Hyper-Casual Trend Digest #20
After a jam-packed summer, we’re ready to dive into everything that went down. Sooo, let’s kick off this summer recap with the latest news.
HYPER NEWS 🗞
Who already presented their alternative stores for iOS?
🔗 Aptoide unveils first non-Apple game store on iOS
🔗The Xbox Mobile Store lives… Or at least there’s a webpage for it
🔗AltStore PAL goes free thanks to Epic Games’ MegaGrant
🔗The Epic Games Store finally arrives on mobile
🔗 Google’s Monopoly Faces Breakup Threats After Landmark Rulings in UK and US
In the UK, a £13.6 billion lawsuit alleges that Google’s anti-competitive behavior in the online advertising market has harmed publishers. Meanwhile, in the US, a judge ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain its monopoly in search and online ads, potentially leading to a breakup of the company. Both cases highlight growing concerns about Google’s dominance in the digital space.
🔗 Olympic Esports Games Officially Approved, Saudi Arabia to Host First Edition in 2025
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the creation of the Olympic Esports Games, set to debut in 2025, with Saudi Arabia selected as the host. The decision reflects the growing recognition of esports as a mainstream sport, with plans to further develop the event’s structure and details.
🔗 Apple’s 30% App Store Fee Faces Global Backlash, Impacting Advertisers, Creators, and Developers
Apple’s 30% “App Store tax” continues to stir controversy, affecting various industries globally. Since July 1st, advertisers on Facebook and Instagram’s iOS apps have been subject to this fee, causing companies like Meta to direct users to desktop alternatives. Meanwhile, Apple is cracking down on Tencent’s and ByteDance’s payment methods, which bypass the fee in apps like WeChat and TikTok. Additionally, Patreon creators now face the 30% fee for iOS transactions, raising concerns for small, independent creators. Apple’s practices are under increasing scrutiny, especially after recent legal battles and regulatory changes in the EU.
🔗 Apple and Meta Face EU Crackdown as New Rules Spark Scrutiny
Apple and Meta are both facing EU action over violations of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple could be fined up to $50 million per day for limiting developers’ ability to steer users away from the App Store, while Meta’s “pay or consent” model, which trades user data for ad-free experiences, is under scrutiny for lacking user choice. Apple has also introduced new terms for European developers, allowing them to promote offers outside the App Store but with new fees attached. Both companies are dealing with significant pressure as the EU enforces the DMA.
🔗 Apple Introduces Game Nominations and New Promotion Tools for App Store Developers
Apple announced that App Store developers will soon be able to nominate their games and apps for featuring later this year. Along with this, new promotional tools like deep links, push notifications for store promotions, and enhanced App Analytics have been introduced to help developers better market and track their apps.
🔗 SAG-AFTRA Launches Strike Against AI Use in Video Games
SAG-AFTRA is escalating its fight against AI in the video game industry, with members striking at 10 major gaming studios. The union argues that AI threatens the livelihoods of voice actors and performers by replacing human talent, demanding fair compensation and consent for AI use. This action follows years of negotiations and mirrors earlier strikes that disrupted the film and TV industries.
And here are some fresh stats for you 👀:
- Global in-game advertising is projected to hit $147.9 billion by 2028, according to PwC.
- The German video game industry generated €9.97 billion last year, as reported by the German Games Industry Association.
- Mobile app spending reached a record $36.2 billion in Q2 2024, Sensor Tower reports.
- Total mobile app downloads surpassed 110 billion in the first half of 2024, a 9% increase from the second half of 2023, according to Apptica’s State of the Mobile Market H1 2024 report.
- Mobile game CPIs on Apple rose during Q2 2024, while they became cheaper on Android. For more details, check out Singular’s Quarterly Trends Report: Q2 2024.
HYPER TRENDS 📱
Time for movies and TV series
What will we be seeing at cinemas in September?
First up, of course, is Tim Burton’s new movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return to their home in Winter River. With tensions rising, it’s only a matter of time before someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times!
Next up, we have to mention the new Alien movie, Romulus. While scavenging the far reaches of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers comes face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Another type of horror story, Speak No Evil, starring James McAvoy, won’t rely on CGI to scare you—it plays with your emotions in a different way. When an American family is invited to spend a weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they met on vacation, what starts as a dream getaway quickly turns into a twisted psychological nightmare.
Wolfs, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, promises to be the perfect movie for the end of September. Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer arrives, the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, and their night spirals out of control in ways neither of them expected.
Last but not least is the highly anticipated Megalopolis by Francis Ford Coppola, a passion project decades in the making. Set in a futuristic United States, it follows visionary architect Cesar Catilina as he battles corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero over the rebuilding of New Rome after a disaster. The film draws inspiration from the Catilinarian conspiracy of 63 BC, featuring figures like Catiline, Cicero, and Caesar.
Most anticipated premiers of Autumn:
– Joker: Folie à Deux – Joker: Folie À Deux | Official Trailer
– Terrifier 3 – TERRIFIER 3 Official Trailer (2024) Red band
– Venom: The Last Dance – VENOM: THE LAST DANCE – Official Trailer (HD)
– Red One – RED ONE | Official Trailer
– Here – Here – Official Trailer (HD)
– Wicked – Wicked – Official Trailer
– Gladiator II – Gladiator II | Official Trailer (2024 Movie) – Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington
– Moana 2 – Moana 2 | Official Trailer
Trends on TikTok
What’s new on TikTok from last month’s trends and what could be next? Let’s figure it out!
During the summer, TikTok saw several huge trends, many of them connected. First up, there was a lot of content about the Summer Olympics in Paris, from exciting new competitions to funny moments and even some scandals:
Another major trend this past summer was Charli XCX’s album Brat, which took over the internet with its signature green theme. It coincided with Kamala Harris’s endorsement as a U.S. presidential candidate, making both events even more popular.
We’re also seeing trends around the U.S. presidential race, and with the election still ahead, expect more to come. Here’s an example of a related trend:
As for fall, Halloween trends are already starting to pop up:
And here are a few more big trend videos to check out:
New TikTok effects
Check out these trending TikTok effects right now:
Trend-based projects
Here are some new trend-based projects for you to explore:
Fun Paper Fold: Folding Game | TickTock Challenge | Vet Simulator: Virtual Pet 3D
