Episodios

  • 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!

    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 [email protected].

    Who’s On:

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

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

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • Writing and directing for transmedia is an often overlooked part of world building in video games, but as consumers it is one of the most memorable elements of any game we play. Our host, David Taylor sat down with Neel Upadhye, a creative powerhouse who has left his mark on some of the most iconic franchises in gaming.

    From shaping the lore of Star Wars: The Old Republic and Battlefield 2042 to crafting Stories from the Outlands for Apex Legends, Neel’s work has been viewed tens of millions of times, defining what it means to merge storytelling with gameplay. In this episode, we explore Neel’s journey through the gaming industry, dive into his creative process, and what the future holds for transmedia storytelling.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • ¿Faltan episodios?

    Pulsa aquí para actualizar resultados

  • Botting, an often misused term that encapsulates multi-accounting, cheating, and fraud, plays a pivotal role in gaming — sometimes enhancing experiences but often undermining them.

    Our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Henry LeGard, CEO and co-founder of Verisoul, and George Ng, CTO and co-founder of GGWP, to unpack the botting phenomenon. Their nuanced conversation covers why gaming is rife with bots, when bots are good, when bots are bad, and what gaming can learn from cybersecurity and homeland security.

    The conversation digs into detection strategies (including behavioral analysis, device fingerprinting, and the deployment of ban waves) and also explores how community plays a role in bot detection and reporting. Finally, the trio discusses how the botting industry will change for the better or the worse with the advancements in AI.

    We’d also like to thank Reforged Labs for making this episode possible. This YC startup automates the traditionally costly and time-consuming ad production process, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video ads in under 24 hours – and it’s all powered by a proprietary AI engine trained on thousands of successful game ads. Learn more: https://reforgedlabs.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=naavik_promo&utm_id=naavik+promo&utm_term=newsletter&utm_content=october30.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • In this episode of the Naavik Gaming Podcast, host Niko Vuori interviews Antti Hattara, co-founder and CEO of StarBerry Games, about their successful mobile game, Merge Mayor.

    As the game surpasses the $25 million revenue milestone, the conversation covers the game's journey from an idle game that pivoted into a merge-2 (along the lines of Metacore’s Merge Mansion), the challenges of the merge category, and the importance of community engagement through platforms like Discord.

    Antti shares insights into the development processes of Merge Mayor with just a 22-person team, key moments that contributed to its success, and strategies for balancing feedback from hardcore players with the needs of new users. The discussion also touches on the innovative social features of the game, the “pyramid” framework for player engagement, and their evolving approach to storytelling.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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!

    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 [email protected].

    Who’s On:

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

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

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    We’d also like to thank Reforged Labs for making this episode possible. This YC startup automates the traditionally costly and time-consuming ad production process, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video ads in under 24 hours – and it’s all powered by a proprietary AI engine trained on thousands of successful game ads. Learn more: https://reforgedlabs.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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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, 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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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!

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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 [email protected].

    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/

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

    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 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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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 [email protected].


    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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!

    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 [email protected].

    Who’s On:

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

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

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • 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.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • With metagames becoming a key component of player engagement and monetization, it’s more important than ever to get them right. Host Devin Becker welcomes Christopher Molozian, CEO of Heroic Labs, to discuss the evolving landscape of metagame systems and the technology that powers them. Christopher explains how Heroic Labs' platform integrates seamlessly into games, enabling developers to enhance live operations with scalable metagame features. The conversation also explores how metagame elements can boost retention and monetization, while also examining the potential pitfalls where these systems might work against player engagement.

    Throughout the episode we address critical questions for developers, including where live operations most effectively tie into metagames, which features should be prioritized, and how to balance standardization with customization in mobile game development. Christopher also touches on the broader challenges of developing metagame features in today’s fast-paced industry and the trends that are shaping the future of metagames across all platforms. Whether you're a game developer, product manager, or simply fascinated by game design, this episode provides valuable insights into the evolving role of metagames in modern gaming.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

  • When designing content creation tools for the masses, most platforms have to make trade-offs across accessibility, ease of use, capability, and power of the toolsets. However, AI has the potential to provide the best of both worlds. For instance, co-pilot technology empowers non-technical creators to write code, and 3D gen-AI enables entire environments to be created from simple command line prompts.

    We’re seeing a number of companies emerge that are taking advantage of AI in order to compete with UGC gaming incumbents like Roblox and Fortnite. To help us understand the opportunities ahead, host David Taylor is joined by Vishnu Hari and Peggy Wang, the co-founders of ego, and Tabish Ahmed, the founder of Playroom. Additionally, we spend some time discussing the potential of Discord and Meta Horizon Worlds as emerging platforms in their own rights.

    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 [email protected].

    Watch the episode: YouTube Channel

    For more episodes and details: Podcast Website

    Free newsletter: Naavik Digest

    Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website

    Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.