Section

Features

The longer read: how mobile games are made, sold and played.

7 articles

Gacha odds explained: what those percentages actually mean

A published rate is not a promise, and pity is not a safety net in the way most people assume. What the numbers on a banner really tell you before you spend.

By Christian Baldwin8 Oct 20264 min read

Feature

What happens to your account when a mobile game shuts down

A mobile game's closure can affect purchases, progress and access in different ways. Here is what to check in the developer's announcement and your store's refund policy.

By Christian Baldwin8 Oct 2026

Analysis

Why mobile games want you back tomorrow

Daily rewards, energy timers and streaks can encourage repeat play. Here are questions to ask when that routine stops feeling fun.

By Christian Baldwin8 Oct 2026

Analysis

The App Store now labels social media in games, and chat does not count

Since September every App Store submission has to say whether a game is social media, and saying yes sets a floor of 13+. Three of the sixteen games we cover say yes.

By Christian Baldwin18 Sept 2026

Analysis
Europe's regulators want gems to show what they cost in euros
By Christian Baldwin15 Aug 2026
Analysis
The App Store already tells you which games sell loot boxes
By Christian Baldwin13 Aug 2026
Analysis
The UK told app listings to name loot boxes. Most still do not
By Christian Baldwin4 Aug 2026

Gacha odds explained: what those percentages actually mean

What happens to your account when a mobile game shuts down

Why mobile games want you back tomorrow

The App Store now labels social media in games, and chat does not count

Europe's regulators want gems to show what they cost in euros

The App Store already tells you which games sell loot boxes

The UK told app listings to name loot boxes. Most still do not