5 takeaways from Pocket Gamer Connects London 2025: Optimism for the 12 months forward with cell to guide the fee

2025 all the time feels actually underway when Pocket Gamer Connects London kicks off a 12 months filled with occasions.

This 12 months’s convention was once a sell-out, with over 2,600 registrations from 66 international locations throughout six continents. With 1000’s of conferences happening, quite a lot of talks delivered on level throughout 4 tracks and an entire host of fringe occasions, the development was once a large luck.

So, after two packed complete days of networking and attending insightful periods, what have been one of the crucial maximum mentioned subjects and key takeaways? 

Optimism for 2025

The video games business seems to be getting into 2025 with a renewed sense of optimism. Whilst 2024 was once dubbed with the tagline ‘Live on to twenty-five’, this 12 months is being referred to as ‘Thrive in 25’.

In spite of this extra sure outlook, the business isn’t ignoring the demanding situations we’ve got observed in recent times, from marketplace saturation to the continuing affect of layoffs. There are nonetheless some issues in regards to the moral use of AI, investment difficulties and ongoing regulatory issues on the subject of loot bins and microtransactions. 

Video video games legal professional Isabel Davies mentioned possible criminal adjustments that would affect in-app purchases, loot bins and free-to-play video games.

The Virtual Equity Health Test, may affect free-to-play legislation and shopper protections throughout the subsequent 5 years. Considerations come with recreation design this is observed as “addictive” and lines like day-to-day bonuses. This implies lawmakers would possibly limit monetisation strategies, and Davies steered builders to look ahead to conceivable shifts available in the market.

Apparently that recreation builders are cautiously constructive about 2025. In spite of one of the crucial incoming marketplace adjustments and most probably demanding situations, many spoke of the way resilient the video games business is and the way it has all the time tailored to switch.

Versus final 12 months’s business occasions, there was once way more positivity provide on the display. Builders appear constructive that some shifts may result in a more healthy and extra sustainable video games business. 

Extra AI

Synthetic intelligence remains to be a key matter of dialogue. Whilst there are nonetheless issues about its function within the business, generative AI is broadly observed as a device that may boost up enlargement.

Following identical subject matters from fresh years, a lot of the dialogue is round the use of AI as a device relatively than a substitute for ability, with AI getting used to streamline extra time-consuming duties in construction so builders can focal point on larger issues. 

It’s no longer simply recreation design that studios wish to AI for; those equipment are anticipated to keep growing to lend a hand spice up industry around the board, from in-game analytics to make target market comments extra helpful all of the technique to app retailer optimisation to verify your recreation sticks out from the gang.

One consultation at PGC London 2025 noticed Maximilian Seeburg talk about the affect of AI in video games, emphasising that AI will take care of lower-effort duties whilst builders can take on extra inventive sides. Seeburg additionally famous that 22% of Q3 2024 VC investment in video games went to AI-related initiatives, however he wired that VCs wish to see how other folks use AI in coding, person acquisition and different sides.

It’s transparent that the usage of AI in video games is right here to stick, with a lot of the video games business taking a look to include those equipment into construction. On the other hand, the important thing message is that AI must give a boost to productiveness and no longer exchange creativity. 

Giant 12 months for cell

The cell video games marketplace is predicted to be a significant enlargement driving force in 2025, above each PC and console markets. With smartphones changing into more and more obtainable and costs of a few {hardware} proceeding to say no, areas similar to India, Asia and Africa are poised for important marketplace growth and provide extra enlargement alternatives for flats. 

Builders additionally spoke incessantly of extra pastime in selection app retail outlets as they search to enlarge past the Google Play Retailer and Apple App Retailer. Epic Video games made its presence recognized on the match, advocating for its cell video games ambitions. This shift is, in fact, fueled by means of rising tensions between builders and big-name app retail outlets because of prime fee charges and demanding situations with app discoverability. Consequently, the pressure to peer extra video games featured throughout extra app retail outlets is prone to achieve traction in 2025. 

The cell video games business is on target for any other sturdy 12 months, with hybrid genres and a surge in simulation video games anticipated to have a robust presence.

The demographic shift

Gen Z has turn out to be probably the most dominant drive within the business as they’re enjoying video games greater than any earlier era. Gen Z helps to form key traits and pushing for higher range and inclusivity within the media they eat. 

This era’s shorter consideration spans and love for ‘shorts’, in addition to having sturdy ties to their favorite content material creators, is prone to reshape how video games are advertised and monetised. Gen Z, along different generational teams like Millennials, also are contributing to a shift towards sustained engagement, with many of us proceeding to recreation smartly into maturity relatively than losing off as some earlier generations have.

Gen Z is attracted to distinctive reviews, and extra private influences form their engagement. This has led some studios to manner promoting extra strategically, similar to leveraging acquainted characters to seize their consideration.

An instance of this on the match was once in Subway Surfers, the place the nature of Frank, who was once first of all offered with little tale, generated fan pastime. In accordance with this, the staff integrated him extra prominently into the sport to have interaction with gamers and shape deeper connections.

Cellular gaming, with its comfort and accessibility, could also be anticipated to stay in particular well liked by Gen Z, however they might also have a better expectation for cross-platform video games and a keenness for subscriptions so they may be able to get right of entry to an in depth catalogue of video games for one set value. 

GTA 6 to set a brand new precedent

The predicted unencumber of Grand Robbery Auto 6 has captured the eye of all of the recreation business. A number of the many subjects across the recreation is a hearsay suggesting that it will debut with a price ticket between $80 and $100. 

One of these important value build up would most probably no longer be straight away embraced by means of customers. On the other hand, business analysts imagine that GTA 6 has the prospective to set a brand new pricing same old for video video games, in particular for AAA titles. Whilst a transfer like this could turn out difficult for customers to just accept, many view it as one in all few video games able to atmosphere a brand new benchmark that others can apply. 

If the cost build up proved a hit, it will pave the way in which for upper value issues around the business, permitting builders and publishers to fight emerging construction prices and generate extra earnings. If the cost hike does occur, it will considerably affect the way forward for how video games are priced. 

Past discussions across the recreation’s value level, many expect that GTA 6 would be the greatest recreation release ever. With its predecessor GTA V promoting over 200 million gadgets and producing $8.6 billion in earnings, this newest instalment seems all set to damage information.

Don’t overlook Pocket Gamer Connects is returning to San Francisco for its milestone fiftieth convention. The development is scheduled for March seventeenth and 18th happening on the Hibernia Resort. Get your tickets now!