We continue to wrap up the year 2024 with various gaming (or gaming industry-related) teams and experts. Up next is an interview with Arthur Beresnev, CEO of Mamboo Entertainment.
This material was initially published on Game World Observer.
How was the year 2025 for your business? What achievements can you highlight? What conclusions have you drawn?
The year 2025 was a period of steady growth for Mamboo Entertainment. We significantly strengthened our position in the Amazon Appstore, becoming one of the leading publishing partners. Our team successfully ports and operates games from Azur, Amanotes, Voodoo, and other developers using a well-proven model. The platform has become more complex to work with, yet we understand how to maximize its potential.
Thanks to global releases on Android and iOS, several of our long-term projects were able to surpass previous records. However, we recognize that the current market demands even more effort to remain competitive.
Additionally, we conducted dozens of prototype tests and are now working closely with several studios on projects that we hope will become future hits.
How has the situation in the gaming market for publishing changed from your perspective?
Many successful releases today are not designed for long-term player retention. This forces publishers to speed up: track and forecast trends more swiftly, work closely with effective studios, and shorten return cycles. One key trend of the year has been games for a younger audience inspired by Roblox. This trend will persist for another six months to a year.
The focus on short sessions is easy to understand: established hits often show remarkable resilience, maintaining loyal players. Many projects predicted to decline not only held steady in 2025 but also grew compared to 2024.
Has the practice of working with developers changed? Is it easier or harder to work with them? Perhaps they've changed in some way?
The days when studios could test almost any prototype with major publishers are gone.
Validation has become significantly stricter. Mechanics, art, and monetization must be convincing from the start. Not perfect, but robust right from the draft and especially in execution.
New studios are less often entering the market with large funding rounds, as failing to reach target metrics in 4-6 months today means closing the company.
Newcomers are increasingly opting for joint development, art outsourcing, web3, or freelancing. Experienced studios already have projects that provide a baseline income (even if they grow slowly), allowing them to simultaneously develop existing ones and explore new ventures.
What was the year like for the niche in which you typically release games?
Launching new mobile projects has become significantly more difficult. Games are not the only ones competing for the attention of the paying audience: subscriptions for TV shows, educational apps, and other services easily take priority.
With aggressive monetization, caution is even more necessary. Interstitials and IAPs with noticeable impacts on balance remain essential, but initial welcome offers can no longer be sold solely through "ad removal." Virtually all new games require enhanced hybrid monetization and meticulous progression planning even at the concept stage.
What conclusions and lessons from 2025 would you highlight for developers preparing for release?
Don't attempt to simply copy someone else's successful formula. If a trend or "recipe" has become obvious to you, in a few weeks, the market will be flooded with clones. And don't present metrics of top games as guarantees of your clone's success: the people reviewing pitches often worked on these hits themselves and understand what lies behind impressive numbers.
Even with experience as an employee, don't rush to build a multi-million dollar project at your own studio right away. In the modern industry, many steps will need to be repeated. For idea validation, quick and effective prototypes are necessary: from a couple of weeks for simple hybrids to a couple of months for more complex ones.
What trends do you anticipate strengthening or emerging in your niche in 2026?
We will see significantly fewer games using the typical asset packs of recent years. For example, the small figures typical for many idle games will disappear: traffic for them is already expensive. A lot of AI-generated art will come in, and amidst this, vibrant, meticulously crafted hits will especially stand out.
AI will begin to be widely used for creatives. At the same time, the fact that they are AI-made will become less noticeable. Skilled teams will use it for rapid style testing and understanding what kind of art appeals best to audiences.
Companies will actively start promoting in-game subscriptions to boost retention and attract those who don't respond to one-time purchases.
More games will emerge that reference PC/console hits or borrow individual ideas (vibe or mechanics). Such projects often find their way into mainstream media, as was the case with Balatro, Hollow Knight, and Vampire Survivors.
What are the company's plans for the next year?
We don't plan to jump into experimenting or exploring new niches. Instead, we will focus on what already works: strengthening our presence on Amazon and preparing hits.