Naavik Gaming Podcast

In this week's Roundtable, the squad starts off by reflecting on Unity’s business model changes and Jim Ryan’s retirement after a strong 30 year run at PlayStation. Then we discuss comments from both Xbox’s Phil Spencer and Capcom’s Haruhiro Tsujimoto that put into question AAA games’ pricing and the evolving role of publishers. We also touch on the breaking news of Epic Games’ major layoffs and divestments before digging into 2023’s biggest winners and losers so far. Lastly, we close with a quick bonus round of hidden gems that is sure to surprise. Join us for all the latest games business news with Mario Stefanidis , Aaron Bush, 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 lakestar.comIf 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Amitt Mahajan, co-creator of cultural icon and Internet treasure Farmville, has been working at the intersection of gaming and technology for his entire career. Now, Amitt has set his sights on web3, and more specifically, building true fully on-chain “forever games” and the technical tools to power them, in order to facilitate autonomous worlds, ensure game longevity, and create a more immersive player experience. His company, Proof of Play, recently announced a $33 million seed round led by a16z, as well as the Free-to-Play release of their first game, Pirate Nation, a fully on-chain pirate-themed RPG. Amitt joins your host, Niko Vuori, to talk about how the blockchain is like the digital version of cave drawings, allowing digital art to last forever. He also covers why gamers and developers should care about fully on-chain games, why he chose Ethereum + Arbitrum Nova as his tech stack, and how much harder it is to build games without centralized servers. To learn more, make sure to visit https://piratenation.game/. You can find Amitt Mahajan 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://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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

India’s gaming market is well known for its betting and gambling companies, including unicorns like Dream11 and Mobile Premier League, but what does the next decade of gaming behavior in India look like? Salone Sehgal, founder and GP of Lumikai, one of India’s first dedicated games and interactive media funds, and Abhaas Shah, co-founder of Studio Sirah, join us to talk about the size of India’s gaming market, their conviction in the untapped potential of Hindu and Indian lore and mythology, educate us on what’s really going on with all the regulatory headwinds we see in the news regarding online gaming taxes and tight regulatory regimes, and explain some of the production challenges for developing for the India market. If you think the future of gaming in India is only RMG, think again, and hit play!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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week's Roundtable, the squad shares some personal updates including a recap of Korea Blockchain Week, streetball with Fat Joe, and two new Naavik deep dives. Then we cover the latest in Unity's evolving monetization saga, including why the company got itself into this situation in the first place and why it’s (perhaps partially) backpedaling on its monetization policy announcements. We also cover Playtika’s acquisition of Innplay Labs, and dig into the court document leaks that highlight much of Xbox’s next-generation plans. Join us for all the latest games business news with Anil Das-Gupta, Jonathan Anastas, Aaron Bush, and host Devin Becker.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected], so that we can address it all later in this limited series.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/3NRlX3iAnd as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!Watch the episode: YouTube videoRead more: Naavik DigestLearn more: Naavik’s Open Gaming Research InitiativeWork with us: Naavik ConsultingFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

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.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/ 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.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 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In 2011, Sean Ryan was hired to build out Facebook’s nascent gaming business just as Zynga and other social gaming start-ups were gaining traction on the platform. A decade later, Sean’s responsibilities eventually encompassed numerous other initiatives, including Facebook’s forays into blockchain. In this episode, Sean explains why he felt compelled to leave Facebook to start his own web3 gaming company, why he believes the notion of digital ownership is as big of a watershed moment as free-to-play mobile or the move from physical to digital, who he thinks will prevail in the blockchain wars, and how he sees the web3 ecosystem evolving.To learn more, make sure to visit https://aqua.xyz. You can find Sean Ryan on LinkedIn.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 nexus.gg/naavikIf 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

