This week I took a look at Almedia's Freecash as it returns to the Google Play Store (iOS still pending), AppLovin released its Q1 report with a 59% increase to its ad business and Angry Birds is inducted in the video game Hall of Fame.

This week also saw big news on the M&A front with Supercell moving to take full control of Metacore (putting 160 jobs at risk), Mistplay expanded its rewarded offering with MyChips acquisition and InMobi increases iOS offering taking on ASA partner Mobile Action.

The increased frequency with which we are seeing M&A activity across both studios and service provider in 2026 signals two things, the desire to buy not build games and tech and the need in the West to compete with speed and innovation seen in Vietnam, China, and other growth hubs.

Freecash Returns to Google Play Store

Almedia’s rewarded platform Freecash has returned to the Google Play Store following its recent removal amid allegations surrounding data practices and misleading advertising. The company publicly disputed the claims, calling the removal unwarranted and reiterating that its business operates within platform guidelines and GDPR compliance standards.

The Almedia team is continuing to work with Apple on reinstatement on iOS.

Why it matters: The speed of Freecash’s reinstatement highlights the growing influence of rewarded platforms within mobile gaming. While also exposing increasing tension between user acquisition models, platform governance, and public scrutiny around data usage.

AppLovin Doubles Ad Business Grows 59%

AppLovin reported another standout quarter, posting 59% growth on last year from its advertising revenue, with its AI-driven ad platform continuing to scale across gaming and consumer apps. Beating expectations.

The company’s latest earnings reinforced the growing opportunity around hybrid monetisation, with developers blending increasingly sophisticated ad monetization strategies with IAP uplifts. Strong EBITDA margins and continued expansion of the Axon platform point to increasing confidence in performance-led advertising infrastructure despite recent scrutiny around data practices and platform dependencies.

Why it matters: AppLovin’s results further cement hybrid monetisation as one of the defining business models in mobile gaming, with studios under increasing pressure to diversify revenue streams beyond pure IAP mechanics.

Angry Birds Ascends Gaming Legacy Status with Hall of Fame Recognition

Angry Birds has officially been inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame, cementing its place as one of the most influential titles in gaming history. Originally launched in 2009, Rovio’s mobile hit helped define the smartphone gaming era, introducing millions of players to mobile-first gaming experiences and paving the way for the wider app economy boom. The title joins a prestigious list of culturally significant games recognised for their longevity, global reach, and impact on the industry.

Why it matters: Few mobile titles have had the cultural and commercial impact of Angry Birds. Its induction reinforces how mobile gaming is now viewed as a foundational part of gaming history rather than a secondary platform. Not to mention the ongoing transmedia approach of the Rovio team to expand its presence.

Supercell Moves to Take Full Control of Merge Mansion Developer Amid Major Restructuring

Supercell is set to fully acquire Finnish studio Metacore, bringing its hit title Merge Mansion directly into its live games portfolio. The move comes alongside a significant restructuring at Metacore, with up to 160 roles at risk as the company refocuses around its core title. The decision follows stalled growth and failed attempts to launch new global hits, with increasing competition in the merge-2 category a key challenge.

Why it matters: This signals a shift from growth-stage experimentation to portfolio consolidation, with Supercell doubling down on proven live games rather than backing new IP bets.

Mistplay Strengthens Rewarded Advertising Push with MyChips Acquisition

Mistplay has acquired MyChips, the offerwall platform developed by MAF, in a move designed to expand its rewarded advertising footprint across North America, Europe, and APAC. Integrated into Mistplay’s LoyaltyPlay network, the acquisition adds new inventory and audience scale at a time when rewarded user acquisition continues gaining momentum across mobile gaming.

The deal also reinforces the wider industry shift toward opt-in, engagement-led ad formats that prioritise retention and long-term value over traditional interruption-based advertising.

Why it matters: Rewarded advertising is increasingly evolving from a niche UA tactic into core mobile growth infrastructure, with scale, retention quality, and owned inventory becoming key competitive advantages.

InMobi Expands iOS Growth Ambitions with MobileAction Acquisition

InMobi has acquired MobileAction in a move designed to strengthen its AI-driven iOS growth capabilities amid an increasingly competitive user acquisition landscape. MobileAction is widely used for ASO, Apple Search Ads automation, and market intelligence, giving InMobi deeper tooling across discovery and performance marketing.

The acquisition reflects growing demand for vertically integrated growth stacks as mobile advertisers seek more efficient ways to scale following ongoing privacy and attribution changes across the ecosystem.

Why it matters: As the mobile ecosystem becomes more privacy-centric, ownership of first-party optimisation and intelligence tools is becoming strategically critical. InMobi’s move signals continued consolidation around AI-powered growth infrastructure, particularly within Apple’s increasingly important app discovery environment.

The Weekly Pulse powered by AppMagic

The green line shows the games performance in the Top Charts over the last week, with the left side indicating its starting position in the rankings and the right side indicating its current position. Also included are downloads for the period.

This week’s trending chart is heavily dominated by lightweight casual and utility-style experiences, reinforcing the continued importance of broad accessibility and low-friction gameplay in driving chart momentum. Titles such as RUSH: Xtreme and Arrow Puzzle: Tap Puzzle Games posted strong upward movement, while simpler formats including Offline Games No WiFi internet and Mini Challenges: Calm Games continue proving highly effective at scaling through broad-market appeal and aggressive acquisition strategies.

A particularly notable trend this week is the resurgence of evergreen gameplay formats rather than entirely new concepts. Racing, puzzle, simulation, and offline utility gaming continue outperforming more complex genres in pure download momentum, suggesting that discoverability in the mobile ecosystem remains closely tied to simplicity, session flexibility, and creative-led user acquisition.

One Thing to Watch: The growing presence of “offline” and hyper-accessible titles in trending charts may point toward increasing demand for low-commitment gameplay experiences as competition for user attention intensifies across mobile entertainment platforms.

My 2026 Events Calendar:

Next week I will be in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (10th to 14th) to discuss investment, M&A, financing, studio and game growth. Reach out to connect!

• Mobile Executive Summit, Ho Chi Minh City, May 12th
• Gamesforum Hamburg, June 9 & 10
• Gamesforum & Appsforum London, September 7 & 8
• Gamesforum Vancouver, October 22nd
• Gamesforum & Appsforum San Francisco, October 26 & 27
• Gamesforum Vienam, Hanoi, November 25

Got any suggestions, stories or topics worth covering? Drop me a DM!