Naavik Gaming Podcast

Naavik Digest: Why China’s Gaming Giants Are Pivoting to Lifestyle-Sims

Naavik — Sun, 03 May 2026 20:00:00 +0200

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on May 3rd, 2026. This week, we examine what direction China’s gaming giants are taking following the decline of the traditional Anime-Gacha ARPG model.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/beyond-gacha-why-chinas-gaming-giants-are-pivoting-to-lifestyle-sims

Meet with Naavik at the Nordic Game 2026: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/Jc5cl7eY

Our most recent AI x Gaming newsletter: https://naavik.substack.com/p/kraftons-radical-ai-transformation

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Fandoms, Writing Moats, and the Future of Interactive Fiction

Naavik — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Terry Lee, CEO of Fusebox Games, to unpack one of the most overlooked but powerful business models in mobile gaming: interactive fiction built on licensed IP. While much of the industry chases scale through mechanics or ads, Fusebox has quietly built a $30M+ business by turning hit TV shows like Love Island into living, evolving games with some of the highest payer conversion rates in mobile. Terry shares how the studio transformed from a one-season-per-year content cycle into a high-frequency content machine, why writing (not tech), is their true competitive moat, and how they’ve engineered a system where narrative, data, and monetization continuously inform each other in real time.

They also explore what makes fandoms move seamlessly between TV and games, how Fusebox approaches community (including its complicated relationship with Reddit), and why the team is expanding beyond romance-driven gameplay into broader storytelling formats with IP like Big Brother and The Traitors. Along the way, Terry offers candid insights on leadership, scaling under pressure, and navigating the role of AI in creative industries - arguing that the real advantage won’t come from replacing talent, but from amplifying it.

We’d also like to thank modl.ai for making this episode possible! Using a combination of computer vision, reasoning models, and feedback loops, modl:QA+ autonomously explores builds, detects bugs, and generates actionable reports that sync directly with your existing workflows. To learn more, visit modl.ai.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Terry Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-lee-296a089/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Links Mentioned:

https://www.amazon.com/CEO-Sixteen-Lessons-Career-Level/dp/B0G49VV3R8

Naavik Digest: Unity’s Ad-Driven Turnaround

Naavik — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0200

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 26th, 2026. This week, we dive into Unity’s ongoing turnaround, the promise of Vector (its ad platform), and what comes next as AI evolves game development.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/unitys-ad-driven-turnaround

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Building AI Tools for Roblox Creators

Naavik — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0200

Host Devin Becker sits down with Nicolas Vizioli (Founder of Lemonade) to unpack what “AI coding for UGC in Roblox” actually looks like in practice, ranging from how Lemonade plugs into Roblox workflows to why Roblox is a uniquely interesting target compared to broader “vibe coding” for apps. Nicolas shares early results, where the product is (and isn’t) competitive with Roblox’s native tools, and how AI-assisted development has changed over the time he’s been building in this space. They also zoom out to where AI fits across UGC platforms, what impact it’s already having on Roblox creators, and what needs to happen, both technically and culturally, to reach the next phase of AI-powered UGC game development.

We’d like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast

We’d also like to thank Neon – a merchant of record with customizable webshops optimized for conversion – for making this episode possible! Neon is trusted by some of the biggest names in gaming and can help you sell direct without the typical overhead. To learn more, visit https://www.neonpay.com/?utm_source=naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe

Naavik Digest: Is The Era of Mobile “AI Slop” Games Here?

Naavik — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0200

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 19th, 2026. We examine the exploding number of mobile games made with AI, exploring how advances in generative AI and vibe coding are affecting the market and whether these additions are still just “AI slop” games.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/is-the-era-of-mobile-ai-slop-games-here

Sensor Tower’s Action & Strategy Report: https://sensortower.com/report/gaming-deep-dive-action-and-strategy?utm_source=naavik&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=&utm_content=newsletter

Naavik’s AI x Gaming newsletter’s first issue: https://naavik.substack.com/p/navigating-ais-execution-era-in-gaming

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The Role of Co-Development in Modern Game Development

Naavik — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0200

It can feel like modern game development competes to ship the best game with the smallest possible team. We constantly hear stories about breakout titles built by a handful of developers, but that narrative is often incomplete. Behind many “tiny teams” sits a much larger layer of co-development, outsourcing, and external support across engineering, art, QA, localization, and more. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, VP at Medal, sits down with Ninel Anderson, founder and CEO of Devoted Studios, to go under the hood of that hidden layer of game development.

The two unpack what co-development actually is, where the line sits between co-dev and outsourcing, and why a risk-averse market has pushed more studios toward fractional resourcing and flexible external partnerships. They also discuss a core misconception in the market: that external partners are mainly about finding cheaper labor, when in reality the real advantage often comes from better pipelines, stronger process design, and access to the right talent globally. Finally, the episode explores how Devoted thinks about staffing and capacity, and why communication training is core to the company’s culture.

We’d also like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Naavik Digest: Music Games and the Setlist Problem

Naavik — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0200

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 12th, 2026. We dig into the past, present, and future of music games – exploring the nuances of licensing, mobile winners, Fortnite’s music evolution, Duolingo’s new focus, the upcoming launch of Stage Tour, and more.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/music-games-and-the-setlist-problem

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

How Game Devs Use AI Today

Naavik — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0200

Host Devin Becker sits down with Aaron Bush (Managing Partner & Co-founder of Naavik) for a grounded look at how games are using AI today, separating real production wins from the hype. They map where the industry is right now and then dig into concrete examples across the pipeline: Capcom’s ideation and efficiency gains, Pearl Abyss using placeholder assets during development on Crimson Desert, Embark and Nexon’s work across experiential data, coding, and voice, and Krafton’s experiments with AI co-playable characters and workflow optimization. The conversation also covers the less glamorous (but high-impact) uses like Live Ops content production in mobile (story, levels, art, balance, cutscenes), automated QA like King’s AI testing for Candy Crush Saga, rapid prototyping, and the broader tooling layer that’s reshaping how games get made.

We’d like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe

Naavik Digest: Epic’s Strategic Shake-Up

Naavik — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0200

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 5th, 2026. We explore Epic Game’s strategic shake-up in the wake of its latest layoffs, including its reorientation on UGC creators, Fortnite’s stagnation, the looming Disney IP implementation, and what else may come next.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/epics-strategic-shake-up

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The Future of Games Media: AI, Substack, and the Rise of Independent Journalism

Naavik — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Stephen Totilo, founder of Game File and a veteran games journalist with over two decades of experience across MTV News, Kotaku, and Axios to unpack how the media landscape around gaming is rapidly evolving. As traditional outlets shrink and more journalists go independent, Stephen shares what it actually looks like to build a sustainable, subscription-based publication and why he chose to bet on himself rather than join another institution. The conversation explores the shift from institutional media power to individual credibility, and how trust, audience relationships, and direct monetization are reshaping journalism in real time - while also raising new challenges for discovery, sustainability, and the next generation of reporters entering the field.

Kalie and Stephen also dive into the realities of running an independent media business, from balancing reporting with entrepreneurship to navigating ethical considerations in a world where sources can also be subscribers. They discuss the growing intersection between journalism, the creator economy, and AI, including how Stephen uses AI tools for transcription and translation to unlock stories that would have previously been inaccessible, while also confronting the rise of “AI slop” in pitches and content. The episode closes with practical advice for game developers and PR professionals on how to work with modern media, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, understanding reporter incentives, and building meaningful relationships in an increasingly fragmented media ecosystem.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Stephen Totilo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-totilo-8208a94/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Links Mentioned:

https://www.gamefile.news/

https://www.echomark.com/

Naavik Digest: LLMs for Games Consumer Research

Naavik — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0200

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 22nd, 2026. We explore a slightly overlooked area of AI in game development: consumer research. We focus on recent studies aimed at leveraging the vast data within LLMs to replicate human behavior and how we can actually make use of these studies in a practical way.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/llms-for-games-consumer-research

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The State of Gaming in 2026 (with Sensor Tower)

Naavik — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

Host Devin Becker sits down with Sam Aune (Gaming Analyst at Sensor Tower) to break down Sensor Tower's State of Gaming 2026 report, which covers the current mobile, console, and PC gaming landscape.

The conversation spans genre-level signals and platform shifts, such as why 4X strategy bucked mobile’s downward trend to what’s driving PC’s growth. Devin and Sam unpack recent outliers and inflection points like how creator-focused hits outperformed AAA, Battlefield 6’s comeback, the rising importance of cross-platform parity for shooters, and what GTA 6 could do to the broader “social” game landscape. They close with the biggest observed behavior change from 2025 to 2026 and a grounded look at what State of Gaming 2027 might imply for teams planning for the next cycle.

Read the full State of Gaming 2026 report: https://sensortower.com/report/state-of-gaming-2026?utm_source=naavik&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=stateofgaming&utm_content=report

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Naavik Digest: NCSoft’s $200M Bet on Cash-Reward Gaming

Naavik — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 22nd, 2026. We look into the Korean games giant NCSoft’s 70% acquisition in the Berlin-based cash-reward gaming platform JustPlay. We unpack what this deal — the latest in a long string of M&A — might mean for the company’s future.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/ncsofts-200m-bet-on-cash-reward-gaming

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

GDC 2026: AI, UGC, and the New Reality of Game Funding

Naavik — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

In this special GDC episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Tiago Correia, the Founder of Save Point, and a longtime operator and investor at the intersection of gaming, media, and technology, to unpack the biggest themes emerging from this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco. They discuss the current mood across the industry, which remains cautiously optimistic but far from the exuberance of previous years. While AI dominated conversations across the conference, both note that gaming companies appear to be adopting AI more quietly than the broader tech ecosystem, in part because of the close relationship between developers and players. The conversation explores how AI is already lowering the barriers to game creation, enabling solo developers and small teams to build experiences that previously required entire studios.

Kalie and Tiago also dive into the growing momentum behind user-generated content platforms like Roblox and Fortnite UEFN, which many see as one of the few clear growth stories in the current market. As traditional studios face longer development cycles and tighter funding conditions, UGC ecosystems are extending the lifespan of games and creating new opportunities for creators and IP holders alike. The episode closes with a candid look at industry sentiment, from lower attendance at GDC to changing expectations from investors, who now want to see traction and community before funding. Despite the challenges, Tiago remains optimistic that AI and new creative tools could unlock an unprecedented wave of independent creators and experimental games in the years ahead.

We’d like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Tiago Correia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiagotcorreia/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Links Mentioned:

https://worldbuildersummit.com/

https://omea.ai/

https://iconicgames.io/

https://www.lemonsound.co/

https://www.story-kitchen.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonkplee/

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/poll-majority-voters-say-risks-ai-outweigh-benefits-rcna262196

Naavik Digest: Unpacking Capcom’s Win-Streak

Naavik — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 8th, 2026. We take a look at the Japanese publisher Capcom, exploring how it has managed to sustain growth and success for years, and what its future might look like.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/unpacking-capcoms-win-streak

Read our new State of UGC Games report here: https://naavik.co/deep-dives/the-state-of-ugc-games-2026

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

How Better Measurement Will Unlock the Next Wave of Brands in Gaming

Naavik — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Bastian Bergmann, Co-founder & COO of Solsten, about the collision between gaming and branding, and why most companies still don’t know how to show up in games without feeling like an ad. With 3B+ people playing worldwide and gaming still capturing only ~5% of global ad spend, Bastian argues the opportunity isn’t awareness, it’s audience strategy. Kalie and Bastian break down why gaming is the only medium that truly spans every demographic, from Gen Alpha to “silver surfers,” and why brands fail when they lead with stereotypes or build empty “brand worlds” instead of experiences grounded in what players actually want.

They also explore why gaming should be treated as a real conversion channel, even if measurement hasn’t fully caught up yet, and how platforms like Roblox and UEFN will be pushed toward clearer attribution as more dollars move in. Bastian shares standout examples like The New York Times’ games-led subscription growth and Chipotle’s Roblox activations that drove real-world sales and loyalty signups. For studios and creators, the takeaway is clear: know your audience deeply, design integrations that are brand-agnostic but partnership-ready, and pitch brands with real segmentation and fit, not vague “access to gamers.” The episode closes with what’s next at Solsten: Alaris, an AI tool powered by Solsten’s psychological dataset, plus an upcoming API layer aimed at unlocking deeper personalization across games, matchmaking, recommendations, and advertising.

We’d like to thank Neon – a global payments and e-commerce platform designed to help game publishers earn more money and gain independence from app stores – for making the episode possible. Neon’s DTC platform handles everything from webshops and checkout to global payments, tax, and compliance, with full transparency and all-in pricing. Learn more:

https://www.neonpay.com/?utm_source=Naavik-Sponsorship-General&utm_medium=Paid-Sponsorship

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Bastian Bergmann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bergmannbastian/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Naavik Digest: The Arc Raiders-ification of Nexon

Naavik — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 8th, 2026. We look at Nexon and how the success of ARC Raiders might transform the company’s future.

Read our new State of UGC Games report here: https://naavik.co/deep-dives/the-state-of-ugc-games-2026

Meet us at GDC 2026 by filling out this short form: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/gVDtj4UO

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-arc-raiders-ification-of-nexon

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

How Sub-$200K Games Win Discovery and the Steam Algorithm

Naavik — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

A new breed of “micro-indie” publisher is emerging: teams that fund sub-$200K games, ship fast, and treat releases like a portfolio. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, VP at Medal, sits down with Kirill Akimkin, founder of Polden Publishing, to unpack the world of micro indies and discovery. In 2025, they shipped almost 8 games with $800K and plan to ship 20 titles in 2026. Kirill explains that much of their developer pipeline is inbound: a Telegram-led media presence brings developers to them, and that they are more “researchers” than experts, with strict KPIs for a game's release. We discuss their genre strategy, developer strategy, and more.

The conversation then turns to discovery, both outside Steam and building towards the Steam algorithm for wishlists. Kirill frames marketing as a repeatable machine: short-form content, creators, and community spikes are used to drive consistent wishlist velocity, which then feeds Steam’s surfaces (Discovery Queue, Popular Upcoming, demo visibility, and post-launch recommendations) and the duo discuss case studies of Fish Hunters, Totally Secure Airport (which got 75K+ wishlists in on day), and Final Sentance.

They close with questions on where discovery happens, what today’s games in micro indies indicate about modern-day gamers’ tastes, and the perception of AI in low-budget titles. If you are shipping a PC game on Steam this year, this is a must-listen.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Naavik Digest: The State of UGC Games in 2026

Naavik — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 1st, 2026. We provide a snippet of our new deep dive covering all things UGC gaming. We break down the latest performance of leaders like Roblox, Fortnite Creative, Overwolf, and explore other notable trends and companies. You can read the full report here: https://naavik.co/deep-dives/the-state-of-ugc-games-2026

Meet us at GDC 2026 by filling out this short form: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/gVDtj4UO

Sensor Tower’s State of Gaming report: https://sensortower.com/report/state-of-gaming-2026?utm_source=naavik&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=stateofgaming&utm_content=report

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Naavik Digest: How Niche Subgenres are Reshaping the Mobile Puzzle Market

Naavik — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 22nd, 2026. We explore how niche subgenres – Block, Sort, and Screw – are reshaping the mobile puzzle market.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/how-niche-subgenres-are-reshaping-the-mobile-puzzle-market

Meet us at GDC 2026 by filling out this short form: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/gVDtj4UO

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Why Healthcare Is Gaming’s Next Trillion-Dollar Market

Naavik — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0100

Medical training is still stuck in the arcade era: expensive, basement-bound simulators and outdated software that rarely capture the real stakes of clinical decision-making. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, Studio Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Sam Glassenberg, founder of Level Ex (now part of Relevate Health), to unpack how game developers can modernize healthcare learning by truly embracing the craft of video game design, not “gamification” lipstick. The opportunity and the market here are much bigger than you might assume. Healthcare is a trillion-dollar industry in the US alone, and if you can create products that save the medical system money while also growing the $200B video game industry, that’s a win-win.

The conversation explores why even mediocre games outperform traditional training (the bar is shockingly low), and how live-ops principles let teams update clinical guidance fast. The pair also discusses who plays these games, and it turns out that it’s not only doctors but “normal people” who have found these games on the app store. They go deep on design: mapping real clinical challenges to proven genres (diagnosis as reductive-reasoning puzzles, ventilators as rhythm games), and why domain experts often describe what’s hard for residents, not what triggers adrenaline for experts, which is the source of “fun” in games. Finally, Sam breaks down the business: sponsored content by clients like Pfizer and Merck, free-to-play for doctors gameplay, and playable ads.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Naavik Digest: Why Turkish Game Development Matters in 2026

Naavik — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 18:49:41 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 15th, 2026. We explore Turkish game development in 2026, discussing what other countries can learn from its ascent and considerations for its next era.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.co/digest/why-turkish-game-development-matters-in-2026/

Meet us at GDC 2026 by filling out this short form: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/gVDtj4UO

Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

AAA Publisher Struggles, Roblox’s Growth and Transmedia Success

Naavik — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0100

After a volatile few months across games, tech, and public markets, it’s time for a grounded check-in on where the industry actually stands. Host Devin Becker is joined by Aaron Bush (Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Naavik) to unpack the latest signals – from AAA publisher performance and what recent EA earnings suggest for big franchises like Battlefield, to Ubisoft’s ongoing restructuring, studio closures, and the push to reframe its future through initiatives like Vantage Studios.

Next, they dig into Roblox’s continued growth and what its recent results imply, even as age-related scrutiny and safety conversations remain part of the narrative.

From there, the discussion widens to the state of the console market: the early momentum around Switch 2 sales, the trajectory of Xbox hardware, and why Sony appears to be holding its ground.

Devin and Aaron also look at how transmedia is shaping perception and demand, including Nintendo’s recent moves and what releases like an upcoming Mario Galaxy movie – and the surprise success of Iron Lung this month – reveal about IP leverage, audience crossover, and timing.

They close with addressing the market whiplash around the reveal of Google DeepMind’s Genie 3, and a “buy, sell, or hold” round covering Microsoft, Krafton, AAA vs. AA, and PC gaming to highlight where near-term opportunities and risks may be emerging.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik Digest: Project Genie and the Stock Market’s Category Error

Naavik — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 8th, 2026. We look into Project Genie — Google’s experimental AI that generates short, navigable 3D scenes — and explore the possible implications of world models for game engines and developers.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/square-enix-refutes-and-reframes

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Family-First Gaming: Breaking Into Consumer Hardware with Nex

Naavik — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with David Lee, Co-founder & CEO of Nex, to unpack one of the rarest success stories in modern gaming: launching a new consumer console and winning. In a category dominated for decades by the same three players, Nex broke through by rethinking who gaming hardware is for. Often compared to Wii or Kinect, Nex’s real innovation isn’t motion-based play alone, but a family-first platform built around physical activity, kid safety, and parental trust. In a down year for console sales, Nex sold over 650,000 units, expanded into thousands of retail stores, and captured meaningful market share by designing specifically for families.

The conversation traces Nex’s nearly decade-long journey from mobile-first products to a high-stakes pivot into living-room hardware - and the leadership decisions required to make that leap under uncertainty. Kalie and David dig into why most motion-gaming platforms struggled to last, what Nex designed differently for long-term engagement, and how retail, subscriptions, and trusted IP shaped its growth. The episode closes with a look ahead to Nex’s 2026 roadmap, from international expansion to connected play designed with strict family controls, and David’s long-term vision for what Nex could mean to families ten or twenty years from now.

We’d also like to thank Lightspeed Venture Partners for making this episode possible! With its dedicated gaming & interactive media practice, the firm invests from an over $6.5 billion pool of early and growth-stage capital. If you’re interested in learning more, go to https://gaming.lsvp.com/.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - David Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlkf/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

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Naavik Digest: Do "Fair" Gacha Games Work?

Naavik — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 1st, 2026. We dive deep into the “fair” gacha Asian action RPGs to explore the performance of their unique monetization strategy and to see if prioritizing player fairness can lead to significant gains.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/evaluating-the-fair-gacha-games-experiment

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Naavik Digest: Square Enix Refutes and Reframes

Naavik — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on January 25th, 2026. We examine Square Enix’s recent performance, explore what’s changed since the last time we checked in on the company, and take a look at its future.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/square-enix-refutes-and-reframes

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Inside the PC Game Gray Market Economy

Naavik — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0100

The PC games “gray market” isn’t just a couple of shady websites. It’s an economic behavior that exploits regional pricing and promotion timing to siphon revenue away from publishers. In this episode, Our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Vadim Andreev, CEO of Rokky (and former founder of PlayKey), to unpack how retail-era code resale evolved into today’s global key-arbitrage machine.

Vadim breaks down two core leak points: regional price arbitrage (buying keys in cheaper markets and reselling in premium ones) and promo stockpiling (buying deep-discount keys during sales, then reselling after discounts end). He argues the damage is material: publishers can lose roughly 20 to 40% of margin to resellers, often without realizing how much of their “regional” volume is being cannibalized elsewhere.

The conversation gets practical fast: why region locking is table stakes, how publishers frequently mis-bucket territories (China and New Zealand), and why Steam’s price recommendations can lag real exchange rates and taxes. Rokky’s pitch is a mix of distribution and defense: API-level checks (IP, identity, purchase limits), a key management dashboard, and pricing/promo optimization to close the gaps attackers exploit. The conversation ends with a discussion about Valve and their role in games distribution and the gray market and what they could do to help mitigate the problem.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik Digest: What Leading Match-3 & Merge Games Do Differently

Naavik — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:00:00 +0100

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on January 18th, 2026. We look back at the mobile Match-3 and Merge genres in 2025, exploring what succeeded, what top performers do differently, and what might be important in the future.

You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/what-leading-match-3-and-merge-games-do-differently

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Why UGC Creators Need Webshops Too

Naavik — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0100

The direct-to-consumer (D2C) model is expanding beyond traditional webshops and into the world of user-generated content (UGC), especially on PC and console. In this episode, host Devin Becker is joined by Liam Wiltshire, General Manager at Tebex, to explore how the evolution of private servers, mods, and community-run experiences is shaping new monetization strategies. Liam shares the origin story of Tebex and its integration within the broader Overwolf ecosystem, highlighting how D2C strategies for games like Minecraft, Rust, and Ark differ fundamentally from those in mobile gaming.

The conversation covers the nuances of player relationships in D2C models, including the absence of platform payment rails and notification systems, and how that impacts engagement and monetization design. Devin and Liam also dig into emerging e-commerce strategies such as loyalty systems and upsells, and how Tebex is bringing these tools to individual creators and modders. The episode concludes with a look at industry shifts from regulatory changes to evolving platform policies, and how studios can future-proof their monetization strategies as D2C continues to grow across platforms.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0100

On this episode, host David Taylor dives into one of the most eventful stretches the Fortnite Creative / UEFN ecosystem has seen in months. Epic has rolled out a wave of major updates — from monetization changes to discovery shifts — and today we unpack what they mean for creators, studios, and the future of the platform.

David is joined by two fantastic guests. Chad Mustard, COO of JOGO Studios, returns to the show after another breakout year as one of the top 10 developers on Fortnite by total plays. Chad brings a studio-level perspective on building hit experiences, navigating updates, and scaling inside a fast-evolving ecosystem. He’s joined by Jon Jungemann, better known as SleightedSloth, a leading creator in the Tycoon genre and one of the most thoughtful voices on systems design, monetization, and the economics of UEFN.

Together, the group breaks down the rise of Steal the Brainrot and what that breakout moment signals for developers — from production trends to player behavior to what “success” looks like in today’s marketplace. They also explore the wave of M&A activity beginning to emerge inside Fortnite Creative and what kinds of deals are actually happening behind the scenes.

From there, the conversation shifts to the biggest structural changes Epic has introduced: in-island item sales (and why they might be the single biggest unlock for creators to date), the rollout of UA Rewards and Paid Campaigns, and the latest adjustments to Discovery. We dig into how these tools reshape studio strategy, how developers are adapting their designs, and what all of this means for long-term sustainability on the platform.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Pushing Frontier Tech in Gaming

Naavik — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Pushing the boundaries of what's possible in gaming often means embracing unproven technologies and building in the fog of innovation. In this episode, host Devin Becker is joined by Marco van den Heuvel, co-founder of Beam, to explore what it means to operate at the bleeding edge of gaming infrastructure. Marco shares the origins of Beam and its evolution into a gaming-focused ecosystem built around frontier tech that includes blockchain, AI, and beyond. The episode covers how Beam is navigating past the noise to uncover the practical, long-term opportunities these technologies can offer game developers and players alike.

The discussion also unpacks how AI fits into Beam’s broader vision, the future of esports from a tech-powered perspective, and what it will take for blockchain to hit the hype cycle “plateau of productivity.” Devin and Marco dig into the real hurdles in tech adoption, from developer onboarding to ecosystem incentives, while also speculating on what might lie ahead from AR to brain-computer interfaces. If you're interested in where the games industry might be headed next and how to prepare for it, this episode offers a grounded look at the intersection of emerging tech and gaming.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Hilmar Petursson on Building Games That Last Forever

Naavik — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0100

EVE Online is one of the longest-standing MMOs of all time, celebrating its 22nd anniversary since its launch in 2003. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with CCP Games’ CEO Hilmar Petursson to unpack how the Icelandic studio still maintains one of gaming’s most complex live worlds, a single universe that has generated over $1B in lifetime revenue and 25 million players.

Hilmar walks through CCP’s four eras: the pre-Steam founding years, the Steam transition, Pearl Abyss’s acquisition, and the studio today, revealing how an original team of thirty developers pioneered player-driven economies, massive social coordination, and a forever game. The conversation then turns to EVE Frontier, CCP’s new blockchain-powered spin-off built on the Sui network. Hilmar explains why he believes blockchain is the next natural step in EVE’s evolution, not as a trend, but as a means to true player ownership and another step in the direction of a forever game: persistence that is independent of the company, its servers, and its original creators.

The episode closes on the state of the industry today from Hilmar’s perspective – why attention and discovery are gaming’s hardest problems and how developers can learn from EVE’s social design to build long-lasting worlds.

We’d also like to thank Lysto for making this episode possible! Lysto is revolutionizing how game development teams collect and act on real player feedback with its AI-powered playtesting insights. Learn more about how you can get bias-free feedback at https://lysto.gg/?utm_source=naavik&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ad

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Creator-Led Studio Playbook

Naavik — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Zach Letter, Co-founder & CEO of Wonder Works Studio, the makers of hit Roblox experiences, including three SpongeBob titles this year. We dig into how creator roots shape game design and distribution, how influencer-native teams launch differently, and Wonder Works’ long-term bet on licensed IP.

The conversation dives into launching without paid UA, weekly live-ops that drive creator content, and when brands should integrate into hit experiences versus build standalone worlds. Zach also shares what makes an IP “Roblox-ready,” how transmedia loops amplify impact across YouTube, Discord, and merch, and why he believes UGC’s rise is unstoppable.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Zach Letter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-letter-0769b893/

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

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The Future of Game Publishing Is Player Ownership

Naavik — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Robert van Hoesel, co-founder and CEO of First Look, now part of Pragma, to explore how studios can own and scale their player relationships. Robert’s journey from founding a SaaS company to building First Look began with one simple insight: game studios are some of the most passionate users a software builder could serve, and the games industry desperately needs the dream stack for connected distribution, player communications, and analytics.

First Look acts as a CRM for games, helping studios streamline playtesting, gather player feedback, and grow grassroots communities. The pair discusses why these capabilities have become essential as publishers pull back, competition increases, and self-publishing becomes the norm. Robert shares how First Look enables small teams to punch above their weight by automating data capture across platforms like Steam and Discord, transforming scattered playtest feedback into actionable insights, and shares the full suite of offerings First Look provides for studios today.

They also unpack First Look’s acquisition by Pragma and what it means to unify the backend and frontend of game development. The episode closes with practical advice for studios: start community-building early, close the feedback loop with players, and reward engagement to create sustainable, loyal audiences.

We’d also like to thank Levellr — the Discord community intelligence platform — for making this episode possible. Learn more about unlocking real-time community insights at levellr.com.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Present & Future of Digital Tabletop RPGs

Naavik — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0200

As digital platforms evolve, so too does the business of tabletop RPGs (TTRPGs). In this episode, host Devin Becker sits down with David Scott, CEO of Evil Genius Games, to explore the intersection of analog and digital in the TTRPG space. David shares his perspective on where the market currently stands, the evolving role of virtual tabletops, and how Evil Genius is adapting its publishing model to bridge physical and digital experiences. From post-COVID shifts in player behavior to the rise of Virtual Tabletops (VTTs) like Roll20 and Foundry, the conversation examines how platforms are reshaping distribution, play, and monetization strategies.

The discussion also covers how TTRPG companies can integrate digital offerings without cannibalizing physical sales of books, miniatures, and accessories. David offers a candid look at what’s working (and what isn’t) when it comes to building sustainable business models in this hybrid space. Finally, we explore the opportunities for smaller TTRPG IPs to make the leap into digital gaming, the potential of platforms like Roblox to support roleplaying, and how ongoing challenges like tariffs may influence the industry’s trajectory in the next few years.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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AI & Talent in Games Engineering: Hype Meets Reality – Live at Pragma OSS

Naavik — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0200

Are AI games right around the corner? In our second-ever live audience show, host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Serge Kynstautas, Head of Engineering at Gardens Interactive, a venture-backed startup building a social online shared fantasy adventure game, and Meir Wasserman, Head of Engineering at 2K Technology.

Shooting live from the 3rd annual Pragma Online Services Summit, the trio dives into two critical topics impacting the predominantly technical engineering audience: AI and talent. They discuss AI use cases and tool stacks, how they balance context, security, and flexibility, and how they guide engineering teams in a rapidly changing environment. They also discuss talent in engineering in the new economy – given pressures to do more with less, is the engineering scope and team size being shaved down? Are teams opting for safer, proven tech or looking to innovate? How are engineering leaders bringing along those who may be more reluctant to adopt AI tools in their workflows?

That and so much more – including a contentious lighting round and spicy audience Q&A. If you want perspective on the future of AI in games and the subsequent cascading effects on talent, this episode is a must-listen.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Why Big Companies Are Betting on Roblox

Naavik — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host David Taylor sits down with two fantastic guests to explore why large entertainment companies are increasingly paying attention to Roblox, how they’re experimenting on the platform today, and what they’ll need to see to fully commit.

Chris Petrovic is the Chairman and Chief Business Officer of FunPlus, one of the largest privately held companies in the gaming sector. Chris is a veteran executive in digital entertainment and gaming with leadership roles across major mobile game companies like Zynga, Kabam, and GameStop. Doug Rosen is the former SVP of Games and Emerging Media at Paramount. Doug led games teams across some of the world’s biggest brands, and he brings deep experience in how IP holders evaluate and engage with emerging platforms like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite Creative.

We dig into the strategic framing of Roblox inside large companies and how success is measured. Finally, we look ahead at the challenges, opportunities, and what role Roblox could play in shaping the next generation of entertainment franchises.

We’d also like to thank Levellr — the Discord community intelligence platform — for making this episode possible. Learn more about unlocking real-time community insights at levellr.com.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The TikTok of Games

Naavik — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Charlie Blackstock, Co-founder & CEO of Remix.gg, the “TikTok of games” where anyone can instantly play and remix community-built titles. They discuss why instant, zero-install games resonate with Gen Z and Millennials, how AI is lowering the barrier to creation and enabling culture-speed hits, and how Web3 rails can power creator monetization at scale.

The conversation gets tactical on distribution, dives into the possible future of on-chain creator earnings, and how to create a platform for both Web2 and Web3 gaming audiences.

We’d like to thank Neon – a merchant of record with customizable webshops optimized for conversion – for making this episode possible! Neon is trusted by some of the biggest names in gaming and can help you sell direct without the typical overhead. To learn more, visit https://www.neonpay.com/?utm_source=naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Charlie Blackstock: https://x.com/0xChuckstock

Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/

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Naavik — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Aaron Bush sits down with Monica Dinsmore, Head of Esports at EA, to unpack her journey from finance and ops to leading esports strategy at one of the world’s biggest game publishers. Monica shares behind-the-scenes stories from launching the LEC at Riot Games, navigating the operational chaos of COVID-19, and transitioning to EA to help build and scale their esports vision.

The conversation dives deep into how esports strategies differ between EA’s franchises (Apex Legends, EA FC, Madden, and more), lessons learned in managing grassroots efforts and keeping competition fresh, and how Monica works cross-functionally with diverse EA leaders and teams. We explore EA’s broader esports goals, what might be next, and how the industry can make the most of the emerging “esports spring.”

We’d like to thank Levellr — the Discord community intelligence platform — for making this episode possible. Learn more about unlocking real-time community insights at levellr.com.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Monica Dinsmore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mldinsmore/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Why the Games Industry Might Triple (Despite Its Challenges)

Naavik — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0200

Former Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney joins Aaron Bush for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the current and future state of the games industry. While Owen had a successful decade-long run leading one of Asia’s most important gaming companies, this episode explores what he’s been thinking about since stepping down – namely through his sharp (and sometimes spicy) essays critiquing industry norms and offering a vision for what comes next.

We discuss the realities of managing $100M+ budget decisions, the troubling positions of many Western publishers, the benefits of simplifying publisher strategies, and Owen’s bullishness on AI. Notably, despite slow industry growth at present, Owen explains why he thinks our industry could triple in size from here. Whether you’re an executive, founder, or just fascinated by how games are built and funded, this episode is packed with battle-tested insights and bold predictions.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Owen Mahoney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owen-mahoney-11515/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Launching a Roblox Game Studio with The Gang

Naavik — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host David Taylor sits down with The Gang. Originally a team of five entrepreneurs, The Gang was one of the first venture-backed studios to go all-in on Roblox back in 2020. They quickly made their mark with Strongman Simulator, which shot to the top of the Roblox charts and has racked up over 1.5 billion plays.

