technology as publishers seek to improve the efficiency of user acquisition.
Flow Games Confirms $49m in Funding
Turkish mobile games developer Flow Games confirmed raising $49m across multiple funding rounds, with investors including Tencent, Makers Fund, Arcadia Gaming Partners and Ludus Ventures. Its mobile shooter Smash Fest surpassed 23m downloads following its global launch in May 2026.
Atari Acquires Crossy Road Developer Hipster Whale
Atari acquired Australian mobile games developer Hipster Whale, best known for Crossy Road, in June 2026 in a transaction valued at up to $39.3m. The acquisition expands Atari's mobile games portfolio and brings an established developer with experience creating successful casual mobile titles into the group.
Circle Games Raises $25m in Tencent-Led Funding
Istanbul-based mobile games studio Circle Games raised $25m in Series A funding led by Tencent, taking its total funding to $32.25m. The developer behind Sort Express plans to expand internationally, develop additional mobile titles and at least double its workforce.
Asha Sharma Appointed CEO of Microsoft Gaming
Microsoft appointed Asha Sharma as EVP and CEO of Microsoft Gaming, succeeding Phil Spencer following his 38-year career with the company. Sharma previously served as COO of Instacart and held senior leadership roles at Meta, while Matt Booty was promoted to EVP and Chief Content Officer.
Sara Bach Promoted to President of Supercell
Supercell promoted Sara Bach, previously Chief Live Games Officer, to President in January 2026. Bach joined Supercell in 2023 after holding senior leadership positions at Mojang, King and DICE, bringing extensive experience in managing established games franchises.
Stillfront Appoints Marcus Jacobs as Group CEO
Swedish gaming group Stillfront appointed Marcus Jacobs as President and Group CEO, effective November 1, succeeding Alexis Bonte. Jacobs previously spent seven years on King's executive management team and held senior roles at Electronic Arts and Embark Studios before joining Stillfront's board in 2022.
Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward Steps Down
Brian Ward stepped down as CEO of Savvy Games Group after five years with the company, during which it significantly expanded its global gaming investments. Turqi Alnowaiser, Deputy Governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, was appointed interim acting CEO pending the selection of a permanent successor.
Jam City Co-Founder Joshua Yguado Steps Down as CEO
Joshua Yguado stepped down as CEO of mobile games publisher Jam City in April 2026 after 16 years leading the business. Chul-min Sim, CEO of Kabam, was appointed to lead both companies, marking a significant leadership transition at two established mobile games developers.
Trailmix Appoints James Nicholas as CEO
UK mobile games studio Trailmix appointed James Nicholas as CEO, succeeding founder Carolin Krenzer, who moved into the role of Executive Chair after almost nine years leading the company. Nicholas previously served as Trailmix's Chief Operating Officer for more than three years.
Rovio CEO Alexandre Pelletier-Normand Takes on Expanded SEGA Role
Alexandre Pelletier-Normand, CEO of Rovio Entertainment, was appointed Chief Operating Officer for SEGA Europe's West Studios in addition to his existing responsibilities. The expanded role reflects the closer integration of Rovio within SEGA following its acquisition in 2023.
Industry News
Global Gaming M&A Reached $2.4bn
Global gaming M&A reached $2.4bn across 45 deals in Q3 2026, according to Drake Star Partners. Private investment exceeded $1.6bn across 106 funding rounds, with AI and gaming tools attracting more than 80% of the capital raised.
Global Mobile Games Revenue Falls 7% in Q3 2026
Global mobile games in-app purchase revenue declined 7% year-on-year to $19.6bn in Q3 2026, according to Aream & Co's Video Game Market Update. Downloads also fell 10%, while no mobile game released in 2026 entered the global top-grossing chart during the period, highlighting the challenges facing new titles in an increasingly mature market.
Direct-to-Consumer Payments Continue to Gain Momentum
Mobile games payments platform Appcharge surpassed $1bn in annualised transaction volume, highlighting the growing adoption of direct-to-consumer payment solutions. Industry estimates suggest mobile games generate approximately $17bn annually through direct-to-consumer channels, as publishers increasingly seek alternatives to traditional app store billing systems.
Playtika Cuts 500 Jobs
Mobile games publisher Playtika announced plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 500 employees, representing 15% of its staff. The restructuring follows five previous rounds of job cuts since 2022, during which approximately 1,000 positions were eliminated, reflecting continued cost pressures across the industry.
Google Play Expands Alternative Billing Options
Google Play introduced expanded alternative billing options and reduced developer fees in July, separating its service and payment processing charges following regulatory changes. The developments could provide mobile games publishers with greater flexibility over how they distribute and monetise their games.
