Notes from the field on alternative app stores, OEM channels, telecom distribution, web-native formats and everything else that sits outside the standard route to market for mobile games.https://www.impulsemediahub.com/en-UShttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/microsoft-nvidia-geforce-now-xbox-distribution-deal/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/microsoft-nvidia-geforce-now-xbox-distribution-deal/Microsoft's 10-year GeForce NOW deal dates from February 2023. What it shipped, how regulators rewired cloud rights, and what publishers should check.Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTcloud-gaminggeforce-nowxboxnvidiamicrosoftstreamingdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/android-developer-verification-enforcement-checklist/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/android-developer-verification-enforcement-checklist/Since September 30, 2026, Android checks developer registration on installs from seven stores in four countries. What changes for OEM store publishers, and the checklist.Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMToemandroidcomplianceverificationsamsungxiaomioppovivohonortranssionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/ip-licensing-mobile-games-studio-strategy/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/ip-licensing-mobile-games-studio-strategy/Hasbro booked $44M from MONOPOLY GO! in one quarter. What an IP licensor wants, what a minimum guarantee costs, and how a brand changes a studio's distribution.Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTdistribution-strategyip-licensingpublishingbrandstudioCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/latam-mobile-distribution-playbook/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/latam-mobile-distribution-playbook/Brazil opened iOS to alternative marketplaces, Google Play still charges 15%/30% across LATAM until 2027, and Pix carries a 3.5% IOF for foreign sellers.Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTlatambrazilmexicodistributioncarrier-billingweb-shopCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/web-shop-liveops-dtc-playbook/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/web-shop-liveops-dtc-playbook/Appcharge reports 97% of web store revenue comes from repeat buyers. Why a mobile game web shop only pays when you run it as a LiveOps product, not a checkout page.Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTdistribution-strategydtcweb-shopliveopsmonetizationCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/phynd-ad-supported-cloud-gaming-publishers/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/phynd-ad-supported-cloud-gaming-publishers/PHYND signed Microids, Fishing Cactus and Plug In Digital for free ad-supported cloud gaming on TVs. What the deal covers, and what it still does not disclose.Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTcloud-gamingphynddistributionad-supportedsmart-tvCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/vivo-appstore-southeast-asia-oem-distribution/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/vivo-appstore-southeast-asia-oem-distribution/vivo self-reports 200 million monthly V-Appstore users. What the store actually offers a game publisher in India and Southeast Asia — and what its docs never mention.Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTvivov-appstoreoemsoutheast-asiaindiadistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/cloud-gaming-distribution-channel/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/cloud-gaming-distribution-channel/GeForce NOW needs players to already own your game. GameLift Streams bills you by the stream-hour. What cloud gaming really changes for a publisher's distribution.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTcloud-gamingdistributionstrategystreamingCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/jest-rcs-messaging-game-distribution/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/jest-rcs-messaging-game-distribution/Jest raised $7M to distribute games over SMS and RCS. Its own docs set a 90/10 split, one message per user per day and no rewarded ads — here is who should test it.Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTdistribution-strategyjestrcsmessaging-gamesnew-entrantCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/onside-ios-marketplace-developer-guide/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/onside-ios-marketplace-developer-guide/Listing a game on Onside's alternative iOS marketplace: eligibility, the submission flow, Onside's 10% commission stacked on Apple's fees, and EU vs Japan deltas.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTalt-storesioseujapandmaCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/html5-game-monetization-2026/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/html5-game-monetization-2026/Poki, CrazyGames, GameDistribution, Playgama, Telegram: the published revenue shares, payout thresholds and purchase gates behind HTML5 game monetization in 2026.Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTweb-nativehtml5monetizationrewarded-videoiapCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/playgama-sdk-html5-multi-portal-distribution/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/playgama-sdk-html5-multi-portal-distribution/Playgama's Bridge SDK ships one HTML5 build to 20 documented portals. The published splits, the catalogue gates, and the exclusivity it costs — before you sign.Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThtml5sdkplaygamamulti-portalweb-nativeaggregatorCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/webgpu-mobile-titles-web-native/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/webgpu-mobile-titles-web-native/WebGPU is now default in Chrome, Safari 26 and iOS. A genre-by-genre readiness guide to which mobile titles should ship web-native in 2026 — and which should not.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTweb-nativewebgpuwasmdistributionhtml5Cyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/southeast-asia-mobile-distribution-playbook/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/southeast-asia-mobile-distribution-playbook/A market-by-market SEA distribution playbook: OEM preloads, carrier billing and alt stores across Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines — for publishers going beyond Google Play.Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTseaindonesiavietnamphilippinesdistributioncarrier-billingCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/kyln-oem-aggregator-distribution/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/kyln-oem-aggregator-distribution/KYLN bundles Huawei, Samsung and Xiaomi OEM distribution with user acquisition on one platform. How the aggregator model compares to direct OEM deals for mid-size studios.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMToemkylndistributionaggregatormobile-gamesCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/third-party-ios-marketplace-checklist/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/third-party-ios-marketplace-checklist/Entitlements, notarization, builds and fees: the step-by-step checklist for listing a game on an alternative iOS marketplace in the EU, and what changes vs the App Store.Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTalt-storesioschecklistdistributionhow-toCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/transsion-palmstore-africa-mobile-games/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/transsion-palmstore-africa-mobile-games/Transsion's Tecno, Infinix and itel brands took 48% of African smartphone shipments in 2025. Palmstore is their built-in store — the distribution playbook for studios.Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTtranssionpalmstoreafricaoemdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/aptoide-ios-marketplace-iap-guide/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/aptoide-ios-marketplace-iap-guide/Aptoide is the first Apple-approved third-party iOS marketplace with native IAP, at 10-20% vs 30%. What its model means for EU game publishers.Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTaptoideiosdmaiapalternative-marketplaceeumy-gamesCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/google-play-billing-choice-program-2026/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/google-play-billing-choice-program-2026/Google Play's 2026 fee stack: the $25 registration fee, service fee tiers, India/Korea alternative billing rates, and the real subscription cost.Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTgoogle-playbillingfeesalternative-billingregulationepic-gamesgames-level-upCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/multi-channel-distribution-framework/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/multi-channel-distribution-framework/A practical game distribution framework for building a multi-channel stack: layer stores, OEM, carrier billing and web-native, and sequence them by studio stage.Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTdistributionstrategyframeworkmulti-channelpublishingCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/japan-msca-distribution-opening/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/japan-msca-distribution-opening/Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) forces open third-party app stores and payments on iOS and Android. Why studios outside the EU should care.Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTalt-storesjapanmscaregulationdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/oem-preload-deal-playbook/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/oem-preload-deal-playbook/Preload deals look enterprise-only, but mid-size studios close them every quarter. Who to talk to inside an OEM, what they actually want, and the deal structures that get signed.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMToempreloaddistributiondealsindieCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/carrier-billing-emerging-markets-2026/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/carrier-billing-emerging-markets-2026/Where direct carrier billing unlocks paying players that cards can't reach. A region-by-region reach map for publishers: India, Africa, LATAM, with APAC as the benchmark.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTcarrier-billingemerging-marketsindialatamdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/games-only-app-stores-skich-onside/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/games-only-app-stores-skich-onside/Skich and Onside are betting that a games-only app store beats a general-purpose marketplace for discovery. What that means for publishers in 2026.Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTalt-storesskichdmaiosdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/epic-games-store-mobile-self-publishing/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/epic-games-store-mobile-self-publishing/Epic Games Store mobile is opening to self-publishing at 0%/12% fees. A publisher's guide to qualifying, prepping builds, and how it compares to the App Store.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTepic-games-storeiosandroidself-publishingalt-storesfeesCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/beyond-paid-ua-distribution-2026/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/beyond-paid-ua-distribution-2026/Blended gaming CPI is up ~30% year-on-year and 47% in Europe, while 95% of installs churn in 30 days. The buy-growth playbook is broken — here's the distribution alternative.Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTdistributionuser-acquisitionstrategymobile-gamespaid-uaCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/core-technology-fee-cost-studios/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/core-technology-fee-cost-studios/Apple's Core Technology Fee is €0.50 per first annual install above one million. Apple estimates under 1% of developers pay it. Here's whether your studio is one of them.Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTalt-storesdmaeconomicsiosdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/direct-carrier-billing-conversion-guide/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/direct-carrier-billing-conversion-guide/Juniper Research sizes direct carrier billing at $51 billion in 2026. Why DCB converts where cards fail, where it wins, and what integrating it involves.Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTcarrier-billingdcbmonetizationemerging-marketsdistributionCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/instant-games-distribution-layer/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/instant-games-distribution-layer/Instant HTML5 games launch in one tap inside Telegram, TikTok and Messenger — no store, no download. The channel playbook for publishers, and which titles win there.Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTweb-nativehtml5instant-gamesdistributiontelegramCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/oem-app-stores-comparison/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/oem-app-stores-comparison/A publisher's decision guide to the three big OEM app stores: revenue share, regional reach, onboarding friction, and placement types compared side by side.Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMToemgalaxy-storeappgallerydistributioncomparisonCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/web-native-games-rising/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/web-native-games-rising/Poki, CrazyGames, WebGPU, PWA — the complete guide to web-native game distribution in 2026: leading portals, published terms, and a 12-week launch playbook.Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTweb-nativehtml5distributionwebgpumobile-gamesCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/oem-partnerships-indie/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/oem-partnerships-indie/Most indies write off OEM deals as enterprise-only. They're missing a channel that often outperforms the dominant storefronts on revenue share, exposure and audience fit.Mon, 04 May 2026 00:00:00 GMToemdistributionindiecarrier-billingmobile-gamesCyril Guilleminothttps://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/alternative-app-stores-2026/https://www.impulsemediahub.com/blog/alternative-app-stores-2026/Google Play now takes 10% under $1M, so alt stores are no longer a commission play. They're a reach play: devices, featuring and payment rails Play doesn't give you.Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMTalt-storesindustrydistributiondmamobile-gamesCyril Guilleminot