While they started with hit original titles, The Gang soon shifted to building branded experiences for some of the world’s biggest entertainment and lifestyle brands — Netflix, Vans, Shrek, Spotify, the NHL, and more. Most recently, they’ve been expanding beyond Roblox by licensing one of the platform’s top IPs, Blade Ball, for a Steam release. The team is also developing an original cross-platform game, Out of Sight.

In this conversation, we dive into the team’s entrepreneurial journey, what it was like being early builders on Roblox, how the platform has evolved, and what’s next as they explore new platforms and formats.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Story of Medal: Shaping the Future of Gaming Content

Naavik — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0200

Pim de Witte, founder and CEO of Medal, joins Aaron Bush to discuss his journey building a leading platform for capturing and sharing gaming moments. From running Soulsplit (the most popular Runescape private server) as a teenager to navigating early pivots at Medal, Pim shares what sparked his entrepreneurial path, how Medal evolved from a game studio into a social content ecosystem, and what drove the platform’s explosive and enduring growth over the past several years.

The conversation also dives into how Medal continues to scale, adapt, and innovate. Pim opens up about founder lessons, moving with high velocity, the future of digital content, the role of M&A in Medal’s success, and what it’s now like running two companies. Whether you want to learn from an incredible founder or better understand the world of online gaming content, this is a wide-ranging conversation worth your time.

We’d also like to thank TikTok for making this episode possible. Whether you’re launching or scaling, TikTok supports full-funnel growth with creative impact, always-on engagement, and advanced measurement. Learn more at https://bit.ly/tiktokmorelevels

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Pim de Witte: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pimdw/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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From Imagine Dragons Fame To Night Street’s Shooter: Last Flag

Naavik — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Mac Reynolds, co-founder and CEO of Night Street Games and Night Street Records, and Matthew Berger, Game Director at Night Street Games. Together, they unpack the journey of building Last Flag — a zany 5v5 hero shooter with capture-the-flag at its heart and music embedded deep in its DNA.

From a scrappy prototype built with an outsourced team to a 50+ person studio, they share lessons on pivoting engines, refining the core loop, and innovating within the oversaturated PC shooter market. They discuss how music shapes gameplay moments, creates immersion, and differentiates Last Flag from typical shooters — and in a first-ever moment at Naavik, we share exclusive music tracks straight from the game itself.

The conversation also explores parallels between the business of music and gaming industries, what game devs can learn from music artists, and the realities of cutting through noise on Steam for a new IP. After listening, watch the trailer and sign up to playtest here.

We’d also like to thank Levellr — the Discord community intelligence platform — for making this episode possible. Learn more about unlocking real-time community insights at levellr.com.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Call of Duty: Origins

Naavik — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0200

On this episode, host David Taylor sits down with Dan Bunting, the former Studio Head of Treyarch and one of the key creative leaders behind the Call of Duty franchise. With over 18 years at Treyarch, Dan helped shape some of the most iconic moments in FPS history — from the introduction of Zombies mode in World at War to the rise of the Black Ops series.

We explore how Call of Duty became the dominant FPS franchise, and how Treyarch carved out its own identity through bold design decisions, narrative risk-taking, and constant innovation. Dan shares behind-the-scenes stories from the early 2000s to the modern era, reflecting on the key audience insights, design shifts, and tech evolutions that influenced Treyarch’s approach.

We also dive into his transition from studio leadership to entrepreneurship and investing, his outlook on the next decade of Call of Duty, and what excites him most about the future of the gaming industry.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Exploring the $70M Esports World Cup

Naavik — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:00:00 +0200

The esports industry has heavily evolved over the past few years, and big moves continue to occur – especially out of Saudi Arabia.

In this episode, host Aaron Bush is joined by Mike McCabe, COO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, which runs a massive Riyadh-based annual esports festival. It’s gearing up for its second annual event in July, which will host 25 tournaments over 7 weeks with a whopping $70 million prize pool.

We chat about the global state of esports, Saudi Arabia’s continued ambitions, and where the industry is headed next. We also dig into the Esports World Cup, including its massive scale, logistics, non-profit ambitions, and how it aspires to leave an evergrowing impact on bringing esports mainstream in the future.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Mike McCabe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mccabe-600532/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Naavik — Wed, 07 May 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, podcast David Taylor is joined by Alexander Hicks, the co-founder of Twin Atlas, one of the most innovative studios in the Roblox ecosystem. Twin Atlas is the team behind blockbuster experiences like Creatures of Sonaria, which ranks among the top 30 Roblox games in terms of revenue and engagement according to CreatorExchange.io.

At the time of this recording, Twin Atlas experiences are drawing 50,000+ concurrent players, with recent peaks nearing 100,000 CCU. They've also built three experiences that have surpassed 1 billion plays—a rare feat on the platform.

What sets Twin Atlas apart is their ability to consistently launch original hits, in contrast to the growing trend of game acquisitions among top Roblox developers. From his early work with Red Manta to the strategic merger that formed Twin Atlas, Alex shares valuable insights into:

Building high-performing games from scratch
Navigating the evolution of the Roblox platform
Pushing the boundaries of animation, gameplay, and live ops
The creative process behind long-term engagement

If you're curious about how top-tier Roblox games are made—and what it takes to build a sustainable studio in the UGC ecosystem—this episode is a must-listen.

We’d also like to thank nSure.ai for making this episode possible! As a proven industry leader, nSure.ai provides scalable payment fraud prevention that’s not just effective but tailored specifically to your needs. To learn more, visit https://www.nsure.ai/contact

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Cross-Border Publishing: Lessons From Netease’s Once Human

Naavik — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Derek Qiu, Head of Overseas Operations at NetEase, to explore the cross-border distribution journey of Once Human, a supernatural survival game from Starry Studio.

They discuss the rapid evolution of China's gaming market, how Chinese developers like NetEase are increasing their presence in the West, and how Once Human represents a new wave of globally ambitious titles. Derek shares why the team prioritized a PC-first launch, how they maintained a cosmetic-only monetization strategy despite mobile market pressures, and how the game achieved a top spot in mobile downloads across 166 regions.

The conversation also covers the key differences in publishing and LiveOps strategies between East and West, how self-publishing enabled NetEase to stay agile, and why strong internal infrastructure and cross-cultural research were critical to success. They close with insights on how China's strengths in rapid iteration and operational efficiency are reshaping global competition—and why future gaming growth will favor studios that focus on vertical audiences rather than mass-market appeal.

For anyone curious about China’s growing global influence in gaming, this is a must-listen.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Publishing and Live Ops

Naavik — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0200

Our guest today, has led teams overseeing some of the biggest commercial successes from the MMORPG genre, and has leveraged those experiences to support dozens more through publishing roles for Xbox Game Studios Publishing and ArenaNet.

In this conversation, David Taylor sat down with Crystin Cox, Head of Publishing at ArenaNet and a 20-yr veteran of the video game industry, to discuss her experiences leading live-ops on Maple Story, monetization on Guild Wars 2, and publishing at Xbox Game Studios Publishing and now ArenaNet.

They explore how the landscape has evolved over time and what the future holds during this tumultuous time in the video game industry.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The State of UGC Games in 2025

Naavik — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Devin Becker welcomes fellow Naavik host and consultant David Taylor to discuss insights from Naavik’s recent State of UGC Gaming deep dive and beyond. We discuss how leading UGC platforms are evolving and where they face the most promise and challenges, from Roblox’s growing ad and brand integrations to Fortnite’s challenge of escaping its battle royale roots.

We also explore emerging contenders like mods, Highrise, speculate on how GTA VI might impact the UGC landscape, and consider whether we’re due for a new wave of platforms altogether. Lastly, David reflects on how AI could shape the future of creation and how developers might adapt as the UGC ecosystem continues to expand.

We’d like to thank TikTok for making this episode possible. In a dynamic gaming market where a majority of games fail within three years, TikTok has become a critical partner in helping games achieve long-term player retention and substantial revenue growth. Learn more: https://bit.ly/LiveOpsProgramNAVPodcast

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Future of Brands in Live Streaming

Naavik — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, dives into the intersection of brand marketing, live streaming, and culturally relevant branded experiences. Joined by Wiktoria Wójcik, co-founder of InStreamly, the conversation explores how brands can integrate into live streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Kick. InStreamly connects brands with thousands of streamers, facilitating authentic collaborations through technology that allows for large-scale, interactive campaigns.

Wójcik shares insights on bridging the gap between brand safety and engaging streamers, as well as the power of parasocial relationships in gaming. They discuss case studies with big brands like Cheetos and Danone, showcasing how live streaming is reshaping marketing strategies, from contextual gameplay to driving brand affinity. It's a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving world of influencer marketing or those interested in partnering with a contextual marketing agency in the United States.

We’d like to thank Lightspeed Venture Partners for making this episode possible! With its dedicated gaming practice, "Lightspeed Gaming," the firm is investing from over $7B in early- and growth-stage capital — the by far largest fund focused on gaming and interactive technology. If you’re interested in learning more, go to https://gaming.lsvp.com/.

We’d also like to thank nSure.ai! As a proven industry leader, nSure.ai provides scalable payment fraud prevention that’s not just effective but tailored specifically to your needs. To learn more, visit https://www.nsure.ai/contact

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Finding the Fun in VR with AstroBeam and Schell Games

Naavik — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Sam Distaso dives into the cutting edge of VR game development with Devin Reimer (founder and CEO of AstroBeam) and Ed Saxton (CPO of Schell Games). From the early startup days of VR to the evolution of mixed reality, Devin and Ed share how their studios use first-principles thinking to craft unique experiences. We explore how hit games like Job Simulator and Among Us VR came to life and how these teams operate in a young, constantly evolving market.

We also unpack big questions facing the VR space: Will the use of generative AI lead to more fun? What will improvements to voice and hand tracking unlock? What actually goes into making smart NPCs work? Will smell-o-vision ever work? If you're curious about the future of immersive games, this one's packed with stories, laughs, and insights from two of the industry's most thoughtful builders.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Devin Reimer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinreimer/

Guest - Ed Saxton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edsaxton/

Host - Sam Distaso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdistaso/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Sustainable Growth: Building Studios Without External Funding

Naavik — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0100

For the first time in Naavik’s history, we’re excited to bring a live audience show experience to air! At GDC, host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sat down with Nick Popovich, CEO and Founder of Monomi Park, in San Francisco for a conversation centered around “doing it all yourself” in the indie games market — no external funding, crowd financing, or publishing support.

In 2014, Nick and his co-founder decided to start a studio and launch Slime Rancher in 2016. They sold 10M units over the following decade, grew from 2 to 45 people, launched a second game into early access, and have begun working on an entirely new IP.

Today’s conversation explores how Monomi Park thinks about studio culture, growth, crunch, and innovation — plus how to get players to notice your game, buy it, and play it repeatedly. This episode also includes our first ever live audience Q&A and is a must-listen for any founder looking to make it independently.

We’d also like to thank AWS for Games for making this episode possible. AWS for Games aligns purpose-built game development capabilities — including AWS services like Amazon GameLift as well as solutions from AWS Partners — to help game developers build, run, and grow their games. For more information, visit https://aws.amazon.com/gametech/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Personalization in Gaming: The Holy Grail of User Experience (and Monetization)

Naavik — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Niko Vuori interviews Justin Stolzenberg, co-founder of Metica, a startup aiming to revolutionize gaming analytics through AI-driven insights and personalized experiences.

Founded by ex-King and ex-Apple employees, Metica’s approach is a unique combination of King’s iterative, hyper-data-driven approach and Apple’s high-polish culture. The company recently announced their $9 million seed round. The episode covers the challenges of launching in the saturated analytics market and how Metica differentiates itself by focusing on actionable insights rather than just data collection. The conversation also explores the role of AI and machine learning in gaming, the importance of personalization, and the future aspirations of Metica in the gaming industry.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Com2Us’s Evolution: Gaming Innovation and Global Expansion

Naavik — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Kyu Lee, Chief Business Development Officer at Com2Us, Partner at CRIT Ventures, and ex-president of Com2Us USA. They explore Com2Us Holdings' evolution from its early days as Gamevil to becoming a global mobile powerhouse with hits like Summoners War, one of the industry’s biggest mobile IPs that has generated over $3B+ in revenue.

Kyu shares insights on the company's pivotal shifts, including its focus on mobile gaming, the transition to live operations, its approach to licensing Western IP like Major League Baseball, and his story about what it is like to be at the helm of a major geographic expansion. The conversation also touches on Com2Us’s strategic investments in blockchain and its venture arm, CRIT Ventures. Kyu discusses how gaming in South Korea is evolving, the growing influence of IP across global markets, what is currently being undervalued, and what Com2Us must execute in 2025.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Why Web3 Gaming Is Just Getting Started: Insights from the Ronin Ecosystem

Naavik — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Niko Vuori speaks with Jeff Zirlin, co-founder of Sky Mavis and the play-to-earn OG, Axie Infinity, about the significant developments in the web3 gaming space, particularly the transition of the Ronin blockchain to a permissionless model.

They discuss Jeff's background and journey into web3, the origin story and wild ride of Axie Infinity, the evolution of the Ronin blockchain, the introduction of the Ronin Developer Console, and the impressive growth metrics of the Ronin ecosystem. The conversation touches on the current state of the Axie Infinity economy and the future of third-party gaming projects on the Ronin chain.

We also explore the balance between quality and openness in game development, the incentives for developers, and the potential for future growth as more games launch on the Ronin network.

We’d also like to thank TikTok for making this episode possible. In a dynamic gaming market where a majority of games fail within three years, TikTok has become a critical partner in helping games achieve long-term player retention and substantial revenue growth. Learn more: https://bit.ly/LiveOpsProgramNAVPodcast

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Building a #1 Earning VR Game

Naavik — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Over the years, Spatial has undergone a wide-ranging evolution. It evolved from an AR collaboration platform to a Roblox competitor (with 2M+ creators), and it's now a VR game developer with the top earning VR game on the Meta Quest store (Animal Company). Spatial has raised almost $50M, according to Crunchbase, based on the founders’ convictions that 3D virtual spaces are the future of social experiences.

In this conversation, our host, David Taylor, sat down with Anand Agarawala, the Founder and CEO of Spatial, to unpack the lessons learned from the success of Animal Company. We explore how a founder decides when it’s time to pivot, the dynamics of competing with Roblox, and what the future holds for VR, UGC, and web-based games.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Future of AI Unscripted Entertainment

Naavik — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, is joined by Jacob Rapoport (CEO and Co-Founder) and Nico Vereecke from Evil Plan to discuss their groundbreaking project in AI-powered, unscripted fantasy entertainment. The conversation explores the future of interactive storytelling, where community influence and fully AI-driven narratives combine to create an entirely new genre of entertainment.

Jacob and Nico express their belief in AI’s potential to address the “cost problem” of new IP (i.e., significant upstart capital for uncertain returns) and the “manpower problem” (limited hours available each day) that contributes to content shortages. They explain how their company is developing a platform for dynamic, emergent storytelling. With AI at its core, Evil Plan seeks to transform how stories are created, allowing audience participation to play a crucial role in shaping the outcomes of plots and sub-plots, resulting in both unpredictable drama and interactive experiences. If you’re a fan of community-driven entertainment phenomena like Twitch Plays Pokémon, Bandersnatch, Genvid’s MILEs, or Blaseball, this is a conversation worth exploring. You can also check out our content coverage on Genvid and Blaseball on our website.

We’d also like to thank Lightspeed Venture Partners for making this episode possible! With its dedicated gaming practice, "Lightspeed Gaming," the firm is investing from over $7B in early- and growth-stage capital — the by far largest fund focused on gaming and interactive technology. If you’re interested in learning more, go to https://gaming.lsvp.com/.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Cloud Creations: Scaling up Game Development

Naavik — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0100

Cloud technology is transforming the way games are developed, hosted, and maintained. In this episode, host Devin Becker is joined by Chris Melissinos, AWS Principal Evangelist for video games, to discuss the growing role of cloud services in game development. Chris highlights how Amazon Web Services (AWS) is empowering developers with tools that reduce production costs, streamline workflows, and enable innovations like off-client AI processing. We also explore how AWS helps address challenges such as scalability, user-generated content moderation, and matchmaking for player-driven experiences.

The conversation dives into real-world examples of cloud-driven advancements, and Chris shares insights into how cloud servers can help preserve game history, handle complex computing tasks, and improve collaboration across distributed teams. The discussion also touches on how cloud services support developers facing today’s rising production costs and how cloud infrastructure is shaping the future of game development. Whether you're a developer, designer, or producer, this episode offers a practical look at how cloud tech is unlocking new possibilities for the game industry.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Video Game Financing in 2025

Naavik — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Alexanda Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Spike Laurie, Partner at Hiro Capital, to dissect gaming finance's grim reality in 2025. The conversation starts with a discussion on the industry's downturn, marked by studio closures and a reduction in funding, particularly at the Series A level. Venture capital, once a goldmine for game studios, is now retreating, and if not retreating, shifting many of their investments to infrastructure.

The duo discuss hard questions such as founders' frustrations that VCs have set the bar too high for the products they are making, whether investing in infrastructure actually sidesteps content risk (given the clients of ‘picks and shovels’ are venture-backed gaming studios), and whether a fund would ever return raised capital back to their LPs given the recent market’s low returns. They discuss what options founders have in 2025 and what Hiro may be looking for as they deploy Fund II ($340M USD). They also discuss Snowprint Studios' sale to MTG and how that relates to fund strategy in games. The episode concludes with a look at what the future holds for gaming VC in 2025, with a focus on the importance of backing resilient teams and innovative IP.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Can Play-to-Earn Ever Be Sustainable?

Naavik — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Naavik Gaming podcast, host Niko Vuori welcomes back Luke Barwikowski, founder and CEO of Pixels.xyz, to discuss whether Play-to-Earn mechanics can, in fact, be sustainable.

Luke shares the evolution of Pixels, its unique approach to Play-to-Earn gaming, and the strategies that have led to significant user growth (10 million registered users) and revenue generation (over $20 million in the past 12 months). The conversation delves into the sustainability of Play-to-Earn models, the importance of data-driven decision-making in game monetization, and the future plans for expanding the Pixels ecosystem.

Luke also shares insights into the current state of web3 player demographics and geographic player concentration, the monetization strategies being employed, and the role of DAOs in shaping the future of gaming.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Story of Crunchyroll, GGWP, and Forge

Naavik — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0100

The intersection of anime, games, and technology takes center stage in this episode. Host Aaron Bush is joined by Kun Gao, a serial entrepreneur known for co-founding Crunchyroll, the world’s leading anime streaming platform, and now charting new paths in the games industry with GGWP, an AI-driven moderation platform, and Forge, which is enabling direct-to-consumer loyalty programs for games teams.

In this conversation, we explore the many lessons Kun learned from scaling Crunchyroll and navigating high-profile dealmaking with IP companies and stakeholders like The Chernin Group and Sony. We then dive into the founding stories of GGWP and Forge, unpack the big ideas behind both companies, and dig into how more interconnected loyalty programs can empower game developers to create deeper, more valuable connections with their players.

This episode is packed with insights into Kun’s entrepreneurial process, so make sure to tune in!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Kun Gao: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kungao/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Naavik — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Naavik Gaming Podcast, host Niko Vuori interviews Nigel Eccles, the co-founder and former CEO of FanDuel, exploring his journey in the online gaming world, the origin story of FanDuel, its competition with DraftKings, and the regulatory challenges faced by the fantasy sports industry.

Nigel shares the inside scoop on the FanDuel multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit and the evolving landscape of sports betting and gaming technology. Transitioning from FanDuel to his new venture, BetHog, he emphasizes the importance of innovation in the online casino space, particularly through social gaming and streaming. They also discuss the intricacies of betting mechanics, the design of engaging games, the challenges posed by regulations, and the future of crypto in the gaming industry.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The State of Video Game Publishing (with Serenity Forge)

Naavik — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0100

The sub-AA/AAA world of games has become increasingly competitive in recent years, and yet Serenity Forge, a diverse 40-50 person publisher based out of Colorado, has found a way to grow, develop, and publish games with very high success rates. How do they do it?

To answer this question, host Aaron Bush is joined by Zhenghua (Z) Yang, the founder and CEO of Serenity Forge. They discuss Z’s inspiring story, how publishing has evolved over the past decade, and how Z goes above and beyond to ensure success. They also dig into the nuances of working with subscription platforms, the underdiscussed benefits of physical sales, building unique distribution, structuring publishing deals, and how AI does (and doesn’t) impact the way they think about supporting games.

If you want a case study of how to win and stand out in a crowded gaming market, make sure to give this episode a listen!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Zhenghua (Z) Yang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenityz/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Naavik — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0100

AI is increasingly touching every corner of the games industry, and one of the areas it may have the largest impact on is user acquisition. Today, host Aaron Bush is joined by Robert Huynh, co-founder and CEO of Reforged Labs, to discuss how AI will transform the way gaming creatives are made, experimented with, and ultimately convert consumers.

They dive into how the world of online content and digital marketing may evolve in the coming years, what Reforged Labs is building to help mobile game teams find greater and more efficient success, and how AI in marketing is a democratizing force for smaller companies. Robert shares multiple lessons learned as a repeat founder, walks us through the technology underpinning Reforged Labs, and we chat about why the future of AI content may not be as dystopian as many fear.

If you want to learn where the future of marketing is heading, make sure to give this episode a listen!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Robert Huynh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huynhrobert/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Gaming, Music, & Tipping: A New Era for Creator Payments

Naavik — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Today, host Devin Becker is joined by Sam Means, Founder of Wavlake, and Ben Cousens, Chief Strategy Officer of ZBD, for an exploration of alternative payment systems for creators in the music and gaming industries. The conversation dives into how Wavlake leverages Bitcoin to revolutionize artist payments and music distribution, offering unique benefits over traditional platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Sam shares the story behind Wavlake, its current mission, and how its collaboration with ZBD opens new doors for “tipping” (rather than purchasing or subscribing) as a way to support creators.

We explore how this technology reshapes interactions between music artists and gamers, with potential applications for UGC platforms, music in games, and live-streaming environments. We tackle pressing questions about copyright enforcement, the role of AI-generated music, and emerging policies that impact artists and game developers alike. (Also be sure to check out our previous episode with Ben, discussing ZBD in more detail!)

We’d also like to thank TikTok for making this episode possible. Powered by automation and precision, TikTok’s advanced product solutions work seamlessly with its newest creative tools—making content creation easy, effective, and scalable—to drive installs and boost in-game revenue. Learn more about making the most of Q5 with TikTok by visiting: https://bit.ly/Q5ProgramNAVPodcast

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Can Alternative App Stores Thrive Post-DMA?

Naavik — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode of the Naavik Gaming podcast, host Niko Vuori interviews Álvaro Pinto, co-founder and COO of Aptoide, an independent app store with over 430 million users and 10 billion downloads.

They discuss the evolution of app distribution, the concept of decentralization, and how Aptoide has grown and adapted over the years. Álvaro shares insights into the company's revenue model, user demographics, and the impact of blockchain technology through their AppCoins initiative.

The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in the app distribution landscape, especially in light of regulatory changes in Europe and Japan, and the push for alternative solutions to the dominant app store duopoly of Apple and Google.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Gaming IP in 2024: How to Create Lasting Impact on UEFN

Naavik — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

One of UEFN's biggest strengths is that it is a melting pot of intellectual property. Jeremy Pedron, Lead Game Designer at JOGO Studios, calls it “a vast childhood playroom”, a place where you can combine playing with Batman while also playing with Legos. As creative costs go down to zero, the modern gaming market is undergoing a transformation in how IP is created. In summary, IP has never been more adaptable.

Host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Kevin Mariano, CEO of Future Trash, and Jeremy to discuss how building IP for gaming today differs from the past. They explore two distinct strategies, one focused on establishing unique art style and character design, and the other centered around character development and lore — and how both studios utilize UEFN to their advantage. The conversation also addresses the implications of transferring IP off the platform and what limitations a UGC-native brand and IP might face. For further insights into JOGO and the Fortnite Creative Economics system, be sure to listen to our other episode here.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Cheating Payments: The Hidden World of Game Fraud

Naavik — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Host Devin Becker is joined by Zach Nass, Head of Gaming at nSure.ai, to discuss the complex and evolving landscape of payment fraud prevention in gaming. Zach shares insights into why payment fraud in gaming has become such a critical issue today, the unique challenges posed by game-specific economies and marketplaces, and the importance of nuanced, adaptable solutions to secure transactions.

We unpack how AI and machine learning are used to identify patterns and predict fraudulent payment activity, and also touch on how payment fraud prevention strategies are evolving to better handle the decentralized systems of web3 and cryptocurrency transactions. This episode provides an in-depth look at the future of secure gaming payments — and the technical processes that nSure.ai employs to detect and prevent payment fraud — so you can stay ahead of fraud cutting into profits.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Web3 Gaming with Game7

Naavik — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 14:27:43 +0100

Host Niko Vuori and guest George Isichos, core contributor at Game7, discuss the current state of web3 gaming, focusing on the latest Game7 x Naavik research report (which you can download here). They explore the evolution of the ecosystem, the impact of platforms like Telegram and Epic Games Store, and emerging economic models such as Play-to-Airdrop. The conversation also addresses the challenges posed by bots in gaming and the shifting geographic distribution of players.

The discussion then digs into the integration of AI in gaming and its unique impact in web3, the evolving funding landscape for web3 games, the rise of indie and fall of AAA, plus the shift towards Layer 2 and Layer 3 strategies.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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LinkedIn's Gaming Strategy: Using Games to Foster Connection and Conversation

Naavik — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of LinkedIn’s 1B+ global users. You might have also noticed some of your professional connections playing one of LinkedIn’s new games — Queens, Pinpoint, Crossclimb, or Tango — and may even be wondering "why are there games on LinkedIn?"

Host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Lakshman Somasundaram, Director of Product Management at LinkedIn, to discuss the strategic intent behind games on LinkedIn and their unique approach to building games inside a professional networking and social media platform. We discuss the history of other social media’s forays into gaming and the underlying principles that guide the design, format, and product features of LinkedIn’s games.

With a current D1 retention rate of approximately 80% and an exceptionally engaged community, LinkedIn hopes its portfolio of games will become a meaningful conversation starter for professionals. To discover more about the how, why, and what behind this initiative, just hit play!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Direct-to-Consumer: A Game Changer for Developers

Naavik — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

A new frontier is emerging with the advent of "web shops," also known as direct-to-consumer distribution methods. Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Chris Faught, the CEO and founder of Neon, a direct-to-consumer payments service currently working with Space Ape, Metacore, and Theorycraft to build customizable web shops and geography-specific payment systems, challenging the traditional distribution models of Apple and Google.

We explore the evolving landscape of mobile regulations, contextualize the current payment stack in gaming, and break down what it means to be “the merchant of record.” The discussion highlights what major publishers and game studios have done since the iOS and Android distribution shake-up that began with Epic's lawsuit against Apple in 2021.

Additionally, we dig into the nuances of why a direct-to-consumer webshop is about more than just increasing profitability. For any studio, investor, or revenue strategist interested in optimizing margins and considering a shift to a direct-to-consumer webshop, this episode is a must-listen.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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A New Frontier: Where Transmedia Meets UGC

Naavik — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Host Aaron Bush welcomes Shahar Sorek, CMO of Overwolf, and Nick Tuosto, co-founder of Griffin Gaming Partners and GoodGame Advisors, to discuss the growing – and increasingly interconnected – impact of transmedia and modding on the gaming industry.

As beloved entertainment IPs partner with more types of game creators, we examine how these transmedia efforts are reshaping consumer behaviors and evolving the market, especially with the younger UGC-native generation and as UGC creation gets more professionalized. Our guests share insights into how cross-platform support and new technologies, especially AI, are democratizing creation and unlocking new possibilities. They also share best practices for both publishers and brands who want to make UGC an effective strategy. Tune in to discover what lies ahead for the intersection of UGC and transmedia.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Shahar Sorek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%90%B0-shahar-sorek-83ab299/

Guest - Nick Tuosto: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ntuosto/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Disclosure: GoodGame provides independent financial advice on mergers, acquisitions, financial restructurings and similar corporate finance matters. All investment banking and securities brokerage services are preformed through our partner, Belzberg Capital LLC (“Belzberg”), a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (www.finra.org). GoodGame, through Belzberg, performs advisory services in connection with underwritings and does not sell underwritten securities to investors. Neither GoodGame nor Belzberg is a retail broker-dealer, and it does not provide research or analyst reports or solicit or carry accounts for, or offer or sell securities products to, retail customers.

Fortnite Creative Economics with MustardPlays and Birdo

Naavik — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Fortnite has paid out roughly $500 million to creators since UEFN and Creator Economy 2.0 launched in March of 2023. These payouts, which have increased 32.5% YoY (measured from March through September), are showing no signs of slowing down. However, Fortnite Creative engagement as a proportion of total Fortnite engagement has actually declined as Epic has launched more successful modes like 'Reload.'

What will it take for Epic's $500 million investment to turn into a thriving UGC ecosystem that creates more value than it costs? Where does the Fortnite economy go from here? Joining host David Taylor today are two top Fortnite creators and influencers, Chad Mustard (aka MustardPlays) and Michael Ha (aka Birdo).

MustardPlays has accumulated over 900K followers on Youtube with his Fortnite Creative content, and his company JOGO Studios, which he co-founded with TypicalGamer, is the 4th most popular game on Fortnite at the time of recording.

Birdo created a Fortnite-focused TikTok following of over 2M. He then hit it big with Minigame Box PvP, which has been played for 5 billion minutes or 1% of all Fortnite Creative time since the release of UEFN in March 2023.

We’d also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, make sure to visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Social Sweeps, the $6B Gaming Category Hiding in Plain Sight

Naavik — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, host Niko Vuori and guest Sean Ryan delve into the emerging category of social sweepstakes, a gaming model that barely existed as recently as 2017 but has rapidly evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry. In 2023, social sweeps generated almost $6 billion in revenue, and this number is expected to double to nearly $12 billion by next year, 2025.

What are social sweeps? When a gaming product offers users real-world prizes without the element of consideration. Removal of consideration takes place via the existence of an alternate method of entry, such as sending in a postcard, so that users can potentially receive real prizes without making a purchase.

Niko and Sean explore the mechanics of social sweeps, the regulatory challenges that come with it, and the role of VGW as a pioneer in the space. The conversation also touches on the target audience, user journey, and the future potential of social sweeps in the broader gaming market. Check out Sean's company, Zoot, on the web.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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AI, New Platforms, & the Future of Game Development

Naavik — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Sebastian Park, co-founder of Infinite Canvas and a favorite recurring guest, joins host Aaron Bush to dive into the fascinating topic of building games on new platforms and with new technologies. They discuss how Infinite Canvas rapidly iterates, uses off-the-shelf LLM tech, and what the team has learned lately from building on Discord, Twitch, and Telegram. If you want to better understand how emerging AI-based tools will increase the baseline requirements for competing in game development and what emerging platforms to be most bullish on, make sure to give this episode a listen!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Sebastian Park: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianpark/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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How SciPlay Wins in Social Casino, Post-IDFA

Naavik — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, host Niko Vuori and guest Danny Moy, Chief Strategy Officer at SciPlay, delve into the highly competitive category of social casino.

They discuss the evolution of SciPlay, the demographics of social casino players, and the integration of casino mechanics into mainstream games. The conversation also touches on the importance of live operations, the role of AI in game design, and the cross-pollination between real money gaming and social casino.

With insights from Danny's extensive experience in the gaming industry, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and future trends in social casino gaming. The discussion also covers the challenges of user acquisition in a post-IDFA landscape, highlighting the importance of community engagement through live ops and partnerships.

Check out SciPlay on the web. You can find Danny Moy on LinkedIn.

We’d also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, make sure to visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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How Studio Culture Fuels an Exit (with Seth Sivak)

Naavik — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0200

What is culture, and why does it matter? Seth Sivak, the founder and ex-CEO of Proletariat, a studio most known for its title Spellbreak, joins our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, to discuss the importance of organizational culture in the gaming industry.

Proletariat was founded in 2012 by Seth and four other co-founders and went through various era of growth: scaling up to 80 people in person, 130 people remote during the pandemic, everyone brought back in person again, and then a sale to Blizzard Entertainment in the summer of 2022 with subsequent culture merging afterward.

We discuss the definition of culture, who is responsible for setting it, who is responsible for maintaining it, as well as tactics to create a shared vision and shared set of norms, habits, and standards. If you are curious about what supercharges a successful game and business, this is a conversation that illuminates the balance between transparency and employee focus, how to build an effective communication decorum that scales, and why spending time on your company culture does not detract from building your product and business, but if done right, enhances and augments success.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0200

It's no secret that distribution across all major gaming platforms is virtually inaccessible to all but the most deep-pocketed developers. The go-go days of being able to bootstrap a studio or raise a modest amount of funding to grow and scale a title are long gone, and there have been very few emerging platforms that show outsized promise.

But is that about to change? Telegram games have exploded onto the scene over the past few months. Top titles like Hamster Kombat, with deceptively simple yet surprisingly deep gameplay, can attract hundreds of millions of players in a matter of months - or even weeks! How and why is this happening? Could Telegram be the next "big thing" for gaming, a truly new platform where cost-effective user acquisition and effective distribution are once again possible?

To find out, your host, Niko Vuori, sits down with Simon Davis, Founder & CEO of Mighty Bear Games, a studio that grew its own Telegram title, Goat Gaming, to 2 million players in a matter of weeks. Simon drops some major alpha about what is driving adoption among developers on Telegram, who the player base is, retention and engagement metrics, how these games are bridging some elements of web3, and much more.