Apple Introduces New App Store Terms for EU Developers
Apple announced revised App Store business terms for developers in the European Union in August 2026, introducing a simplified fee structure and expanded alternative payment options. The changes, effective October 1, replace the per-install Core Technology Fee with a 5% commission on digital transactions in apps distributed outside the App Store. The new rules could have significant implications for mobile games publishers seeking greater control over payments, distribution and direct-to-consumer revenue.
Playstudios Closes Four Studios and Cuts 177 Jobs
US-based mobile games developer Playstudios announced plans to close four of its nine studios and eliminate 177 positions as part of the second phase of its restructuring programme. The company is seeking to reduce costs and refocus its operations on growth opportunities, including casual puzzle games and sweepstakes, reflecting continued pressure on established mobile games publishers to improve operational efficiency.
AI Reshapes Hiring Across the Games Industry
The 2026 Big Games Industry Employment Survey found that 35% of games company founders had decided against hiring someone because AI tools could perform the work instead. Based on responses from 1,800 industry professionals across 90 countries, the research also found that 78% of games workers said AI had changed how they worked during the year.
Metacore Cuts 159 Jobs and Closes Operations in Germany and Sweden
Finnish mobile games developer Metacore announced plans to cut 159 positions in Finland and close its operations in Germany and Sweden in 2026, as it prepared for its acquisition by Supercell.
Supercell Announces Closure of Squad Busters
Supercell confirmed plans to permanently shut down Squad Busters on December 14, 2026, following its global launch in May 2024. The decision makes Squad Busters the first globally launched Supercell mobile game to be permanently closed, illustrating the difficulty of establishing successful new franchises even for established publishers.
AppLovin Takes Legal Action Against Unity
Mobile advertising company AppLovin took legal action against Unity over data collected through Unity's Ad Quality SDK, alleging that the company accessed advertising performance information to improve competing products. Unity disputed the allegations, with the case highlighting increasing competition in the mobile games advertising market.
European Authorities Investigate In-Game Purchasing Practices
European consumer protection authorities launched coordinated action involving nine games companies, including King, Supercell and Mojang, over potentially unfair practices involving in-game purchases and virtual currencies. The investigation focuses on pricing transparency, consumer rights and contractual terms, reflecting growing regulatory scrutiny of monetisation practices in gaming.
MTG Launches Playamp, Uniting Its Midcore Games Portfolio
Swedish gaming group MTG launched Playamp as the new brand for its midcore games division, bringing together Plarium, InnoGames, Snowprint, Hutch, Ninja Kiwi and Futureplay. The division, which generated more than $950m in revenue in 2025, combines its studios with shared capabilities across marketing, AI, data and direct-to-consumer services.
Roblox Introduces AI-Powered Mobile Game Creation Tools
Roblox began rolling out Build, an AI-powered, mobile-first tool enabling users to create playable games from text prompts directly within the Roblox app. The development reflects the growing use of generative AI to simplify game creation and make development tools accessible to a broader audience.
Unity Launches Claude Code Integration for Game Developers
Unity introduced an official Claude Code plugin, integrating its development tools and workflows with Anthropic's AI coding agent. The plugin launched with 29 built-in Unity skills covering graphics, user interfaces, multiplayer, monetisation and live operations, demonstrating the expanding role of AI-assisted development tools in gaming.
Monopoly Go! Surpasses $6bn in Lifetime Revenue
Scopely's Monopoly Go! surpassed an estimated $6bn in lifetime revenue, reaching the milestone faster than any previous mobile game, according to Sensor Tower. The achievement reinforces the commercial potential of successful mobile games franchises and the importance of long-term player engagement and monetisation.
Rovio Closes Copenhagen Studio Following Sonic Blitz Cancellation
Rovio Entertainment announced the closure of its Copenhagen studio following the cancellation of Sonic Blitz, a mobile game under development at the location. The decision ended Rovio's studio operations in Denmark and reflected the ongoing challenges facing mobile games development and investment in new titles.
Pokémon Go Surpasses $9bn in Lifetime Player Spending
Pokémon Go celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2026, having generated more than $9bn in gross player spending since its launch. Now operated by Scopely following its acquisition of Niantic's games business in 2025, the title remains one of the highest-grossing mobile games of the past decade.
What Does 2026 Tell Us About the Mobile Games Industry?
The developments of 2026 highlight an industry undergoing significant change. Major acquisitions have continued to reshape the competitive landscape, while investors have demonstrated a willingness to back emerging studios with strong commercial potential, particularly in markets such as Türkiye.
At the same time, declining revenue growth, rising competition and the challenges of launching successful new titles have placed greater emphasis on retaining players and maximising the performance of existing games. Changes to app store economics and the growing adoption of direct-to-consumer payment models are also creating new opportunities for publishers to improve monetisation.
AI is becoming increasingly influential across game development, marketing and business operations, while consolidation and restructuring continue to reshape organisations across the sector.
For mobile games companies, the ability to combine creative innovation with strong commercial execution, operational efficiency and experienced leadership will remain critical as the industry continues to evolve.