In today’s roundup: Xsolla partners with Gamesforum to support global developers, Apple announces game-centric upgrades at WWDC 2025, Angry Birds returns with a new Arcade-exclusive, and NetEase restructures mobile operations while doubling down on cloud gaming and AI.

Apple announces game-centric upgrades across platforms at WWDC 2025

At WWDC on June 9, Apple placed gaming at the center of its ecosystem strategy, unveiling the new standalone Games app (in beta, launching this fall), and upgrading Game Center with support for multiplayer activities, in-game challenges, and a new overlay that allows social interaction and event tracking without leaving gameplay.

iOS 26 introduces expanded offer code capabilities, improved developer testing tools, and new safeguards for child users via age-based content filters and privacy-preserving APIs. Apple’s graphics framework Metal 4 brings native machine learning integration and enhanced performance for Apple silicon, while Game Porting Toolkit 3 now supports advanced rendering techniques and Microsoft Visual Studio development on macOS. Developers also gain generative AI tools in Xcode 26, along with new visual debugging and design capabilities.

Xsolla launches global Gamesforum sponsorship to boost developer reach

Xsolla has entered a long-term partnership with Gamesforum, becoming the lead sponsor for a global event series focused on mobile game publishing, monetization, and strategy. The initiative spans nine events through 2026 across Europe, North America, and Asia, and is designed to foster collaboration between developers, investors, and platform operators.

The sponsorship marks a strategic expansion of Xsolla’s presence in mobile-first markets, aligning with the company’s broader efforts to provide end-to-end support for game studios - from payments and distribution to analytics and marketing. Through the Gamesforum partnership, Xsolla aims to bridge gaps between creative teams and commercial infrastructure, especially for indie and mid-tier developers navigating a competitive and evolving mobile ecosystem.

Angry Birds returns with new Apple Arcade title ‘Angry Birds Bounce’

Rovio is launching Angry Birds Bounce as an Apple Arcade exclusive on July 3, reimagining the iconic franchise with a brick-breaker and rogue-lite hybrid format. The game features a vast roster of familiar birds, each with customisable power-ups, as players navigate pinball-inspired arenas to topple pig formations. It’s the first major entry in the series since Rovio’s acquisition by Sega in 2023.

Unlike previous titles focused on physics puzzles, Bounce blends rapid-fire action and strategy, with procedurally generated stages and squad-building mechanics. The game also introduces a new seasonal system and progression syncing across Apple devices. Early previews suggest it may be Rovio’s most ambitious redesign to date, aiming to modernise the franchise for a new generation of mobile gamers while retaining its signature character style.

NetEase ramps up cloud gaming and AI amid mobile division restructuring

NetEase is accelerating investment in cloud gaming and AI-integrated titles while undergoing an internal restructuring of its mobile business. Following mixed performance from recent releases, the company has reoriented leadership around its mobile games division to prioritize technical innovation and global scalability. Key in this shift is the expansion of its proprietary cloud gaming infrastructure, aimed at improving accessibility in bandwidth-constrained regions and enabling higher-end graphics performance on mobile devices.

NetEase is also incorporating machine learning into new IPs, including the upcoming ocean-exploration RPG Sea of Remnants and urban tactical shooter FragPunk. These games feature adaptive AI opponents and dynamic environments, reflecting the company's pivot toward cross-platform AAA-quality experiences. While still maintaining a strong mobile games pipeline, NetEase is signaling a strategic ambition to align its mobile strategy with the studio’s larger vision for cloud-native, globally distributed game development.