We’d also like to thank nSure.ai for making this episode possible! In the gaming industry, protecting revenue from fraudsters is crucial. That’s where nSure.ai comes in. As a proven industry leader, nSure.ai provides scalable payment fraud prevention that’s not just effective but tailored specifically to your needs. To learn more, visit https://www.nsure.ai/contact

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Game Tech: The Hidden Force Behind Gaming’s Challenges and Opportunities

Naavik — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0200

In recent years, there’s been considerable discourse about the game industry’s challenges. However, according to today's guest, Jiten Dajee, one core element has been missing from the conversation: the root technical causes underlying many of today’s business woes. After all, game tech shapes the way games are developed and managed, which in turn drives business outcomes.

Jiten, General Partner at Rendered VC, joins host Aaron Bush to discuss how the state of game tech is holding developers back, how many managers fail to solve systemic issues, interesting trends across global development teams, and how all of this shapes the way he invests. We also hit where future game tech breakthroughs may come from and areas adjacent to gaming that are worth keeping an eye on.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Jiten Dajee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jitendajee/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Dream Sports and the Future of Cricket

Naavik — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0200

If you are into fantasy sports, Dream 11 is a household name. Boasting over 220M active users, it is one of the most popular fantasy sports platforms in the world. But what you might not know is that Dream 11 is just one part of the Dream Sports Group, which aspires to be a full 360 sports experience beyond fantasy (including merchandise, travel, streaming, live experiences, and, of course, video games).

Rohit Gupta, Founder and CEO of Dream Games Studios, joins our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, for a discussion about innovation and growth in the sports video game industry with a specific eye towards Cricket and India. Their most recent game, Dream Cricket, aims to be the most authentic and realistic cricket game in the market. But what makes a good cricket game, and can you create a blockbuster cricket video game akin to Madden for the Indian market? What advantages are there to building in public, and what are the challenges in the licensing (name, image, and likeness) across the pro cricket space? What is the macro positioning for the sports video game market, and how has Dream Sports Group organized itself to capitalize on the opportunity? That and more!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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How to Bring Brands to Roblox

Naavik — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Over the last few years, brands have increasingly gravitated to platforms like Roblox as a way to reach younger audiences. In 2023 alone, we saw 240 brand activations on Roblox, which doubled from the year prior. In terms of revenue, this contributed to over $80 million in brand spend, which equates to roughly 10% of Roblox's developer earnings for 2023.

From the brand perspective, results can vary greatly depending on the execution. As advertisers, the cost per play session in a branded experience can range from as much as $1 to a fraction of a cent. Critical decisions include whether a brand should build its own experience versus integrate into an already popular one, and it's important to understand how well the brand resonates with Roblox's audience as well as any specific genre. With such uncertainty around outcomes, much of the spend so far has come from innovation budgets rather than traditional marketing allocations.

To explore these trends further and discuss what needs to happen for advertising to further scale on Roblox, our host, David Taylor, sat down with three veterans of the Roblox advertising space, each with their own unique approaches: Matt Edelman, President of Super League Gaming, Harry Bienenstock, Head of Growth at Voldex, and Evan Zirschky, CEO of Turning Tables.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sony, Microsoft, Valve, and Roblox: Who Will Be Platform King?

Naavik — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0200

The gaming industry is currently facing an identity crisis, with widespread layoffs, escalating budgets, and a flood of new games hitting the market. In light of these macro trends, game studios and platforms need to find ways to leverage their existing strengths or develop new strategies for long-term success.

Ben Feder, Managing Partner at Tirta and former CEO of Take-Two, and Ken Wee, former CSO of Activision Blizzard King, join host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, to delve into the strategies of four major players in the gaming industry: Microsoft, Sony, Valve, and Roblox. Given the dynamic and uncertain future of the gaming industry, this episode explores how these companies and platforms are approaching content discovery, the role of AI in game development, innovative business models, and future-proofing their businesses. If you want to gain insights into the strategies of these four companies from industry experts, this episode is for you!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Building a Creator-Focused 3D Engine with Hiber

Naavik — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0200

UGC is hot, hot, hot right now. Roblox is on track to pay out half a billion USD to creators - annually - and never has it been more possible for young, individual creators to make a meaningful living as “game developers.” But is Roblox the only place for such creators?

HiberWorld, a platform that's empowering anyone to build and share their own 3D worlds, is trying to change that by making making it as easy possible for anyone, at any age, and anywhere in the world to build their own virtual worlds. HiberWorld has already achieved some impressive milestones, reaching 1 million worlds in 2021, 5 million in 2023, and 6.5 million at latest count. Underlying everything is Hiber3D, Hiber’s web engine, which is trying to make it as easy as possible for anyone to build their own HiberWorld.

In this episode your host, Niko Vuori, sits down with Hiber’s Chief Strategy Officer Sean Kauppinen to discuss Hiber’s story, what growth strategies it has used to grow, and what differentiates it from Roblox.

Check out Hiber on the web. You can find Sean Kauppinen on LinkedIn. For more information about some of the topics discussed in this episode, check out Dive Analytics for outsourced games BI, Nir Eyal’s excellent book “Hooked” about building habit-forming products, and The New York Times’ “Hard Fork” podcast for all things tech and particularly their excellent coverage of developments in AI.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Emergency Pod: SEC vs OpenSea

Naavik — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 21:59:16 +0200

On August 28th, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a Wells Notice to OpenSea, notifying the largest NFT marketplace that it is under investigation for operating as an unlicensed exchange, labeling the NFTs traded on the platform as securities. Founder & CEO of OpenSea, Devin Finzer, posted that “[t]his is a move into uncharted territory. By targeting NFTs, the SEC would stifle innovation on an even broader scale: hundreds of thousands of online artists and creatives are at risk, and many do not have the resources to defend themselves. NFTs are fundamentally creative goods: art, collectibles, video game items, domain names, event tickets, and more.”

In this very first Naavik Gaming emergency podcast, your host, Niko Vuori, sits down with Naavik web3 analyst Devin Becker and web3 operator Steven Wade to digest the news and discuss what this might mean for web3 gaming.

Here's Devin Finzer’s post announcing the Wells Notice. You can find Niko, Devin and Steven on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 14:00:00 +0200

One of the biggest web3 hits of 2022, the horse racing game Pegaxy, generated over $200 million in sales, second only to Axie Infinity during that period. After building heads down during the crypto bear market through the end of the 2023, the company behind Pegaxy, Mirai Labs, is ready to ride again, now with its second game, Petopia, a top-down roguelite shooter. With its fresh and innovative take on guilds, fractional ownership of teams, and passive income, Petopia is looking to invigorate the play-to-earn (P2E) genre, having absorbed many lessons from the prior web3 wave.

To learn more about the origin story of Pegaxy, what Petopia is doing differently, and the Mirai Labs roadmap, your host Niko Vuori talks with Corey Wilton, Founder & CEO of Mirai Labs.

Mirai Labs: https://mirailabs.co/. You can find Corey Wilton on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Adaptive Gaming

Naavik — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

There are 3B gamers in the world, and many of those players have disabilities. Often called “accessibility” or “adaptive gaming”, this is one of the most important topics (and markets) in the gaming industry. From mobility, visual, and hearing impairments to cognitive and speech impairments, the industry has begun making strides in addressing how we can enable as many people as possible to access gaming experiences, plus interpret and perceive the content as intended.

Alexander Dunn, Founder and CEO of Cephable, joins our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, for a discussion on who is doing what in the hardware space, which games are masterclasses in pushing the frontiers of accessibility, and how AI is impacting studios' abilities to do these things in a cost efficient manner. We also discuss how Cephable is playing a role as a mediator between different types of inputs (gesture control, voice activation, and facial recognition) and is building a marketplace of games that support adaptive controls.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Past, Present, & Future of KidTech

Naavik — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Online safety for kids has only become more important over time, and it's become a thorny compliance topic for games teams to wrestle with. Fortunately, talented entrepreneurs are creating solutions that make it easier for games teams (and beyond) to tackle these challenges.

To help explore this nuanced topic, host Aaron Bush is joined by Kieran Donovan, co-founder and CEO of k-ID (which recently raised a $45M Series A, led by Lightspeed and a16z), as well as Dylan Collins, serial entrepreneur behind Demonware, Jolt, and SuperAwesome.

We dive into what’s changed in the kidtech market over the past decade, k-IDs new approach, lessons learned from SuperAwesome, where the market and k-ID are headed next, and how games teams can benefit from these emerging solutions.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Kieran Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kieran-donovan-06399819/

Guest - Dylan Collins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanc/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The Next Era of Voice Games

Naavik — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Voice games have had a quiet history compared to mobile, console, and the PC gaming arena. However, Lightspeed and Microsoft’s M12 Ventures see Volley Games as a leader and game changer in the space, co-leading a $55M Series C on the backs of solid MAU and ARR.

Our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, speaks with Max Child, CEO and Co-Founder of Volley, about the history of voice games, the current market, and the AI inflection point that enables experiences that were once hindered by slow speech recognition, difficulty in assessing intent, and the inability to interrupt an AI speaker.

The duo dive into what’s in the Volley portfolio, how the games are performing, who is playing them, and how they are monetizing. We discuss the history of “input design” in games (controllers, mouse, keyboard, bespoke hardware) and why voice is one of the most powerful input mechanisms at the heart of human connectivity. That and more!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Inside Voodoo’s #1 Hit: The Story of Mob Control’s $200M+ Rise

Naavik — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Mobile gaming is a tough business, but Voodoo has been able to evolve with the times. After years of pioneering hypercasual, the company has more recently set its sights on making casual mobile games with deeper metas and monetization tactics. This pivot sparked major changes across the organization, but it’s already led to major hits – the largest of which is Mob Control, which surpassed the $200M revenue barrier and is still climbing.

In order to learn the full story of Mob Control, host Aaron Bush flew to Barcelona, Spain to meet with Miguel Santirso, a General Manager at Voodoo whose internal studio, Mambo Studio, has masterminded the game’s ascent. We discuss Voodoo’s unique culture, the origin story of Mob Control, and the key decisions that led to the game’s success. We also touch on what’s next for Mob Control and how the team is managing the next hit on its hands, Block Jam.

This is a case study in mobile gaming excellence you certainly won’t want to miss.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Miguel Santirso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguelsantirso/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Building a Thriving Casual Word Games Business in a Red Ocean

Naavik — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Casual word games is a tough, tough category to compete in on mobile. Not only is it a very crowded red ocean, but casual games are notoriously hard to monetize effectively through IAPs, making user acquisition even more difficult than it already is in the post-IDFA world. That said, Funcraft is making it work in their favor, building a thriving, growing business with an expanding portfolio of games and with the ability to spend profitably, at scale, on user acquisition. With a small team of experienced industry veterans, investments in systems, processes, and analytics, as well as a second-to-none ad mediation stack, Funcraft is a great case study in how it is still possible to compete with the big guys — and win.

To learn more about how Funcraft is making it work, your host Niko Vuori talks with Michael Martinez, Founder & CEO of Funcraft.

Funcraft: https://www.funcraft.com/. You can find Michael Martinez on LinkedIn.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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AdTech Evolution: Navigating the Privacy-First Frontier

Naavik — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Between Apple’s policy changes and growing government regulations, privacy concerns have sparked a significant shift in AdTech strategies. This episode investigates the potential for privacy-focused ads, exploring how companies are adapting to new regulations while still striving for effective targeting. Host Devin Becker is joined by Geeshan Willink, CEO of Nefta, to dig into the complexities of maintaining anonymity and its implications for the gaming industry.

Geeshan shares insights on Nefta's journey from its web3 roots through the struggles with building ad technology that meets growing privacy standards. We explore the balancing act between precision targeting and user privacy, comparing anonymous user profiling with traditional fingerprinting methods. Willink offers examples of how behavioral-based identification can lead to effective ad targeting without compromising user data and discusses the potential impact on player retention and ad inventory pricing. The discussion also touches on the challenges of implementing these new approaches in an entrenched industry, recent trends in AdTech, and predictions for the future of ad-supported gaming.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Queen’s Gambit: The Big Business of Chess.com

Naavik — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Chess is a business that has, without a doubt, been supercharged by linear media and has been booming since COVID-19. As one of the most tactically complex games ever designed, Chess has over 700 years of retention and history.

But what is it like to build a chess empire? Chess.com, purchased by Erik Allebest and his co-founder for $55K in 2005, has built a web and mobile platform with over 170M raw accounts, 50M monthly active users, and 5-7M daily active users.

Join our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, in a discussion with Erik that covers growing a team of two to 600 over 20 years, the monetization and engagement of a Chess platform, an overview of external acquisitions the company has made, and growing rapidly via what Erik calls a “great meme game”. We also discuss the pros and cons of not owning your IP and where the future of online Chess is headed! Checkmate!

Also, big thanks to ZBD for making this episode possible! ZBD provides a plug-and-play API and SDK for seamless integration of instant, borderless, and low-fee payments using the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Want to better engage and monetize your global user base? Start for free at http://zbd.gg/https://grid.gg/?utm_source=naavik.co&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=Naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Toys x Games (with Spin Master)

Naavik — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Major toy companies like Spin Master, Mattel, and Hasbro have all been expanding their influence beyond traditional toys for many years. Spin Master, in particualr, is known for launching popular entertainment properties like PAW Patrol and Bakugan, which have seamlessly transitioned into digital formats in the form of TV series, movies, and video games. Spin Master has also been unafraid to acquire properties when it sees a strategic opportunity, such as its 2016 acquisition of Toca Boca, the children's mobile app developer.

Today, host David Taylor sits down with Yves Saada, the Head of Strategic Partnerships at Spin Master, to better understand its place at the intersection of toys, video games, and entertainment more broadly. We cover Spin Master’s success in mobile games, as well as Roblox, and how that fits into Spin Master’s broader strategy as a toy company.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of China’s Gaming Market

Naavik — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

China is the second largest video game market in the world, and even though its industry has faced domestic challenges, China’s global impact on gaming continues to rise. However, if you’re an outsider, figuring out what’s happening in China can sometimes be opaque. That’s why host Aaron Bush is joined today by Josh Ye, a long-time reporter for all things gaming and tech in China.

We dig into how China’s gaming market became massive over the past couple decades and how its current ecosystem compares and contrasts to the West’s. We also discuss the domestic regulatory challenges all gaming companies face in China and how Chinese companies are changing how they pursue international expansion. We hit on several specific companies – including Tencent, NetEase, Bytedance, and Hoyoverse – before wrapping up with some lessons learned and predictions for the future.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Josh Ye: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshyehk/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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The Business of Cloud and Game Servers

Naavik — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Apex Legends is known for having one of the most “boring” game launches in history in the best of ways. Jokingly called Uptime Legends, Apex pursued a multi-tiered cloud infrastructure that helped EA deliver one of the smoothest PvP launches in history. Sid Dhulipalla, CEO and Co-Founder of Hathora, and Steven Hartland, VP of Engineering at Rocket Science, join our host, Alex Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, to discuss the role of cloud and server orchestration in the distribution of modern video games and the business surrounding it.

We chat all things bare metal, peer-to-peer, dedi servers, hybrid setups, and their implications on the player experience and the developer’s cost profile. We learn about the landscape of players from public cloud to bare metal to server orchestration to boutique backend teams that are available to studios across the AAA and indie spaces. We also have the age-old chicken and egg debate of “predictability, cost, and flexibility” as relative unknowns for every game launch despite being major components of any game's financial health. This episode is about the backbone of all video games - tune in!

Big thanks to GRID for making this episode possible. GRID is a game data platform providing esports data infrastructure, analytics, and distribution solutions to leading game publishers including Riot Games, Ubisoft, and KRAFTON. If you're a fan, developer, or entrepreneur with an idea for a live data-powered project, make sure to apply for GRID Open Access, get free access to official data, and start creating today! To learn more, visit: https://grid.gg/?utm_source=naavik.co&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=Naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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How Content Creators Are Shaping Gaming

Naavik — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

As the world of gaming matures, the influence of content creators is increasingly important. In this episode, host Devin Becker sits down with Justin Sacks, CEO of Nexus, and Bryan Herren, Director of Partnerships for offbrand, to dive into the pivotal role of content creators in shaping the gaming ecosystem.

The conversation kicks off with an exploration of the origins and current endeavors of Nexus and offbrand. As the discussion unfolds, Justin and Bryan illuminate the transformative power of content creators, emphasizing their importance beyond mere promotion. The conversation navigates the nuances of working with diverse content creators, from those focused on specific games or genres to versatile personalities with broad demographic appeal. Justin and Bryan also examine the evolving landscape of esports and user-generated content, envisioning a future where content creators play a pivotal role in the burgeoning UGC and modding scenes. Finally, the duo reflects on the potential challenges of deeper content creator involvement while outlining the future opportunity to build around creators for Nexus and offbrand in this dynamic landscape.

We’d like to thank RallyHere for making this episode possible. RallyHere is a proven gaming backend platform and service made specifically for cross-platform live-service games. RallyHere is your one-stop-shop to streamline your development processes, increase speed to market, and optimize your post-launch live services. To learn more or schedule a demo, visit rallyhere.gg

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The Next Era of Modding - with Overwolf, Studio Wildcard, and Look North World

Naavik — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Modding has long been a force of innovation and creativity in the games industry, but the emergence of cross-platform, premium mods is set to take modding to another level. Thanks to platforms like Overwolf’s CurseForge, studios and publishers can now enable all sorts of creators — even other professional studios — to build on top of their games and get rewarded for doing so. This new technical and economic unlock is poised to take UGC gaming to even higher heights and is a compelling growth opportunity for the entire industry.

To best discuss this trend, host and Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush is joined by Uri Marchand, CEO of Overwolf, Jeremy Stieglitz, Co-Founder of Studio Wildcard, and Patrick Moran, Founder and COO of Look North World. Look North World, a young UGC-focused publisher and studio, is building a premium DLC on top of Studio Wildcard’s popular ARK: Survival Ascended, which is all enabled thanks to Overwolf’s CurseForge platform. The crew discusses how to operationalize premium mods, why the economics can be compelling, what cross-platform enablement unlocks, and big predictions for the future.

We’d also like to thank Nexus for making this episode possible! Nexus’s creator program in-a-box makes it easy for game devs to build and manage a world-class creator program, driving significant growth in conversion, ARPPU, retention, and LTV. To learn more, go to http://nexus.gg/naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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New York Times Games, From Strength to Strength

Naavik — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 14:00:00 +0200

The New York Times is one of the world’s most recognized newspapers and has been in circulation since 1851. With 10 million subscribers, the Times has a huge audience and an even larger cultural impact. But the Gray Lady isn’t content to just rest on her laurels and focus on news - other verticals in which the Times operates are product reviews (The Wirecutter), sports (through their 2022 acquisition of The Athletic), cooking, and, of course, games. In addition to their home-grown casual titles, the Times famously acquired viral sensation Wordle in early 2022 and since then has launched hit games Connections and most recently Strands (in beta).

To learn more about the Times’ games strategy, your host Niko Vuori talks with Jonathan Knight, Head of Games at The New York Times.

New York Times Games: https://www.nytimes.com/subscription/games. You can find Jonathan Knight on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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AI-Powered Quality Assurance

Naavik — Fri, 31 May 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Quality assurance is one of the most crucial aspects of game development to ensure the game functions as intended and to provide a positive player experience. Around $300M in funding has been directed towards AI “efficiency tools for creators” and Christoffer Holmgard, Founder of Modl.AI, and Nathan Martz, Founder of Agentic, are pushing the frontier of how AI can enhance and streamline QA processes.

From “players as a service” to functional load testing, your host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, and guests discuss the history of QA, the various methods developers use to access it, the different types of testing in the ideal test pyramid, and where AI can realistically plug.-in. Agentic and Modl.AI are production-ready and share stories of successful partnerships with AA and indie studios to improve their testing processes. Tune in for a fascinating episode on the evolution of QA testing and a window into the future where collaboration between humans and AI agents is a developer's everyday life.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Fri, 03 May 2024 14:00:00 +0200

A new era of game developer has arrived to shake up narrative game making. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, welcomes Emily Pitcher, founder of Sondering, and Karla Reyes, founder of Anima Interactive, two Forbes 30 under 30 game developers focused on narrative innovation and socially conscious storytelling. The discussion delves into the evolution of narrative in games, innovative storytelling mechanics, the importance of representation, and finally, the limited innovation brought to business models within the narrative genre. Beyond building stories for the underrepresented, they are also committed to building studios whose developers are uniquely qualified to do so: social media and Tik Tok native (check out Emily’s robust following here), and importantly, have lived experiences that lend themselves to a creator’s truth. Games are a powerful medium for storytelling and social change and it is developers like these that are leading the charge.

Also, big thanks to ZEBEDEE for making this episode possible! ZEBEDEE provides a plug-and-play API and SDK for seamless integration of instant, borderless, and low-fee payments using the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Want to better engage and monetize your global user base? Start for free at https://zebedee.io/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Nyan Heroes: Cats, Mechs & Esports in Web3

Naavik — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Nyan Heroes is a team-based hero shooter featuring small cats piloting giant mechs. The studio was founded in Singapore in 2021 and is staffed by industry veterans from hit franchises like Marvel’s Avengers, Destiny, and Halo. Combining web3 and web2 elements, the game aspires to competitive gameplay and has already secured partnerships with top names in the esports space. The game also has garnered impressive reviews and early stats. Nyan Heroes is a top 5 most wishlisted game on the Epic Games Store, a top 16 most played game on the Epic Games Store during its recent alpha demo, and boasts over 1.3 million registered users, 80% of whom are web3 Solana natives.

In this episode, your host, Niko Vuori, speaks with Nyan Heroes Creative Director & CEO, Max Fu, about the game, how he intends to compete in esports, and how he’s thinking about balancing web2 and web3 elements. Max also unpacks his love for cats and how the Nyan Heroes felines can form the foundation for a major new IP.

Check out Nyan Heroes online and in the Epic Games Store. You can find Max Fu on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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From Scrappy to Success: Strategies for Gaming Founders

Naavik — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

What does it take to stand out and succeed as a games industry entrepreneur these days? And how should smart venture capitalists best identify and work with these best founders? To help answer these questions, host Aaron Bush is joined by David Kaye, serial entrepreneur and general partner of F4 Fund.

We discuss why David believes 99% of games studios aren’t fit for venture capital and what makes that top 1% so special. We also cover how early-stage teams, especially in a post-cheap money era, can get scrappy, think about distribution cleverly, and unlock early forms of competitive advantage. Plus, alongside discussing the state of gaming venture capital at large, we also dig into what David sees as underrated and how that’s reflected in the way F4 builds its portfolio. Buckle in for a thought-provoking conversation.

If you’re interested in learning more from David, make sure to subscribe to his newsletter: https://blog.davidkaye.co/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - David Kaye, General Partner, F4 Fund: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkaye/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Fortnite Creative Origins

Naavik — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

Epic Games paid $320 million to over 25,000 creators in the last 12 months and during that time saw UGC content capture a whopping 35% of total Fortnite engagement. That means there are over 1 million players engaging in UGC content on Fortnite during peak hours. With other top franchises like GTA and The Sims currently working to build out their own UGC platforms in time for planned launches in the next couple years, it’s the perfect time to look back at how and why the biggest video game franchise of our time decided to go all in on UGC.

Our host, David Taylor, sat down with Zak Phelps, the former Senior Director of Product Design on Fortnite Creative, along with Michael Ha (AKA Birdo), the creator of Minigame Box PVP, a top 10 Fortnite Creative experience. The crew covers the origin story of Fortnite Creative, the early days of building a leading UGC platform, and what it’s like building on Fortnite Creative five-years into its existence. Special thanks to Creators Corp for suggesting Naavik connect with these two great Fortnite minds.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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TikTok: Gaming’s New Discovery Platform

Naavik — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

TikTok is undeniably changing the game for game developers and creating a new marketing and distribution playbook across mobile, console, and PC. In this discussion, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, speaks with Assaf Sagy, Head of Global Gaming at TikTok, and Rema Vasan, Head of Global Gaming Marketing at TikTok, about the impact TikTok has on consumer behavior. We discuss why TikTok has set up a vertically integrated business focusing solely on gaming, and our discussion covers the essential elements of TikTok's value proposition, including discovery, cultural relevance, and performance, TikTok's position in the gaming distribution stack, and how developers should create content, foster community, and promote culture to create successful games. We also share brand-new stats and success stories of developers on the TikTok platform! As Matej Lancaric rightly said in a prior Naavik Digest newsletter piece, "Above all, don't underestimate the power of TikTok."

Big thanks to GRID for making this episode possible. GRID is a game data platform providing esports data infrastructure, analytics, and distribution solutions to leading game publishers including Riot Games, Ubisoft, and KRAFTON. If you're a fan, developer, or entrepreneur with an idea for a live data-powered project, make sure to apply for GRID Open Access, get free access to official data, and start creating today! To learn more, visit https://grid.gg/?utm_source=naavik.co&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=Naavik.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Tactical Advice for Building Healthy Player Relationships

Naavik — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

In the ever-evolving world of gaming, understanding and managing player interactions through technology is becoming increasingly critical. Host Devin Becker sits down with Solomon-Ruiz Lichter, Senior Director of Global Gaming at CleverTap, to delve into segmenting players, crafting personalized offers, and fostering a more engaging gaming environment. We explore the importance of live ops in maintaining a dynamic relationship with players and discuss the future of this practice, emphasizing the potential for AI and machine learning to revolutionize the way developers understand and improve player interactions.

Solomon shares insights on customizing offers for various player types, including 'whales', and strategies for converting non-spenders into spenders through targeted, personalized approaches. We also dig into the integration of AI and ML in live ops content creation, highlighting how these technologies can enhance productivity and tailor content more closely to player preferences. The potential for user-generated content (UGC) in shaping the gaming landscape is also discussed, alongside strategies for balancing the retention of long-term players with the acquisition of new ones. This episode promises a thorough exploration of how cutting-edge technology and strategic management can together sculpt the future of gaming.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Bleeding Edge: Building Games on Discord, ChatGPT, and Beyond

Naavik — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:00:00 +0200

There’s no shortage of conversation around how new technologies are changing the way games are made, but that technological change doesn’t end there. New platforms are also contending for player attention, and where and how games are distributed is all destined to evolve, likely in bigger ways than most people think. We all know about Roblox and UEFN, but what about Discord, ChatGPT, and whatever new AI-focused consumer platforms may emerge? Could other large social and messaging platforms make a gaming comeback? Could new devices actually grow the games industry over the next decade?

To help unpack these big questions, host Aaron Bush is joined by Sebastian Park, co-founder of Infinite Canvas. Infinite Canvas was not only early to building on Roblox, but has been at the bleeding edge of experimenting with making games on platforms like Discord and ChatGPT. Sebastian shares his views on these emerging platforms, how design implications change with varying technology and incentive models, how advertising may evolve with AI, where he’s seeing success today, and more. This is a fascinating, wide-ranging conversation you won’t want to miss.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - Sebastian Park: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastianpark/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Guild of Guardians on Immutable + Web3 Pulsecheck

Naavik — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:30:00 +0200

Guild of Guardians, Immutable’s second major game after Gods Unchained, is one of the most anticipated web3 games of 2024. The game recently pivoted from a real-time RPG to an auto-battler, and is set for a May 15th global release. Guild of Guardians is one of the first games on Immutable’s new ZK-EVM blockchain, which Naavik covered in the January 24, 2024 episode of the podcast with Immutable founder, Robbie Ferguson.

In the second half of the episode your host, Niko Vuori, and Naavik’s own web3 analyst, Devin Becker, spend some time reflecting on the state of web3 gaming now that a fresh crypto bull run is well underway. What does that mean for web3 games? Has the industry learned any lessons from the 2021-2022 rise and fall? Or is it all just tulip mania all over again?

Check out Devin’s piece on Guild of Guardians at https://naavik.co/digest-updating-web3-2024/ and Niko’s interview with Immutable founder Robbie Ferguson at https://naavik.co/immutables-web3-roadmap-for-2024.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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GDC Vibes / data.ai x Sensor Tower / Epic Announcements / US v. Apple

Naavik — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad takes a deep dive into the unique atmosphere of this year's Game Developers Conference (GDC), marked by a spirit of camaraderie and innovation amidst widespread industry layoffs. We then pivot to discuss the monumental acquisition of data.ai by Sensor Tower, setting the stage for what could become the definitive source of mobile app data. The conversation heats up as we explore Epic Games' showcase of Unreal Engine, UEFN, and the bombshell announcement of a mobile Epic Store set to launch by year's end. We shift gears to dissect the U.S. Department of Justice's sweeping lawsuit against Apple, examining the broader implications of the case beyond the specific policies contested by Epic, and reflecting on the growing global backlash against Apple's business practices. Lastly, we delve into a revealing survey from Mistplay, which predicts a downturn in mobile spending by high-value users. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Dave Elton, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Century Games: How a Top 20 Mobile Publisher Found Success on Roblox

Naavik — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:35:00 +0100

Finding success on Roblox can be very challenging. There are over 20 million experiences created every year, and the play patterns are quite different from their more traditional mobile and console counterparts. That’s why UGC games analyst, David Taylor, sat down with Xiang Shen, the CTO of Century Games, a top 20 mobile publisher and the creators for the recent breakout hit Whiteout Survival, which drew in $500 million in in-app purchases over the past year according to recent estimates.

What makes Century Games particularly unique is the company's willingness to experiment with new platforms such as Roblox. Century Games has two successful Roblox experiences — Livetopia and MetLife — that the team launched from scratch over the last few years.

Given the growth of the UGC games industry, traditional developers are increasingly asking the question: should we build a Roblox game? In this episode, we’ll explore how Century Games found success on Roblox and how this fits into its broader strategy as a successful mobile developer.

This episode is brought to you by Overwolf, the all-in-one platform for creating, sharing and monetizing in-game apps and mods.. Visit overwolf.com for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

P2E is Dead? Long Live P2E! With Pixels.xyz

Naavik — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

After the meteoric rise - and equally meteoric fall - of Axie Infinity, the term “Play-to-Earn” lost much of its cachet, and web3 developers avoided the term throughout the 2022-23 crypto winter. Adjacent concepts such as “Play-and-Earn” or “Play-to-Own” proliferated instead while developers and investors largely ignored the genre, and P2E was effectively declared dead.

But not all developers felt this way. Through the crypto winter, Pixels.xyz continued to believe in their thesis, that if done thoughtfully and methodically, P2E can be sustainable. Now, almost 3 years after they started building their social farming sim, Pixels.xyz has hit 500,000 Daily Active Users with over 80,000 concurrent players during events, has announced a partnership with Yield Guild Games and is about to introduce the biggest overhaul of the guilds concept in any web3 game.

In this episode your host, Niko Vuori, talks with Luke Barwikowski, Founder, CEO & CTO of Pixels.xyz, and dives into how it quietly grew into one of the biggest web3 games by player count after migrating to Ronin, why Luke believes P2E can be sustainable, what utility the $PIXEL token provides players, and more.

To learn more, visit https://pixels.xyz. You can find Luke Barwikoski on LinkedIn.

Big thanks to GRID for making this episode possible. GRID is a game data platform providing esports data infrastructure, analytics, and distribution solutions to leading game publishers including Riot Games, Ubisoft, and KRAFTON. If you're a fan, developer, or entrepreneur with an idea for a live data-powered project, make sure to apply for GRID Open Access, get free access to official data, and start creating today! To learn more, visit https://grid.gg/?utm_source=naavik.co&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=Naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

A Mario Movie Sequel / Activision's New Union / Apple's EU Troubles / Toys x Games

Naavik — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the exciting news of a greenlit sequel to the Super Mario Brothers movie, with production once again helmed by Illumination. We speculate on the potential for spinoffs and the broader implications for video game adaptations. The conversation then shifts to Microsoft's landmark recognition of Activision Blizzard's 600-person union, which focuses on quality assurance employees, sparking a debate on whether this will pave the way for more unions across the gaming industry. We also dissect the implications of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) coming into effect, Apple's aggressive moves, and what this means for the future of app distribution. Lastly, we delve into Mattel's newly announced co-development deal, spurred by the recent success of the Barbie movie, that pushes the company deeper into mobile game development. We end by pondering whether this marks a new trend for toy companies leveraging their IP in the digital gaming space. Join us for all the latest games business news with Tammy Levy, Dave Elton, and host Devin Becker.

If you’d like to speak with Naavik at GDC use this form to let us know! https://9r0y051mvrx.typeform.com/to/hRCVP7VN

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The Past, Present, & Future of Live Service Games

Naavik — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

RallyHere builds on the back of years of experience in Live Service, before the term was even coined, as Hi-Rez Studios under the leadership of CEO Stewart Chisam. RallyHere bottles this expertise into a toolset that can provide a huge edge for teams that want to leverage the power of live services in games. Hi-Rez Studios is behind many popular and long running live service games like Smite, Paladins, Tribes: Ascend, Rogue Company, Realm Royale. Not only is the expertise of Hi-Rez baked in, but Hi-Rez themselves use the service, ensuring it consistently delivers. What exactly does “live service” mean, why is it so hard to pull off, and why is it suddenly a hot topic? Join your host Devin Becker as he digs into these questions and more with Stewart Chisam.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Esports Infrastructure, by the Numbers

Naavik — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

GRID has seen the value of data in esports since 2018 thanks to Founder and CEO Moritz Maurer's direct experience in the scene. Working directly with game developers, GRID is able to surface unmatched competitive game data from some of the biggest games like League of Legends, DotA 2, Valorant, PUBG, and Rainbow 6: Siege. GRID is leveling up the understanding of competitive player and match data for players, teams, esports organizations, and even the game developers themselves. With its Open Access initiative, GRID is democratizing data access to help improve the esports landscape for everyone. Join your host Devin Becker as he explores the present and future of esports infrastructure with Moritz Maurer.

