PocketGamer.biz Podcast

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 84th episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On this week’s show we discuss:
Scopely's big deal for Pixel Flow developer Loom Games.
The January 2026 mobile game revenue and download charts.
Matthew Ball's State of Video Gaming 2026 report.
Pokémon Go's PvP revamp.
The closure of Call of Duty Warzone: Mobile's servers set for April 2026.
The fall of Unity's shares by 91% since November 2021.
** Let's Connect **
👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/
👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz
👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz
👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com
👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform
👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/
👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform
👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

At PocketGamer Connects London, host Peggy Anne Salz sits down with Cameron Simon, CFO at Offroad Games, whose journey from mining in South Africa to “mining” player data in mobile gaming offers a fresh take on sustainable growth.

The interview grew out of a chance meeting at a dinner hosted by the Mobile Finance Collective, a new community bringing together finance leaders and founders in mobile apps and gaming, and surfaces some genuine gems along the way.

Drawing on a background in heavy industry, Cameron explains how exploration, capital discipline and long-term yield thinking translate directly into player acquisition, LiveOps strategy and monetisation in mobile games.

Key takeaways:
⛏️ The parallels between mining ore bodies and building player value, from discovery and development to maximising lifetime return
📊 How radical transparency around KPIs and runway builds trust and aligns teams around shared financial goals
🎮 Why CFOs who stay close to product and LiveOps make stronger growth decisions
💰 How Offroad Games approaches ad monetisation and D2C partnerships to unlock new revenue streams
🚀 Why sustainable growth and runway protection sit at the centre of every strategic decision

A candid conversation about capital discipline, growth strategy and what it takes to build a mobile studio that survives the cycle.

Chapters:
0:00 Cameron Simon: The "Jack of All Trades" CFO at Offroad Games
2:12 Translating Financial Data to Motivate the Team
3:34 From Mining in South Africa to Mobile Gaming in London
7:10 The Secret to Live Ops and Keeping a Game Fresh
8:29 Partnerships, D2C, and Ad Monetization
12:05 Sustainable Growth and Protecting the Team Runway

** Let's Connect **
👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk
👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz
👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz

Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 83rd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On this week’s show we take a look at:
Supercell's financials and CEO Ilkka Paananen's big blog post focusing on mobile game innovation.
The Clash Royale content creator storm.
Pokémon and Mario head to the Super Bowl.
Square Enix's financials and Final Fantasy's future.
Resident Evil Survival Unit's success and game design.
Roblox's blowout year and concerns around child safety on the platform.
** Let's Connect **
👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/
👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz
👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz
👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com
👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform
👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/
👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform
👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com

Chirag Ambwani, SVP Gaming & Entertainment, Corporate Development & Partnerships at Sensor Tower, discusses the state of mobile gaming, monetization strategies, and the growing influence of AI and non-gaming categories.

In this video:
Mobile gaming surpasses $90B, with non-gaming apps also hitting record highs
Short drama emerges as a fast-growing category, led by former gaming publishers
Blended monetisation (IAP, subscriptions and ads) continues to drive growth
Puzzle remains strong, while sports and racing decline
Legacy titles like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush thrive through live ops
Asia publishers dominate top-grossing charts
AI is reshaping workflows, optimisation and ad spend
Sensor Tower expands into PC, console and web store data
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:24 The State of Mobile Gaming: $90 Billion and Growing
01:44 The Rise of Short Drama: Former Gaming Companies Lead the Way
03:43 Why Blended Monetization (IAP, Subscriptions, Ads) Is Key
06:20 Legacy Titles and the Dominance of Asia Publishers
09:00 AI Usage: Optimizing Spend and Workflows

Let's Connect
👉🏻 X - https://x.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/pocketgamer-biz/?originalSubdomain=uk
👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz
👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz

Check out more world-class speakers sharing their insights and expertise at one of our events. You can find details of our next event here - https://www.pgconnects.com/next-event

PocketGamer.biz head of content Craig Chapple, deputy editor Paige Cook and news editor Aaron Astle talk through the latest games industry news on the 82nd episode of the Week in Mobile Games Podcast.
On this week’s show we take a look at:
Google's AI world-building tech Project Genie and why investors are concerned.
Ares Interactive's $70 million funding round.
Fire Emblem Heroes' ninth anniversary.
Nintendo Switch 2 sales.
Lil Wayne's Clash Royale virtual halftime show.
Iron Lung's box office success.

** Let's Connect **
👉🏻 Twitter - https://twitter.com/pgbiz
👉🏻 LinkedIn Group - https://www.linkedin.com/company/pocketgamer-biz/
👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PGbiz
👉🏻 Website - https://www.pocketgamer.biz
👉🏻 Pocket Gamer Connects - https://www.pgconnects.com
👉🏻Pocket Gamer Connects Speaker Submission form - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoS5n-vdHu6aU-2d_rR7x1FAgewG51y3nlU1aB8RdetiKaGw/viewform
👉🏻 The Top 50 Mobile Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-50-mobile-game-makers-of-2025/
👉🏻 Download the PocketGamer.biz Mobile Games Developer Trends Survey Winter 2024/25 report - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3tbjUxVkG17CuHHljMblfmUC3DZ6gNAzV8qiz8bAALUXSvQ/viewform
👉🏻 Join the AI Gamechangers newsletter - https://aigamechangers.substack.com
👉🏻 The Top 30 MENA Game Makers 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-top-30-mena-game-makers-of-2025
👉🏻 The mobile games industry trends that shaped 2025 - https://www.pocketgamer.biz/the-mobile-games-industry-trends-that-shaped-2025/