Observed Signal · Jul 15, 2026 · Public Statement · Source: Mobilegamer.biz · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Ustwo boss says Apple and Google failing as platforms
At the Develop Brighton keynote, Ustwo Games boss Maria Sayans criticised mobile platform holders — specifically Apple and Google — for failing to address discoverability, saying platforms are not helping developers reach audiences despite taking a 30% cut. Sayans said Ustwo has invested in community and discoverability efforts and has shifted much of its output from mobile to PC and console because its preferred game designs were not commercially viable on mobile without platform or subscription funding from partners such as Apple or Netflix. Ustwo veteran Danny Gray discussed the studio’s human-driven creative approach and acknowledged some recent projects, including a Netflix-exclusive title later ported to PC, have struggled to find a large audience.
Developer criticism of app-store discoverability affects monetization and distribution strategies for game studios and highlights tensions around platform revenue share and curation, but it is not a major industry-shifting policy announcement.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Maria Sayans said mobile platforms are 'not doing their job' on discoverability during the Develop Brighton keynote.
- Sayans stated developers 'pay 30% to a platform' and one expected service in return is help reaching an audience.
- Ustwo shifted focus from mobile toward PC and console because certain games were not profitable on mobile without payments from platforms or subscription partners such as Apple or Netflix.
- Ustwo experienced layoffs during its transition away from subscription-platform-funded game development.
- Ustwo veteran Danny Gray said the Netflix-exclusive game (later brought to PC) 'failed to find an audience' based on sales.
Connected Companies & Entities
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“Title: Apple and Google are “not doing their job” as platform holders, says Ustwo boss...”
“The games we wanted to make, we just couldn’t make them profitably on mobile on our own without either Apple or Netflix paying us to make th...”
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Ustwo Games shifts focus from mobile to PC
Ustwo Games, developer of Monument Valley, says it shifted strategy from mobile to PC after mobile subscription deals with platform holders became unreliable. CEO Maria Sayans told Develop Brighton that subscription revenue once made the studio profitable but left it dependent on companies like Apple and Netflix; when those deals stopped funding the types of premium, single-player games Ustwo makes, the studio chose PC over adopting free-to-play models. Sayans also criticized platform holders for poor discoverability and highlighted Ustwo’s effort to build direct player relationships via a community initiative called the "Beautiful Games Club."
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