“Show me how you play, and then I’ll tell you who you are”, says Joe Schaeppi, CEO and Co-Founder of AI powered studio Solsten. Today, Joe, Alex, and Kishen Patel, the author of “The Infinite Power of Play” in collaboration with our partners at Lightspeed, talk about the use cases of AI in games (#1: Cost and Time Reduction, #2: New Genres of AI Powered Games), what it means to understand not only player behavior but the psychographics of your player demo, and where we actually are in any of this becoming a day to day reality. Are AI NPCs really a game changer? Are using GAN and diffusion models actually more cost effective? What moral obligation do gaming companies have to diagnose and alert players about their well being? That and more when you hit play! *As a bonus, learn what going for the military victory in Civilization really says about you.* This episode is brought to you by Overwolf. 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 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week's Roundtable, the squad highlights data.ai’s new 2023 Gaming Spotlight Report (link below) and adds more details around PlayStation’s decision to raise subscription prices. Then we cover Starfield’s launch, including its impact on Game Pass and the viability of its windowing strategy, followed by discussion on how the writers and actors strike could impact the games industry. Lastly, we wrap up by exploring Humble Bundle's quiet yet interesting expansion strategies. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Dave Elton, and host Maria Gillies.Data.ai’s 2023 Gaming Spotlight Report: https://www.data.ai/en/go/gaming-report-idc-2023?utm_source=naavik&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ww-referral-202307-gaming-partnership&utm_content=PR-&sfdcid=7016F000002Y6Tj Big thanks to Coda Payments for sponsoring this episode! 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 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/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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

AI is all the rage right now, but unless you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to make perfect sense of what’s possible today and where we’re headed. Will AI be a sustaining or disruptive innovation for the gaming industry? Why is the "open source vs. closed source" conversation so important? How will business models change as technology evolves? What role will humans play as AI takes over more workflows? What’s overhyped right now?To help navigate all of these questions, Aaron Bush is joined by Ilya Gelfenbeyn, co-founder and CEO of Inworld AI (the pioneers of AI NPCs), and George Ng, co-founder and CTO of GGWP (AI-driven moderation solutions). Both guests are also serial entrepreneurs, so we also discuss their current businesses as well as explore lessons learned over time.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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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/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 lakestar.comIf 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.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://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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe

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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad gives an update on Baldur’s Gate 3's success metrics and Dark and Darker’s continuing renegade journey. We explore the seeming free fall of Free Fire through Sea Limited’s expansion struggles. We dig into cloud streaming, with an update on the PlayStation Portal and Microsoft handing streaming rights for Activision Blizzard games over to Ubisoft to appease regulators. Finally, we dive into strategic reasons why NetEase continues to acquire Western game developers. Join us for all the latest games business news with Anil Das-Gupta, Matt Dion, Aaron Bush, and host Devin Becker.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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

100 Thieves is a premier lifestyle brand and gaming organization that’s building a highly unique ecosystem of products and services. This now includes esports, content creators, apparel, premium keyboards and peripherals (via Higround), energy drinks (via Juvee), and even game development (on UEFN and with Project X).In this episode, Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush is joined by John Robinson, 100 Thieves’ President and COO, to discuss why the organization’s aspirations are so wide and how they manage this “business of businesses.” They dive into how esports will become more sustainable, how the company is uniquely positioned for game development, the broader branding strategy, and lessons learned from running so many unique business lines.This episode is brought to you by Overwolf. 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 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses Play Ventures raising at least $78 million for its third venture fund and Savvy Games Group as the financier behind the $2 billion Embracer deal that fell apart. We dive into the early international reception for the new Gran Turismo movie and where it falls under Sony's ongoing transmedia strategy. We dissect the information Zynga released about its new web3 gaming ecosystem, Sugartown, and whether Zynga is really a good fit. Finally, we dig into Netflix’s newest gaming test, which uses a phone as a virtual controller. Join us for all the latest games business news with Jonathan Anastas, Dave Elton, and host Devin Becker.This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed Venture Partners. 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 gaming.lsvp.com.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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/naavikAnd as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!Watch the episode: YouTube videoRead more: Naavik DigestLearn more: Naavik’s Open Gaming Research InitiativeWork with us: Naavik ConsultingFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Gabe

