Western mobile gaming is 'years behind China'

SAN FRANCISCO — The mobile-gaming gold rush is over, according to one of the people responsible for it. But he says the industry can reestablish a stronger, more sustainable model by looking to the East.

Mobile-gaming investment is in “a little bit of a hangover” right now, according to Rick Thompson of Signia Venture Partners. Thompson is one of gaming’s mega-investors, and he has generated nearly $5 billion backing and selling game startups. During a talk at GamesBeat 2014 in San Francisco, he says that Wall Street is spooked due to companies such as Zynga and King having rough initial public offerings — both debuted to great anticipation only to nosedive afterward.