We’d also like to thank Windwalk for making this episode possible! Windwalk builds digital communities and the technologies necessary to accelerate them through their flagship software, Harbor. To learn more, simply head to https://www.harbor.gg/

And if you’d like to meet GRID at GDC, head on down to booth S568 or visit their website.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Neopets: A New Frontier

Naavik — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Neopets has always been a metaverse, says Dominic Law, CEO of The World of Neopia. If you were born prior to the 2000s, you’ll remember how much Neopets took the internet world by storm. By 2011, Neopets had 35M unique users, amassed 1 trillion page views, and was responsible for compelling an entire generation of children to internet proficiency and adoption. Not only that, but Neopets was free to play (before free to play), UGC (before UGC), web3-esque (before the blockchain), and a product placement paradise containing immersive ads all the way back in 2005. The rise and fall (and hopeful rise again) of Neopets contains a treasure trove of knowledge around community management, social gaming adoption, digital identity, user generated content, and the life cycle of products and businesses. As Neopets approaches its 25 Year Anniversary, join your host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, as she speaks with Dominic about the parallels between Neopets and Roblox today, the history of multiple management teams over the course 25 years, and what Neopets is doing to rebuild a long lost IP.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Emulator Armageddon / Netflix Ports / Private Equity / Early 2024 Winners

Naavik — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad unpacks the seismic impact of Nintendo's legal victory, securing a $2.4M settlement against the Switch emulator Yuzu, a move that has dramatically reshaped the emulation landscape. We then pivot to Netflix's strategic foray into gaming, spotlighting its latest coup in bringing the critically acclaimed indie darling Hades to mobile platforms, signaling a deeper commitment to integrating premium gaming into its ecosystem. The conversation shifts to the ever-evolving acquisitions landscape, including the recent sales of Saber Interactive's and Jagex, which hints at private equity's growing role in the gaming industry's future. Amid the flurry of industry upheavals, we also take a moment to shine a light on the positive trends and standout successes that have emerged early in 2024, offering a counter-narrative to the often gloomy industry headlines. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, and host Devin Becker.

If you’d like to speak with Naavik at GDC, please use this form to let us know! https://9r0y051mvrx.typeform.com/to/hRCVP7VN

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Web3 Mech Combat with MetalCore

Naavik — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Studio369 is preparing to launch MetalCore, an open world player-versus-player mech combat game that combines the engagement of high-quality traditional gaming with true asset ownership via web3.

It has been in the works for about three years, with the game expected to hit a closed beta by the end of March and an open beta test by May 2024. It’s being built by a team of experienced developers familiar with the mech combat genre from LucasFilm, Disney, and Activision, among others.

In this episode your host, Niko Vuori, dives into how MetalCore is integrating NFTs and digital ownership into the mech combat genre, what utility the $MCG fungible token will provide players, what it's like to build on Immutable, and more.

To get your key for Phase 2 of the closed beta, visit https://metalcore.gg. You can find Dan Nikolaides on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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How to Succeed in MENA (with Sandsoft Games)

Naavik — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

The games industry can no longer ignore the MENA region, encompassing markets like Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and more. With approximately 800 million people, a young and growing audience of gamers, expanding wealth, rising ARPUs, and emerging talent, it’s abundantly clear that MENA will be much more important to the games industry’s future than it was in the past.

To tell us more about what’s going on here, host Aaron Bush sat down with David Fernandez, CEO of Sandsoft Games. We dig into emerging trends in MENA, how global teams can maximize their success in the region, how better developing talent could change the entrepreneurial landscape, and how Sandsoft is positioning itself to become a Saudi-based global leader as a publisher and developer.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

Who’s On:

Guest - David Fernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dremesal/

Host - Aaron Bush: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bush-846b8185/

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Age of Empires Mobile / Balatro’s Success / Sony Layoffs / Apple Arcade Woes

Naavik — Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the recent announcement of Age of Empires Mobile, sparking debates on whether it will meet the high expectations of its loyal fanbase or simply blend into the crowded market of 4x strategy games. We then shift gears to discuss the surprising success of Balatro, a poker roguelike game from a solo developer that turned profitable within just an hour of its release, highlighting the trend of unexpected hits in the gaming industry this year. The conversation takes a somber turn as we examine Sony's decision to lay off 900 employees, with a notable focus on PSVR developers. Lastly, we delve into the growing concerns among Apple Arcade game developers, who report a deteriorating partnership environment. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Felipe Mata, and host Devin Becker.

Big thanks to GRID for making this episode possible. GRID is a game data platform providing esports data infrastructure, analytics, and distribution solutions to leading game publishers including Riot Games, Ubisoft, and KRAFTON. If you're a fan, developer, or entrepreneur with an idea for a live data-powered project, make sure to apply for GRID Open Access, get free access to official data, and start creating today! To learn more, visit https://grid.gg/?utm_source=naavik.co&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=Naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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XR: X-plore, X-plain, X-amine

Naavik — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Do you believe that XR is the future of modern entertainment? Composed of a blend of AR, MR, VR, and spatial computing, XR is a major frontier for big tech. Meta has spent $40B on Reality Labs, and Apple has launched the world’s first “spatial computer” this past month. But is it a fit for entertainment and games?

Join your host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, Taylor Hurst, Principal at Konvoy Ventures, and Julian Park, CEO and Co-Founder of Bezi, in an exhaustive discussion about XR and its subcomponents, company players and their competitive advantages across integrated chips, software, and hardware, gaming content being built for XR devices, debates around the the future of VR, and the underwritten priors that have to be permissible in order for the space to succeed.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Helldivers 2 Invades Steam / Xbox’s Big Non-Event / Supercell’s Annual Letter

Naavik — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the unexpected success of Helldivers 2, PlayStation Studios' first game to launch simultaneously on PlayStation and PC. We then shift gears to Microsoft's Xbox Business Event, which, despite its brevity, sparked a flurry of speculation regarding the company's strategy for porting "exclusives" to PlayStation. The conversation takes a critical turn as we examine the Epic Game Store's 2023 performance review, alongside Epic's maneuver to reintroduce Fortnite on iOS in Europe via its own mobile app store. Additionally, we dissect Supercell's annual public letter and debate the effectiveness of the company's strategic pivots since its last game released in 2018. This week's discussion offers a blend of analysis and insight into the evolving dynamics of game development, distribution, and the broader industry's competitive landscape. Join us for all the latest games business news with Sebastian Park, Tammy Levy, Aaron Bush, and host Devin Becker.

You can sign up for the Naavik x Betaworks NYC meetup here: https://lu.ma/3lrc2t71

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Midnight, the AA Web 3 Games Consolidator

Naavik — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

It is no secret that web3 gaming had bit of a down year in 2023. Many studios had to shut down, and venture funding was hard to come by. But where some see a valley of despair, others see opportunity.

Midnight is scooping up talented web3 studios that have run out of funding in order to go after multiple opportunities at the same time with double AA games.

To get a sense of the ambitious plans Midnight has for moving web3 gaming forward, your host, Niko Vuori, sat down with Steve Wade, the founder and CEO of Midnight, for an enlightening conversation.

To learn more about Midnight, visit https://www.midnight.io /. You can find Steve Wade on LinkedIn.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Decoding Success: From Operator to Venture Capitalist

Naavik — Sun, 18 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Today’s guest is Shanti Bergel, Founding General Partner and Managing Director of Transcend Fund, which has been a top decile performer since the firm was founded in 2020.

Shanti is not just on the cutting edge of where the games industry is headed, but he’s also a veteran operator across much of the industry’s decades-long dynamism. In this episode, Shanti and host, Aaron Bush, chat through Shanti’s career at companies like EA, Gree, and FunPlus, pull out evergreen lessons learned, and then discuss his views on gaming VC. His insights about navigating platform shifts, succeeding in global expansions, becoming better at sales, and the power of startups focusing on distribution innovations are all worth learning from.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Games: Once Upon Now in Hollywood

Naavik — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

The Super Mario Brothers Movie made $1.36B at the box office, shattering records and solidifying the power of gaming IP on the big screen. Transmedia across TV and Film is an active growth strategy for many gaming companies, and a high number of works are in the pipeline as Hollywood looks towards games as a fertile ground for untold stories.

Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, hosts Roy Lee, producer of films like the LEGO Movie, IT, and LEGO Batman. He is slated to produce Microsoft’s 2025 Minecraft Movie, God of War TV and film properties, a Bioshock film, a Shadow of Colossus film, and more. What is the deal-making process for gaming adaptations? What price are studios willing to pay? How much should studios be involved? What games lend themselves to being adapted, and what makes an adaptation successful? We cover this and so much more in today’s discussion.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Disney x Fortnite / Heroes of Mavia Launch / WB Live Service Stumbles

Naavik — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 15:30:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into Disney's $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games, aiming to create custom Fortnite-related experiences. We speculate on what Disney's persistent world might look like, especially in light of its potential connections to Fortnite and the recent Lego collaboration. Then, we shift gears to discuss Mythical Games' settlement of its lawsuit against Fenix Games, concerning a significant $150 million investment debacle. The conversation takes an optimistic turn with the successful launch of Heroes of Mavia, a mobile web3 game, and what its early success could mean for the future of web3 mobile gaming. We also marvel at Palworld's explosive growth to 19 million players across Xbox and PC, highlighting the potential for smaller studios in today's competitive landscape. Finally, we tackle WB's latest foray into live service games with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, dissecting the challenges and consumer backlash faced by transitioning beloved franchises into the live service model. Join us for all the latest games business news with Anil Das-Gupta and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Parallel, the $500 Million Web3 TCG

Naavik — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Trading card games (TCGs) have always been the most natural fit for web3. Their real-world analog cousins are inherently collectible, generally have a notion of rarity, and have a thriving secondary market.

So it is no surprise that some of the earliest and most hyped entrants into web3 gaming have been TCGs, and perhaps none more so than Parallel, the Toronto-based company building an ambitious sci-fi themed game. To realize its ambitions, the team raised $50 million at a $500 million valuation and is making waves - one of its 1-of-1 cards sold for $1.1M million in ETH, and the game recently won the top prize at the prestigious GAM3 Awards dedicated to recognizing the best of web3 gaming.

To learn more about what Parallel is building and how divorce software (yes, it's a thing) can prepare you for a career in web3 TCG game design, your host, Niko Vuori, sat down with Kohji Nagata, one of the founders of Parallel, for an enlightening conversation.

To learn more about Parallel, visit https://www.parallel.life. You can find Kohji Nagata on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of UGC Gaming in 2024

Naavik — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

User-generated content (UGC) in games continues to grow in scale and impact, and staying on top of this dynamic market has never been more important. In this episode, Naavik analyst and consultant David Taylor joins Aaron Bush to discuss the most important trends and developments on Roblox, UEFN, and beyond. We discuss emerging patterns that make successful UGC experiences, game-changing roadmap features, how studios should approach this market, the possible eventual scales on these platforms, and much more.

Whether you are already creating UGC games or are interested in participating in the market in some way (as an investor, brand, or publisher), this episode is a must listen.

Additional links:

The State of UGC (2024) report: https://naavik.co/deep-dives/state-of-ugc2024/
Interested in chatting or working with us? Contact us here: https://naavik.co/contact-us/
David Taylor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdavetaylor/

Big thanks to GRID for making this episode possible. GRID is a game data platform providing esports data infrastructure, analytics, and distribution solutions to the leading game publishers including Riot Games, Ubisoft, and KRAFTON. And if you're a fan, developer, or entrepreneur with an idea for a live data-powered project, make sure to apply for GRID Open Access, get free access to official data, and start creating today! To learn more, visit https://grid.gg/?utm_source=naavik.co&utm_medium=media&utm_campaign=Naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

China's Regulations / Microsoft & EA Earnings / Apple’s Legal Challenges

Naavik — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the public reversal of China's proposed bans on game monetization tactics, plus ponders the future of these regulations and their impact on Chinese game stocks. We then shift focus to Tencent's CEO's candid reflections on the company's 2023 gaming performance and its hopeful outlook on AI for 2024. The conversation heats up with a detailed analysis of EA's and Microsoft's earnings reports, highlighting the boost from the Activision Blizzard acquisition and the strategic transition from FIFA to FC. We also discuss the implications of Microsoft's recent layoffs at Activision Blizzard and Johanna Faries' new role at Blizzard, debating whether these moves set the stage for success post-acquisition. The team then scrutinizes Apple's begrudging compliance with the EU DMA law, opening iPhones to alternative app stores, and the potential fallout of their 'malicious compliance' strategy. Finally, we explore a new study which reveals that smartphones have surpassed Nintendo as the primary gaming gateway for younger audiences. Join us for all the latest games business news with Matt Dion, Dave Elton, Felipe Mata and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Between the Lines: Eastern Europe’s Gaming Market

Naavik — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

It is known that the gaming scene in CIS has political, legal, and regulatory challenges that make it hard to develop games or deploy investments into the region. But if you do it right, my guests, Maria Kochmola, Managing Partner at The Games Fund, and Arseny Lebedev, CEO and Co-Founder at Original Games, think it’s worth it. Today they both sit down with your host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, and we discuss why going through the hurdles of employee relocation and headquarter restructuring are worth it in the long run. What do these challenges mean for a studio, and what is the lasting impact? What precisely is the Eastern European (CIS) gaming market in terms of countries and geos, and what are the games they are looking to make and play? Most importantly, what are some of the misconceptions the west has about the region, and what can games do to bridge the gap? That and more in today’s episode.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Palworld Explodes / Riot Scales Back / Newzoo’s 2024 Report

Naavik — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the booming success of Palworld, a game that's been dubbed "Pokemon with guns," and explores why it's capturing everyone's curiosity. We then shift gears to discuss Riot's recent pullback (layoffs and game pivots) and what this could mean for other projects in the works. The conversation then heats up as we dissect Newzoo's 2024 market predictions, sparking a fierce debate about the accuracy and implications of these forecasts. Finally, we offer our own insights, discussing the bullish trends we anticipate for 2024 and beyond, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the current climate of doom and gloom. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Tammy Levy, Sebastian Park, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Immutable’s Web3 Roadmap for 2024

Naavik — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Immutable is one of the leaders in the web3 gaming space, as well as one of Australia’s fastest-growing companies. The business has raised AUD$400 million dollars and was most recently valued at AUD$3.5 billion (about US$2.5 billion). The company was founded by brothers Robbie and James Ferguson in 2018 when it was called Fuel Games, and they developed and published the blockchain trading card game Gods Unchained. The company then rebranded as Immutable in 2019, added an NFT trading platform, an Ethereum Layer 2 solution and many other products.

To get a sense of the ambitious plans Immutable has for moving web3 gaming forward, your host, Niko Vuori, sat down with Robbie Ferguson, one of the founders of Immutable, for an enlightening conversation.

To learn more about Immutable, visit https://www.immutable.com/. You can find Robbie Ferguson on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Gaming VC in 2024

Naavik — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Venture markets – within and beyond gaming – soared in 2020-2021 and fell back to earth over the past couple of years, but what should we expect in 2024? And what may change about gaming VC longer-term?

To answer these questions and more, host Aaron Bush is joined by Moritz Baier-Lentz, Partner and Head of Gaming at Lightspeed. Moritz shares his thoughts on the state of venture capital, lessons learned as an investor, why he’s targeting increased exposure to growth-stage deals and post-product-market fit opportunities, and shares an update on Lightspeed Gaming’s first year.

Moritz walks us through his first three investments at Lightspeed: Believer (raised $55M in Series A), Gardens (raised $31.3M in Series A), and Inworld AI (raised $50M+).

We then dig into what corners of the market are attracting Lightspeed’s attention in gaming & interactive media today. This includes new studios (like cross-platform forever games), generative AI applications (for developer workflows + novel user experiences), interactive media applications and platforms (leveraging UGC, applied game mechanics, etc.), 3D innovations (like new game engines, generative 3D, and reality capture methods), as well as XR and new AI-driven devices. He also discusses how Lightspeed supports teams across the traditional boundaries of geographies and at the cross-sections of gaming and other industries (like consumer, enterprise, fintech, healthcare, and blockchain).

Additional links:

Lightspeed’s website: https://gaming.lsvp.com/
Game Changers: https://lsvp.com/lightspeed-gamesbeat-game-changers-winners/
Gaming x AI Market Map: https://naavik.co/deep-dives/lightspeed-gaming-x-ai-market-map/

Please enjoy the episode!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Valve's Daily Deals / Activision Blizzard & NetEase Reconcile / Apple's 27% Fee

Naavik — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad begins by discussing Stumble Guys' move to Xbox, which will now compete head-to-head with Fall Guys. We then shift gears to Valve's new initiative, testing an invite-only system that empowers developers to schedule their own daily deals, alongside a reverse in policy that now allows AI-utilizing games (given certain assurances). We also dive into the reconciliation between Activision Blizzard and NetEase, paving the way for Diablo 4's much-anticipated release in China. We also tackle the hefty $700M fine Google has agreed to pay for antitrust violations, and dig into Apple and Epic's failed appeals, which is leading to Apple's swift implementation of a 27% fee and auditing measures targeting web stores. Join us for all the latest games business news with Taylor Hurst, Maria Gillies, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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CES Takeaways / Subscription Strategy Changes / Second Dinner's $100M Raise

Naavik — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, we explore the gaming highlights from the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show and joke about what trends are peaking in ridiculous ways (AI-powered egg cartons, anyone?). We then dive into a couple strategy changes being discussed by leading subscription businesses: first, how Netflix is reportedly rethinking ways to monetize games, and, second, what Xbox (with Game Pass) may be planning in bringing previous exclusives to the PlayStation 5. We then discuss Unity's and Twitch's major layoffs and what these may foreshadow for the remainder of 2024. Additionally, we explore Second Dinner's large $100M Series B amidst the uncertainty surrounding its publisher Nuverse. Finally, the squad shares new ideas for what M&A markets may deliver in 2024. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Aaron Bush, and host Devin Becker.

Big thanks to Lightspeed Venture Partners for making this episode possible! With its dedicated gaming practice, "Lightspeed Gaming," the firm is investing from over $7B in early- and growth-stage capital — the by far largest fund focused on gaming and interactive technology. If you’re interested in learning more, go to https://gaming.lsvp.com/.

We’d also like to thank Coda Payments for making this episode possible! Coda helps developers collect some of their revenues outside the app stores, keeping more of the income they generate for themselves. To learn more, head to https://www.codapayments.com/naavik?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=webpage&utm_campaign=naavik

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Web3 Trading Card Games

Naavik — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Trading Card Games (TCGs) have always been a natural fit for Web3. Their real-world analog cousins are inherently collectible, generally have a notion of rarity, and have a thriving secondary market. For instance, the infamous Black Lotus card from Magic: The Gathering earlier in 2023 broke its own sales record at $540,000, and there is a long history of high-value cards changing hands.

So it is no surprise that some of the earliest entrants into Web3 gaming were TCGs. But how are these games doing? Have they justified the early hype? Or have they disappointed and not quite lived up to their potential? And where might they go from here?

In this episode your host, Niko Vuori, dives into Web3 TCGs with Naavik’s Web3 analyst Devin Becker, who recently published an in-depth look into the genre, which is a must-read for anyone interested in this space.

To learn more, be sure to read Devin’s piece on Web3 TGCs at https://naavik.co/digest/web3-tcg-games/. You can find Devin Becker on LinkedIn.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

We’d also like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! Dive is a fully outsourced BI-as-a-Service solution that provides an enterprise-grade data platform and services for gaming studios on all platforms. It also saves studios hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly. To learn more, go to: https://bit.ly/3NRlX3i

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Nexon’s CEO on Leaving a Legacy, Fostering Talent, & AI in Games

Naavik — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

Owen Mahoney, CEO of Nexon, is back for another phenomenal conversation – this time on the heels of the announcement that Owen is soon stepping down from the CEO role after a decade of market-beating performance. He and host, Aaron Bush, discuss Owen’s legacy at Nexon, what he wished he knew about being CEO when he started, what goes into great succession planning, and more about Nexon’s next CEO, Junghun Lee. Then the duo discusses how AI-driven software is already enabling AAA games to be made with smaller creative teams (such as Embark Studios’ THE FINALS) and how that shifting reality will have a profound impact on AAA publishing in the coming years. Lastly, Owen and Aaron wrap up by discussing what Owen aims to spend more time doing post-Nexon.

Also, if you haven’t listened to our previous conversation with Owen, which covers how Nexon manages long-lasting virtual worlds and builds antifragility into its business, you can do so here: https://naavik.co/podcast/owen-mahoney/

And here are the book recommendations Owen mentioned during our conversation:

Mindstorms: Children, Computers, And Powerful Ideas: https://www.amazon.com/Mindstorms-Children-Computers-Powerful-Ideas/dp/0465046746
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience: https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202/
Designing Games: A Guide to Engineering Experiences: https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Games-Guide-Engineering-Experiences/dp/1449337937/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Game Awards Stats / VR Struggles / China Regulations / Square Enix Letter

Naavik — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad kicks off with a deep dive into the Game Awards' staggering 118 million viewers, surpassing even the Super Bowl, and what this means for gaming's place in mainstream culture. We then shift gears to a recent Omdia report revealing VR's struggles, debating why it's floundering and what could turn it around by 2026. The conversation turns to China's proposed new regulations for mobile games, examining the immediate impact on industry giants like Tencent and NetEase, and the broader implications for global gaming markets. Finally, we explore Square Enix's new CEO's pivot in his annual public letter, moving away from web3 and towards a strong emphasis on AI, and what this strategic shift signifies for the future of the company. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Matt Dion and host Devin Becker.

We’d like to thank Pragma for making this episode possible! Pragma is a Backend Game Engine that powers services like accounts, matchmaking and player data for the world’s most ambitious live service games. To learn more, head to https://pragma.gg/

We’d also like to thank Dive! Dive is a fully outsourced BI-as-a-Service solution that provides an enterprise-grade data platform and services for gaming studios on all platforms. It also saves studios hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly. To learn more, go to: https://bit.ly/3NRlX3i

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Our Games Industry Predictions for 2024

Naavik — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, we follow up on the previous episode with this week’s Epic Games Store policy shift, highlighting the decision to create an Adults Only exception for web3 games, notably reinstating titles like Gods Unchained. The conversation then pivots to our final episode of the year celebration, packed with bold predictions and in-depth discussions for 2024. We delve into the evolving landscape of consoles, subscription models, and the burgeoning role of AI in gaming. Our panelists offer diverse perspectives on the future of user-generated content platforms, investment trends, and the ever-changing mobile gaming scene. We also touch on emerging growth opportunities in the console market, including platforms like Steam Deck and Quest VR, providing a comprehensive outlook on what's next in the dynamic world of gaming. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Tammy Levy, Taylor Hurst, and host Devin Becker.

We’d also like to thank Lakestar - one of the leading European venture capital firms - for making this episode possible!. If you're interested in learning more or getting in contact with the Lakestar’s Games and Media team, simply go to https://lakestar.com/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Advent of AI Analytics

Naavik — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Together with Dive, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re exploring the topic of data and games through a limited podcast series called “Data Corner.” This episode is the final segment of this mini-series, so we decided to focus it on a fascinating future-facing topic — AI Analytics.

According to Gartner’s Analytics Ascendancy Model, there are four types of analytics that sharpen hindsight, reveal insight, and create foresight:

1. Descriptive analytics, which explain what happened

2. Diagnostic analytics, which explain why it happened

3. Predictive analytics, which explain what will happen

4. Prescriptive analytics, which explain how one can make it happen

From a gaming analytics standpoint, gaming studios of all sizes and analytics capabilities live on various points of this framework and employ each of the four analytics types to varying degrees. However, AI has the potential to act as an exoskeleton here and elevate all aspects of this framework.

To discuss all this and more, we’re joined by Elad Levy, founder and CEO of Dive, Daniel Berdichevski, Playtika’s ex-VP of Data Science and Products (now a Data Management Consultant), and your host, Abhimanyu Kumar, co-founder of Naavik.

We hope you enjoy the last episode of the Data Corner. Please send any thoughts, feedback, and questions to podcast@naavik.co.

We’d also like to thank Pragma for making this episode possible! Pragma is a Backend Game Engine that powers services like accounts, matchmaking and player data for the world’s most ambitious live service games. To learn more, head to https://pragma.gg/

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Forever Digital Pets in the Petaverse

Naavik — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Real, living pets have a fundamental problem - they have a limited lifespan and they die. Digital pets aren’t immortal either. Over 80 million Tamagotchis have been sold since their debut in 1996 - and how many of them are still around today? But what if your pets really could live forever, at least in the digital realm? With blockchain technology that’s a reality, and to discuss how, your host, Niko Vuori, talks with Susan Cummings, the Founder & CEO of Tiny Rebel Games, which is building the Petaverse, where digital pets outlive their humans.

To learn more, make sure to visit https://www.petaverse.com/. You can find Susan Cummings on LinkedIn.

We’d also like to thank Gamesight for making this episode possible! Gamesight provides full-service campaign management, taking charge of consulting, influencer discovery, relationship management, billing, and reporting, leaving you free to focus on your core business. To learn more, simply visit https://i.try.games/gamesight/fzjked

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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LEGO Fortnite Pops / Google's Legal Loss / ESRB vs Web3 / The Game Awards

Naavik — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the successful collaboration between LEGO and Fortnite, discussing how LEGO's first successful Minecraft-like venture could potentially broaden both companies’ audiences. We then shift gears to Epic's recent legal triumph over Google, analyzing the stark differences from its Apple lawsuit and pondering the implications for the future of mobile gaming. The conversation takes a critical turn as we dissect the "Adults Only" rating awarded to Gods Unchained by the ESRB, due to its real-money value rewards in tokens and NFTs, leading to its automatic delisting from the Epic Games Store. We debate whether this marks the beginning of a series of significant challenges for web3 gaming. Finally, we delve into the plethora of game announcements from The Game Awards, unpacking what this event signifies for the current state of the gaming industry, as well as its future trajectory. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Jonathan Anastas and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Unraveling Content Creator Programs

Naavik — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Together with Nexus, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, today we’re diving into the topic of content creator programs.

Content creator programs are designed to incentivize and reward the creators in one’s community for driving attention towards a game. It isn’t the newest of growth strategies, but it's become increasingly popular in recent years. Companies like Ubisoft, Scopely, miHoYo, EA, Bandai Namco, MY.GAMES, and many more all host their own creator programs to drive growth across their product portfolios.

At Naavik, we’ve looked into a few content creator programs through our public writings and consulting projects, and we’re constantly amazed at how effective this growth strategy can be when done right. So today, we’re going to focus on breaking down the current state and future of content creator programs.

To discuss all this and more, host Abhimanyu Kumar, co-founder of Naavik, is joined by Justin Sacks, CEO of Nexus. Please also make sure to check out our article on creator revenue attribution as additional reading.

We hope you enjoy the conversation, and do send us your thoughts, feedback and questions on podcast@naavik.co. And as always, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Lessons in Entrepreneurship, Kid-Tech, and UGC

Naavik — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Serial entrepreneurs that always win are a rare breed worth learning from, and we’re hosting one of those special people today as our guest. Dylan Collins is currently an investor but was the founder and CEO of DemonWare, Jolt, and SuperAwesome, which sold to Activision Blizzard, GameStop, and Epic Games, respectively. In this conversation, we explore a few of Dylan’s lessons learned from running and selling so many companies. We then take a detour to discuss the current and future state of the kid-tech market, including what video game companies should consider in the coming years. Lastly, we touch on the early days of UEFN, Roblox’s expanding moat, and what the next generation of founder-creators could bring to the table within UGC, before closing with some exciting trends and book recommendations.

If you want to follow Dylan’s musings, make sure to follow his blog: https://dylancollins.com/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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GTA VI Trailer / Hybridcasual Success / Africa's Gaming Market

Naavik — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad dives into the unexpected early leak and subsequent official release of the GTA VI trailer, which has taken the internet by storm. We then shift gears to discuss the burgeoning success of hybridcasual games, which surpassed $2B in revenue in 2023, and how Voodoo's bold claim of "hypercasual is dead" is playing out in the market. The conversation heats up as we explore the upcoming Fortnite and Lego collaboration, questioning the fit of audience and moderation tools for the Lego brand. We also uncover new details from the Epic Games vs Google lawsuit, revealing a once-proposed alliance with Supercell to create a new app store and whether Microsoft is in a good place to try that. Finally, we delve into the emerging African gaming market, analyzing its potential as a huge developing audience and comparing it to previous expansions in other developing regions. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Matt Dion and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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UEFN Studios: Boom, Bust, or Choose Roblox?

Naavik — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

UEFN is gunning to be the next major Roblox competitor, but just how competitive is it? Today, your host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with the founder of Bungie, Alex Seropian, now the current CEO of Look North World, and Amy Wu, the partner heading up the games and consumer practice at Menlo Ventures. Fortnite Creative 2.0 has drawn in a lot of committed creators: Snoop Dog and his son, 100 Thieves, and many more. In this episode, we talk about building in the UEFN ecosystem, how the tools have evolved over time (and what’s still missing), what healthy business models might look like for UGC / UEFN based studios, and the ultimate showdown of Roblox vs. UEFN. As a primer for our discussion, make sure to look back at our Naavik Digest by David Taylor on Fornite’s Long Creative Road ahead.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Nuverse Winds Down / Shrapnel Lawsuit / Business Of Gaming Awards

Naavik — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad unpacks ByteDance's decision to wind down its gaming arm, Nuverse, and divest popular titles like Marvel Snap. The conversation then pivots to the legal drama at Neon Machine, where the directors of Shrapnel are suing its controlling shareholder in a contentious battle for control over the web3 FPS developer. We also highlight a recent study on League of Legends, revealing surprising insights about player motivation, especially the urge to play more after losing matches. Finally, we spice things up with a series of nominations for a theoretical 2023 Business of Gaming awards, reflecting on the industry's biggest winners and losers, strategic moves, and turnarounds, blending expected outcomes with some hot takes. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Matt Dion, Sebastian Park and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Savvy Games Group’s Ambition, Strategy, and Future

Naavik — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Welcome to the third and final part in our series covering all things Savvy Games Group, the Saudi-backed gaming giant in the making. In this episode, Aaron Bush sits down with Brian Ward, the CEO of Savvy Games Group, to discuss the company’s ambitions, including its goal of becoming the world’s largest gaming company and its plans to turn Saudi Arabia into a more prominent gaming hub. We also dive into how Savvy makes investment decisions, manages a decentralized culture, works with the Saudi government, and thinks very long-term. We wrap up with breakdowns of Savvy’s core subsidiaries and chat through what else Brian is excited about for the future.

Also, if you missed our previous interviews with ESL FACEIT Group and Scopely, the two largest acquired parts of Savvy Games Group, make sure to check those out.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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VC Funding Down / Fortnite Kid Safety / OpenAI Drama / Embracer Restructure

Naavik — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, we welcome Taylor Hurst from Konvoy Ventures, bringing a fresh investment perspective to our discussions. We kick off by dissecting the startling 68% YoY decrease in games VC funding reported by PitchBook for Q3, pondering the implications and where the funding might be redirected. The conversation then shifts to Epic Games' intensified focus on child safety in Fortnite, following the spinoff of SuperAwesome and a significant FTC lawsuit settlement, as we explore the complexities and potential solutions. We delve into the recent OpenAI drama, analyzing how Microsoft nearly poached key executives and most of the staff, leading to a dramatic board reshuffle and what this power play means for Microsoft and AI. Expanding on last week's topic, we dive deeper into the nuances of Live Operations in gaming, unpacking why it's a challenging yet crucial aspect that’s now being questioned. Finally, we examine the recent layoffs at Embracer Group, affecting 900 employees or 5% of its workforce, and discuss the potential sale of Gearbox amidst broader restructuring efforts. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Anil Das-Gupta, Taylor Hurst and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The State of Web3 With Game7

Naavik — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Game7, a community formed to accelerate the adoption of Web3 gaming, recognized that there had to date not been a comprehensive overview of the entire Web3 ecosystem, and decided to do something about. On November 13th, they released the very first truly comprehensive study that covers the past 6 years of Web3 gaming, using objective and neutral primary research methods. The report captured and examined data from almost two thousand Web3 games, over one thousand funding rounds, and almost two hundred blockchain ecosystems.

What can this data tell us about the state of Web3?

To answer all our questions your host, Niko Vuori, talks with one of the primary authors of the report, George Isichos from Game7, with additional insights from Naavik’s own Web3 analyst, Devin Becker.

To download the free 61-page report, make sure to visit https://research.game7.io/state-of-web3-gaming-2023. You can find George Isichos on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Gaming Journalism: How, What, and Impact with Jason Schreier and Neil Long

Naavik — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Neil Long used to be responsible for app rankings on the Apple iOS Store before founding Mobilegamer.biz, a site aimed at increasing mobile games coverage. Jason Schreier is a long-standing games journalist with a career spanning Wired, Kotaku, and now Bloomberg News; he's famous for exposing industry crunch, lobbying on behalf of the developer, and depending on who you ask, exposing unofficially announced games. Your host, Alexandra Takei Director at Ruckus Games, and her guests debate the role of journalism in games: how the processes and structures of what seat you are writing from influences what you choose to cover, what standards and bylaws do you develop as a journalist to ensure high quality reporting, and how the gaming industry has been impacted by the reporting done by both guests. Finally, we discuss whether gaming journalism itself can survive as a business, and if so, how.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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MW3 Controversy / Live Service Evolutions / Roblox Earnings / Esports Woes

Naavik — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad tackles the contentious release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, scrutinizing Activision's bold pricing strategy for what many see as DLC-sized content. We then shift gears to the evolving stances of various companies regarding live service games, including noting where we are in the trend's hype cycle. The conversation pivots to Valve's unveiling of the Steam Deck OLED and what kind of platform the resurgence of handhelds could morph into. We next cover Roblox's recent earnings release and discuss both the tailwinds and headwinds the company faces. The discussion then takes a serious turn with Blizzard shuttering the Overwatch League due to financial woes, leading us to speculate on the future of other esports leagues and why ESL may be in a superior position. Finally, we examine Ubisoft's announcement of a new skin marketplace for the eight-year-old Rainbow Six: Siege and ponder its potential compared to Steam's established marketplace. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Jonathan Anastas, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Building Hits with the Power of Community

Naavik — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Together with Windwalk, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re diving into the topic of community building within game building.

