SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 25, 2026--
Sensor Tower has announced that Block Blast!, the flagship title from Hungry Studio, has been named “Best Puzzle Game” at the Sensor Tower APAC Awards 2025, selected using Sensor Tower Intelligence and key metrics. Based on indicators such as download velocity and user retention, the award reflects how players worldwide have embraced Block Blast! and its gameplay.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260209966076/en/
Block Blast! is a mobile puzzle game loved by players worldwide, ranking No. 1 across 40+ markets and available in 200+ countries and regions. It pioneers an intuitive “drag-match-disappear” experience through its Classic and Adventure modes, blending accessibility with refined, structured challenges.
In 2025, Hungry Studio deepened its APAC presence through " Player First " localized strategies. Successes included prefecture based high-score challenges in Japan and top-tier celebrity collaborations in Korea. These initiatives ensured the game evolved from a global hit into a localized favorite that fits naturally into the daily lives of diverse players across the APAC region.
"We are deeply grateful to receive the 'Best Puzzle Game' award from Sensor Tower," said Jason Wang, VP of Brand Marketing at Hungry Studio. "We know there is still a long road ahead. This recognition inspires us to push the boundaries of our scientific experimentation and stay attuned to the voices of our players, as we continue to bring exceptional gaming experiences to broader and more diverse players worldwide."
2025 was a year for Hungry Studio, marked by multiple honors for its flagship title, Block Blast!, including the App Ape Award (Special Game), the 2025 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, and the Global Tech Awards 2025. This latest recognition from Sensor Tower offers a fitting conclusion to a significant year, further reinforcing Hungry Studio’s commitment to listening, learning, and evolving alongside the global player community.
About Hungry Studio
Hungry Studio is a global casual gaming and entertainment company built on experimentation and powered by data-driven innovation. Founded in 2021, the company focuses on the development and publishing of casual games. Its flagship title, Block Blast!, ranks among the world’s leading casual games, reaching 70M DAU and 300M MAU as of December 2025. Leveraging a robust A/B testing framework and continuously evolving product capabilities, Hungry Studio is building a scalable global casual gaming ecosystem for players and brand partners.
Block Blast!, Sensor Tower APAC Awards 2025
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A man killed eight children, including seven of his own, and shot two women in an attack in a Shreveport, Louisiana, neighborhood that was the nation's deadliest shooting in more than two years, authorities said.
At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred early Sunday, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community.
“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the city in northwestern Louisiana.
Mourners laid flowers outside the single-story house on 79th Street, and people lit candles for the victims at an evening prayer vigil in a nearby parking lot.
“It just makes you take your children and hug them and hold them and tell them how much you love them,” said Kimberlin Jackson, who was at the vigil.
Police said the man shot a woman at one home in the neighborhood south of downtown then drove to the second location.
Seven children were killed inside the second house, and one was found dead on the roof after apparently trying to escape, police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said. Another child jumped off the roof and was expected to survive after being taken to a hospital.
State Rep. Tammy Phelps said some children tried to get away through the back door. “I can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” she said at a news conference.
“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said.
The children who were killed were 3 to 11 years old. They were three boys and five girls, according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s office.
All the children were “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet," said Crystal Brown, who is a cousin of one of the women who were shot.
The gunman, identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit that ended with officers firing on him, according to Bordelon. Authorities did not say what may have set off the violence but Bordelon said detectives were confident the shooting was “entirely a domestic incident.”
Elkins had been arrested in a 2019 firearms case, but Bordelon said officials were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.
Elkins and his wife were in the middle of separating and were due in court Monday, according to Brown. She said the couple had been arguing about the separation before the shooting.
“He murdered his children,” Brown said. “He shot his wife.”
Elkins had four children with his wife and three children with another woman who lived close by and was also shot, according to Brown. All the children were together at one house, she said.
The shooting in Shreveport, a city of about 180,000 residents, was the deadliest in the U.S. since January 2024, when eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Contributing were Associated Press reporters Jake Offenhartz in New York, Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis, Terry Tang in Phoenix and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles.
Police work outside the scene of a mass shooting, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Shreveport, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
People light candles during a prayer vigil for the victims of a mass shooting earlier in the day, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Shreveport, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A man holds a candle during a prayer vigil for the victims of a mass shooting earlier in the day, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Shreveport, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
