In today's Roundup, CVC backs Dream Games at $5b valuation, Pixel Gun 2 is due to be released on both console and mobile in 2026, Apple sued over in-app fees by Pure Sweat Basketball, and Monopoly Go! tops $5b since April 2023.

Dream Games investment by CVC

Private equity firm CVC will acquire a minority stake in Royal Match developer Dream Games, valuing the Istanbul studio at between $4 billion and $5 billion. Existing venture-capital backers - including Balderton and Index Ventures - will exit, while Dream’s founders retain majority ownership; the deal combines over $2 billion of equity and debt financing and is expected to close in Q3 2025, pending regulatory approval.

Pixel Gun 2 is set to launch in early 2026 on mobile

GDEV Inc. and its portfolio studio Cubic Games announced Pixel Gun 2, a fully cross-platform sequel to Pixel Gun 3D, set to launch in early 2026 on iOS, Android, Steam, and later consoles. The title promises next-generation arena-shooter mechanics, a modern anti-cheat infrastructure, and seamless cross-play, building on Pixel Gun 3D’s 300 million installs and $230 million in bookings to date.

Apple class-action suit by Pure Sweat Basketball

On May 5, 2025, Pure Sweat Basketball filed a proposed class-action in federal court in Oakland, alleging Apple willfully violated a 2021 injunction (stemming from Epic Games v. Apple) by imposing a 27% fee on purchases routed outside the App Store. The suit claims up to 100,000 developers paid inflated commissions totaling “hundreds of millions or even billions” of dollars and seeks disgorgement of those funds; Apple has denied wrongdoing and appealed the contempt ruling.

Monopoly Go! passes $5 billion

Scopely’s mobile adaptation Monopoly Go! surpassed $5 billion in gross bookings within 24 months of its April 2023 launch, making it the fastest mobile game ever to reach that milestone out of over 1.4 million titles released globally in the past decade. The company credited the game’s blend of classic Monopoly gameplay, free-to-play progression, and social features for its record-breaking growth.