Gaming
Flexion Partners with Xiaomi to Bring More Value to Global Users and Game Developers
Android game developers will as of today be able to reach millions of new users as Flexion, the games marketing company adds Xiaomi’s official proprietary app store, GetApps, to its suite of alternative marketplaces.
Flexion already offers game developers distribution and marketing services giving them easy access to alternative app stores and allowing them to build revenue and audiences quickly. The partnership with Xiaomi will bring significant opportunities to games in the Flexion portfolio.
“Xiaomi is among the top mobile device suppliers in many markets, such as India and Europe,” says Jens Lauritzson, Flexion’s CEO. “They have a truely global reach. Importantly for our game developers, many of Xiaomi’s smartphones focus on young people, especially geeks and gamers, which creates an ideal user base for game developers.”
Flexion’s strategy is to grow the distribution channels it offers developers, so they are no longer reliant on just limited choices. Existing clients see an average 10% boost in revenue through the platforms that Flexion helps them reach. Developers get an additional revenue stream with no upfront costs and very little effort.
The partnership with Xiaomi is a logical next step in Flexion’s strategy. Xiaomi is one of the world’s leading smartphone companies. According to Canalys, the company’s market share in terms of smartphone shipments ranked No. 3 globally in the first quarter of 2023. In March 2023, the MAU of MIUI reached approximately 595 million globally. GetApps already connects developers with millions of users and continues to grow, seeing notable successes in the most lucrative regions. Xiaomi’s International Internet Business Department announced its “Go Global” strategy for the year of 2023 at MWC in Barcelona, which also marked the expansion of GetApps towards more markets worldwide.
“We’re glad to be partnering with Flexion and delighted to welcome new games into Xiaomi’s GetApps. We think their attitude to the games market is spot on.” says Chan Liu, General Manager, International Internet Business Department, Xiaomi. “Our cooperation integrates the advantages of Flexion’s deep understanding of the market and Xiaomi’s system-level support as a smartphone OEM, which aims to create an ecosystem for the game industry and bring true values to developers and Xiaomi users worldwide.”
Flexion has already soft launched Gods & Glory from DECA Games on Xiaomi and is now fully integrated with the Xiaomi platform and distribution service. Using the Xiaomi distribution service will benefit developers as payout rates that facilitated through are generally higher than in other app distribution platforms, says Jens.
The time has never been better for developers to think about a multiple store approach. Earning revenue from a single app store with traditional user acquisition is becoming more difficult, as privacy and competition concerns start to bite. The European Union’s Digital Marketing Act (DMA), for example, will force tech giants to allow alternative app stores into their ecosystems. A game that is on multiple app distribution platforms will get more exposure no matter what market users prefer.
“We’re predicting a spike in alternative store audiences as consumers find better value through more competitive offers in new stores such as GetApps,” says Jens. “We’re giving developers a newfound freedom, making it far easier to launch, scale and profit from their games.”
“We will help Xiaomi grow its offering by bringing great games to the channel,” he goes on. “Flexion has the technology to do this, together with people who have the necessary expertise and experience. The platform grows and the games grow both in terms of audience and revenue. Everyone wins with Flexion’s approach.”
Gaming
4Players and ODIN deliver cutting-edge voice chat for Gray Zone Warfare
The globally operating software company 4Players GmbH announces its partnership with MADFINGER Games, the developer behind the highly anticipated tactical first-person shooter Gray Zone Warfare. The collaboration aims to level up in-game communication by integrating 4Players’ next generation Voice Chat SDK, ODIN, into MADFINGER Games’ upcoming title.
MADFINGER Games’ goal is to create a complex and realistic gaming experience that allows players to embark on an adventure alone or in a team. To ensure excellent communication during tactical approaches, ODIN was the best choice for MADFINGER Games’ Technical Director Johanny Clerc-Renaud:
“Selecting ODIN as the voice chat in our upcoming title, Gray Zone Warfare, was a pivotal decision driven by both technical and business considerations. Technically, ODIN ticks a lot of our criteria with its support for spatial audio, a ready-to-deploy Unreal Engine 5 plugin and the ability to meet any player load thanks to their cloud hosting.
From a business perspective, the agility and openness of partnering with a company like 4Players meant we could work hand-in-hand to tailor the solution to our specific needs. This includes a seamless integration with Wwise, allowing us to modulate voice data for a more immersive and engaging player experience. Together, these factors made ODIN the undeniable choice for Gray Zone Warfare, enabling us to make our game even more memorable.”
By natively integrating ODIN Voice Chat into Unreal Engine 5, MADFINGER Games’ developers could focus on creating ultra-realistic game content instead of managing complex data sets. By leveraging ODIN’s scalable cloud hosting, MADFINGER Games can also ensure seamless service delivery to players worldwide, improving accessibility and the gaming experience.
With features such as real-time 3D spatial audio – including audio occlusion and ambient effects – for the global voice chat as well as full-volume radio communication, ODIN sets a new standard for multiplayer engagement and promotes immersive and crystal-clear interactions between players. This level of immersive communication not only enhances gameplay, but also strengthens the social fabric in the gaming community.