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 summaryWatch the episode: YouTube video Join the discussion: Naavik DiscordRead more: Naavik DigestWatch more: YouTube channelGo premium: Naavik ProFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

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=naavikThis 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses Inworld AI raising $50+ million for AI NPCs in games, plus Playtika's acquisition of Youda Games. Then after a short discussion on EA’s earnings report, we discuss the demise of physical games and retail outlets like GameStop. Finally, we peel apart the success of BattleBit Remastered to figure out what other game developers can learn from this surprise hit and discuss how much graphic fidelity really matters for success. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Tammy Levy, and host Devin Becker.This episode is brought to you by our partners at Windwalk. 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Mythical Games is one of the busiest operators in the web3 ecosystem, with a finger in many pies. The company is the creator of the licensed mobile football game NFL Rivals, which crossed 1 million downloads just a couple of months after its launch earlier this year, and Blankos Block Party, a ​​multiplayer universe available on the Epic Games Store. In addition, Mythical operates the Mythos Foundation, on which it partners with other traditional game developers, web3 developers, and esports and guild operators. It also operates its own Mythical Platform, through which Mythical publishes third-party games.There’s also the $MYTH ecosystem token, and the small matter of about $300 million raised in venture funding over the past couple of years, including $37 million in a Series C extension announced in late June of this year. In this episode, host Niko Vuori talks with Mythical founder and CEO John Linden about the company's various initiatives, its roadmap going forward, and how web3 hooks drive improved monetization and retention.To learn more, make sure to visit https://mythicalgames.com. You can find John Linden on LinkedIn.This episode is brought to you by Lakestar - one of the leading European venture capital firms. If you're interested in learning more or getting in contact with the Lakestar’s Games and Media team, simply go to lakestar.comIf 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Influencer houses, influencer agencies, and influencer campaigns — these are some of the most important forces in gaming distribution. Nadia Bubennikova, Head of Agency at Famesters, walks us through two campaigns on a Rust Expansion Pack in Dying Light and an Eastern European user acquisition play in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. We learn how a campaign comes together, what types of games qualify for influencer representation, the difference between platforms like Twitch and YouTube (and when you might choose one over the other), and KPI performance metrics both influencers and campaigns are measured against. Influencer marketing, in Nadia’s words, is something that is always changing — playbooks are refreshed by the minute. We dive into the fascinating and complicated world of influencers, hear the top three mistakes game studios typically make when they pursue an influencer strategy, and laugh a good bit about the behind-the-influencers’ scenes. Air Correction Edits: Merge Mansion ran a campaign including Pedro Pascal, not HomescapesThis 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. Learn more and 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.This episode is brought to you by Overwolf. 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 overwolf.com.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.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/naavikIf 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.This episode is brought to you by Lightspeed Venture Partners. 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 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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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. 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 to https://pragma.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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.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 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week's Roundtable, the crew discusses whether Sony may open up its PlayStation audience to Roblox, Unity's new AI tools Sentis and Muse alongside its new AI marketplace, and Scopely's acquisition of Tag Games. We also touch on why Niantic laid off a quarter of its staff after announcing multiple new games and what its reorganization means for Pokémon Go. Also on the agenda is Square Enix introducing a new CEO and the future of the company's long-term franchises like Final Fantasy, as well as interesting revelations from the FTC lawsuit against Microsoft to block its Activision Blizzard acquisition. Join us for all the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Matt Dion, Mario Stefanidis, 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 [email protected], a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Most Web3 game economies, even the most successful ones from the earliest days of the genre, have struggled in recent quarters, in part due to fundamentally unsustainable economics / tokenomics. But in this episode, we’re discussing one of the more notable exceptions: the France-based fantasy sports game Sorare. Launched on Ethereum in 2019, the game generated nearly $350 million in secondary market volume in 2022, and almost $90 million for the first 5 months of 2023. In this episode, your host, Niko Vuori, talks to Sorare’s Head of Growth, Brian O’Hagan, about how Sorare maintains a “sustainable” economy, how they secured the crucial initial licenses for football (soccer), why they chose not to launch their own token, expanding into additional sports to tap into the US market, and what’s next for the company, among many other topics. Niko is joined by Naavik contributor Devin Becker, who covered Sorare in the June 22, 2023 issue of the Naavik Digest. To learn more, make sure to visit https://sorare.com/, and read Devin’s coverage of Sorare on the Naavik website. You can find Brian O’Hagan and Devin Becker 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Is greenlighting really that different? Who leads innovation, and who fast follows? Should you accept your gaming startup offer? Lee Reed is Studio Product Lead at Infinity Ward, and Jess Adepoju is a Lead Producer at Bad Robot Games and consultant at The Indie Intellectual. In this episode, we frame gaming studios and incumbents in the Innovator’s Dilemma of “low-end versus new market disruptions;" compare and contrast the differences between production, greenlighting, and hiring between ex-AAA studios and AAA; and share what to consider if you’re a game industry professional looking to make the leap either way.To learn more, make sure to visit http://the-indie-intellectual.com/. You can also find Lee Reed and Jess Adepoju 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected], a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week's Roundtable, the crew discusses what M.O.B.A. Network's acquisition of Wargraph for $54 million means for indie Overwolf projects. We also dive into the FTC's temporary restraining order halting Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal in addition to Roblox's new mature content system and whether it might hurt user retention. Also on the agenda: Hidden Door's playtest of a generative AI-driven narrative game using the Wizard of Oz IP and a discussion on what EA splitting up its sports entertainment divisions means for the company. Join us for all the latest games business news with Felipe Mata, 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 [email protected], a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