The reason for talking about all things community is simple: not only has community building always been important, but it has never been more important, especially when thinking about where the industry is moving from a discoverability, distribution, product roadmapping, UGC, Web3, or AI perspective. There are so many interesting angles to this topic, and we cover a lot of ground on this episode.

To discuss all this and more, your host, Abhimanyu Kumar, Co-founder of Naavik, is joined by Colin Feo, CEO of Windwalk, and Richard Warren, Head of Community at Windwalk.

We hope you enjoy the conversation, and please send us any thoughts, feedback, or questions to podcast@naavik.co. And as always, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Bungie Layoffs / Live-Action Zelda / Epic v Google / FC 24 Sales

Naavik — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad unpacks Bungie's recent layoffs and the implications for Destiny 2 and Marathon’s future. We then shift gears to Azur Games' acquisition of Good Job Games' entire portfolio, sparking an exploration of the merits of portfolio vs. talent acquisition strategies in the gaming industry. Next, the announcement of a Legend of Zelda movie sparks a discussion comparing its potential as a live action film against the CG-animated Mario movie. We also touch on the breaking news that a GTA VI trailer will be released soon and the potential impact on Take-Two Interactive. We jump over to analyzing the sustainability and impact of the news that Epic Games' OG Fortnite event is pulling in massive concurrent player numbers, including returning players. We also delve into Epic's lawsuit against Google, now uniquely set for a jury decision, and contrast it with the case against Apple. Wrapping up, we dissect EA Sports' success with FC 24 outperforming FIFA 23 and consider the broader implications for other licensed franchises in the gaming world. Join us for all the latest games business news with Felipe Mata, Dave Elton, Maria Gillies, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Building a Roblox Studio

Naavik — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

How do you build a dedicated Roblox studio? The answer: “hire your customer” according to the Co-Founders of Tiny Comet Emily Tierney and Anca Agapi. Your host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, alongside the Tiny Comet team discusses building and running a studio where the average employee is under twenty years old, acquiring users on a platform that has 40M games and a notorious algorithm that’s largely responsible for surfacing your game, and the mission Tiny Comet has to build games that are not only fun, but, as they say, are “learnified” experiences. The pandemic set back education tenfold, and this team is not only on a mission to build where the future of gamers (and game developers) are growing up, but also to boldly tackle a long-standing societal problem. We hope you’ll tune in.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Why Is Gaming Spend Not Up More? / M&A and Funding Trends / Earnings Season Begins

Naavik — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this week's Roundtable, the squad delves into the fresh UK sales numbers, highlighting top hits like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Spider-Man 2. Then we discuss why YTD video game spend in the US is actually down compared to last year (when accounting for inflation) despite it being a notable year of great hits. We pair that discussion with insights from the latest Drake Star and Konvoy Q3 reports, which cover funding and M&A data, and discuss why we're hesitant to project a strong rebound heading into 2024. Next, we hit on Microsoft's major leadership reorg and discuss how emerging technologies (like AI) and new business models (like subscription) could further affect broader industry-wide reorgs in the future. Lastly, as earnings season kicks off, we dive into the latest numbers from Xbox and Ubisoft, and Aaron offers keen analysis about the unspoken and less obvious narratives hidden between the lines. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Sebastian Park, Tammy Levy and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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S-Tier Go-To-Market Insights for PC Games

Naavik — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Together with Gamesight, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re exploring various go-to-market (GTM) strategies and insights, specifically for PC games.

Currently, there is a growing curiosity surrounding the topic, particularly as observed in the development of new mobile games designed for cross-platform compatibility and the introduction of PC versions of existing mobile games. For example, Supercell recently released PC versions of Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. In short, the need to understand how the PC platform behaves from a go-to-market perspective is becoming increasingly important for developers across gaming verticals.

To discuss all this and more, we’re joined by Adam Lieb, CEO of Gamesight, and your host, Abhimanyu Kumar, Co-founder of Naavik.

We hope you enjoy the conversation, and do send us your thoughts, feedback and questions on podcast@naavik.co. And as always, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Inside Scopely: Monopoly Go, Stumble Guys, Savvy Games Group & The Future

Naavik — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Welcome to part two in our series covering all things Savvy Games Group. In this episode Aaron Bush chats with Javier Ferreira, the co-CEO of Scopely, which was acquired by Savvy earlier this year for $4.9 billion – the sixth largest gaming acquisition of all time. Scopely is now the #2 largest North American mobile games company (as measured by global IAPs), and it serves over 100 million players across its portfolio of games.

In this episode, Javier walks us through how the company has grown, what does and doesn’t change now that Scopely is owned by Savvy, and updates us on Scopely’s approach to creating great games. We also dive into Monopoly Go (how did Scopely create the #1 mobile game in the US?), Stumble Guys (and what it says about Scopely’s cross-platform ambitions), GSN (including how to get better at M&A), and more. We also discuss the tensions between managing creativity and systems at scale, Scopely’s view on UGC, and wrap up with a few things Javier is excited about for the future.

Also, if you missed our first interview with Javier, which shares great insights into how Scopely operates, check it out here: https://naavik.co/podcast/javier-ferreira/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Game Pass Growth / FaZe Acquired / Netflix’s Game Plan

Naavik — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, the squad kicks off by discussing what to make of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's pay no longer being driven by Xbox Game Pass growth targets. We then navigate the waters of FaZe Clan's acquisition by Gamesquare for a largely deflated $17M, especially in the wake of its previous SPAC and esports as a struggling industry. Pivoting to streaming giant Netflix, we dissect its Q3 investor call, where the company outlined its 'crawl, walk, run' approach to gaming, and chat about whether the future for Netflix's gaming ambitions are mobile-first or not. Join us for all the latest games business news with Maria Gillies, Dave Elton, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Transmedia IP, Gaming, and the Metaverse

Naavik — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

As "metaverses" gain in prominence, and more and more gameplay happens inside these digital worlds, brands, advertisers, and IP owners are naturally going to want to be there. Wherever there is consumer attention and engagement, there will always be brands wanting to get in front of these engaged audiences.

But how should brands, which typically know nothing about gaming, engage with consumers in these spaces that are still fairly alien to them? What does a successful transmedia IP strategy look like? Does every brand need a transmedia strategy? To answer these questions your host, Niko Vuori, talks with Joe Ferencz, the founder and CEO of Gamefam, one of the largest metaverse developers that works with brands to bring their IP into the metaverse.

To learn more, make sure to visit https://gamefam.com/. You can find Joe Ferencz on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Future of Hybridcasual

Naavik — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:32:50 +0200

Hybridcasual is a buzzword of late, but what exactly does it mean, and where is it going? As hypercasual continues declining, many games teams are experimenting with either converting their existing hypercasual games to hybridcasual (by adding more casual features) or are building hybridcasual games from the ground up. It’s a rapidly shifting environment with many moving pieces.

To help make sense of the evolution, Niek Tuerlings, lead game designer at Moonlit Games and long-time Naavik contributor, joins host Aaron Bush to share his research and takeaways. The duo dives into examples from Say Games (Dreamdale), Voodoo (Mob Control + Collect ‘Em All), Madbox (Pocket Champs), and Habby (Survivor.io), shares overarching takeaways, and discusses where the trend is going next.

This discussion is also based on Niek’s excellent essay, which covers similar ground. Check it out for even more context and insight: https://naavik.co/deep-dives/evolution-of-hybridcasual-deepdive/

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit https://clevertap.com/gaming/ for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Microsoft’s Done Deal / Predicting Holiday Hits / When Will Layoffs End?

Naavik — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, the squad delves into Microsoft's completed acquisition of Activision Blizzard and speculates on the future landscape of gaming acquisitions. We then touch upon the continued trend of layoffs, this time spotlighting Frontier, and discuss when the tide may shift the other way. Lastly, as the holiday season approaches, we share our predictions on which games are likely to dominate the charts and become festive favorites. Join us for all the latest games business news with Anil Das-Gupta, Aaron Bush, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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ESL FACEIT Group: Growing Beyond Play (Savvy Games Series #1)

Naavik — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In 2022, ESL Gaming and FACEIT merged to create one of esports’ most important companies: ESL FACEIT Group (EFG). This operating group, fully owned by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group, manages esports tournaments (via ESL), gaming festivals (via Dreamhack), a platform for superior PvP play (via FACEIT), and gaming audience management tools (via Vindex, acquired this year).

In this episode, we chat with EFG’s co-CEOs, Craig Levine and Niccolo Maisto, about how this company came together, how esports has evolved in recent years, and what it’s like operating within Savvy Games. We also discuss how merging has unlocked a larger vision with new growth opportunities, EFG’s aspiration to grow “beyond play,” and what both leaders learned from integrating different teams and managing esports’ never-ending change over the past few years.

This episode is also part one in a three part series about Savvy Games Group, which continues to deploy its $38 billion in dedicated capital. In Part 2, we’ll chat with Javier Ferreira, co-CEO of Scopely, which was acquired by Savvy in July, and Part 3 will be a discussion with Brian Ward, Savvy Games Group’s CEO. Stay tuned!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Riccitiello Resigns / Diablo IV On Steam / FC 24 Scores

Naavik — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, the squad kicks things off by discussing the resignation of Unity's CEO John Riccitiello and the introduction of the company's new interim CEO. We then delve into the latest on our favorite Swedish aggregators, including Embracer's ongoing setbacks and MTG's acquisition of Warhammer Tacticus developer, Snowprint Studios. Next, we explore the strategy behind Diablo IV announcing its Season 2 launch on Steam and the revelation that Activision Blizzard titles will hit Xbox Game Pass by 2024. We then discuss EA's triumphant launch of its rebranded FC 24 franchise post-FIFA. Lastly, we touch on the unfortunate trend of layoffs sweeping across the gaming industry and ponder its implications. Join us for all the latest games business news with Dave Elton, Tammy Levy, Matt Dion, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Driving ROI with Data Analysis – Part 2

Naavik — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 17:29:37 +0200

Together with Dive, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re exploring the topic of data and games through a limited podcast series called the “Data Corner”.

Today’s episode is Part 2 of Driving ROI with Data Analysis. It’s a broad topic that many understand has a lot of value, but not so many know how to engineer it in their gaming studios.

In Part 1, we talked about how game teams should think about setting up their data pipelines, data teams, processes and relationships with other teams, and budgets. Today, we’re going a little deeper into some more tactical questions around initiating and conducting data analyses, which should result in some actionable takeaways for listeners.

To discuss all this and more, we’re joined by Elad Levy, founder and CEO of Dive, Tammy Levy, Chief Games Officer at Captain.tv, and your host, Abhimanyu Kumar, Co-founder of Naavik.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review! Also, send us your thoughts, feedback, and questions on podcast@naavik.co.

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Work with us: Naavik Consulting

Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Zynga Enters Web3 with Sugartown

Naavik — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:53:37 +0200

On September 13th, Zynga minted its first NFT collection, the Oras, and announced its entry into the Web3 gaming space with Sugartown. There have not been many large, established developers who have taken the plunge into the Web3 waters, especially in the Western markets, and those that have tried to incorporate NFTs or other Web3 elements into their existing games (looking at you, Ubisoft and Ghost Recon Breakpoint) have met with significant player backlash. So to have a big player like Zynga “validate” Web3 by building a native experience from the ground up is a big deal, and could reflect a major milestone for Web3 gaming.

To discuss what this means for the Web3 movement, and learn more about Zynga’s Web3 strategy, your host, Niko Vuori, talks with Zynga’s VP of Web3 Gaming, Matt Wolf.

To learn more, make sure to visit https://visitsugartown.com/. You can find Matt Wolf on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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How to Disrupt the Shooter Market

Naavik — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

How red is the ocean of shooters and is there room for innovation in what most consider a wildly competitive and oversaturated space? Roby John, CEO and Co-Founder at Supergaming (a studio building an indo-futurism mobile battle royale called Indus, check out their beta here) and Nikolaj Nyholm, CEO and Co-Founder at Scattershot (a studio building a competitive PvP battle royale shooter called Project Athena) both believe there’s disruption yet to come. Your host Alexandra Takei, Director of Business at Ruckus Games, and her crew discuss the macro-state of the shooter market across PC, console, and mobile as well as the pockets of opportunities across sub genres, demos, geos, economics, and development processes. We also take a trip down memory lane, and ask our guests if they were to have one feature in their game that defined generations of shooters to come (i.e. a modern day push forward combat), what might it be, and why is it important? A kingpin genre of the video game industry, this is not an episode to miss!

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Monster Hunter Now Launch / Luda Raises For AI Sim / CS:GO 2 Launch

Naavik — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, the squad starts with covering the successful mobile launch of Monster Hunter Now, giving Niantic another win in location-based gaming. Then we touch on Luda's recent $7M funding for its AI training sim, spotlighting real-time reinforcement training and UGC elements. That's followed up with a conversation around Activision/Blizzard's decision to shut down and revamp the Overwatch League. We also dive deep into the launch of CS:GO 2, its impressive crate opening numbers, and the surprising removal of CS:GO 1 from Steam. Lastly, we end with a riveting games business trivia quiz. Join us for all the latest games business news with Felipe Mata, Aaron Bush, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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How Candivore’s Match Masters Innovates in Match 3

Naavik — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:00:00 +0200

We’ve all played match 3 games, but the genre itself has seen limited innovation in recent years. However, Candivore and its hit game Match Masters – which features PvP and new monetization mechanics – are changing the narrative.

In this episode, we talk to Candivore’s co-founder and CEO Gal Goldstein about the multi-year journey in developing Match Masters, scaling up its success, and raising money (most recently in a ~$100M round led by Haveli). Gal also holds unique perspectives on keeping teams lean, Candivore’s end goal, and how the match 3 genre will evolve in the future.

If you’re interested in innovating, iterating, and scaling mobile games, you’ll enjoy this episode.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Together with Dive, one of Naavik's Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re exploring the topic of data and games through a limited podcast series called the “Data Corner”.

Today’s episode is about “Driving ROI with Data Analysis” — a broad topic that everyone understands is valuable but most don't know how to effectively engineer into their game studios. After all, ROI from data analysis goes beyond simply analyzing the data and also covers the entire activity funnel. For example, it's not ROI-effective when product teams don't know how to talk to data teams or when data teams don't know how to showcase results to marketing teams. ROI-effectiveness also can't happen if budgets aren’t allocated properly or if the proper data tooling doesn't exist across various teams.

It's a big topic! So we decided to split this conversation into two parts. Today, in part 1, we explore various parts of the data analysis value chain with Elad Levy, founder and CEO of Dive, Tammy Levy, Chief Games Officer at Captain.tv, and host Abhimanyu Kumar, co-founder of Naavik.

Make sure to send your thoughts, feedback, and questions to podcast@naavik.co, so that we can address it all later in this limited series.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Learn more: Naavik’s Open Gaming Research Initiative

Work with us: Naavik Consulting

Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Overwolf: Building the All-In-One UGC Ecosystem

Naavik — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0200

User generated content is a multi-decade wave that continues to grow and transform the games industry. One company pioneering this future is Overwolf, which is creating an all-in-one platform for creating, sharing, and monetizing in-game apps, mods, and game servers. As is laid out in the episode, Overwolf is looking to help creators earn billions of dollars over time by essentially enabling all game studios to build their own versions of UEFN for their games. It’s a big, exciting vision, and Overwolf is making steady progress toward its goals.

To help catch us up to speed on Overwolf, Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush is joined by Uri Marchand, the company’s co-founder and CEO. This is Uri’s third time on The Naavik Gaming Podcast, but the discussion dives into new territory. We discuss what new projects Overwolf is working on, how modding and game servers are destined to evolve, and take a step back to learn how Uri has grown as a leader in his 13 years at Overwolf.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Unity Sparks an Uproar / YouTube Instant Play / Roblox Developers Conference

Naavik — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, the squad discusses a wide range of fun topics. We start by digging into the potential sales of Jagex and Gearbox, YouTube’s new Playables feature for instant gaming, and Story Protocol's $54M raise for its unique web3 take on IP. Then we dive into the week's main headline: Unity’s major installs-based monetization addition, which is sparking a major backlash from game developers. Lastly, we wrap up by discussing takeaways from the Roblox Developers Conference, chatting about VR and PlayStation support, and sharing some predictions. Join us for all the latest games business news with Felipe Mata, Dave Elton, Matt Dion and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, the squad delves into Supercell's cancellation of Floodrush and highlights from Gamescom 2023, including NetEase’s Project Mugen and Ubisoft’s Assassin's Creed Jade. We examine Sony's rationale for acquiring Audeze alongside a notable PlayStation Plus price hike. Then we unpack the advantages and target audience of Epic's new First Run exclusivity program for revenue enhancement. Lastly, we explore both the potential and challenges associated with Embracer and Sandsoft's expansion strategies. Join us for all the latest games business news with Abhimanyu Kumar, Tammy Levy, Mario Stefanidis, and host Devin Becker.

We’d like to thank Windwalk for making this episode possible! Windwalk builds digital communities and the technologies necessary to accelerate them through their flagship software, Harbor. To learn more about this end-to-end community software product, simply head to https://www.harbor.gg/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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What Can the Bitcoin Lightning Network Do For Web3 Gaming?

Naavik — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:34:10 +0200

Just about every game that integrates blockchain technology in some way is either on Ethereum, most likely via a Layer 2 solution such as Polygon or Immutable X, or is building on a more scalable but less decentralized Layer 1 chain such as Solana or Binance Smart Chain. Bitcoin, the granddaddy of blockchains, has not attracted much attention from game developers, and for good reason — on-chain transactions on Bitcoin are very, very slow. This is where the Bitcoin Lightning Network comes in. Originally conceived in 2015, the Lightning Network is designed to overcome the scalability issues inherent with Bitcoin by opening up a series of bidirectional payment channels without delegating custody of funds. In this episode, host Niko Vuori talks with Ben Cousens, the chief strategy officer at Bitcoin Lightning Network payment solutions provider Zebedee, about what the technology can offer game developers.

To learn more, make sure to visit https://lightning.network/ and https://zebedee.io. You can find Ben Cousens on LinkedIn.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Digital Fashion Houses

Naavik — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0200

The House of Blueberry is creating its own line of digital fashion, addressing a market that is expected to grow to $2.5 billion by 2028. It began via character customization in RPGs, took center stage in design and life simulation games like The Sims, and exploded with the onset of the pandemic and UGC platforms like Roblox and Zepeto. TLDR: Drip is going digital. House of Blueberry Chief Creative Officer Ashley Hopkins and Head of Business Development Emily Eitches join us to discuss the trends of self-expression, the importance of brands and communities, and lifestyle and fashion in digital worlds — as well as how the House of Blueberry plays a role in this space, its recent partnership with the Clueless IP, and how they support platforms like Roblox, Zepeto, and Second Life.

This episode is brought to you by ZEBEDEE, which provides a plug-and-play API and SDK for seamless integration of instant, borderless, and low-fee payments using the Bitcoin Lightning Network. You too can unlock the potential of borderless transactions to better engage and monetize your global user base. Start for free at zebedee.io.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Together with Dive, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re exploring the topic of data and games through a limited podcast series called "The Data Corner."

Today’s episode covers the topic of “the data nightmare that the gaming industry faces." Games, in general, generate tons of player data every day, and within that data exists a ton of harvestable insight that can be used to drive better decision-making so as to drive more revenue and eventually drive better game-making. But such large data pools also require time, money, and people to analyze and harvest from it, and that keeps many game developers from spending their resources on data analysis to help them make better games.

This tension is at the heart of the data nightmare the gaming industry faces today, and this conversation with Elad Levy, founder and CEO of Dive, is focused on unpacking that tension a bit more. It is a wide-ranging conversation that covers what the nightmare is all about, why the gaming industry is unique in facing it versus other industries, how game developers should navigate the problem, what developers are leaving on the table if they don’t navigate the problem and more.

So hope you enjoy episode #1 of the Data Corner, and do send me, host Abhimanyu Kumar, your thoughts, feedback, and questions so that I can address it all as I continue to build out this limited series.

This episode is brought to you by Nexus. Nexus’s creator program in-a-box makes it easy for game devs to build and manage a world-class creator program, driving significant growth in conversion, ARPPU, retention, and LTV. To learn more, go to nexus.gg/naavik

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe

More or Less: Gaming Podcasts & Blogs

Naavik — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0200

There are more than 3 billion gamers in the world, but the number of gaming professionals interested in business and development content pales in comparison, with approximately 300,000 people employed in the U.S. games business, according to market researcher IBIS World. Niche content curation and content creation companies like Deconstructor of Fun, GameMakers, Elite Game Developers, Naavik, and more cover the space and, importantly, compete with each other for mindshare across this small pool of professional game developers.

Is it possible to build a profitable enterprise off this type of organization, and if so, how and through what revenue streams? We bring together a super team of games podcasting and blogging: Joakim Achrén, Joseph Kim, and our very own Aaron Bush to discuss.

This episode is brought to you by Pragma. Pragma is a Backend Game Engine that powers services like accounts, matchmaking, and player data for the world’s most ambitious live service games. To learn more, head here.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

TLDListen?: Episode summary

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Baldur's Gate 3 Launch / Playtika Earnings / Dota 2 Arcade Shutdown

Naavik — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses the massively successful launch of Baldur’s Gate 3. Sebastian shares a story around monetizing Dota 2 Arcade mods under the nose of Valve’s lawyers in light of the recent Arcade shutdown. We also have an earnings discussion covering Playstudios and Playtika that leads to a deep exploration of the future of the social casino genre on mobile. Finally, we dig into the new web3 fighting game Wreck League from Animoca Brands subsidiary nWay, and discuss whether it has a chance in the market. Join us for all the latest games business news with Manyu Kumar, Maria Gillies, Sebastian Park, and host Devin Becker.

This episode is brought to you by Coda Payments. Coda helps developers collect some of their revenues outside the app stores, keeping more of the income they generate for themselves. To learn more, head to https://www.codapayments.com/naavik?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=webpage&utm_campaign=naavik

This episode is also brought to you by our partners at Gamesight, which provides full-service campaign management, taking charge of consulting, influencer discovery, relationship management, billing, and reporting, leaving you free to focus on your core business. To learn more, simply visit https://gamesight.io/

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Future of Avatars

Naavik — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:00:00 +0200

As virtual worlds become more immersive and widespread, how we all represent ourselves — via avatars — becomes all the more important. That’s why Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush sat down with Genies founder and CEO Akash Nigam to discuss the future of avatars and Genies’ rising role in it. The two of them discuss Genies’ history and focus, why XR will unleash a new wave of avatar use cases, what avatar ecosystems will ultimately look like, what the games industry underrates regarding avatars, and how the team is looking to kickstart avatar interoperability.

This episode is brought to you by CleverTap Gaming, the all-in-one platform for creating personalized player experiences. Visit clevertap.com/gaming for more details.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 02:00:00 +0200

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses Tencent becoming a majority shareholder of Techland and what Blizzard bringing some of its games to Steam could mean for the company pre and post-acquisition. Then we explore how CD Projekt making workforce cuts could affect its plans going forward for franchises like The Witcher and Cyberpunk. We dig into how big brand changes can affect future success with a contrast of Twitter becoming X and FIFA 24 becoming FC24. Earnings updates for Ubisoft and Stillfront lead to Aaron warming up for a victory lap and an analysis of where the market is heading with acquisition strategies. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Jonathan Anastas, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Inside Gardens: From Journey, Sky & Edith Finch to a New Collaborative Game

Naavik — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Chris Bell and Stephen Bell have been involved in several defining games like Journey, Sky: Children of the Light, What Remains of Edith Finch, and Blaseball. However, their new project is tackling a whole new level of ambition. In this episode, Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush joins the Bell brothers to discuss their new company Gardens, its unique game in development, and how this project both builds on insights from previous projects and comes with fresh challenges. They also dig into life as first-time founders, goals for their company’s culture, and how they managed Gardens’ recent $31.3 million Series A.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Google Play vs. App Store Blockchain Policies / New Game Development Models

Naavik — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses the latest news on how mobile platforms are enacting blockchain policies. In particular, we hit on Google Play’s new blockchain policy, how it differs from Apple’s App Store policy, how these rules affect mobile game design, and the overall current blockchain game development sentiment. Then we discuss how AI game development studios are gaining funding traction and dive into a spicy debate about new models of game development. Join us for all the latest games business news with Matt Dion, Felipe Mata, and host Maria Gillies.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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The Future of Player Betting

Naavik — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Zach Dixon is the co-founder and COO of Player’s Lounge, an app and service that allows players to bet on themselves across games like FIFA, Madden, NBA2k, Apex, and Valorant. Many of us know the story of Skillz, the real-money gaming and esports company that was building betting rails for casual mobile games, and may be dubious of how player betting fits into the gaming ecosystem. However, in this episode, we discover the nuances between "head-to-head" and "against-the-house" betting, the business models associated with them, and the operational challenges that come with the two formats. Those include how to verify outcomes, the function of prop bets, what betting in-game currency “means,” and how to balance bets to skill payouts. We also cover some of the distinctions between “betting” and “gambling."

To learn more, you can check out both Player’s Lounge’s products on sports here and on Valorant and Apex Legends here.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Microsoft Unblocked / FF16 Sales / Classic Game Archive Issues

Naavik — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this week's Roundtable, we discuss the FTC losing its court case to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and explore what Xbox Game Pass means for developers. We also touch on Meta's new social network Threads hitting 100 million users and Final Fantasy XVI's supposedly “disappointing” 373,790 in physical Japan sales after two weeks as a $70 PS5 exclusive. With 87% of games before 2010 being inaccessible to the average gamer, we ask what can be done to improve game archiving. Lastly, we dive into a lawsuit over generative AI technology using book content without permission and how it could affect gaming. Join us for all the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Sebastian Park, Dave Elton, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Breaking the Rules & Gamifying Life

Naavik — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 14:00:00 +0200

David Gardner, co-founder and co-chairman of The Motley Fool, is not just a legendary investor, but he has also pulled off something special: successfully embedding game design into his life and business. In this episode, Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush joins David to ask how gamification can level up anyone’s life or business. They also discuss how David’s “Rule Breaker Investing” principles can apply to the games industry, why conscious capitalism deserves more attention, and end with a fun game of “Buy, Sell, or Hold.” If you are at all interested in investing, company-building, and the unconventional use of game design, this episode is a must-listen.

If you want to learn more from David, make sure to tune into his weekly podcast - Rule Breaker Investing. Also, check out his favorite game of 2023 - Ark Nova.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0200

We’re halfway through 2023, so let’s pause, reflect, and think about the future. This episode’s panelists – Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Jonathan Anastas, plus host Devin Becker – discuss their standout games of 2023 so far, what trends have defined the industry lately, what’s currently over- and under-hyped, and what they’re watching closely as the rest of the year unfolds. This wide-ranging conversation covers lots of ground and is filled with spicy takes.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Nexon’s CEO on Leadership, Virtual Worlds, Innovation & Antifragility

Naavik — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Nexon is one of the largest and best-performing companies in the gaming industry, but too few Western onlookers fully know why the business excels. That changes today. Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss his journey in games, what he’s learned from leading a large global business, and how Nexon builds long-lasting virtual worlds. They also discuss the importance of antifragility, what “weird” new initiatives could define Nexon’s future, and why companies often face internal resistance to innovation.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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Naavik — Fri, 26 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

New regions approve Microsoft’s bid for Activision Blizzard, but the saga isn’t over yet. Another former DICE member starts a studio. How did Axie Infinity finally manage to make it onto iOS, and will it succeed? Embracer loses a huge partnership deal. How will Mortal Kombat 1 fare against the upcoming slate of fighting games? What do the numbers behind Take-Two and Ubisoft’s earnings say about their future plans? Join us for all the latest games business news with Matt Dion, Aaron Bush, Felipe Mata, and host Devin Becker.

If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback, shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.

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What Will the Saga Phone Do For Web3?

Naavik — Tue, 23 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, we dive into the frustrations of bringing web3 experiences to mobile platforms and explore a unique solution that Solana has taken: building their own phone, the Saga phone.

Your host, Niko Vuori, speaks with Laura Shen, the marketing lead for Solana Mobile, to learn more about the Saga phone and its significance. We explore the challenges of mobile-unfriendly web3, including app store restrictions, and the importance of making web3 accessible on mobile devices to drive mass market adoption.

Laura shares details on the Saga phone's features, such as the Solana Mobile Stack (SMS) that includes the Seed Vault (a secure crypto hardware wallet) and the dApp Store (a web3 app store). We discuss the categories of dApps launched for the Saga and the $10 million fund dedicated to supporting third-party developers.

Gaming's role in the Saga phone and its potential impact on mass adoption is also discussed. We touch upon the pricing of the Saga phone and its early adopter target audience of crypto-native users, as well as potential plans for cross-chain compatibility.

Saga Phone: https://solanamobile.com/hardware

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Amazon's New MMO / Google Shows Off AI / Cross Platform Gaming Data

Naavik — Fri, 19 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

How did Zelda outsell Harry Potter? Why is Amazon trying another Lord of the Rings MMO? Google shows off new AI tech, and cross-platform gaming shows some interesting trends. Join us for all the latest games business news with Maria Gillies, Dave Elton, Sebastian Park, and host Devin Becker.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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5 Reflections Since Founding Naavik

Naavik — Sun, 14 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Today’s episode is a bit different. One of our interviews fell through, but instead of skipping an episode Naavik’s co-founder and podcast host, Aaron Bush, decided to pick up the mic and roll solo. Aaron discusses five reflections since founding Naavik – about leadership, learning from other industries, what makes the games industry special, and where we are going next.

We also want to learn about what your major reflections have been since joining the games industry, no matter what your tenure is. Send us a note to podcast@naavik.co and we’d be thrilled to showcase your insights in a future episode.

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sega + Rovio Plans / Stillfront + Playtika Earnings Reports / Sony vs Microsoft - RT

Naavik — Fri, 12 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

What is Sega's strategy for Rovio? What do the earnings reports for Playtika and Stillfront say about their acquisition methods and growth? Can TreesPlease build a profitable game around planting real life trees? How can Microsoft compete with Sony's recent console success? Join us for all the latest games business news with Abhimanyu Kumar, Tammy Levy, David Kaye, and host Devin Becker.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Go premium with Naavik Pro to access an ever-growing library of deep exclusive research including free-to-play and blockchain game deconstructions, and market analysis. Use the promo code METACAST to save 10%.

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How Yuga Labs is Defining the Future of Web3 Gaming

Naavik — Tue, 09 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Q: Where does an 800-pound ape get its game on? A: Anywhere it wants to.

Having launched some of the biggest NFT collections (including of course Bored Ape Yacht Club), acquired some of the biggest NFT collections (including CryptoPunks and Meebits), raised $450 million from a16z and broken all kinds of web3 records since inception, Yuga is ready to get its game on. It now wants to show the world what web3 gaming can really be, having hired some of the biggest names from Epic Games, Activision Blizzard and Scopely, among others, to senior leadership roles.

Your host, Niko Vuori, speaks with Spencer Tucker, Chief Gaming Officer at Yuga Labs, about Yuga’s gaming ambitions, what “the metaverse” means to Yuga, how passionate the Bored Ape community really is and how to crowdsource growth through networking externalities with zero UA spend.

Oh, and Jimmy the Monkey with the key stuck up you-know-where in Dookey Dash makes a reappearance as well.

Yuga Labs: https://yuga.com

Naavik Dookey Dash deconstruct: https://naavik.co/podcast/deconstructing-bayc-dookey-dash

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Founding Funds, Paths to Partner, and Glass Ceilings

Naavik — Sun, 07 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Holly Liu is the co-founder of Kabam and now managing partner and co-founder of PKO, a collective investing in tech and entertainment. Phylicia Koh is a partner at Play Ventures, a games VC with ~$250M AUM. Today we learn how these two phenomenal games people founded funds, exited companies, and ascended to partner as well as a definitional layout of the structure of the investing world. Furthermore we shade this all under the fundamental reality that venture capital is still very much a “boys club” and the games industry deeply struggles to ensure gender equality across a variety of dimensions.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Microsoft Acquires Speedbumps / Apple’s Legal Victory / Ballooning Game Costs

Naavik — Fri, 05 May 2023 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, we discuss Microsoft's acquisition challenges, Apple's win against Epic, and the impact of record-breaking successes in the Mario Bros movie and MiHoYo's latest mobile game. We also explore how Mythical's latest mobile game is expanding the audience for web3 and the effect of ever-expanding game development costs on the industry. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Jonathan Anastas, and host Devin Becker.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Interoperability, Game Ecosystems and Web3

Naavik — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Interoperability between game ecosystems and economies has been held up as a possibility that is opened up by decentralized protocols, blockchain technologies and web3 - but until now, it has mostly been a pipedream rather than a reality. But now two web3 companies, metaverse avatar developer Ready Player Me and open-world shooter developer Faraway Games, have partnered up to deliver on the promise of interoperable game worlds. Your host, Niko Vuori, chats with Alex Paley, Founder & CEO of Faraway Games and Timmu Toke, Founder & CEO of Ready Player Me, about interoperability, closed vs open game ecosystems and the promise of web3.