“ODIN represents the future of in-game communication. We combine cutting-edge technology with decades of expertise in the gaming industry to create a product that is fun and designed to improve gamers’ communication,” says Phillip Schuster, CEO at 4Players GmbH. “We are excited to be working with MADFINGER Games to further optimize the immersion of Gray Zone Warfare. The partnership highlights our shared goal of driving social interaction and creating a unique gaming experience.”With the release of Gray Zone Warfare for Early Access on 30th April 2024, players will experience unparalleled realistic gaming communication with ODIN.
Gaming
Phoenix Games acquires PopReach Games along with its impressive games portfolio and over 100 employees
Phoenix Games, a global gaming enterprise specializing in the acquisition and enhancement of game studios, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of PopReach Games, a live operations studio based in Bengaluru, India, from Ionik for a total aggregate purchase price of up to US$9.8 million, financed from cash reserves. Together with the studio, Phoenix takes over a broad portfolio of free-to-play games that boasts more than 420 million lifetime downloads.
This transaction substantially diversifies the Phoenix portfolio by including globally recognized IPs and beloved free-to-play titles on different platforms, such as Smurf’s Village, Smurf’s Magic Match, Gardens of Time, Kitchen Scramble games, Kingdoms of Camelot, and War of Nations as well as the Brain Training app Peak..
The acquisition of PopReach Games India strengthens Phoenix Games’ global presence and adds a dedicated workforce of more than 100 employees from the Indian studio.
“The acquisition of PopReach Games signifies a remarkable enhancement of our portfolio, introducing not just a team of 100 passionate professionals but also a suite of globally acclaimed IPs and games that continue to captivate millions,” states Klaas Kersting, CEO of Phoenix Games. “We look forward to elevating these games to new heights with our proprietary Uplift platform and exciting new game experiences that we can craft around them.
Echoing this sentiment, Jairaj NS, General Manager at PopReach Games India, shares, “I am excited about joining forces with the stellar team at Phoenix Games. This marks the beginning of an exciting journey we can’t wait to embark on with Phoenix as our new home. This is great news for all the stakeholders, especially for the millions of our loyal players across the globe. I am happy we have found a new ideal home for our globally acclaimed games. This partnership enables us to continue pouring our hearts and souls into creating unforgettable experiences for our players worldwide and create value for stakeholders.”
Ted Hastings, CEO of Ionik, adds: “It’s truly remarkable that we’ve discovered the perfect home for our former games division, PopReach Games India, with Phoenix Games, ensuring a promising and successful path ahead. This strategic move enables us to turn our full attention to our core responsibilities”.
Based in Karlsruhe, Germany, Phoenix Games boasts an impressive lineup of studios, including Upright Games, Sixteen Tons Entertainment, Well Played Games, Smileygamer, and the recent addition of Canadian developer Sad Panda Studios in November 2023.
Utilizing its proprietary Uplift platform, Phoenix Games enhances the financial performance and reach of the titles of acquired game studios, providing their expertise in user acquisition, ad monetization, and live operations to ensure an economic upswing.
Gaming
Midjiwan Supports Reforestation Efforts With New Elyrion Tribe Skin In The Battle Of Polytopia
Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia, is celebrating Elyrion (∑∫ỹriȱŋ) Tribe Week with a brand-new Midnight (₼idŋighţ) skin and donations to support reforestation.
Tapping into the Elyrion Tribe’s nature magic abilities, every purchase of an Elyrion item in the game will plant one real-world tree from April 22-28 2024. Midjiwan has teamed up with The Canopy Project, an organisation that works with global partners to reforest areas in urgent need of rehabilitation, combining The Battle Of Polytopia’s themes with a desire to make real change in the world. Previous years of Elyrion Tribe Week have resulted in the planting of over 12,000 trees.
The Elyrion Tribe is a mysterious group of elves, dedicated to defending their woodland home with their unique magic and connection with nature. Players using the Elyrion tribe have the ability to enchant animals into Polytaurs and summon powerful Fire Dragons.
Christian Lövstedt, General Manager at Midjiwan, commented:
“This is a hugely exciting partnership, allowing players to support the planet and contribute to reforestation whilst also accessing brilliant new content to use in The Battle Of Polytopia.”
Alongside donating to The Canopy Project, The Battle Of Polytopia also boasts a brand-new skin for the Elyrion Tribe! The Midnight skin allows players to create graves, build crypts, and summon demons in dark forests, all in service of the mysterious Shard of D’Naeh.
The Midnight skin re-skins the entire Elyrion Tribe as the Midnight Cult. Everything the Elyrion Tribe is all about – nature, enchantment, and sanctuary – is turned on its head, corrupted into a dark, twisted dystopia of itself.
Midjiwan has already invested €250,000 in solar power projects in rural areas around Africa, and other charitable projects. The studio continues to seek opportunities to combine its in-game creativity with real-world benefits. The Battle of Polytopia is available on Nintendo Switch, the App Store, Google Play, PC, and Tesla cars.
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