Nexters CEO Anton Reinhold: The games industry is expected to undergo transformative changes in 2025

The CEO of Cyprus-based Nexters and COO of GDEV Anton Reinhold, recently discussed why 2024 had been a difficult year for the global gaming industry, while also predicting that the sector will undergo transformative changes in the new year.

Both headquartered in Limassol, Nexters is an international game development company and GDEV is gaming and entertainment holding company that oversees a portfolio of studios focused on developing and publishing live-service games across a range of platforms and genres.

Speaking to gaming and technology news website Pocket Gamer Connects, Reinhold talked about Nexters' experiences over the past 12 months, describing it as having been a difficult year.

"It was a difficult year, however, as well as for the entire game development industry. A decrease in growth rates, satiation with creatives, difficulties with purchasing users — these are all the things that we have observed and are currently observing in the market," he told the website.

Reinhold continued, "Nevertheless, we continued to expand into foreign markets, our guys continued to explore our new locations - Armenia and Kazakhstan. Throughout the year, Nexters has been actively engaged in its Hero Wars franchise. For example, we have divided Hero Wars into two games: the mobile Hero Wars Alliance and the browser-based Hero Wars Dominion Era. Thanks to this, we now see that the players have become more aware of how the versions differ from each other."

He added, "We also saw significant growth for our rising star - Island Hoppers. We have brought it to a full-fledged launch this year and achieved positive results. Plus, we launched other products in the Hero Wars universe — a merch store, comics, a cartoon and new projects that are still in R&D."

In the same interview, Reinhold also talked about upcoming industry trends. "Looking ahead to 2025, the games industry is expected to undergo transformative changes that will reshape how players interact with virtual worlds and each other. As technologies like VR, AR, and blockchain continue to evolve, and as new business models and regulatory frameworks emerge, the gaming landscape will become more dynamic and interconnected," Reinhold said.

"The anticipated advancements in cloud gaming, AI, and esports, along with a growing focus on inclusivity and accessibility, promise to create richer and more immersive experiences for gamers.

Staying attuned to these trends will be crucial for developers, players, and industry stakeholders alike, as they navigate the future of gaming in an ever-changing digital environment.

We at Nexters look with deep attention on these trends, use them with accuracy and we bet on our R&D projects and research new opportunities," Reinhold added.

(Source: Pocket Gamer Connects)