“Move-to-earn” pioneer Stepn exploded in popularity in the first half of 2022, peaking at 3 million MAU and 800,000 DAU while generating $123 million in Q2 2022 profit alone. The mobile app, which rewards users who “wear” the company’s NFT sneakers, was a major driver in onboarding users into web3, but growth has stalled during the current crypto winter. In this episode, host Niko Vuori talks to Stepn COO Shiti Manghani about what’s next for the company, their ambitions to build an entire ecosystem around $GMT, the native Stepn cryptocurrency, and why Stepn views itself as a game rather than a fitness or lifestyle app.To learn more, make sure to visit https://stepn.com/. You can also find Shiti Manghani 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Games are a force for fun, but what if they could be a force for good, too? We sit down with Laura Carter, the founder of Longleaf Valley developer TreesPlease Games, and Jenny Xu, founder of Run Legends developer Talofa Games, to discuss launching and fundraising for studios with corporate social responsibility missions. Are green games sustainable, and which business models work when you have a “third” actor sharing the bottom line? STEPN created a craze for running games, but how does the fitness gaming industry move forward with a “lighter web3 touch” or move away from it entirely? What learnings have both founders had in their early soft launches and alphas, and how did they tackle early user acquisition on mobile? We also discuss a variety of social initiatives that AAA and mainstream gaming could do to make the world a better place.To learn more, make sure to download Run Legends and Longleaf Valley from either the App Store or Google Play. You can also find Jenny Xu and Laura Carter 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week's Roundtable, we discuss the biggest news from the Not-E3 showcases hosted by major game publishers like Microsoft and Ubisoft. We also debate if Embracer’s announced restructuring will help the company in the long run. Other topics on the agenda include whether the FTC can stop Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard at the last second, the gritty details on how hurdle rates could be influencing investments, and what impact Apple’s Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3 might have on XR gaming. Additionally, we touch on Reddit's controversial policy changes that led to widespread and ongoing subreddit blackouts and discuss if this protest movement might make a difference. Join us for all the latest games business news with Sebastian Park, Dave Elton, 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 [email protected], a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Piers Kicks, founding partner of Delphi Ventures and venture partner at BITKRAFT, joins host Aaron Bush to discuss their most anticipated web3 games. The duo also discuss the realities of leaving school early to kickstart investing careers and how the best modern-day founders are different from previous eras, followed by a fun game to capture Piers’ pulse on a variety of gaming and web3 topics.To learn more, make sure to check out Piers’ essay Into the Void: Where Crypto Meets the Metaverse as well as Naavik and Delphi’s joint report The Great Reset: Your 2023 Guide to Web3 Games. You can also find Piers on Twitter.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 ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this week’s Roundtable, Huuuge Games' Q1 results provide us with some insight into the ongoing impact of user acquisition changes on the mobile gaming business. We also tackle the driving force behind the growth surge in the MENA region’s gaming and esports sectors and Supercell's uncharacteristic release strategy with its betas for Flood Rush and Squad Busters. Lastly, we wrap up by discussing the rationale behind EA's decision to integrate Nike NFTs into its sports games, as well as the significance of the SEC lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase and what they might mean for web3 gaming. Join us for all the latest games business news with David Kaye, Tammy Levy, Abhimanyu Kumar, 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 about how Coda Payments' solution can help take your game to the next level, head to codapayments.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], a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Azra Games has raised more than just about any other web3 game developer — with a $25 million seed round led by a16z — to build its ambitious vision for what the company is calling a “web3-sensitive” RPG. Founder & CEO Mark Otero joins your host, Niko Vuori, to talk about why he sees RPGs as a good fit for web3, how Azra is incorporating NFTs and web3 elements into their game design, and how they see the current web3 gaming environment evolving.To learn more, make sure to visit https://azragames.com/. You can also find Mark Otero 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

