Pocket Gamer
Mobile gaming publisher, industry media and events operator.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- Steel Media Ltd
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom
- Market role
- Publisher & Media Owner
- Official website
- pocketgamer.com
What Pocket Gamer does
The company operates a specialist media portfolio in the mobile games market. It builds audience attention through editorial content for consumers and professionals, then monetises that attention via advertising, sponsored content, and promotional packages. It extends the same audience and industry relationships into higher-value event products, where it sells tickets, sponsorships, and exhibitor access. It further repackages event content into paid on-demand access through VideoVault, creating an additional revenue layer from existing conference programming.
Category differentiation
This company is not a game developer or a gaming platform operator. It is a specialist gaming publisher and events business centred on media brands, conferences, and paid industry content.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
Steel Media Ltd is a UK gaming media company whose public-facing flagship brand is Pocket Gamer. It operates digital publishing assets focused on mobile and handheld games, including the consumer site PocketGamer.com and the industry publication PocketGamer.biz, alongside the Pocket Gamer Connects B2B events franchise and the VideoVault paid archive of recorded conference content. Since 2019, Steel Media Ltd has been owned by Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. The business monetises through a diversified publisher-and-events model. Revenue comes from advertising and sponsored placements on its media properties, sponsorship and exhibitor packages around its industry events, ticket sales for conference attendance, and paid access to archived event content. Its direct customers are game publishers, developers, service providers, advertisers, sponsors, and industry professionals seeking audience reach, market intelligence, networking, and sector-specific content.
Company news briefing
Briefing updated:
Pocket Gamer has expanded its B2B footprint through comprehensive coverage of Gamescom 2026 and ChinaJoy, focusing on global market expansion, generative AI, and direct-to-consumer (D2C) monetisation. By hosting key events like the PGC Summit Shanghai and staging sessions at PGC Barcelona on AI-driven marketing, the publisher facilitates critical industry dialogue. This active engagement supports parent Enthusiast Gaming’s strategic focus on D2C monetisation models and operational growth following its Q1 2026 financial updates.
Business model & monetisation
The company uses a mixed monetisation model combining ad-supported publishing, sponsorship, event commerce, and paid content access. Its publishing properties generate revenue from display advertising, sponsored content, and promotional services. Pocket Gamer Connects generates revenue from ticket sales, sponsorship packages, and exhibitor fees. VideoVault adds pay-per-event paid access for recorded conference sessions and materials.
- Advertising and sponsored content on publishing sites
- Ad-Supported
- Event tickets
- Service Fee
- Event sponsorships and exhibitor packages
- Service Fee
- Paid access to archived conference sessions
- Content Subscription
Products & capabilities
No products with linked sources are available in this view.
Products & market categories
Media Channel
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
Mobile Embraces AI, Triple‑A Holds Back
Large Language Models (LLM) & AI · Recorded impact score: 2/5
At Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai a panel of studio operators, investors and AWS Game Tech discussed how AI is already embedded across game development, UA creative and live content. Panelists argued free-to-play mobile studios adopt AI faster because players are content‑hungry and development cycles are short, while console and triple‑A teams protect craftsmanship and move slower due to long release cycles and sensitive communities. Visions of AI-native studios ranged from denser talent models to orchestration systems where a single developer coordinates many agents. Panelists also raised concerns about shared cultural experiences, the economics of personalization, and whether AI can create genuinely new game experiences or capture human emotion in world models.
- Panel titled "The AI Paradox: Creative Resistance vs Industrial Revolution" took place at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai.
- Panelists included Wenfeng Yang (moderator, BBX Ventures), Devin Nambiar (COO, Mattel163), Kartik Prabhakara (founding partner, Aream & Co), Harri Manninen (founding partner, Play Ventures), Jonathan Huang (partner, BITKRAFT Ventures) and Drew Higbee (head of AI/ML product management, AWS Game Tech).
Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026 Winners
Interactive Entertainment (Gaming) · Recorded impact score: 2/5
The Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2026, hosted by PocketGamer.biz with Samsung Gaming Hub at Gürzenich Köln during Gamescom week on 25 August 2026, celebrated mobile creators across 20+ categories. Istanbul studio Loom Games dominated the night: named Best Developer while co‑founder and CEO Kübra Gündoğan won Rising Star, and its 2025 debut Pixel Flow took Game of the Year and Best Game Innovation. Pixel Flow, launched in August 2025, has been a commercial breakout — AppMagic estimates more than 30 million downloads and roughly $200 million in first‑year gross player spending, peaking at about $27 million in monthly revenue in April (other reports note ~10 million players and a US top‑20 grossing entry). Scopely acquired a majority stake in Loom in February 2026 valuing the studio above $1 billion and won multiple awards; Arknights: Endfield won People’s Choice and AudioVisual Excellence, and María Sayans received the Mobile Legend lifetime achievement award.
- Awards hosted by PocketGamer.biz with Samsung Gaming Hub at Gürzenich Köln during Gamescom week on 25 August 2026.
- Loom Games won Best Developer; co‑founder & CEO Kübra Gündoğan won Rising Star; Pixel Flow won Game of the Year and Best Game Innovation.
Pixel Flow earns $198.4M in first year
Financials · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Loom Games’ hybrid-casual mobile puzzler Pixel Flow generated $198.4 million in gross player spending in its first 365 days after launching on August 17, 2025. App analytics (AppMagic) show spending grew from about $1,500 in month one to peaks of $28.3m in month eight and $27m in April, with installs rising to an estimated 34 million across Google Play and the App Store. The United States led both installs (32%) and player spending (66%). The game’s rapid commercial success preceded an announced majority-stake acquisition by Scopely that valued Loom Games above $1 billion.
- Pixel Flow generated $198.4 million in gross player spending during its first 365 days.
- Pixel Flow launched on August 17, 2025.
Big Indie Pitch Winners at PGC Summit Shanghai
Interactive Entertainment (Gaming) · Recorded impact score: 1/5
Pocket Gamer covered the winners of the Big Indie Pitch (sponsored by Xsolla) at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai. Grave Seasons by Solo Game won Excellence in Gameplay and the event Grand Prix. Reap and Rush by Mecrew Games took Excellence in Art & Design and an Honorable Mention. Rhythm Hotel by SyncArc Studio won Excellence in Audio. Awards were presented by representatives from MyGamez, Xsolla, Steel Media and AWS. The article highlights prize categories (Gameplay, Art & Design, Audio, Honorable Mention, Grand Prix) and links to event and sponsor sites.
- The Big Indie Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai was sponsored by Xsolla.
- Grave Seasons (by Solo Game) won Excellence in Gameplay and the Grand Prix.
PG Connects Nordics Schedule Goes Live
Experiential & Event Marketing · Recorded impact score: 2/5
PG Connects Nordics (rebrand of Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki) will take place October 20–21, 2026. The rebranded conference features a 23-track programme across multiple stages, two side events and 36 hours of content with 150+ speakers covering monetisation, funding, AI, development trends, HTML5 and cross‑media. Confirmed organisations include Layer AI, Epic Games, Xsolla, Meta, FastSpring, Fingersoft, IGDA, Neogames Finland and Pixel Federation. The event offers curated, free-to-ticket-holder networking: Investor Connector (one-to-one investor meetings), Publisher SpeedMatch, and two editions of The Big Indie Pitch (mobile; PC & console); applications for fringe events close at midnight on October 5, 2026. An online meeting system is provided for attendees. Tickets are available via the official site, with mid-term prices starting at €199.
- PG Connects Nordics (rebrand of Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki) takes place October 20–21, 2026; tickets via the official site (mid-term prices from €199).
- 23-track programme across multiple stages with 36 hours of content and 150+ speakers covering monetisation, funding, AI, development trends, HTML5 and cross-media.
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Questions about Pocket Gamer
What is Pocket Gamer?
Pocket Gamer is the public-facing trading brand of Steel Media Ltd, a mobile gaming publisher operating consumer and B2B media, events, and paid archive content.
Who uses Pocket Gamer?
Mobile gamers use its editorial content, while game developers, publishers, advertisers, sponsors, investors, and service providers use its B2B media and events products.
How does Pocket Gamer make money?
It makes money from advertising, sponsored content, promotional services, event tickets, sponsorships, exhibitor fees, and paid access to archived conference sessions.
Sources & coverage
This profile uses public, official and technically observable information. Missing information does not prove that a product or relationship does not exist. The list below does not imply that every profile statement has been verified.
15 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
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