January in London: Where the Global Game Industry Begins Its Year
Every January, London becomes the single most important gathering point for the global games industry. Pocket Gamer Connects London is not just another conference — it is the event that sets the tone for an entire year in mobile gaming. 2026 was no exception, and Playio was on that stage, speaking the same language as global partners from across the industry.
Event Overview
Event: Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026 Date: January 19–20, 2026 (2 days) Venue: The Brewery + The Barbican, London, UK (2 venues) Scale: 3,000+ attendees | 70+ countries | 290+ speakers | 32 tracks | 1,450+ companies
PGC London 2026 was the largest edition in the event's history. A single ticket unlocked access to three events — PG Connects, the Apps Business Summit, and the Beyond Games: Transmedia Summit — and over 7,000 meetings were pre-scheduled through the MeetToMatch platform. Around 30% of attendees were C-Level, and over 70% were senior management or above, representing companies like Supercell, Tencent, Meta, Google, King, EA, and TikTok. On top of that, 2026 marked Pocket Gamer's 20th anniversary — making this edition carry even more weight for the industry.
Playio's Story: "Why Were We in London?"
Playio is a mobile game reward platform. The 3,000 industry professionals gathered at PGC London — especially publishers and UA managers — are all Playio's potential clients. The reason we were in London was clear: to meet game companies that grow alongside Real Gamers, and to understand firsthand the UA challenges they are facing right now.
Over two days, the Playio team conducted more than 20 formal meetings. We sat down with publishers and UA managers from Europe, North America, and Asia, and the core questions were consistent across every conversation: How do you maintain UA efficiency while costs continue to rise? How do you acquire highly engaged users? How do you improve retention? The nationalities were different, but the challenges were identical. Every single one of them was facing problems that Playio can solve. Between scheduled meetings, the informal conversations in the lobbies and evening networking sessions were just as valuable. Playio didn't just gather insights — we listened directly to our customers' voices.
What Playio Took Away from London
This event was an opportunity for Playio to listen directly to our potential customers. Through 20+ meetings and multiple sessions, we identified the core challenges game companies are facing right now.
First, the UA paradigm has fully converged on "efficiency." Across nearly every meeting table, the message was consistent: with UA costs continuing to rise, "install numbers" alone are no longer a meaningful metric. One North American publisher told us, "We don't want more users — we want engaged users," while a European UA manager stated, "The reason rewarded UA is getting attention again is clear: engagement is higher." The entire industry is searching for "efficient UA," and Playio is the platform that provides exactly that solution.
Second, acquiring highly engaged users has become the top priority. Multiple game companies mentioned the same problem: "Users come in, but they disappear the next day." Low retention means low LTV, and ultimately, UA ROI collapses. During our meetings, at least three publishers shared their own data showing that "reward-based users have higher initial engagement than standard UA users." Playio's reward platform doesn't just bring users — it connects users who are ready to engage.
Third, lifecycle management has become as important as UA. Several game companies we met with are focusing on user retention just as much as acquisition. One Asia-based publisher shared a specific case: "We use reward campaigns for re-engagement too." It confirmed that reward mechanisms are effective not just for acquisition, but for bringing back lapsed users as well. Playio can work with game companies across the entire user lifecycle — not just at the acquisition stage.
Insights for Global Mobile Game Companies
Playio was not just listening at PGC London. We were engaging, reading the room, and we want to share what we believe matters most for the industry right now.
"In an era of rising UA costs, quality matters more than quantity." The consensus on the ground was unmistakable: install numbers alone are no longer the measure of success. Highly engaged users, users who return the next day, users who actually play the game — these are the new definition of growth. The reason rewarded UA is gaining traction again is clear: it connects users who have the intent to engage.
"If retention collapses, all UA becomes meaningless." This was a point emphasized by multiple game companies at the event. If you acquire many users but they churn the next day, that's not growth — that's waste. The entire industry recognizes that acquiring users with high initial engagement directly impacts long-term LTV. Playio provides the answer to this problem.
"If you're considering global expansion, start with efficient channels." As mobile continues to outpace PC and console in growth, the importance of emerging markets — Asia, India, and Africa — is accelerating. But the most critical question when entering new markets is: "Which channels will you use to acquire users?" As a global reward platform, Playio helps game companies enter new markets efficiently.
Playio Will Be There Again
Playio is a global reward platform that grows alongside Real Gamers. For us, offline events are not a side activity — they are part of the strategy. PGC London was one of many. Wherever our potential customers — game companies — gather, Playio will be there.
If you see Playio at major global game industry events, it is not a coincidence. The answer to why we are there is always the same — to meet game companies looking for efficient UA, and to solve their challenges in finding highly engaged users. At the next event, Playio will be in the same place.
About Playio
Playio is a global mobile game UA partner that helps advertisers reach Real Gamers with precision. Meet Playio at major gaming events worldwide.