NetMarvel gains insights into the global market and obtains industry information for game and app advertisers. Here’s the news for the three week of October:

 1.  Apple Develops Brand-New Game Center App

October 23rd, Apple is refining its gaming ecosystem with plans to launch a game-centric hub app designed for gamers. This app aims to deliver an enhanced unified gaming experience by integrating features from the App Store and Game Center, creating a one-stop gaming social platform. The app will feature multiple tabs: "Play Now" to showcase games purchased and played by users, as well as friends' statuses; "My Games" for managing game libraries and progress; and "Friends" to facilitate social interactions, such as sending and receiving friend requests and inviting friends to multiplayer games.

 2. Meta Plans to Develop AI-Powered Search Engine

Meta is reportedly developing an AI search engine to reduce its reliance on Google and Microsoft search engines. This new AI search engine is expected to be integrated into Meta AI Chatbot, replacing the current Google engine. Previously, OpenAI also announced the development of an AI search engine called SearchGPT.

 3. Microsoft Boasts 20 Game IPs with $1 Billion Revenue

Post-acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft now boasts 20 gaming franchises, each generating over $1 billion in sales and in-game purchases. In its annual report, Microsoft highlighted 20 series, including "Candy Crush," "Diablo," "Halo," "Warcraft," "The Elder Scrolls," and "Gears of War," as significant revenue drivers for the company.

 4. OpenAI Aims to Launch Next-Gen Model Orion in December

Reports on October 25th indicate OpenAI is set to debut Orion, its latest model, by December. Unlike previous releases, Orion won't be immediately available on ChatGPT. Instead, it will be selectively rolled out to close partners for product development. Microsoft is also preparing to host Orion on Azure, possibly as soon as November.

 5. Sony to Shut Down Video Game Studio Neon Koi, Partnered with Firework

Recently, Sony announced the closure of Firewalk Studios, the first-party studio behind the PvP shooter game Concord, as well as mobile game studio Neon Koi. Previously, Concord faced widespread backlash from players due to content controversies and was taken offline just two weeks after its launch. Established in 2020, Neon Koi was primarily responsible for developing mobile games for PlayStation's console and PC IPs but had not yet released any products.

At the 2024 China Computer Conference, Kuaishou's Zhang Di announced that KeLing AI has garnered over 3.6 million users and produced 37 million videos and 100 million images since its June launch. An app is coming for easier access and App Promotion, along with a beta test for a video facial model feature that allows users to train their own models. This will enable the creation of 5-10 second AI videos, addressing the challenge of stabilizing character IPs in video generation.

 7. NCSoft Announces Restructuring and Layoffs

On October 24th, NCSoft, a renowned South Korean game company, announced a massive restructuring and layoff plan amid declining performance and delays in new releases. As part of the revamp, the company confirmed the cancellation of "Project M" and plans to scale back or shut down certain development projects and support functions.

 8. RollicSoftly Launches “Barbie Merge Puzzle” Mobile Game in the UK

Rollic, a Zynga subsidiary, has launched "Barbie Merge Mystery" on the UK App Store. The collaboration with Mattel was announced earlier this year, aiming for a 2024 release. The game combines match-3 mechanics with a restoration twist, similar to titles likePlayrix's"Homescapes" and "Gardenscapes," andTrailmix's"Love & Pies."