Faraway Games: https://faraway.com/

Ready Player Me: https://readyplayer.me/

Partnership announcement: https://blog.readyplayer.me/working-with-faraway-to-enable-industry-first-two-way-interoperability/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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The Tabletop Renaissance

Naavik — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Jane Chung Hoffaker is an Emmy winning executive producer for League of Legends’ Arcane Series that’s now embarking on a new adventure: building a board game startup called Incredible Dream Studios. We’re throwing it back to the days of yore, discussing what makes a good board game, what’s easier and harder in development vs. video games, whether AAA underutilizes board games in franchising and expanding their IP, and some of the business model impacts of running a COGS intensive business. Tune in to learn about what Incredible Dream is building and their strategy of starting with a physical IP, Jane’s take on the Wizards of the Coast OGL kerfuffle, and more!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Naavik — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0200

What does it take to grow a YouTube gaming channel? In this week’s episode, your host, Alexandra, sits down with Aaron Zheng, a professional VGC Pokemon player and the founder YouTube channel Cyberton VGC. Beyond running a channel that has amassed over 50M views and uploads videos daily, Aaron himself is the winner of 5 Regional Championships and 2 National Championships and shoutcasts for Pokemon International tournaments. We explore what it takes to grow a YouTube channel, what role YouTube plays in monetization and tooling for content creators, and how video content creation can affect one’s personal life. PLUS, we learn a ton about the Pro Pokemon scene! Check out Aaron’s channel here before diving into the episode.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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eSports Winter / E3 Cancelled / Mobile Markets / Ronin Games - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Is eSports winter a flywheel-breaking cycle? What’s next for E3? Is the mobile gaming market truly stabilising? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Mihai Vicol, Jonathan Anastas, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:25 - TSM and CLG eSports Winter
14:40 - EA Layoffs
25:25 - Diablo IV Beta Results
30:40 - E3 Cancelled
39:47 - Mobile Industry Stabilising… Or Not?
45:00 - Sky Mavis Ronin Games
01:03:53 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Sky Mavis, Delegated Proof of Stake and Building on Ronin

Naavik — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Sky Mavis, the developers behind the OG web3 game Axie Infinity, with $1.3B in lifetime revenue, have been busy beefing up the security of their Ronin blockchain and opening it up to third-party game developers. On March 30th, 2023 Sky Mavis announced the Ronin blockchain’s upgrade to Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), and unveiled the genesis batch of game studios that will be building and launching games on Ronin: Directive Games, Tribes, Bali Games, and Bowled.io. Your host, Niko Vuori, chats with Kathleen Osgood, Director of Business Development at Sky Mavis, about what this means for Sky Mavis, Axie Infinity and third-party game developers looking to build on Ronin.

Sky Mavis: https://skymavis.com/

Bowled.io: https://bowled.io

Bali Games: https://baligames.xyz

Directive Games: https://directivegames.com/

Tribes Studio: https://tribes.studio/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Game Analytics: Tactics, Advice, and Lessons Learned

Naavik — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0200

Game analytics may sound easy in theory, but it can be extremely complex in practice. Every game and genre is different, and every team works with different levels of talent and resources. So what tactics, advice, and lessons learned can help teams level up their use of data? To explore this topic, Elad Levy – founder and CEO of Dive – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss his insights and share how Dive helps dozens of teams better master game analytics.

To learn more, make sure to visit Dive’s website. You can also find Elad on LinkedIn.

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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GDC Shakeups - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0200

We finally got progress on Microsoft’s Activision/Blizzard/King acquisition. Unity joined the mandatory AI bandwagon at GDC. There’s yet another web3 organisation of companies bidding for influence. Dark & Darker went from early hype to major controversy. Rovio turned down Playtika’s proposal. Tencent shared its earnings report for digging into. The much rumoured Counter-Strike 2 was officially announced. Epic pushed deeper into UGC for Fortnite with big creator economy changes. Dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Matt Dion, Felipe Mata and your host Devin Becker.

00:00 - Start
02:28 - CMA comes around on MSFT/ATVI deal
09:06 - Unity joins the AI party
14.00 - Rovio rejects Playtika’s bid
18:45 - Some Dark & Darker Controversy
24:30 - Tencent earnings report
39:24 - Counter Strike 2 announcement
51:07 - Epic’s “Creator Economy 2.0”
01:08:17 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Naavik — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Lucy Hoffman – co-founder and COO of Carry1st – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 Africa’s exciting gaming trajectory, including how the region’s extreme diversity poses unique challenges and opportunities

#2 The state of Carry1st with breakdowns of the company’s publishing, game development, and technology strategies

#3 Lessons learned about managing company culture with a fully remote and rapidly growing team

#4 How obsessing over serving customer needs could lead to even bigger opportunities down the road

To learn more, make sure to visit Carry1st’s website. You can also find Lucy on LinkedIn.

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SVB Collapse / Applovin Spawns Redemption - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

How did the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank affect games? Why did Applovin spin out new studio Redemption? We dive into the latest games business news with Maria Gillies, Aaron Bush, David Kaye, and your host Devin Becker.

00:00 - Start
02:20 - Microsoft delays and cloud updates
06:36 - Google shuts down cloud streaming services
09:10 - CoD:M competing with Warzone mobile
18:14 - SVB Collapse affects studios and VCs
39:10 - Applovin spins out Redemption Studios
53:52 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

We’d love to see you at the Leanplum & Naavik Exclusive VIP GDC party, and you can request a spot here. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect and network with like-minded individuals.

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Fandom Gone Viral (Building Community Partnered Games)

Naavik — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

It is rare to create a truly genre defining game. Founded in 2015, The Game Band is one of these studios. In 2020, inspired by a mission to increase connectivity during the pandemic, the viral sensation “Blaseball” came to be. Blaseball is a genre of its own – hard to describe – but best put as a game in which the developers set the stage / simulation and the players and community work arduously to influence the outcomes, create backstories and art for characters, vote to change the rules, and more. Your host, Alexandra Takei, sits down with Sam Rosenthal, the founder and CEO, to talk about an avant garde studio that is truly building alongside its community without the blockchain, the cloud, or any of the other tech buzzwords that are concomitant with the community partnered games hype.

Reminder to RSVP for the Naavik & Leanplum Party on March 23rd at 8PM here. We have limited spots, so get your ticket soon! Second, check out The Game Band’s GDC talk and be on the lookout for the final Free-to-Play Panel: Do Video Games Need the Blockchain?

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Believer’s $55M Series A / Exits in Gaming / Gen AI Playtesting - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

How does raising venture capital affect studio operations and exit strategies? How has generative AI delivered playtesting workflow efficiencies? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Sebastian Park, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:03 - Generative AI - Playtesting Workflow
21:57 - CS:GO Sequel Rumours
27:23 - The Believer Company’s $55M Series A
39:16 - Gaming Exits Are Harder to Land
48:50 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

We’d love to see you at the Leanplum & Naavik Exclusive VIP GDC party, and you can request a spot here. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect and network with like-minded individuals.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Jonathan Knight: The New York Times Games Strategy

Naavik — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

The New York Times is one of the world’s most recognized and respected newspapers, and has been in circulation since 1851. With almost 10 million subscribers (of which 8.6 million are digital-only), the Times has a huge audience and an even larger cultural impact. But the Gray Lady isn’t content to just rest on her laurels and focus on news - other verticals in which the Times operates are product reviews (The Wirecutter), sports (through their 2022 acquisition of The Athletic), cooking and, of course, games. In addition to their 7 home-grown casual titles, the Times of course famously acquired viral sensation Wordle for “7 figures” in early 2022. To talk more about the Times’ games strategy, your host Niko Vuori talks with Jonathan Knight, Head of Games at The New York Times.

New York Times Games: https://www.nytimes.com/subscription/games

Who’s On:

Jonathan Knight: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jk00011/

Niko Vuori (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikovuori/

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

Alvaro Duarte: Voodoo’s Ongoing Evolution

Naavik — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Alvaro Duarte – VP of Casual Games at Voodoo – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 Is hypercasual dead? We explore the changes Voodoo’s seen in its own business and dig into why the company is shifting its focus to (hybrid)casual.

#2 Why Voodoo’s entrance into casual shouldn’t be underestimated and why the team is thinking about web3

#3 How Voodoo’s culture is designed for it to move fast, try many things, and support several internal and external teams

To learn more, make sure to visit Voodoo’s website. You can also find Alvaro on LinkedIn.

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Krafton Targets India / Hogwarts Legacy’s Success / Unity Earnings - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Why is Krafton hyper-targeting India’s mobile market? What does Hogwarts Legacy’s massive success tell us about the future of the industry? Why is Playtika stopping new game development? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Jonathan Anastas, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
02:15 - Naavik Pro new verticals
05:20 - Call of Duty 2023 Release
08:30 - Unity Earnings Analysis
16:21 - Playtika Earnings Analysis
25:51 - What’s Next After Hogwarts Legacy’s Success
44:58 - Why Krafton Is Hyper-Targeting India’s Mobile Market
01:01:44 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Manish Agarwal: India x Web3 Gaming

Naavik — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Manish Agarwal – ex-CEO of Nazara Technologies and founder of IndiGG, a web3 gaming DAO focused on India – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 What guilds initially got wrong, why he prefers to not use the term “guild,” and how India might become a digital asset factory

#2 The size of the web3 gaming opportunity in India, and why India could be a uniquely effective market for web3 gaming

#3 Learnings from working in a DAO - the underappreciated benefits and the ongoing challenges

#4 What IndiGG’s strategy is going forward, plus his views on what he looks for in partnerships and games

To learn more, make sure to visit IndiGG’s website. You can also find Manish on Twitter.

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Next Up with N3TWORK (Mobile Pivots to Web3)

Naavik — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

‘Founded in 2012, N3TWORK Inc made its mobile gaming debut with Legendary Game of Heroes, a hit match 3 gameplay mobile hero collector RPG. Today, N3TWORK Inc has fundamentally changed its tune and is pivoting the business from web2 to web3. Today, your host Alexandra Takei, sits down with Matt Ricchetti, President of N3TWORK Studios, a spin out from the merger of N3TWORK Inc with Forte. Backed by Griffin Gaming Partners and talent from legendary juggernauts like Zynga, Glu, and Kabam, what is N3TWORK’s strategy, what are they building, and what’s their perspective on the web3 in the bear?

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Growth By Acquisition / Roblox Gen AI / 2020-22 Gaming Deals Highlights - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Is there further evidence whether a growth by acquisition model is sustainable? What are the consequences of Roblox leaning into generative AI? What can we learn by analysing 2020 to 2022’s gaming deals? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Felipe Mata, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:00 - InvestGame 2020-2022 Gaming Deals Report Highlights
07:20 - What’s Next For Firaxis?
24:15 - Blizzard’s Back to Office Mandate
29:50 - Future of Growth By Acquisition Business Model (Embracer and Stillfront)
50:44 - Roblox Generative AI & Earnings Analysis
01:07:40 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

InvestGame’s 2020-22 Gaming Deals Report mentioned in the episode can be found here.

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Bringing Web3 Games to Mobile

Naavik — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Over the past 15 years, mobile gaming has grown to be the predominant form factor for gamers, generating over two-thirds of global gaming revenues, and an even bigger share of player activity. But when it comes to Web3 games, games that integrate NFTs, digital ownership and tokenized economies, they still almost exclusively exist outside the mobile app stores. Why is that? To better understand what the mobile options are for game developers, your host Niko Vuori talks with Anil Das-Gupta (who has recently shipped a mobile game with NFT integration into the Apple App and Google Play Stores), Benas Baltramiejunas (who is in the process of shipping a mobile game with NFT integration into the Apple App and Google Play Stores) and Chris Akhavan (who recently joined top NFT marketplace Magic Eden to help Web3 game developers integrate blockchain technologies and reach more players).

First Light Games: https://www.firstlight.games/

BlockGames: https://www.block-games.co/

Magic Eden: https://magiceden.io/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Capcom & Netmarble Earnings / Supercell’s Letter / Game Acquisitions - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Can Supercell reignite their magic of developing new ways to play? What can we learn from Capcom and Netmarble earnings? Why is there a rise of game-only acquisitions? We dive into the latest games business news with Abhimanyu Kumar, Matt Dion, Dave Elton, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:00 - Supercell’s Annual Letter
18:15 - DigiDaigaku’s Super Bowl Ad
27:48 - Why Are Game-Only Acquisitions On The Rise?
36:25 - Capcom’s Earnings Analysis
47:08 - Netmarble Earnings Analysis
58:57 - Stream Hatchet’s Video Game Streaming Annual Report
01:08:30 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

Stream Hatchet’s Annual Report mentioned in the episode can be found here.

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Deconstructing Bored Ape Yacht Club’s Dookey Dash

Naavik — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Axie Infinity marked the beginning of Web3 gaming season. But since then, the industry has not seen anything that comes even close to matching the excitement, engagement or adoption of Axie. With Dookie Dash, has Yuga Labs, the team behind many of the biggest NFT projects on the planet, finally built the next hit Web3-native game, and potentially even the beginnings of a Web3 gaming ecosystem? Your host Niko Vuori talks with Web3 analyst Thomas Pan to find out if Dookey Dash is the next big milestone moment in the evolution of Web3 gaming.

Dookey Dash: https://dookeydash.com/

Web3 With TPan: https://tpan.substack.com/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Venture Debt 101

Naavik — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

‘‘Tis the season for raising and the landscape is rough. As a founder, you might be steering your company through adverse times, on a tightrope between capital raising and dilution, or looking to compliment prior raised capital. In today’s episode, your host, Alex Takei, chats with Patrick Lee, founder and managing partner of Top Corner Capital, about a financing vehicle often misunderstood: venture debt. What is venture debt and where did it come from (turns out, it’s 20% of the venture market)? How is it different from venture capital? Who should raise it, and when? Hit play on today’s episode to roll up your sleeves and do some financial forensics.

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Naavik — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0100

What are the highest priority challenges for Microsoft to drive further gaming growth? Why is Metacore well positioned to take on Everdale’s mantle? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Tammy Levy, David Kaye, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
04:52 - Metacore Takes On Everdale’s Mantle
11:55 - PSVR2 Slashes Sales Expectations
15:50 - EA Earnings & Game Sunsets
20:29 - Microsoft Earnings Analysis
35:36 - eSports Sustainable Business Model
54:32 - Playtika's Web3 Slotomania
01:00:46 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Why Playtika Chose Rovio / Exit Jam City, Enter Plai Labs / Gorilla Tag - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

What problems would Rovio’s acquisition solve for Playtika? Why did Champions Ascension spin into Plai Labs? We dive into the latest game business news with Abhimanyu Kumar, Matt Dion, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
02:09 - Blizzard Games Shutdown in China
04:32 - Carry1st Raises $27M Investment
10:45 - The Last of Us Serie Drives Game Sales
12:30 - Jam City Exits, Plai Labs Raises $32M
28:36 - Playtika’s Rovio Acquisition Proposal
50:14 - Gorilla Tag, VR Market
01:11:17 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Understanding Web3 Player Behavior - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

What makes web3 players different from web2 players? Why is it so hard to get actionable insights in web3? How can you combine on-chain and off-chain data? To answer these questions, and many more, your host Niko Vuori is joined by Nathan Snell, founder of web3 data analytics company Raleon, who brings a wealth of experience to the key question: “how can I understand my web3 player behavior better”?

Raleon: https://raleon.io

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Voodoo Blockchain & Hybrid Casual / Ubisoft’s Underperformance - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Why is Voodoo uniquely positioned to pursue blockchain gaming and are they likely to succeed? What’s next for Ubisoft and why are they underperforming? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
00:50 - Latest Regulatory ATVI/MSFT Concerns
05:06 - Amazon Game Services First-Party IPs
11:20 - Last of Us Transmedia Success
13:55 - Ubisoft’s Underperformance Analysis
35:25 - Voodoo Enters Blockchain Gaming
59:45 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Moritz Baier-Lentz: The State of Gaming VC

Naavik — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Moritz Baier-Lentz – Partner and the Head of Gaming at Lightspeed Venture Partners (LSVP) – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 His move to LSVP and the team’s revamped ambitions to invest across the games industry

#2 Lessons learned as a VC, including how he’s grown as an investor

#3 The current state of the venture market and his advice to founders on how to navigate tougher times

#4 Insights on investing in web3, AI, game studios, and more!

To learn more, make sure to visit Lightspeed’s website, and you can find Moritz on LinkedIn.

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NetEase’s SkyBox Acquisition / Square Enix Analysis / Meta UA - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Why are NetEase and Tencent diversifying into Western AAA game development? How could EU regulations affect Meta’s performance as a UA channel? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Matt Dion, and your host Maria Gillies

00:00 - Start
04:25 - China Issues Licences for International Games
09:12 - YouTube Policies Demonetize Gaming Content
15:10 - PSVR2 Soon!
20:32 - NetEase’s SkyBox Acquisition: Why?
33:44 - EU Personalised Ads Regulation (GDPR Fun)
47:03 - Square-Enix President’s New Year’s Letter Analysis
01:01:36 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Web3 Predictions for 2023 - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

2022 was a rollercoaster year for web3 gaming - what does 2023 have in store? To find out, your host Niko Vuori talks to Justin Hulog, Chief Studio Officer at Immutable.

Immutable: https://www.immutable.com/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Christian Facey: Building on the Cutting Edge of AdTech

Naavik — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Christian Facey – co-founder and CEO of Audiomob – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 The current state of audio ads, and how non-intrusive in-game audio ads can play a larger role in the future

#2 Why Audiomob exists, how it’s scaled so far, and what it’s plans are for the future

#3 Christian’s lessons learned as an entrepreneur, including how to plan for an IPO so early on, how to build a diverse recruiting pipeline, and how to prepare for the worst while also preparing for the best

To learn more, make sure to visit Audiomob’s website, and you can find Christian on LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you would like us to interview any other gaming leaders, do reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Web3 Investing with Animoca Brands - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0100

Happy New Year from The Metacast We are ringing in 2023 with Yat Siu, the founder of the Crypto & Blockchain titan Animoca Brands. We focus the Animoca origin story, how they found Crypto Kitties, their investment strategy (and why it’s totally different than a traditional VC), digital property rights, and more. It’s a new year, a fresh start for crypto, and there’s no better place to begin than the OGs.

Yat Siu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yatsiu/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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2022 Gaming Deals Review / Game of the Year & Unicorn Awards - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

What are the trends when looking back at 2022’s gaming deals? What were our highlights of the year? We dive into the latest game business news with Abhimanyu Kumar, Anthony Pecorella, Matt Dion, Anton Gorodetsky, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
07:30 - 2022 Gaming Deals Trends Review
17:40 - Highlights Awards: Game of the Year
37:15 - Highlights Awards: The Good
51:03 - Highlights Awards: The Bad
01:01:02 - Highlights Awards: The Unicorn
01:16:49 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Wen Metaverse? - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

There is a ton of hype around the notion of the metaverse, with no shortage of companies trying to build it. We have legacy operations that have been around for years like Second Life. We have huge tech giants like Meta trying to brute force their way to the metaverse by spending billions on it. We have medium sized players that target a particular consumer like Roblox does for kids. We have newer start ups like Decentraland and The Sandbox that are building on blockchain and embracing web3.

But what, really, is the promise of the metaverse? What does that term even mean?

In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks to one of the best thinkers, writers, podcasters and operators on the subject of the metaverse, Yonatan Raz-Fridman. He is the founder & CEO of Supersocial, which develops content and games for the metaverse, and is also the creator of Into the Metaverse, a Substack newsletter and a podcast that - surprise surprise - covers the metaverse in depth.

Supersocial: https://www.supersocialinc.com/

Into the Metaverse: https://www.intometamedia.com/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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End-of-Year Learnings & Predictions - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

What’s the funding environment going into 2023? Can mobile be conquered by studios with short runways? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Joakim Achrén, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
10:20 - Console Acceleration
20:26 - Mobile Growth or Decline
38:35 - Multi-Core-Gameplay Genre
45:00 - Mainstream Blockchain Gaming
59:24 - M&A and Funding Environment
01:05:30 - Generative AI
01:10:43 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Land Speculation & Economies - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Why are there housing crises in online games, and how did a plot of “virtual land” go for $4M in Sandbox’s Metaverse last year? What is a land economy, and how do you run it? We bring on Lars Doucet, virtual land economy consultant and author of “Land and Why It Matters” and Khaled Alroumi, Head of Monetization at Big Time Studios to discuss the concept of land economies, whether land should be a primary or secondary driver of your game economy, what to do about taxes and rent, and the do’s and don’ts of running one. Hosted by Alexandra Takei.

Lars Doucet “Land is a Big Deal”: https://landisabigdeal.com/

Khaled Alroumi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-alroumi-70b222b7/

And don't forget to check out Polkastarter's GAM3 Awards that airs on December 15th, 3pm UTC: https://gam3awards.com

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Cross-Platform Strategy / Moore’s Law Revival / Gwent Sunset - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Should studios lean away from an all-in mobile strategy and pursue cross-platform? What is the impact of Intel’s vision to revive Moore’s Law? We dive into the latest game business news with Tammy Levy, David Amor, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:25 - Playmint’s Open Source Web3 Tech
10:11 - Moore’s Law Revival
17:05 - Limit Break’s Free Super Bowl NFT Mint
25:00 - Gwent’s End of Development
30:47 - Lean Away From Mobile, Lean Into Consoles & PC?
55:05 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Open vs Closed Economies in Web3 Games - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

One of the promises of web3 is the opening up of in-game economies, and for players to retain some kind of residual value for all the hours they put into a game. In web2, the developer and the platform on which a game is played retain 100% of the economic value - web3 changes this, at least in theory, and allows players to retain an economic interest in their gaming digital assets, both the non-fungible ones - the unique NFTs they own - and the fungible ones - the in-game currencies they accumulate through time spent, trading with other players, and skilled gameplay.

In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks to two game economy specialists - Mete Gultekin (Vader Research) and Kiefer Zang (Economics Design) - to discuss the pros and cons of an open economy design in web3 games.

Vader Research: https://defivader.medium.com/

Economics Design: https://economicsdesign.com/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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China’s Console Market / Web3 Investment / Cosy Games - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Should console studios target mainland China’s market? Is building a web3 gaming studio still an investment advantage? We dive into the latest game business news with Anthony Pecorella, Alex Takei, Joost van Dreunen, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
02:50 - What are cosy games?
05:20 - Australia’s Loot Box Bill
11:40 - Will Mobile Replace Consoles?
18:20 - Mainland China’s Console Market Analysis
35:40 - Is Web3 Still an Investment Advantage?
49:53 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Future of UGC (and does it need the blockchain?) - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

“UGC Gaming is Gaming 3.0” says Uri Marchand, CEO and co-founder of Overwolf, a software platform that powers one of the biggest modding communities in the world and recently signed a massive partnership with EA for the Sims4. In this episode, your host Alex Takei chats all things UGC, the role of IP in creating the metaverse, centralization and moderation in a creator economy, and whether any of this really needs the blockchain.

Uri Marchand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/urimarchand/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Blizzard x NetEase / Google Play Competition / Gameloft Strategy - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Why didn’t Blizzard renew its partnership with NetEase? How will they return to mainland China’s market? We dive into the latest game business news with Matt Dion, David Amor, Marie Mejerwall, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
05:20 - Gameloft’s Cross-Platform Strategy
08:55 - Generative AI’s Valuable Disruption
17:40 - Embracer Group Earnings Analysis
19:20 - Sony Patent For NFT and Blockchain Technology
23:52 - Blizzard Does Not Renew Contract with NetEase
40:12 - Google Struck Deals to Prevent Play Store Competition
56:46 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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Building the Web3 Marketing Stack - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In web2, the marketing stack is rich in every area that matters - when a marketer wants to spend on a game, they have many places to do it, they can scale budget up and down as needed, they have the tools to measure how effective the spend is by channel, they can measure revenue events and many other different kinds of downstream activity for days, weeks, months and even years down the line. They have the analytics tools to segment and understand their player personas, and can effectively target these users across a wide variety of channels that serve particular niches. Incredibly accurate LTV models can be built from the data available, and ROAS can be calculated even on a long time horizon.

And none of this is true in web3! The anonymity and pseudonymity of web3 makes segmentation and understanding of personas hard if not impossible, and while everything on-chain is by default completely transparent and open, having the wallet and the tokens it contains be the primary identifier is severely limiting.

In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks to three leading minds in web3 marketing - Quinn Campbell (VP of Growth at Sky Mavis), Justin Vogel (Co-Founder at Safary) and Warren Woodward (Co-Founder at Upptic) about the challenges web3 marketers face, the tools that need to be built and the current tactics that need to be employed to grow a web3 game.

Sky Mavis: https://www.skymavis.com/

Safary: https://www.safary.club/

Upptic: https://upptic.com/

The ~80 web3 marketing leaders tracked by Safary: https://twitter.com/Safaryclub/status/1580235410147377158

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Unity, Krafton, Nintendo Earnings / Future of Community Play - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

What can we learn from Unity, AppLovin, Roblox, Krafton and Nintendo earnings? What’s the next evolution of community play? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Tammy Levy, Elyssa Goldberg, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:12 - Unity Earnings Analysis
05:27 - NewZoo Forecasts Market Decline
13:41 - AppLovin Earnings Analysis
15:26 - Roblox Earnings Analysis
20:10 - Impacts of FTX on Gaming
29:14 - Krafton Earnings Analysis
35:46 - Nintendo Earnings & Strategy Analysis
55:19 - Future of Community Play
01:07:20 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!

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How to Choose a Blockchain + FTX!? - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Should you build your game on Solana or Polygon? L1, L2, or sidechain? What are the technical, financial, ideological, and game design frameworks a web3 developer should think about when making this decision? In this week’s episode, your host, Alex Takei, talks all things chain choice with Aron Beierschmitt, CEO of Laguna Games, the studio responsible for Crypto Unicorns, and Sridhar Muppidi, co-founder of YesGnome, a skill based mobile gaming company. PLUS hot takes on the FTX debacle and what implications it might have for Solana given SOL is Alameda’s second largest token ecosystem holding.

Aron Beierschmitt: https://twitter.com/abearschmitt

Sridhar Muppidi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sridharmuppidi/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Alexis Bonte: Stillfront’s Strategy, Synergies & Future

Naavik — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Alexis Bonte – COO of Stillfront Group – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 His journey as an entrepreneur and executive, and how he ended up at Stillfront

#2 How Stillfront operates, including how it provides autonomy to studios while still creating synergies across the entire organization

#3 Stillfront’s M&A strategy, including lessons learned after 18 acquisitions

#4 The future of Stillfront (and whether Stillfront is thinking about web3)

To learn more, make sure to visit Stillfront’s website, investor relations page, and you can find Alexis on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Take-Two, EA Earnings / Mobile Headwinds / Layoffs - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

What can we learn from Take-Two and EA’s earnings? Are we observing an increase in VC capital deployment? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush, Seb Park, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
02:10 - What’s Next for eSports?
05:40 - Japan’s PC Gaming Market
07:03 - China’s Declining Mobile Gaming Market
08:30 - Unity x ironSource Deal Closed
11:12 - Embracer Closed Former Square Enix Montreal
12:56 - Dapper Labs and Mythical Layoffs
22:20 - Take-Two Earnings Analysis
40:35 - EA Earnings Analysis
50:18 - Increasing Deployment of VC Capital

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Investing in Web3 Gaming with Magic Eden - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In just a single year since launching, NFT marketplace Magic Eden has grown to dominate on Solana, with over 85% of the trading market share, and increasingly taking share from OpenSea on Ethereum as well. They started with digital collectibles, but very early on made a bet on gaming NFTs as their second major vertical. Now, they sport a $1.6 billion valuation in their latest funding round, and have recently announced that they will be making direct minority equity investments in gaming companies.

In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks to Zhuoxun Yin, Co-founder & COO of Magic Eden and Tony Zhao, who leads gaming investments at Magic Eden about why Magic Eden is pushing so hard on gaming, where they see web3 gaming trends going and what the role of an NFT marketplace is as it relates to promoting and elevating games.

Magic Eden Games: https://magiceden.io/games

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Caro Krenzer: Building Studios, Navigating Change & Fostering Inclusivity

Naavik — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Caro Krenzer – co-founder and CEO of Trailmix, the company behind Love & Pies – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 Caro’s games industry origin story and what led her to found Trailmix

#2 How Love & Pies pivoted away from a failed game mechanic and turned into a hit

#3 Lessons in inclusive game design, including how to build a great company culture that supports it

#4 What Caro learned from working at King, how Supercell supports Trailmix as an investor, and what she’s excited about next

To learn more, you can visit Trailmix’s website or find Caro on LinkedIn.

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Microsoft, Meta, Sony, Rovio Earnings / VR Gaming Predictions - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

What can we learn from Microsoft, Meta, Sony and Rovio’s earnings? What does Meta’s tanking stock mean for VR/AR Gaming? We dive into the latest game business news with David Amor, Matt Dion, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start
03:33 - Sony/PlayStation Earnings
06:50 - TikTok Playable Games Tab
08:20 - Netflix Acquires Spry Fox
11:30 - Rovio Earnings
13:33 - Microsoft/Xbox Earnings
31:17 - Meta Earnings & VR/AR Market

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Battlebound: Ex-Riot Dev Dives into Web3 - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Why does a Rioter go start a web3 studio? Today’s episode is with Adam Hensel, CEO of Battlebound and the web3 studio making Evaverse, a universe of competitive racing and battler games. We chat the woes of web3 publishing, how he’s thinking about revenue share between the developer and player, and what’s next for Battlebound as he and his team build games that envision players adopting blockchain technology in a low friction and “less NFT hate” environment.

Battlebound Discord: https://discord.com/invite/battlebound

Evaverse: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1628750/Evaverse/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Jason Chapman: How Konvoy Ventures Invests in Gaming

Naavik — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this episode, Jason Chapman – co-founder and managing partner of Konvoy Ventures – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 The origins, present state, and core theses of Konvoy Ventures

#2 What technology and platform trends Jason is excited about

#3 What attributes the Konvoy team looks for in the teams and founders it backs

#4 The current state of the venture market, including where we are in the latest web3 cycle

#5 Lessons learned in scaling an investment firm

To learn more, make sure to follow Jason on Twitter. You can also visit Konvoy’s website here, as well as read the team’s great weekly newsletter here.

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Apple vs Microsoft and NFTs / Netflix Cloud Gaming / Silent Hill - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anil Das-Gupta and Aaron Bush join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Microsoft’s Xbox Mobile Storefront: Could Microsoft succeed where Epic Games didn’t?

#2 Apple’s NFTs Guidelines: Will the guidelines kill blockchain mobile games?

#3 Netflix Cloud Gaming: What’s behind Netflix’s cloud gaming strategy?

#4 Silent Hill Announcements: Why revive the Silent Hill franchise now?

#5 Marvel Snap Mobile Launch: What are the early indicators of Marvel Snap’s launch?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Making Sense of Web3 Trends - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Anyone involved in web3 knows how lightning fast the space moves. Every single day there is some major new development, every week there is a new NFT project that comes along and captures a huge amount of mindshare and huge amounts of trading volume, and every month whatever the prevailing “meta” is, is totally upended and the rules of the game get rewritten by the next hot hotness.

In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks to two independent web3 analysts who cover the space. Thomas Pan writes a daily web3 newsletter called “Web3 with TPan,” which provides a fun and entertaining analysis of what is driving the web3 news of the day. Chris Sotraidis writes a newsletter called “Spatial Awareness,” which is less frequent but goes really deep on topics, especially as it relates to established web2 brands engaging with, and building in, web3.

Web3 with TPan: https://tpan.substack.com/

Spatial Awareness: https://spatialawareness.substack.com/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Björn Jeffery: How to Conquer the Kids Market

Naavik — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Björn Jeffery – serial entrepreneur (including Toca Boca), board member, technology columnist, and advisor – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 Lessons learned and effective strategies on how to serve the kids market

#2 His experiences from founding, scaling, and selling Toca Boca

#3 What he’s thinking about today including “AI vs art,” breaking common conventions, and advice for successful boards

To learn more, make sure to follow Björn on Twitter. You can also view Toca Boca’s website here.

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Riot Acquires Wargaming Sydney / NFT Royalties / VR Games - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anthony Pecorella, Tim Mannveille and Tom Kinniburgh join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Why Riot Acquired Wargaming Sydney: What are the strategic goals behind the acquisition?

#2 Magic Eden’s Optional Royalties: Why did the marketplace make creator royalties optional?

#3 Xbox Game Pass on Meta Quest: Is Xbox Game Pass on Meta Quest a major step in VR games?

#4 Voice Acting & AI: What role could AI play in the games voice acting business?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Skepticism: PC Blizzard Dev vs. Free to Play Web3 Game Designer - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Do video games need the blockchain? Have you been asking yourself why traditional developers hate crypto OR have you been completely befuddled as to why the web2 gaming industry ISN’T welcoming crypto with open arms? Do you just not know what to think? If so, this episode is for you. I had the pleasure of refereeing an epic discussion on whether to crypto or not to crypto featuring Tim Morten, CEO of Frostgiant and ex-production director of Starcraft vs. Ethan Levy, Deconstructor of Fun’s Crypto Kid and Web3 founder with a surprise cameo from Nico Vereecke, BITKRAFT investor and FOGDAO founder.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Emily Greer: Lessons in Entrepreneurship, Scaling, and Culture

Naavik — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Emily Greer – co-founder and CEO of Double Loop Games (previously Kongregate) – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 What Double Loop Games is building and how it aims to redefine the “casual” genre

#2 How the games industry’s venture ecosystem has changed since Kongragate raised capital in 2006-2010

#3 How Emily has improved as an entrepreneur when it comes to kickstarting, scaling, and setting an exit strategy for a business

#4 Tactics and advise when it comes to cultural and diversity efforts

To learn more, check out Double Loop Game’s website and LinkedIn. You can also follow Emily on Twitter.

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Scaling iOS UA / Channel Diversification / Web3 Mobile - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, David Amor and Matej Lancaric join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 How to Scale iOS User Acquisition: What’s the latest strategy to scale UA on iOS?

#2 Marketing Channel Diversification: How can small and big teams approach marketing channel diversification?

#3 Crypto Mobile Gaming & UA: Do crypto games open new user acquisition strategies?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Onboarding the Mass Market to Web3 - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Crypto Corner episode, John Osvald, President of Games at Gala Games, joins your host Niko to talk about Gala Games’ ambitious vision of building a web3 interactive entertainment brand for the mass market.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Ryan Wyatt: Polygon’s Quest for Scale

Naavik — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Ryan Wyatt – CEO of Polygon Studios – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 How Polygon Studios works, its grand ambitions, and why teams should consider using it as their layer 2 of choice

#2 What Ryan learned about “excellence in scaling” at YouTube, and how running a web3 business presents unique challenges

#3 What will unlock the next phase of growth for blockchain games, advice to teams during “crypto winter,” and why he doesn’t worry about educating gamers

#4 As a venture partner at BITKRAFT, what other trends in gaming excite him

To learn more, check out Polygon Studios’ website and Twitter, and you can follow Ryan on Twitter.

