As the holiday lights go up and we prepare to ring in 2026, the gaming industry is giving us plenty of reasons to celebrate. With the global market projected to hit a massive $197 billion next year, it feels like the entire industry is unwrapping a very lucrative gift. But while most are busy reflecting on the past year, some major players are completely rewriting their playbooks for the seasons to come.
In this month’s Deep Dive, we look at how Netflix is essentially “re-gifting” its gaming strategy. They are moving away from quiet mobile experiments and doubling down on a massive TV-centric ecosystem. With the acquisition of Ready Player Me and a blockbuster FIFA partnership, Netflix isn’t just streaming movies anymore—they are building a digital living room where your avatar is the star and the World Cup is always in season.
Our news section is just as festive, featuring a surprising holiday collab between Duolingo and Genshin Impact and Apple opening its App Store “gates” in Japan just in time for the new year. We also highlight how AppQuantum trimmed their UA management effort by 60%—the kind of efficiency every marketer wishes for their Christmas list. Finally, we check out OpenAI’s new enthusiasm slider, which might be the perfect tool to keep your AI as cheerful as a holiday party host.
If this newsletter was forwarded to you like a secret Santa gift, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss our updates in 2026! And if you’re already a loyal subscriber, feel free to share the holiday cheer by passing this edition along to a colleague who loves staying ahead of the game.
DEEP DIVE
Beyond the stream: Netflix’s journey to redefine its gaming identity
Netflix is pivoting from its initial experiment with niche mobile titles toward a strategy centered on high-impact franchises and cross-game persistence. The company is shuttering underperforming internal studios and replacing former leadership with Epic Games veteran Alain Tascan to steer this more aggressive, TV-centric course.
The acquisition of avatar-platform Ready Player Me signals a shift toward building a unified social infrastructure for its 280 million subscribers. By allowing players to carry their digital personas across different titles, Netflix is attempting to transform a fragmented library into a cohesive, interoperable ecosystem.
The streamer is now doubling down on live party games and massive sports partnerships like the upcoming FIFA simulation title! This transition asks whether Netflix can successfully evolve from a content library into a social gaming destination before the high cost of premium IP licensing catches up to the bottom line.
PODCAST
App growth roadmap: which marketing channels work at each stage
NEWS
What’s happening in the industry
Netflix scores FIFA partnership for exclusive football simulation ahead of 2026 World Cup
The streaming giant will launch an exclusive mobile title featuring both solo and online multiplayer modes for all subscribers. In a push for living room dominance, the game will also debut on televisions, allowing players to use their smartphones as controllers for a seamless big-screen experience.
Global games market projected to hit $197 billion in 2025
Newzoo has revised its annual outlook upward, citing a 7.5% year-on-year increase fueled by resilient PC and mobile performance. This growth is largely driven by a blockbuster release slate, the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 launch, and mobile spending reaching $108 billion as the segment stabilizes.
Apple opens iOS to alternative app stores in Japan to comply with regulations
The tech giant is being forced to permit external marketplaces and third-party payment processing under Japan’s new Mobile Software Competition Act. While Apple warns of potential security risks, it has introduced a “Notarization” process and a complex fee structure to maintain revenue and oversight in this key market.
Duolingo and Genshin Impact partner for rewards-driven language learning crossover
This three-week collaboration allows users to earn Primogems and exclusive in-game cosmetics by maintaining a three-day learning streak in the Duolingo app. The event leverages HoYoverse’s massive fanbase to drive engagement, demonstrating a creative intersection between educational gamification and high-traffic RPG ecosystems to boost daily active users.
AppQuantum automates UA operations to reduce campaign management effort by 60%
Partnering with Bubbleye.AI, the top European publisher streamlined its cross-network optimizations while maintaining full transparency over every strategic decision. This automation created significant operational capacity, allowing AppQuantum to successfully validate and scale new traffic channels to drive growth without the need to increase its internal headcount.
OpenAI introduces customization toggles for ChatGPT’s personality and enthusiasm levels
Users can now manually adjust the chatbot’s warmth and emoji frequency via a new “Personalization” menu featuring More, Less, or Default settings. This update follows ongoing debates over AI tone, aiming to balance user complaints about “cold” responses against academic concerns regarding sycophantic behavior and digital addiction.
Mythwright acquires minimalist strategy hit Thronefall to expand its indie portfolio
The UK publisher has purchased the kingdom defense title, which recently surpassed one million units sold across PC, Switch, and mobile. The acquisition allows the original two-person team at Grizzly Games to focus on new projects while Mythwright scales the IP’s future development and long-term content roadmap.
BUBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE
Top new articles in the field
And that’s a wrap on this edition!
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Catch you next time,
The Bubbleye Team