The esports world is starting to teeter, the NYT wrote last month. Today, we get perspective on whether that’s true or not. Evil Geniuses is an esports organization with over 14 million followers across the globe, and it harkens back to the 90s when it was known as Quake Clan in Canada. We sit down with Nicole LaPointe Jameson, a CEO with an insatiable consumer passion for gaming but also a background in distressed assets — or in normal person speak, companies that desperately need optimization and cost tuning to turn them profitable. Is esports a financial endeavor that can be righted from the realm of negative operating income, and where will EG’s edge come from? Furthermore, what can esports do to ameliorate some of the toxicity in games, and how has EG been playing a role in fostering a healthier community for players of all backgrounds? To learn more, make sure to visit https://evilgeniuses.gg/. You can also find Nicole LaPointe Jameson 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Sony showcased new games, PSVR 2, and an emphasis on live service games, including Bungie bringing back its original franchise Marathon. We dig into Capcom’s understated recent successes, like the new Street Fighter 6 release. Does Last of Us delaying its multiplayer update mean it might end up scrapped? We take a look into what CD Projekt is up to and what the future of Cyberpunk and The Witcher could be. NVIDIA provided a brief glimpse at AI dialogue in games, but how realistic was it? Join us for all the latest games business news with Anil Das-Gupta, Aaron Bush, Jonathan Anastas, 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 about how Coda Payments' solution can help take your game to the next level, head to codapayments.com.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust 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 [email protected]. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected]. 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!TLDListen?: Episode summaryWatch the episode: YouTube video Join the discussion: Naavik DiscordRead more: Naavik DigestWatch more: YouTube channelGo premium: Naavik ProFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

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.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform.If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at [email protected]. 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!TLDListen?: Episode summaryWatch the episode: YouTube video Join the discussion: Naavik DiscordRead more: Naavik DigestWatch more: YouTube channelGo premium: Naavik ProFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected] 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! TLDListen?: Episode summaryWatch the episode: YouTube channelFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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.Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting all of Naavik's mobile data needs. If your team requires a market and competitive intelligence tool for tracking the mobile games industry, monitoring KPIs, and spotting opportunities across games, check out data.ai's robust platform.If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at [email protected]. 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%.TLDListen?: Episode summaryWatch the episode: YouTube video Join the discussion: Naavik DiscordRead more: Naavik DigestWatch more: YouTube channelGo premium: Naavik ProFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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 [email protected]. 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!TLDListen?: Episode summaryWatch the episode: YouTube video Join the discussion: Naavik DiscordRead more: Naavik DigestWatch more: YouTube channelGo premium: Naavik ProFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.