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Rise of Mega-Investors / Stadia Shutdown / Apple x NFTs - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta and Lars Doucet join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Rise of The Mega-Investors: What are Tencent and Savvy Gaming Group’s investment strategies?

#2 Supercell and their Brutal Sunset of Games: Why has Supercell sunset yet another game?

#3 Goodbye Stadia: Why did Stadia fail and what can tech giants learn from it?

#4 Apple’s 30% Cut for In-App NFT Sales: How does this affect blockchain game design and its revenue potential?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Identity in the Metaverse, ft. Disco.xyz - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Disco.xyz CEO and Cofounder Evin McMullen joins BITKRAFT Partner Carlos Pereira and host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about

Identity in the Metaverse
Decentralized Identifiers & Verified Credentials
The limitations of NFTs and Soulbound Tokens

& More!

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Jacob Navok: How MILEs Will Transform Entertainment

Naavik — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Jacob Navok – the co-founder and CEO of Genvid – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 What are Massively Interactive Live Events (MILEs), and why is this new form-factor of entertainment so promising?

#2 What the team has learned from pioneering innovative projects like Rival Peak and The Walking Dead: Last Mile

#3 Jacob’s vision of the future of MILEs, how the team will level up leveraging more great IPs, and what his dream MILE is

#4 What exactly Genvid is building, and how teams can already leverage Genvid’s tools to build their own MILEs today

To learn more, check out Genvid’s website (genvid.com), and you can follow Jacob on Twitter.

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Is X-Hero Mobile’s Latest Top Grossing Anti-Hero? - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Joost van Dreunen, Tammy Levy and Abhimanyu Kumar join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 X-Hero: Scam or Anti-Hero: What’s behind X-Hero’s success and is it sustainable?

#2 Meta Mechanics in Casual Games: Is the hybrid-casual genre still relevant today?

#3 Power Dynamics Between Platforms and Publishers: How have platforms and publishers changed in the past decade?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Reimagining NFT's - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Luda CEO and Cofounder Vijay Sundaram joins your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about

Community-driven IP creation
The current state of Web3 Games
How NFTs can be so much more than just ‘collections of 10.000’
What he’s building at Luda

& More!

Neo Fairies: https://world.neofairies.com/

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Risks of Sequels, Leaks and Permanent Loss Game Design Mechanics - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anthony Pecorella and Matt Dion join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Overwatch 2 - Sequel or Restructuring: Why is Overwatch 2 replacing the original game instead of maintaining both?

#2 GTA VI Game Leak: Can game leaks be avoided?

#3 Permanent Loss as a Game Design Tool: Is there a trend of increasingly using permanent loss in game design?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Loot : One Year Later - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Was Loot a flash in the pan, or has it created a new way of human collaboration and IP development?

Background on Loot: https://twitter.com/TimshelXYZ/status/1553072711529730049

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Loot builders Timshel, Threepwave and Loaf join your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about

Recap on Loot
Decentralized IP Creation
Decentralized Game Building
What’s next for Loot

& More!

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Strategy Case Studies: Mobile Clones, IP Ecosystem, UGC - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta and Sebastian Park join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Scopely acquires Stumble Guys: What is behind the success of a Fall Guys clone?

#2 Ubisoft’s Growth Strategy: How can a AAA behemoth unlock long-term growth?

#3 Roblox & User-Generated Platforms: Is Roblox pursuing the most valuable bets?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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A Deep Dive into Liquidity Pools (ft. Crypto Unicorns) - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, we take a deep dive into one of the core DeFi primitives - liquidity pools. Laguna Games’ Cofounder and CEO Aron Beierschmitt and Games Researcher/Angel Kiet Fong join your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about

What are Liquidity Pools?
Why are they relevant to Web3 games like Crypto Unicorns?
What do game devs need to consider when setting them up?
What are Liquidity Bootstrapping Pools?

& More!

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Learnings From Downsized Social Media Games - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Abhimanyu Kumar, Tammy Levy and Tim Mannveille join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Social Media Apps Downsize Games: Why is there a history of failed social app games?

#2 Creativity Within IAPs: Why is creative exploration of IAPs still important in free-to-play games?

#3 Xbox Game Pass Friends & Family: How does the new subscription tier influence Xbox’s market position?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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The State of Play-to-Earn - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Yield Guild Games’ Gabby Dizon and Jeff Holmberg join your host Nico Vereecke for a follow-up conversation about Play-to-Earn Gaming Guilds. We discuss

The state of Play-To-Earn
The role of guilds in Web3 Gaming
How Web3 Games should position themselves
What makes guilds like Yield Guild stand out

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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AI Art: DALL-Eks or High-value Disruptive Innovation? - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Matt Dion and David Amor join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 AI Art Applied to Games: How will innovation disrupt game art pipelines?

#2 Sony Acquires Savage Game Studios: What’s next for Sony’s mobile games?

#3 AAA Crypto Games - gamescom: Is it meaningful for AAA games to integrate blockchain elements?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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What's Next For Play-To-Earn Gaming Guilds? - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 14:38:51 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Animoca Brands’ Jesper Lundquest and MMA Gaming’s Casper join your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about Play-to-Earn Gaming Guilds. There seems to be a high chance that Play-to-Earn won’t work over the next years. What does this mean for the guilds whose existence depends on that business model? How can they reinvent themselves?

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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A New Theory for Game Design Psychology - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anthony Pecorella and Tammy Levy join your host Abhimanyu Kumar to discuss:

#1 Space Ape Games and Beatstar: How Beatstar survived 24 killed prototypes in five years. Link

#2 Mastering Uncertainty and Predictive Processing in Game Design: Exploring a new game design psychology study that was recently published. Link

#3 The Slow Games Movement: What they are and why it’s significant?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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A Deep Dive into Web3 Publishing, Growth & UA - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, we take a deep dive into Web3 Publishing and Growth. Quinn Campbell, VP of Growth at Sky Mavis, and Jon Hook, CMO at PlayEmber, join your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about:

- Differences between Web2 and Web3 Game Publishing

- How Web3 will change the Publishing Model

- Growth for Blockchain Games

- Lessons learned from getting millions of players into the Axie Ecosystem

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Unity’s Love Triangle & Blizzard’s Breakup - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Matt Dion, Joost van Dreunen, and David Amor, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Blizzard & NetEase Cancel WoW Mobile Game: Why was the World of Warcraft mobile game canceled?

#2 AppLovin x Unity Merger Proposal: Will Unity swap ironSource for a merger with AppLovin?

#3 Gaming Accessories Market: Will the gaming accessories market survive in a post-pandemic world?

#4 Microsoft x Unity Partnership: Why aren’t there more game engine competitors?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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StriderDAO : Community-Driven IP Creation - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

(Apologies for Mic Quality issues in the last 2 minutes!)

On this week’s Crypto Corner, StriderDAO cofounder and CEO Andrew Green joins your host Nico Vereecke for a deep dive into Strider - a web3 platform and toolset that helps harness the creative power of communities to build new game and entertainment IP.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Sophie Vo: Lessons in Conscious Leadership - Interview

Naavik — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Sophie Vo – founder of Rise and Play, as well as a game / studio lead – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 What is conscious leadership and why does it matter

#2 How to best lead teams among change – remote work, studio restructuring, layoffs, and more – as well as how to make teams antifragile

#3 How she assesses conscious leadership in founders as an early stage investor

#4 Book recommendations! Antifragile; The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership; Reinventing Organization; The Daily Stoic; Fusion: How Integrating Brand and Culture Powers the World's Greatest Companies

To learn more, make sure to check out Sophie’s website https://www.riseandplay.io/.

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review! And if you have any questions or suggestions, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co.

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TikTok’s Sticky Algorithm Plus Games Equals Success? - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta and Lars Doucet, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Earnings Update: What’s next for Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft?

#2 Google’s Interstitial Ads Rules: Do the new rules spell doom for the hyper-casual mobile genre?

#3 TikTok’s Mini-games: How do games help deliver TikTok’s strategy?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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What VCs Look For in Web3 Games - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Play Ventures’ Anton Backman and Konvoy Ventures’ Philip Collins join your host Nico Vereecke for discussion about how we see the Web3 Gaming space evolve over the next 2 years. We go into:

Building Games vs building Tooling/Infrastructure
Innovation on Gameplay Design vs Tokenomics
What types of Games will be most successful
And more!

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Matthew Ball: Gaming x The Metaverse - Interview

Naavik — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Matthew Ball – brilliant thinker, prolific essayist, active investor, founder of Ball Metaverse Research Partners, a producer of media, and now a published author – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 His new book, The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything, which can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Metaverse-How-Will-Revolutionize-Everything/dp/1324092033/

#2 How virtual worlds and virtual world platforms could take their first steps to connect and interoperate

#3 Why he’s excited about Massive Interactive Live Events (MILEs), and what he’s learned as a producer of one

#4 The convergence of tech, media, and gaming – and more!

To learn more, make sure to read Matthew’s book and follow along at his website, www.matthewball.vc.

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review! And if you have any questions or suggestions, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co.

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Drawing the Ethical Line for Misleading Ads - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anthony Pecorella, David Amor and Tim Mannveille, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Web Forums vs Discord Social Hubs: Are web forums a thing of the past?

#2 Misleading Ads - Innovation or Scourge: Should misleading UA ads be incentivized?

#3 Polygon Announce zkEVM: What does the new tech bring to blockchain game development?

#4 UK Government Loot Boxes Self-Regulation: Can the games industry self-regulate?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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BreederDAO: The Factory of the Metaverse - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, BreederDAO Cofounder and CEO Renz Chong joins your host Nico Vereecke for a no-nonsense discussion about Play-to-Earn/Play-and-earn, inter-game arbitrage, NFT-based Breeding Ponzi’s and the future of the Web3 Metaverse.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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National Game Engines Could Shape The World - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Matt Dion and Tammy Levy, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Benefits and Challenges of Player Polls: How does player polling affect Old School RuneScape? Based on NME’s article.

#2 Russia’s National Game Engine: How could national game engines shape the world?

#3 Unity x ironSource Merger: How does the merger benefit both companies?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Magicave: Building the Next Generation of Digital Toys - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Magicave cofounders Harry Holmwood and Ste Curran your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about the future of Digital Toys. Magicave is crafting digital hobbies centred around beautiful, playful, tactile virtual items, which sit at the heart of an ecosystem of games, apps, players and creators. The company's first project, dNo (short for ‘d-Number’), marries collectible virtual dice with figures, tiles, stories and worlds, making innovative use of game and blockchain technology to nurture a truly unique digital hobby.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Raph Koster: Playable Worlds and the Metaverse - Interview

Naavik — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Raph Koster – legendary game designer, author of Theory of Fun for Game Design, and CEO of Playable Worlds – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 How to evolve and grow as a game designer

#2 The mission of Playable Worlds, what it means to build a “metaverse platform,” and the future of MMORPGs

#3 His advice about metaverse standards, player-owned economies, and digital land

To learn more, visit Raph’s blog and Twitter account, as well as Playable World’s website and Twitter account.

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review! And if you have any questions or suggestions, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co.

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Half-Year Analysis: Big Beats and Predictions - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 19:40:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Abhimanyu Kumar and Aaron Bush, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 M&A and Growth by Acquisition: Who could still make billion-dollar acquisitions during a market downturn? What future awaits companies that rely on growth by acquisition strategies?

#2 Market Cycle in Full Swing: What consequences are we seeing from the market downturn?

#3 Crypto Gaming’s Second Wave: Will the crypto winter kill blockchain games or will they come back stronger than before?

#4 Studios Founded by Diverse Teams: Will we see an accelerated pace of new studios founded by diverse teams?

#5 Console’s Recession Resilience: Could console games prevail in a market downturn after all?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Open Economies, Social Connectivity & Play - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

On this week’s Crypto Corner, Anton Bernstein, CEO and co-founder of Pocket Worlds, joins your host Nico Vereecke for a conversation about the future of social connectivity and play. Pocket Worlds is the creator of Highrise and Everskies, two leading mobile Metaverses with a combined userbase of more than 15 million players. We discuss his entrepreneurial journey, learnings from creating highly successful Metaverse Economies, and what role Web3 technology will play in the virtual worlds of the future.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Collect Stepping Stones and Honor Interestingness - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anthony Pecorella, Anil Das-Gupta and Matt Dion, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Investing in Interestingness: Could setting goals actually be counterproductive when creating innovative games?

#2 Fully On-Chain Games: Is this a direction the industry should go towards, or is it just an academic curiosity?

#3 Traditional Console Developers and Mobile: Considering the success of Fire Emblem Heroes, why are traditional console developers not maximizing their mobile market potential?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Web3 Game Fundraising in a Crypto Winter - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Winter is here.

On this week’s Crypto Corner, BITKRAFT Crypto Team members Carlos Pereira and Jamie Wallace join your host (and their colleague) Nico Vereecke to discuss the current state of Web3 fundraising. Now that expectations have come back to earth, what’s the best way forward for Studio Founders? What do you do when the price of your token is unfairly low? How should you approach fundraising today? What lessons are to be learned from the previous bull cycle?

Want to get in touch with BITKRAFT? Send an email to pitch@bitkraft.vc!

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Eric Kress: Dissecting the Video Game Market - Interviews

Naavik — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this episode, Eric Kress, principal of Gossamer Consulting Group and co-host of the Deconstructor of Fun podcast, joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 What’s driving negative games industry growth rates and where there’s underlying strength

#2 How this recession may play out differently from previous ones for gaming companies

#3 His analysis on companies including Microsoft, Embracer, Take-Two Interactive, Electronic Arts, Roblox, and more

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review! And if you have any questions or suggestions, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co.

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Cutting Through the Game Recession Fluff - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Brett Nowak, Anil Das-Gupta and Matt Dion, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Solana’s Web3 Mobile Phone: What problems is Solana solving by developing a web3 phone?

#2 Miniclip Acquires Sybo: How does the acquisition benefit both Miniclip and Sybo?

#3 Are Games Recession Proof: Could the impacts vary depending on game platform and monetisation models?

#4 Fortnite Tests Play Style Tags: Should all game studios have at least one data scientist?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Autonomous Worlds and Digital Physics with 0xPARC - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

The Future of Gaming is fully decentralized and is built on Autonomous Worlds and Digital Physics.

On this week’s Crypto Corner, tech pioneer Justin Glibert shares his vision with your host Nico Vereecke. Justin heads up the ‘Autonomous Worlds’ division at 0xPARC, a foundation promoting R&D and Infrastructure around Decentralized Platform. 0xPARC is currently best known for its significant contributions to games like Dark Forest. During our conversation, we go deep into why we need Autonomos Worlds, what Digital Physics are, and what the Metaverse will look like.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Meta’s Evolved VR and Gaming Strategy - Roundtable

Naavik — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Joost van Dreunen, and Aaron Bush, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Diablo Immortal Game Launch Results: Did the P2W uproar affect the game’s launch results?

#2 Offroad Unchained Launch: What’s this fun new racing game and why could it struggle with performance?

#3 Meta Doubles Down on VR and Gaming: What has changed with Meta’s Reality Labs over the past few months?

#4 Can the Digital Age Truly Bring New Ideas?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Building a Sustainable Blockchain Game ft. Gods Unchained - Crypto Corner

Naavik — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Chris Clay has been working on games for over two decades. He has spent the last 3 years building and operating one of the most popular and sustainable Blockchain Games in the world, Gods Unchained. Together with Alex Takei, he joins your host Nico Vereecke for a deep dive into Gods Unchained, learnings from 3 years of Web3 game building, advantages and disadvantages of using Blockchain technology, & more.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - The Snowball Changing the Games We Develop

Naavik — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Abhimanyu Kumar, Lars Doucet and Tim Mannveille, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Riot x Game Pass: What’s in it for Riot and will it affect their monetisation strategy?

#2 Who Is Savvy Gaming Group: Why did they invest in Embracer Group?

#3 Dark Forest Research Sneak Peak: How did Dark Forest develop a game fully on-chain?

#4 Apple Says “Fingerprinting is Never Allowed”: How are privacy changes affecting the games we develop?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - 1 vs 2 Token Economies for Games

Naavik — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

What are the differences between 1 and 2 token models for games? How can you leverage them to make a sustainable economy? Tokenomics experts Nat Eliason and Defi Vader join your host Nico Vereecke for a deep dive.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Is Diablo Immortal Fun for Mortal Wallets?

Naavik — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, David Amor, Yon Raz-Fridman and Aaron Bush, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Axie Infinity’s First UGC Games: How does the Sky Mavis UGC programme benefit Axie Infinity? Could the revenue share model sustain builders’ costs of development?

#2 Diablo Immortal’s $100k+ to Max a Character: What is the game mechanic with enough spend depth for $100k+ per character? Does this power progression affect players who don’t spend as much?

#3 Apex Legends’ Mobile Launch Results: How did the launch compare to other popular mobile battle royales such as Call of Duty?

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - Token Economy Design for Games

Naavik — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

What do fungible tokens bring to video games? What do you need to keep in mind when designing a game economy with tokens? How will tokens & games evolve over time? Tokenomics expert Jeremy Parris and everyone’s favorite crypto-skeptic Lars Doucet join your host Nico Vereecke for a deep dive.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Matchmaking Retention Through Emotional Variability

Naavik — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anil Das-Gupta and Matt Dion, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Sony’s Transmedia Announcements: Are we in the golden age for successful big screen adaptations of games?

#2 When Does Consolidation Mania End: Why are game giants interested in being acquired? What does consolidation mean to the creativity of game development?

#3 Some Players Don’t Want Fair Matchmaking: Popular FPS players and content creators are asking for easy PvP lobbies so they can entertain with crushing wins. Should games optimize their matchmaking design for retention instead of near-perfect skill matching? We dive into Ethan Davison’s ‘Video game developers want fair online games. Some players really don’t.’

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - Blocklords Deep Dive with CEO David Johansson

Naavik — Tue, 31 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Blocklords is a Web3 Medieval Strategy MMO with asymmetric gameplay facilitating a (potentially) sustainable Play-and-Earn economy. Their CEO, David Johansson joins your host Nico Vereecke for a deep dive.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Game Design Innovation Requires Growing Pains

Naavik — Fri, 27 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Nicolas Vereecke, David Amor and Abhimanyu Kumar, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 EA’s Rumored Sale or Merger: How would NBCUniversal, Disney, Apple or Amazon benefit from acquiring EA? Why are none of these game companies?

#2 Merit Circle DAO Proposal to Remove YGG Seed Investor: What instigated the proposal and is it fair? Are we witnessing how DAOs could change investment partnerships? YGG issued an official statement.

#3 Is Crypto Gaming Broken? We Don’t Think So: We dive into Nat Eliason’s ‘Crypto Gaming is Broken. How Do We Fix It?’ article to explore the listed problems and suggested solutions.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - Blockchain Gaming in a Crypto Bear Market

Naavik — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

What does Blockchain Gaming look like on the other side of a crypto bear market?

That is the question we are discussing on this week’s Crypto Corner. Sebastian Park and Ryan Foo join your host Nico Vereecke to go into

#1 Blockchain Gaming in a Crypto Bear Market

#2 We Expect too Much out of Blockchain Games (more reading here)

#3 Common Errors in Assessing Probabilities for Success in Entrepreneurship

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co or metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Luna Crashed and the Bear Woke Up

Naavik — Fri, 20 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anton Gorodetsky, Nicolas Vereecke and Aaron Bush, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Luna/UST Crash: Why did Luna and UST crash? What are the impacts on currency owners, crypto markets and blockchain games? Nico recommended this source for all the Luna crash details. Naavik shared this blog resource for an in-depth analysis of pros/cons for the most popular blockchain solutions.

#2 Bear Markets: Is there a generalized bear market? What were the triggers? Have we seen impacts in our day-to-days?

#3 InvestGame’s Q1 2022 Report: Results of this quarter’s game industry investment activities. To dive into the details the full report can be downloaded from InvestGame’s website.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - Robbie Ferguson: How to Design and Scale Blockchain-Powered Game Economies

Naavik — Tue, 17 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Robbie Ferguson is Co-founder at Immutable, builder of the first Layer 2 for NFTs on Ethereum. Immutable has also created the Blockchain Games Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians. He joins your host Nico Vereecke today to discuss all things Blockchain Gaming. We go into

#1 Why Game Devs should work with Immutable

#2 Ethereum Scaling: Zero-Knowledge Rollups

#3 What Blockchain brings to games

#4 Practical Tips on designing a Blockchain-Powered Game Economy

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Return of the Fortnite

Naavik — Fri, 13 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Abhimanyu Kumar, Matt Dion and Anil Das-Gupta, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Fortnite Returns to iOS: How does the Xbox Cloud Streaming partnership benefit Fortnite and Microsoft?

#2 China’s Underage Streaming Regulations: What are the roles of game developers and regulation in protecting minors and adults from the potential negative impacts of games?

#3 EVE Online Roadmap: What’s next for EVE Online now that it’s nearly celebrating 20 years since its release?

#4 Stop Comparing Web3 Games to Free-to-Play: What are the potential problems web3 game teams could face when stuck in comparing web3 with f2p games? We dive into Joe Lee’s article.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - Treasure DAO - Building a Decentralized Nintendo

Naavik — Tue, 10 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Big Brain Time! In this episode, we take a deep dive into Treasure - a DAO that’s building On-Chain bridges between Metaverses. Treasure Co-founder and Core team member John and Karel join you host Nico Vereecke to discuss

#1 Treasure and $Magic

#2 On-Chain Economic Primitives

#3 Incentivizing Game Builders

#4 Managing a Gaming DAO

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Square Enix’s Western Studios ‘Only’ Cost $300M?

Naavik — Fri, 06 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, David Amor, Matej Lancaric and Miikka Ahonen, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Bored Ape’s Virtual Land Sale: Could the Ethereum gas war have been avoided? What could other companies learn from Yuga Labs’ experience?

#2 Web2 vs Web3 UA: What are the current differences between web2 and web3 user acquisition? Will this change as web3 gaming matures?

#3 Warcraft Arclight Rumble Announcement: What is Blizzard’s new mobile game? Was the development strategy ‘build and they will come’?

#4 Embracer Acquires Square Enix’s Western Studios: What could be behind the $300M price tag? How does this acquisition benefit Embracer Group’s strategy? Is Tomb Raider a valuable IP?

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - The Future of Axie Infinity with Philip La, Game Lead at Sky Mavis

Naavik — Tue, 03 May 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Philip La is the Game Product Lead at Sky Mavis, the makers of Axie Infinity. He joins your host Nico Vereecke today to discuss all things Blockchain Gaming. We go into

#1 What makes Axie Infinity special

#2 Axie Origin

#3 Axie Land Gameplay

#4 The future of Play-to-Earn

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - STEPN: Move-to-Earn or Ponzinomics?

Naavik — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Matt Dion, Abhimanyu Kumar and Nicolas Vereecke, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Ubisoft Attracts Buyout Interest: Why could Ubisoft be exploring a buyout? Are there parallels to be drawn between Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard’s acquisition?

#2 Meta Struggles to Recover Market Value: Is it possible for Meta to recoup their metaverse investment considering the competitive landscape?

#3 Playable Worlds Raise: What is Playable Worlds developing? If there’s someone to trust to develop a sandbox MMO game it's Raph Koster.

#4 STEPN: Move-to-Earn or Ponzinomics?: Is STEPN’s tokenomics sustainable or is the product walking the same path as Axie Infinity? Does reduced token value mean a game’s unsuccessful? What could be the future of move-to-earn?

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - The Legal Side of Web3

Naavik — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Omri Bouton is a Blockchain, Crypto/NFT & Web3 Lawyer at Sheridans. He joins your host Nico Vereecke today to discuss the legal and regulatory side of Web3. We go into

#1 What is a DAO?

#2 Security vs Utility Tokens

#3 IP on the Blockchain

& More!

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Is Transmedia the Next Mainstream Game Dev Strategy?

Naavik — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anil Das-Gupta, Abhimanyu Kumar and Tom Hammond, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Transmedia as a Game Dev Strategy: Why are there numerous IPs going from games to the big screen and vice-versa? How does transmedia impact storytelling?

#2 Xbox In-game Ads for F2P Games: Why is Microsoft considering in-game ads for Xbox? Will they consider video rewarded ads? How effective are in-game billboard ads?

#3 Coda Payments Raises $690m: What are the benefits of games integrating with third party stores and payment products? Does iOS play ball with these products?

#4 Fortnite’s Zero Build Mode: Could significantly reducing player skill gaps bring churned and new players back to a competitive game?

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - RSTLSS: Digital Identity in Web3

Naavik — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

Charli Cohen is founder and CEO of RSTLSS, a Digital Fashion Brand for the Multiverse. She joins Faye Maidment and Nico Vereecke to discuss

#1 Identity & self-expression in Web3

#2 Fashion in the Metaverse

#3 Digital vs traditional Fashion

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Shaping the Metaverse Brick by LEGO Brick

Naavik — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, David Amor and Matt Dion, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Ghost Recon Breakpoint Sunset: Did Ubisoft experiment introducing NFTs into a live game because Ghost Recon Breakpoint was due to sunset? Could players use those NFTs in other Ubisoft games?

#2 Epic x LEGO Collaboration: Are they the perfect partners to build a metaverse? Why did Sony invest $1B towards this goal? How could the Epic x LEGO metaverse compare against Meta’s creator fees?

#3 Miniclip Pivots From Web Browser Games: Is Miniclip uniquely positioned to carve a strong mobile market in this post-IDFA world? Could negative ROAS and cross-promotion be a viable UA strategy?

#4 Take-Two’s Public Offering: Flash knowledge share of what senior notes are and what they mean for Take-Two Interactive.

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

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Crypto Corner - Web3 Gaming Business Models & The Future of Virtual Economies

Naavik — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Crypto Corner episode, BITKRAFT Crypto Team members Carlos Pereira and Jamie Wallace join your host Nico Vereecke to discuss

#1 A Ronin Exploit Update

#2 Different Business Models in Web3 Gaming

#3 The Future of Web3 Gaming Economies

#4 Fun and Work in the Metaverse

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - Garena Free Fire Deconstruction

Naavik — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush and Thomas Baker, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Naavik Pro Deconstruction: How did Garena’s Free Fire succeed in the red ocean market of battle royale games? How can you sell player power without making the game pay to win? How can tech debt impact your game’s revenue?

#2 Mobile Game Earnings - Q1 2022: Sensor Tower reported that mobile game earnings were down 7% during Q1 2022. Should mobile game developers prepare for doom and gloom?

#3 Bloodborne Kart: Lilith Walther — creator of the popular Bloodborne PSX demake — announced her new fan project: Bloodborne Kart. Could game mods become popular across gaming platforms?

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - The $625m Ronin Exploit & the Future of Axie Infinity

Naavik — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Crypto Corner episode, Lars Doucet, Anil Das-Gupta and Chong Ahn join your host Nico Vereecke to talk about the Recent Ronin exploit and what it means for the future of Axie Infinity. We discuss;

#1 What a blockchain bridge is

#2 The details of the Ronin Hack

#3 What will happen next

#4 The new Axie game
#5 The future of Axie Infinity

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - The Good, the Bad and the Strategy of PlayStation Subscriptions

Naavik — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Anil Das-Gupta, Aaron Bush and Chong Ahn, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Axie Infinity’s Ronin Sidechain Hack: How could the hack help shape the team structure and tech stack of web3 game studios? What does the hack mean for Sky Mavis’ future? Nico will be hosting a technical deep dive into Ronin’s hack in the next Crypto Corner episode.

#2 Deep Dive - New PlayStation Plus Subscriptions: What are the new PlayStation Plus subscription tiers? Does their subscription model compete with Xbox Game Pass? Whose strategy could win the long game - PlayStation or Xbox?

#3 Miniclip Exceeds 4 Billion Downloads: We celebrate this major achievement and discuss how Miniclip influenced current game genres and people who now develop games. How did Miniclip build such a long lasting, influential game company?

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - OpenSea, Blockchain Gaming Monetization & Web3 at GDC

Naavik — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0200

In this Crypto Corner episode, Will Brooke, Gaming Lead at OpenSea, and Seb Park, Co-Founder at Infinite Canvas, join your host Nico Vereecke to talk about:

#1 OpenSea

#2 Gaming NFTs

#3 The Future of Web3 Monetization

#4 Blockchain Gaming at GDC

Key Resources: YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable - What We Learned at GDC 2022

Naavik — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Nicolas Vereecke, David Amor and Fawzi Itani, join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 What We Learned at GDC 2022: Special episode dedicated to our learnings from GDC 2022. We talk about our individual experiences and what we learned based on our different game industry roles; and whether attending GDC is worth the investment.

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Crypto Corner - MatchboxDAO: Building On-Chain Games on StarkNet

Naavik — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Crypto Corner episode, Swagtimus and Yoni, the pseudonymous builders behind MatchboxDAO join your host Nico Vereecke to take a deep dive in:

#1 Zero-Knowledge Proofs

#2 The Advantages ZK Rollups bring to gaming

#3 The Disadvantages of ZK Rollups

#4 The Most Exciting Matchbox Projects

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Roundtable #39 - Could Thatgamecompany be the Pixar of games?

Naavik — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta and Matt Dion join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Thatgamecompany’s 160M USD Investment: Could the investment scale the company to explore games that are emotional experiences across mediums? Will we see more games developed as art? Do companies need to tackle artistic versus revenue-focused projects differently?

#2 EA’s Lootbox Fine Overturned: How can companies keep up and adapt their games to the individual regulations of each country? Could the legal decision have been different if it were a crypto game?

#3 Ukraine and the Games Industry: We discuss how games exiting from Russia could affect the global games industry and we hope that everyone in Ukraine can find safety and peace.

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Crypto Corner #17 - Michael Sanders: Horizon Blockchain Games

Naavik — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Crypto Corner episode, Michael Sanders, Co-Founder and Chief Storyteller at Horizon Blockchain Games, joins your host Nico Vereecke to discuss

#1 What Blockchain brings to Gaming

#2 The next generation of Blockchain Gaming wallets with Sequence

#3 Blockchain Trading Card Games with Skyweaver

#4 The future of Gaming

YouTube video: Available here

Episode Summary here

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Roundtable #38 - Can AI Tech Innovate Game Development?

Naavik — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, David Amor, Abhimanyu Kumar and Matt Dion join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Realistic Characters for Virtual Worlds: Inworld AI raised 10M USD to create “brains for virtual characters in immersive realities”. Why are realistic characters important for virtual worlds? Could third party AI solutions lower game development costs? What other AI applications could we see in games?

#2 Genshin Impact’s User Generated Content: Why is HoYoverse developing UGC content for Genshin Impact? Is this a signal of what’s to come next in their “virtual world of immersive entertainment”? Could we see more games adopt UGC features?

#3 Four-Day Work Weeks: Can game studios, notorious for crunch, widely adopt 4-day work weeks? What could be the pros and cons of this benefit?

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Crypto Corner #16 - Robby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands

Naavik — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Crypto Corner episode, Robby Yung, CEO at Animoca Brands, joins your host Nico Vereecke to discuss:

#1: What Animoca Brands is

#2: The biggest advantages of Blockchain in games

#3: The future of Blockchain Gaming

#4: Animoca’s strategy & value proposition

#5: Interoperability

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Roundtable #37 - Will Steam Deck Become a Success?

Naavik — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush and Fawzi Itani join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 Evolution of Digital Game Sales: Will digital games overtake physical copies, and are digital sales a long-term strategy for console developers?

#2 Playtika’s 2022 Strategy: Playtika went public in January 2021 and they recently announced they’re considering a sale of the company. We discuss the possible ‘whys’ behind the decision based on their 2021 earnings and game portfolio.

#3 Steam Deck’s Release: We discuss whether Steam Deck – a handheld gaming PC - could become a success based on early product reviews, Valve’s addressable market and handheld competitors.

Key Resources: Episode summary | YouTube video

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Crypto Corner #15 - Crypto Gaming 101

Naavik — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Crypto Corner episode, Nico Vereecke, Devin Becker and Ethan Levy join your host Maria Gillies to get back to basics on Crypto Games. We discuss:

Web3 vs Crypto Games vs Blockchain Games

Different types of Crypto Integration in Games

Different types of Blockchains, Layer 1s and Layer 2s

Fungibility

Composability

Governance Tokens vs Utility Tokens vs NFTs

Staking

YouTube video: Available here.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Roundtable #36 - Prioritize New Game Ideas, Costs of Buggy Game Launches, & YouTube’s NFTs

Naavik — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Matt Dion and Sebastian Park join your host Maria Gillies to discuss:

#1 How to Prioritize New Game Ideas: You have a list of new game ideas but you’re not sure which one to pursue first? We discuss how to prioritize them and whether finding the perfect idea is required before getting started.

#2 Costs of Buggy Game Launches: We share our opinions about how buggy game launches could affect player purchasing behavior, and if there’s a line to be drawn between perfection and game launch. Based on Rob Fahey’s opinion article.

#3 YouTube’s NFTs: We talk about how this feature could affect the future of content creation from a game’s perspective.

Episode summary available here.

YouTube video available here.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Crypto Corner #14 - A Deep Dive into Crypto Raiders

Naavik — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Crypto Corner episode, Nicholas ‘Captain Kix’ Kneuper - co-founder of Crypto Raiders - and Naavik collaborator Devin Becker join your host Nico to take a deep dive into Crypto Raiders.

Crypto Raiders is a pixel dungeon crawler game, RPG, & ecosystem with gamified DeFi elements utilizing tokens & NFTs. The game is built on the Polygon Network. In Crypto Raiders, players use NFT characters to loot dungeons, defeat bosses, and earn tokens.

YouTube video: Available here.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Roundtable #35 - Roblox’s Results, Global Gaming Deals Activity in 2021 & Nintendo Direct

Naavik — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Anton Gorodetsky, David Amor and Yonatan Raz-Fridman join your host Maria Gillies to discuss -

#1 Roblox Results: Roblox reported their Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 results. We dive into the reported numbers, discuss Roblox’s strategy and their secret sauce, and what challenges must be solved to keep reaching towards their ambitions.

#2 Global Gaming Deals Activity in 2021: We talk about why “2021 proved to be yet another record-smashing year for the Video Games industry” according to InvestGame’s report, and if we’ll continue to see significant investment in blockchain throughout 2022.

#3 Nintendo Direct: We briefly share our favorite Nintendo Direct announcements.

Episode summary available here.
YouTube video available here.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Crypto Corner #13 - Loot Part 2: Decentralized, Permissionless & Collaborative World Building

Naavik — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, timshel, LordOfaFew and Threepwave, join your host Nico to take a deep dive into how world building happens within the Lootverse.

We talk about what the Lootverse is, what makes it special, who decides what ‘Canon’ is in Loot, what it means to build fully on-chain and much more.

Full episode summary available here.
YouTube video available here.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord

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Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

Roundtable #34 - Network effects, User Acquisition Fundamentals & F2P vs Web3 UA

Naavik — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Episode Summary

In this Metacast episode, Matej Lancaric, Chong Ahn and Nico Vereecke join your host Maria Gillies to discuss -

Network Effects

Animoca Brands investment strategy has a “rising tide lifts all boats” approach explored in Naavik’s newsletter Master the Meta: https://naavik.co/themetas/animoca-2022
We discuss network effects, flywheel effects and if we’ve seen other examples of these strategies applied in games.

User Acquisition Fundamentals

If you’re thinking about starting your own games company without having user acquisition experience then this topic may be of interest to you. Matej, Naavik’s in-house UA expert lays out the fundamental principles and best practices in user acquisition.

F2P vs Web3 UA

Our user acquisition discussion leads us into exploring the similarities and differences between UA for free-to-play and Web3 games.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at maria@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord

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Crypto Corner #12 - Blockchain Trading Card Games (Ft. Gods Unchained)

Naavik — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:00:52 +0100

Episode Summary

Trading Card Games lend themselves well to Blockchain Technology. Digital Trading cards are an easy concept to grasp, as they are already in-use and reflect characteristics of scarcity similar to their physical counterparts.

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Chris Clay - Game Director for Gods Unchained at Immutable and David “Mzo” Becker - Games Commentator & Researcher, join your host Nico to take a deep dive into Blockchain-Based Trading Card Games. They discuss

The Current State of Blockchain TCGs
Gods Unchained & Immutable X
How NFT TCGs release new cards
Gods Unchained Token Design
The Problem of Bots
Balancing an NFT TCG Ecosystem
The Future of Gods Unchained

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord

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Roundtable #33 - Gaming DAOs, Designing Endgames, and Sony’s Acquisition of Bungie

Naavik — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Episode Summary

This episode of the Roundtable sees Florian Ziegler, Matt Dion, and Maria Gillies joining your host Nico to discuss DAOs and their application in the gaming space, endgame design, and the big news this week on Sony’s acquisition of Bungie.

Riffing off Matt’s deep-dive into the nascent landscape of gaming DAOs on Naavik, our guests discuss what DAOs are and how they operate, particularly in the context of games. We then turn our attention to the criticality of endgame design for the overall success of any game, and what strategies and tools can help game developers navigate this challenge. Finally, the episode concludes with keen observations on Bungie’s recent acquisition by Sony.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #11 - The Rise of Play-to-Earn Gaming Guilds (Feat. YGG & BAYZ)

Naavik — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Summary here

Play-to-earn Gaming Guilds are Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) that buy game assets (usually yield-earning NFTs) and loan them out to guild members through scholarships.

Because of their size and rapid growth (they often represent tens of thousands of gamers and have $100m+ treasuries), they have a significant impact on how blockchain games are designed and where the industry is going.

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Gabby Dizon - Co-Founder @ Yield Guild Games and Matt “MobileMatt” Rutledge - Co-Founder @ BAYZ join your host Nico to take a deep dive into how these guilds work. They discuss

What P2E Gaming Guilds are
How their Tokenomics work
How they choose games to invest in
What differentiates one guild from another
Gaming Guilds vs esports
The Future of Gaming & Web3 distribution

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #32 - Sandbox Deconstruction, Women in Games & What's Next for Dapper Labs

Naavik — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Summary here

In this Metacast episode, Maria Gillies, Jayne Peressini and Aaron Bush join your host Nico to discuss -

#1: Naavik’s The Sandbox Deconstruction

TL;DR - The Sandbox is currently:

- More expensive than you think

- Less decentralized than you think

- Less censorship-resistant than you think

You can find the teaser deconstruction here. And the full deconstruction here!

#2: Women in Games

More diversity within the games industry will lead to better games. We discuss some things organizations can do to foster Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging and Success.

#3: What’s Next for Dapper Labs

Jayne shares more about Dapper Labs’ plans moving forward, and what she has learned from her job as VP of Growth.

Key links: Dapper Labs | UFC Strike x Dapper Labs collaboration

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out to nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #10 - Crabada, a fully decentralized Play-and-Earn Idle Game on Avalanche

Naavik — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Summary here

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Ryan Foo and Tender join your host Nico to take a deep dive into Crabada, a fully decentralized Play-and-Earn Idle Game on the Avalanche network.

Set in an undersea world filled with fierce fighting Hermit-Crabs called Crabada. Players are invited to breed, lend, rent, and battle crabs represented by on-chain NFTs to earn cryptocurrencies with real value.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #31 - Microsoft x Activision Blizzard, NFT Marketplaces & Turkish Studios Raise Big

Naavik — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 14:24:10 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Sebastian Park, Miikka Ahonen and David Amor join your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss -

#1: Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard for $68.7B

For context, find the article here.

#2: OpenSea Raises $300M at $13.3B Valuation

For context, find the article here. And some other referenced links: OpenSea | Fractal | Coinbase NFT | LooksRare

#3: Turkish Studio’s are Raising Big

Specially, we discuss Spyke's and Dream Games' raises.

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #9 - What 2022 has in store for Blockchain Gaming

Naavik — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Joost van Dreunen, Miko Matsumura and Chong Ahn join your host Nico to talk about what’s going to happen in the Blockchain Gaming world in the year to come.

If you would like us to discuss any another blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #30 - Take Two buys Zynga & The Roblox Controversy

Naavik — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Yonatan Raz-Fridman, Devin Becker and Abhimanyu Kumar join your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss -

#1: Take-Two buys Zynga for $12.7B

For context, here is the press release.

#2: Is Roblox Exploiting Young Game Developers?

We discuss the first and second videos released by People Make Games.

And as this week’s bonus segment, we are making bold predictions about M&A in 2022.

Other key links referenced in the discussion:

EA buys Glu - Link
GTA Online recurring revenue - Link
Zynga's experience porting IP to mobile - Link
Max Payne Mobile (I don't think Manyu knew!) - Apple & Google
Take-Two's purchase of SocialPoint - Link
Supersocial (gotta plug Yon!) - Link
CORE - Link
Robux DevEx FAQ - Link

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #8 - [Debate] Why Gamers Hate NFTs

Naavik — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

Over the past months, we’ve seen a significant backlash from the gaming community when gaming companies announced they were experimenting with NFTs in their games.

In this Naavik Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Lars Doucet and Ethan Levy join your host Nico to have an open-minded discussion about whether these concerns are really valid, and what the blockchain gaming community can do to address them.

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #29 - Biggest Learnings of 2021

Naavik — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

For many in the games industry, 2021 was a rollercoaster ride. We saw Roblox going public, Apple’s ATT come into effect, discriminatory practices in the largest game companies come to light, play-to-earn burst onto the scene and so much more.

In this special Metacast Roundtable episode, Fawzi Itani, Ryan Foo and Florian Ziegler join your host Nicolas Vereecke to look back at 2021 and share their biggest learnings.

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #7 - Blockchain Games & Esports

Naavik — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Khaled Alroumi, Anton Backman and Sebastian Park join your host Nico to take a deep dive into the complexities of Blockchain Games and high level competition + esports.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #28 - Blockchain Ecosystem Funds, Rec Room Raises $145m & Amazon Prime Gaming partners with Blankos Block Party

Naavik — Fri, 24 Dec 2021 10:30:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Chong Ahn, David Amor and Florian Ziegler join your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

#1: The Rise of Blockchain Gaming Ecosystem Funds

All over the Crypto Gaming space, blockchains are partnering up with Venture Capital funds to create Blockchain Gaming Ecosystem funds. The goal of these funds is to support games teams to build on these respective blockchains. This is a solid strategy to kickstart network effects, but we are wary of these ecosystems becoming too closed off from the rest of the Blockchain Gaming world.

#2: Rec Room Raises $145M

Rec Room, the social gaming and UGC platform, has seen 450% MAU growth over the past year, which explains the valuation of $3.5b only nine months after raising $100m at a $1.25b valuation. The company is on a strong growth trajectory, and will now need to focus on providing great experiences and tools for its creators to sustain it.

#3: Amazon Prime Gaming Partners with Blankos Block Party to give NFTs to its Subscribers

After linking their account, subscribers of Amazon Prime Gaming were able to receive a free Blankos Block Party NFT to play with on the Blankos platform. Chong, VP of Product at Mythical Games, walks us through the rationale behind the partnership, and its results.

As this week’s bonus segment, we are predicting the major topics in the games industry for 2022.

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #6 - How We're Scaling Blockchain Games

Naavik — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, Derek Lau and LordOfAFew join your host Nico to take a deep dive into how we’ll scale Blockchain Games.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #27 - PlayStation Spartacus, Tencent <3 Supercell & The Game Awards

Naavik — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Yonatan Raz-Fridman and Miikka Ahonen join your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

#1: PlayStation Spartacus

Sony is (allegedly) planning a new subscription service to compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. The service will allow PlayStation owners to pay a monthly fee for access to a catalog of modern and classic games.

Launch expected in spring, the service will merge Sony’s two existing subscription plans, PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now.

#2: Tencent to Increase Supercell Stake

Supercell has seen revenue fall nearly every year since Tencent’s acquisition of a majority stake in 2016. The Information now reports that the Chinese internet giant is to boost that stake in Supercell at a valuation of roughly 11b. This is 10% higher than the valuation in 2016.

It will do that by buying some of the shares held by the partners that bought in back in 2016.

Note - our recording happened minutes before this went live.

#3: The Game Awards

The Game Awards is an award show honoring the best video games of the year. It was held in LA on Thursday last week, and was live streamed globally. I Takes Two won Game Of The Year, but we feel that the awards are very niche and too focused on AAA console/PC games. Aaron now plans to launch the Naavik Games Industry Awards Show.

And as this week’s bonus segment, we are predicting what will be the most successful game of 2022.

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #5 - A Deep Dive into Wolf Game

Naavik — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 18:30:02 +0100

In this Metacast Crypto Corner episode, your host Nico is joined by Ryan Foo and Oweh Soh to take a deep dive into the Wolf Game phenomenon.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Roundtable #26 - Massively Multiplayer On-Chain Games, Ubisoft announces AAA NFTs & Moon Active raises $300m

Naavik — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 14:00:00 +0100

What is a MMOCG or Massively Multiplayer On-Chain Game? How does it work? What can we do with it? Is this going to be a thing?

Find out this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Florian Ziegler, David Amor and Matej Lancaric are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

Massively Multiplayer On-Chain Games

MMOCGs are games that are both Open-Source and Open-State. The whole game lives completely on the blockchain, which has some profound and interesting consequences.

Ubisoft takes a first step into NFTs

Ubisoft announced the first implementation of blockchain technology into one of its games with the addition of NFTs to the PC version of Ghost Recon Breakpoint. The response was overwhelmingly negative, and the company removed the announcement video from YouTube. The move feels like a conservative experiment into NFTs, and we can only applaud Ubisoft for being the first AAA publisher to do it.

Moon Active raises $300m at a $5b valuation

Moon Active, the maker of Coin Master, is killing it. The company is not afraid to experiment with different types of games, and it’s paying off. We’re curious to see what they’ll do with this war chest!

As this week’s bonus segment, we are giving bold predictions about Ubisoft.

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #4 - Are Sustainable Play-to-Earn Economies Possible?

Naavik — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 18:14:09 +0100

In this Metacast CryptoCorner episode, your host Nico is joined by Lars Doucet, Ryan Foo and Miko Matsumura to discuss the sustainability of Play-to-Earn Economies.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

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Crypto Corner #3 - How we're getting to the next 100 million Blockchain Gamers

Naavik — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast CryptoCorner episode, your host Nico is joined by Joost Van Dreunen, Antubel Moreda and Sebastian Park to discuss the next steps in bringing Blockchain Gaming to the masses.

We talk about what the biggest challenges still are, who the next gamers will be, and what companies will thrive in this space.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Learn more: Newsletter or Go Premium
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Roundtable #25 - Games Industry Deals, Brands moving into Games + Facebook/Meta Haptic Gloves

Naavik — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Miikka Ahonen, Matej Lancaric and Anton Gorodetsky are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

InvestGame’s Gaming Deals Activity Report Q1-Q3 2021

Find the report here

Brands in Games

Nike and Roblox partnered to bring Nikeland onto the platform. We discuss how brands look at games, how they can build exposure within them and what games companies can do to facilitate that.

Facebook/Meta Reveals Haptic Gloves

Meta has silently been working on haptic technology to augment the Oculus VR Experience. We discuss how it works, the potential of this technology and the roadblocks ahead.

As this week’s bonus segment, we are giving bold predictions about Gaming Industry deals.

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Read more: Newsletter
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Salone Seghal - The next 1B Gamers will be in India

Naavik — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 15:00:00 +0100

Salone Sehgal is a general partner at Lumikai, India’s first gaming and interactive media fund. She previously founded her own gaming startup and served as a GP at London Venture Partners. We chat about the India games market — its potential to bring gaming to the next 1B users — key macro market trends, and specialized gaming VCs. Enjoy!

Roundtable #24 - Roblox Earnings, Forte raises $750m & Riot Surprises Everyone

Naavik — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0100

In this Metacast episode, Yonatan Raz-Fridman and Chong Ahn are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

Roblox

Roblox saw impressive revenue growth over the past quarter, even without

Forte & the rise of Blockchain Gaming Infrastructure Companies

Forte differentiates itself from other infrastructure providers by offering an all-in one cross-chain solution. Because what they’re building is so ambitious, they’ll be able to make very good use of the $750m they just rasied.

Riot Forge announces/drops 4 games

Riot is killing it these days, and the company is on its way to build the first games-first global multi-media IP.

As this week’s bonus segment, we are giving bold predictions about Riot Games

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Read more: Newsletter
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Crypto Corner #2 - Loot, The Hyperverse & The Future of Human Collaboration

Naavik — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 18:22:16 +0100

“Loot is a time machine into the future of human collaboration and work. We are building the Star Wars of the next generation”

In this Metacast CryptoCorner episode, your host Nico is joined by Timshel and LordOfAFew to take a deep dive into the Lootverse.

What emerges from the conversation is a mind boggling journey into the Hyperverse. The Hyperverse is a place where hundreds of builders are collaborating in a trustless, permissionless, distributed, global, pseudonymous and asynchronous way. It’s not clean. It’s not pretty. It might not go anywhere. But no one can stop them, and what might emerge could change the way we look at how humans work and collaborate.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Learn more: Newsletter or Go Premium
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Roundtable #23 - A Deep Dive into Axie Infinity

Naavik — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 16:00:00 +0100

Naavik is launching a new research service dedicated to blockchain games, and this episode is a discussion about our pilot report that was written by Jimmy, Lars, Anthony, Aaron and Manyu.

The team is joined by Nico to discuss important industry developments and dig deep into Axie Infinity. We walk through the game's history, game design, tokenomics, economic issues, future roadmap, and how we think the development team can set itself up for greater success.

Remember, if you wish to make us your personal blockchain games research department, go to naavik.co/premium and use the promo code "METACAST" in the next 30 days at checkout to save 25% for the first year subscription.

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Read more: Newsletter
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Roundtable #22 - Facebook is Meta now + Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft & ATVI report earnings

Naavik — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 14:00:00 +0100

Why did Facebook change its name to Meta? Does it make sense? More importantly - will it work?

Find out in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush and Carlos Pereira are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

Facebook going full Meta

Quarterly earnings reports of

Sony
Microsoft
Ubisoft
Activision Blizzard

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Read more: Newsletter
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Crypto Corner #1 - Michael Wagner, CEO of Star Atlas

Naavik — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0100

In this debut Crypto Corner episode, Michael Wagner, Co-Founder & CEO of Star Atlas, is joined by our own Nicolas Vereecke.

Star Atlas is a space-themed video game metaverse of grand strategy, open world exploration, territorial conquest, and political domination. The underlying technology consists of the latest in hi-fidelity game development, Unreal Engine, stunning visuals, and a blockchain base layer utilizing Solana.

We discuss Star Atlas’ vision, roadmap and technology, and dig deep in the potential of blockchain-enabled gaming plus what it will mean for the Metaverse.

If you would like us to discuss another blockchain gaming-related topic, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Learn more: Newsletter or Go Premium
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Roundtable #21 - Loot Project, NFT Galleries and Founder-Lead Games Companies

Naavik — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0200

!WARNING! the Metacast team is ‘winging it’ this week

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush and Abhimanyu Kumar are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

The current state of Loot

NFT galleries (check out Nico’s)

Founder-lead gaming companies

As this week’s bonus segment, we are giving bold predictions about whatever we feel like!

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Read more: Newsletter
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Roundtable #20 - The Present and Future of Roblox & Player-run NFT Game Economies

Naavik — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0200

How is Roblox doing 6 months after its IPO? What are some key design decisions when building an NFT-based game economy?

Answer to this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush , Yonatan Raz-Fridman and Miikka Ahonen are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

The Present and Future of Roblox

Roblox is betting big on multiple angles:

- Higher immersion through voice chat, better textures & more lifelike avatars

- More & better developer tooling

- Monetization through limited items & royalties

It is successfully innovating on different fronts, and thereby impressively deepening its competitive moat.

NFTs and player-run Game Economies

MobileDevMemo article

According to the article:

- The promise of NFTs for games lies in the fact that the game marketplace is not controlled or operated by the game developer, that there is transparency and that there is potential for fractional ownership.

- Essential requirements are that the value of in-game assets is not determined by an inflow of new players, NFTs contribute to core gameplay, and NFTs need to be freely accessible to all players.

- Some design choices that fulfill these requirements are; items are non-permanent (they can degrade or be lost upon death), there is derived scarcity (based on land for example), and items need intrinsic utility beyond speculation.

The above is a solid starting point for a comprehensive framework around NFT-based economies, but lacks some flexibility.

As this week’s bonus segment, we are sharing bold predictions about game economies!

If you would like us to discuss any another gaming-related topics, do reach out at nicolas@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Join the discussion: Discord
Read more: Newsletter
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Scott Reismanis - The Past, Present, and Future of Modding

Naavik — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast Interview episode, Scott Reismanis, Founder & CEO of mod.io, is joined by our own Aaron Bush.

Mod.io is building a platform that gives studios fully integrated and cross-platform mod solutions for their games. We discuss Scott’s history with Mod DB, why modding has failed to cross the chasm, why and how that might change, and how mod.io will be part of the solution. I learned a lot and expect you will too - enjoy!

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

Roundtable #19 - The Twitch Leaks, Paris Hilton builds a Roblox Experience & Social Tokens

Naavik — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0200

What are Social Tokens and why should you care about them? Why is Paris Hilton building an experience in Roblox? What did we learn from the Twitch Leaks?

Answer to this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Chong Ahn , Anton Gorodetsky and David Amor are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

The Twitch Leaks
1. Streamer earnings are concentrated at the top, and will remain there

2. A potential Steam competitor by Amazon will likely need to successfully leverage

Deep pockets
Exclusive, high-quality games
Integrations with Twitch/Amazon

Overall, not likely to happen

Paris Hilton builds a Roblox Experience

Celebs & brands will increasingly use games to find more points of contact with their audiences

Social tokens

Are a new way for content creators to

Do early fundraising
Build and reward their community
Cut out middlemen like Twitch, Patreon etc.

Expect a large number of creators to start issuing Social Tokens over the next years

More info here: https://digitalnative.substack.com/p/social-tokens-and-creator-centric

As this week’s bonus segment, we are making bold predictions about game streamers!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #18 - Creating a New Game, Honor Of Kings makes $10b & The Facebook Messes

Naavik — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Matej’s piece: https://lancaric.me/how-to-save-millions-with-marketability-testing/

What are some best practices when creating a new game from scratch? And how can you include marketability testing in that process?

Also - why is Honor of Kings the first Mobile Game to reach $10b in player spending?

Answer to this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Miikka Ahonen, Matej Lancaric and David Amor are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- New Game Creation best practices

- Honor of Kings reaches $10b in lifetime revenue

- Facebook messes up (again)

As this week’s bonus segment, we are making bold predictions about mobile games!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Gabby Dizon - On Building Yield Guild Games, the Play-to-Earn Gaming Guild

Naavik — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:45:17 +0200

In this Metacast Interview episode, Gabby Dizon, Co-founder of Yield Guild Games, is joined by our own Nicolas Vereecke.

They discuss what Yield Guild is, how Blockchain is changing the Games Industry and how Games Companies can take advantage of it.

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

Roundtable #17 - The Blockchain Games Opportunity & The Rise of the Creator Economy

Naavik — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 14:00:00 +0200

What is the real opportunity behind Blockchain Games? Why is everyone so bullish?

Also - what is the so-called Creator Economy and where is it going?

Answer to this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Matej Lancaric and David Amor are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- The Opportunity behind Blockchain Games

- The rise of the Creator Economy and its implications for games

As this week’s bonus segment, we are making bold predictions about the creator economy!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #16 - On-Chain vs Off-Chain Game Assets, Raph Koster's new MMO, Statespace raises $50m

Naavik — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0200

What are the differences between On-Chain game assets (NFTs) and regular in-game assets? What is up with Raph Koster’s new MMO? Is this the top of the NFT bubble?

Answer to this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Abhimanyu Kumar and Miikka Ahonen are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- The debate: On-chain vs Off-chain game assets

- Raph Koster reveals tech for Playable Worlds

- Statespace raises $50 million

As this week’s bonus segment, we are making bold predictions about the NFT space!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Michail Katkoff - On Product Management, Learning in Public & Building a Game Studio

Naavik — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 12:45:04 +0200

In this Metacast Interview episode, Miska Katkoff, co-founder & CEO of Savage Game Studio’s and Founder of Deconstructor of Fun, is joined by our own Nicolas Vereecke.

They discuss what it takes to be a good Product Manager in the Games Industry, how to build a new Games Studio, and why learning in public is a Superpower.

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

Roundtable #15 - Apple v Epic, Plants v Zombies 3 Soft Launch & The Destroyed Diamond NFT

Naavik — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Why is an NFT of a Destroyed Diamond being sold for $18.000? What’s next for Epic and Apple? Why is Plants versus Zombies 3 going into soft launch, again?

Answer to this and more in this week’s roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Matej Lancaric, David Amor and Chong Ahn are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- Epic versus Apple, end of Chapter 1

- Plants vs Zombies 3 going into soft launch, again

- The Destroyed Diamond NFT (prepare to get you mind blown)

As this week’s bonus segment, we are doing another round of ‘Would you rather?’

If you’d like to join the discussion, feel free to join our Discord!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #14: The Blockchain Episode - Loot (for adventurers), Scalability & Best Practices

Naavik — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0200

*Correction: Loot is an ERC721 token, NOT an ERC20 token

If you’re in the gaming industry and haven’t heard of Loot, stop what you’re doing and listen to this episode. As a bonus, you’ll get some fantastic insights into Blockchain and Games!

In this Blockchain-heavy Metacast roundtable, Jayne Peressini, David Amor and Chong Ahn are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- Loot (for adventurers)

- Scalability for Blockchain Games

- Best Practices in Blockchain and Games

As this week’s bonus segment, we are doing another Bold Predictions round, and we stay on the blockchain hype train.

If you’d like to join our discord to join the discussion, feel free to sign up for our newsletter at www.naavik.co.

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Uri Marchand - Overwolf, the Guild for In-Game-Creators

Naavik — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 17:23:41 +0200

We had the pleasure of interviewing Uri Marchand, Founder and CEO of Overwolf.

Overwolf is a modding-as-a-service platform that enables game developers to build a UGC strategy, and creators to easily build and scale mods and apps for their favourite games. We discuss why Uri is so bullish on creators, the future of modding, learnings from building a company, and much more. Enjoy!

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #13 - Netflix x Games Part 2, Apple loosens rules for Devs, China limits game time for kids

Naavik — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Why is Netflix launching 2 Stranger Things games in Poland? How impactful are Apple’s recent concessions, really? What are the implications of China’s recent gaming ban?

Answers to this and a whole lot of laughs in this week’s Roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Abhimanyu Kumar, Matej Lancaric and Anton Gorodetsky are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- Netflix’s baby steps into gaming

- Apple’s loosening of its App Store rules

- China’s ban of more than 3 hours of gaming per week for minors.

As this week’s bonus segment, we reintroduce Pitch your dream game. Panelists get a short time to pitch the game they would love to play, regardless of current technological limitations.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #12 - Google's Project Hug, Building a Remote Team & Supercell's New Game

Naavik — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Why did Google pay developers to publish only on the Google Play Store? How can a fully remote team successfully build something as complex as a video game? How fun is Supercell’s new game?

Answers to this and much more in this week’s Roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Jayne Peressini, Miikka Ahonen and Yonatan Raz-Fridman are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- Google’s response to Epic Games with ‘Project Hug’

- How to successfully build a fully remote organisation

- Supercell’s new game Everdale

As this week’s bonus segment, we introduce Pitch your dream game. Panelists get a short time to pitch the game they would love to play, regardless of current technological limitations.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Josh Williams - Building Infrastructure Technology for Blockchain Games

Naavik — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 01:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast Interview episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Josh Williams, CEO of Forte. Forte is building end-to-end infrastructure solutions that enable game developers to more easily build, launch, and manage blockchain games. We discuss why blockchain games matter, how Forte works, the company’s vision and plans for the future, and best practices for designing blockchain games.
Enjoy his conversation with Naavik's own Aaron Bush!

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #11 - Activision's Q2 results, Android to dominate mobile gaming & Ariana Grande in Fortnite

Naavik — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Will Activision Blizzard be able to correct its culture issues? What does Android need to do to overtake iOS? What’s up with Ariana Grande and Fortnite? Why should Ubisoft and Spotify merge??

Answers to these questions, and a whole lot of very bold predictions in this week’s Roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Aaron Bush, Matej Lancaric and Yonatan Raz-Fridman are joined by your host Nicolas Vereecke to discuss;

- Activision’s Q2 results

- Android’s moves in the mobile gaming industry

- Ariana Grande in Fortnite

As this week’s bonus segment, we do another round of Would you rather? In the games industry

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Mike Allender and Georgina Felce - On Building a Roblox Studio, Talewind

Naavik — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 19:05:27 +0200

Talewind is a new, UK studio building a social sandbox RPG that’s exclusive to the Roblox platform. Founded by Mike Allender and Georgina Felce at the beginning of the year, the studio completed the Roblox Accelerator program and closed an Angel investment round of $800k to support their ambitions to build high quality, professional games for metaverse platforms. In this conversation, Mike & Georgina discuss why they’re building Roblox, the importance of social-first games, and how to build a strong company culture and community.

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #10 - Ubisoft goes Free-to-Play, InvestGame's Gaming Deals Report & Jam City Cancels SPAC

Naavik — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Why is Ubisoft investing in Free-to-Play games? What were the biggest games deals for the first half of this year? Why did Jam City REALLY cancel its SPAC?

Answers to these questions and more in this week’s Roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Nicolas Vereecke is joined by Aaron Bush, Anton Gorodetsky and Grigory Bortnik to discuss;

- Ubisoft’s shift in strategy

- InvestGame’s H1 2021 Game Deal Report

- Jam City’s cancelled SPAC

As this week’s bonus segment, we introduce the popular party game “Would you rather?” in the games industry

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Moritz Baier-Lentz - VC Insights in the Gaming Industry

Naavik — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 14:00:00 +0200

In this first Metacast Interview, we have the pleasure of speaking with Moritz Baier-Lentz, partner at BITKRAFT Ventures, with Nicolas Vereecke hosting.

We start our conversation with Moritz’s experiences as a professional esports athlete and investment banker in the gaming industry. We then shift our focus to his work at BITKRAFT. Moritz lays out BITKRAFT’s thesis around “Synthetic Reality”, business models he’s particularly interested in, and technologies he’s keeping an eye on. Finally, he shares some tips for aspiring gaming entrepreneurs, gives us his view on the future of gaming, and ends with a spicy prediction.

If you would like us to interview anyone else (or you have something interesting to share), do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #9 - Investing in Play-to-Earn, Facebook and The Metaverse & the Threat of China

Naavik — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 14:00:00 +0200

What are the different ways to invest in the Play-to-Earn space? Should Facebook’s Metaverse aspirations concern us? How big is the threat of the Chinese Government? Answers to these questions and more on this week’s Roundtable!

In this Metacast episode, Nicolas Vereecke is joined by Piers Kicks, Abhimanyu Kumar and Yonatan Raz-Fridman to discuss;

- How investors can gain exposure to the booming #Playtoearn space

- Why Facebook wants to become a Metaverse company, and whether that's a good thing

- The threat of the Chinese government over games companies

As this week’s bonus segment, we do another round of bold predictions!

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.naavik.co. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #8 - Netflix x Games, Steam Deck & Growth for Play-to-Earn games

Naavik — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 14:00:00 +0200

Why is Netflix moving into games? Will the Steam Deck be successful? How do you acquire users for a Blockchain game? Find out on this week’s roundtable!!!

In this Metacast episode, Nicolas Vereecke is joined by Jayne Peressini, Matej Lancaric and Aaron Bush to discuss;

- Netflix’ entry into video games.

- Valve’s announcement of the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming PC.

- How to approach User Acquisition for Play-to-Earn games like Axie Infinity or Gala Games.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #7 - Play-to-Earn's sustainability & The Future of Instant Games

Naavik — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 16:00:00 +0200

How sustainable is the Play-to-Earn business model? Is it a Ponzi Scheme? Or is it the future of gaming? Find out on this week’s Roundtable episode!

In this Metacast episode, Nicolas Vereecke is joined by David Amor, Miikka Ahonen, Florian Ziegler and Anton Gorodetsky to discuss;

- The sustainability of the Play-to-Earn model with games like Axie Infinity

- The past and future of instant games

As today’s bonus segment, we have some more Bold Predictions, where panelists give us their spicy takes on the future of the video game industry.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #6 - Play-to-Earn & Facebook's VR dominance

Naavik — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:00:00 +0200

This week's Metacast episode is a banger!

We are proud to debut crypto expert and BITKRAFT's own Piers Kicks as part of our roundtable team! He's joined by Gala Games' Jayne, and Naavik's Aaron and Nico to discuss:

- The newly emerging Play-to-Earn model, focusing on companies like Axie Infinity and Gala Games

- The big moves Facebook is making in the VR space race

As today’s bonus segment, we introduce Bold Predictions, where panelists make a prediction about the future of the video game industry.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #5 - Blockchain in Games, The Best and Worst of E3 & Gaming Subscriptions

Naavik — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Nico is joined by David and Florian to discuss;

- The benefits and drawbacks of using Blockchain in games

- E3: The good, the bad and the ugly

- Gaming subscriptions, the future of game monetization?

As today’s bonus segment, we play 'Pitch the game, mobile version'!

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #4 - First Time User Experience best practices, Cloud Gaming's future & Trends in Ad Creatives

Naavik — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 20:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Nico is joined by Manyu, Matej and Florian to discuss -

- First Time User Experience (FTUE), what HD/Console game developers can learn from Mobile games best practices

- The future of Cloud gaming and Massive Interactive Live Events

- Trends in the development of Ad Creatives

We also introduce a new bonus segment, a game called 'Overrated/Underrated'.

You find the post Matej refers to here. And our deep dive on MILEs here.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #3 - Roblox's Future, Entertainment Ecosystems & Embracer's Strategy

Naavik — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 20:00:00 +0200

In this Metacast episode, Nico is joined by Aaron, Yon and Anton to discuss -

- The future of Roblox and why video game developers might consider building on UGC platforms

- How different companies build ecosystems around their offerings and leverage them to succeed in bigger way

- Embracer Group's last earnings report, plus the sustainability of its M&A-focused growth strategy

We also introduce a new segment, called 'Pitch the game', where the panelists try to convince Nico to try out a game of their choosing.

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #2 - The Power of Player Networks & Using UA for Game Validation

Naavik — Fri, 28 May 2021 20:00:00 +0200

In this marketing heavy Metacast episode, Nico and Manyu are joined by Jayne, Matej and Florian to discuss -

How Player Networks might hold the key to User Acquisition growth in a post-IDFA world
How UA can be used to validate game concepts in the early stages of game development and derisk the business overall

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Roundtable #1 - Apple vs. Epic, The Power of Ecosystems & AppLovin's Q1 results

Naavik — Fri, 21 May 2021 17:31:40 +0200

In The Metacast’s maiden episode, Nico is joined by Aaron, Manyu and Sergey to discuss -

The data gold mine unveiled in the Apple vs Epic court case
Is content king in the gaming industry? The power of platforms and ecosystems
A future outlook on AppLovin

If you have a question you’d like answered on the podcast, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

If you’d like more content, check us out at www.masterthemeta.com. You can also find us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.