In this episode, Lucy Hoffman – co-founder and COO of Carry1st – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss: #1 Africa’s exciting gaming trajectory, including how the region’s extreme diversity poses unique challenges and opportunities #2 The state of Carry1st with breakdowns of the company’s publishing, game development, and technology strategies #3 Lessons learned about managing company culture with a fully remote and rapidly growing team #4 How obsessing over serving customer needs could l...
Mar 19, 2023•52 min
How did the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank affect games? Why did Applovin spin out new studio Redemption? We dive into the latest games business news with Maria Gillies , Aaron Bush , David Kaye , and your host Devin Becker . 00:00 - Start 02:20 - Microsoft delays and cloud updates 06:36 - Google shuts down cloud streaming services 09:10 - CoD:M competing with Warzone mobile 18:14 - SVB Collapse affects studios and VCs 39:10 - Applovin spins out Redemption Studios 53:52 - Outro If you would lik...
Mar 17, 2023•55 min
It is rare to create a truly genre defining game. Founded in 2015, The Game Band is one of these studios. In 2020, inspired by a mission to increase connectivity during the pandemic, the viral sensation “ Blaseball ” came to be. Blaseball is a genre of its own – hard to describe – but best put as a game in which the developers set the stage / simulation and the players and community work arduously to influence the outcomes, create backstories and art for characters, vote to change the rules, and...
Mar 12, 2023•53 min
How does raising venture capital affect studio operations and exit strategies? How has generative AI delivered playtesting workflow efficiencies? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush , Sebastian Park , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 03:03 - Generative AI - Playtesting Workflow 21:57 - CS:GO Sequel Rumours 27:23 - The Believer Company’s $55M Series A 39:16 - Gaming Exits Are Harder to Land 48:50 - Outro If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related t...
Mar 10, 2023•50 min
The New York Times is one of the world’s most recognized and respected newspapers, and has been in circulation since 1851. With almost 10 million subscribers (of which 8.6 million are digital-only), the Times has a huge audience and an even larger cultural impact. But the Gray Lady isn’t content to just rest on her laurels and focus on news - other verticals in which the Times operates are product reviews (The Wirecutter), sports (through their 2022 acquisition of The Athletic), cooking and, of ...
Mar 07, 2023•58 min
In this episode, Alvaro Duarte – VP of Casual Games at Voodoo – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss: #1 Is hypercasual dead? We explore the changes Voodoo’s seen in its own business and dig into why the company is shifting its focus to (hybrid)casual. #2 Why Voodoo’s entrance into casual shouldn’t be underestimated and why the team is thinking about web3 #3 How Voodoo’s culture is designed for it to move fast, try many things, and support several internal and external teams To learn mo...
Mar 05, 2023•53 min
Why is Krafton hyper-targeting India’s mobile market? What does Hogwarts Legacy’s massive success tell us about the future of the industry? Why is Playtika stopping new game development? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush , Anil Das-Gupta , Jonathan Anastas , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 02:15 - Naavik Pro new verticals 05:20 - Call of Duty 2023 Release 08:30 - Unity Earnings Analysis 16:21 - Playtika Earnings Analysis 25:51 - What’s Next After Hogwarts Le...
Mar 03, 2023•1 hr 3 min
In this episode, Manish Agarwal – ex-CEO of Nazara Technologies and founder of IndiGG, a web3 gaming DAO focused on India – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss: #1 What guilds initially got wrong, why he prefers to not use the term “guild,” and how India might become a digital asset factory #2 The size of the web3 gaming opportunity in India, and why India could be a uniquely effective market for web3 gaming #3 Learnings from working in a DAO - the underappreciated benefits and the ong...
Feb 28, 2023•46 min
‘Founded in 2012, N3TWORK Inc made its mobile gaming debut with Legendary Game of Heroes, a hit match 3 gameplay mobile hero collector RPG. Today, N3TWORK Inc has fundamentally changed its tune and is pivoting the business from web2 to web3. Today, your host Alexandra Takei, sits down with Matt Ricchetti, President of N3TWORK Studios, a spin out from the merger of N3TWORK Inc with Forte. Backed by Griffin Gaming Partners and talent from legendary juggernauts like Zynga, Glu, and Kabam, what is N...
Feb 26, 2023•1 hr 5 min
Is there further evidence whether a growth by acquisition model is sustainable? What are the consequences of Roblox leaning into generative AI? What can we learn by analysing 2020 to 2022’s gaming deals? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush , Felipe Mata , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 03:00 - InvestGame 2020-2022 Gaming Deals Report Highlights 07:20 - What’s Next For Firaxis? 24:15 - Blizzard’s Back to Office Mandate 29:50 - Future of Growth By Acquisition B...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Over the past 15 years, mobile gaming has grown to be the predominant form factor for gamers, generating over two-thirds of global gaming revenues, and an even bigger share of player activity. But when it comes to Web3 games, games that integrate NFTs, digital ownership and tokenized economies, they still almost exclusively exist outside the mobile app stores. Why is that? To better understand what the mobile options are for game developers, your host Niko Vuori talks with Anil Das-Gupta (who ha...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Can Supercell reignite their magic of developing new ways to play? What can we learn from Capcom and Netmarble earnings? Why is there a rise of game-only acquisitions? We dive into the latest games business news with Abhimanyu Kumar , Matt Dion , Dave Elton , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 03:00 - Supercell’s Annual Letter 18:15 - DigiDaigaku’s Super Bowl Ad 27:48 - Why Are Game-Only Acquisitions On The Rise? 36:25 - Capcom’s Earnings Analysis 47:08 - Netmarble Earnings Analysis 58:...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 9 min
Axie Infinity marked the beginning of Web3 gaming season. But since then, the industry has not seen anything that comes even close to matching the excitement, engagement or adoption of Axie. With Dookie Dash, has Yuga Labs, the team behind many of the biggest NFT projects on the planet, finally built the next hit Web3-native game, and potentially even the beginnings of a Web3 gaming ecosystem? Your host Niko Vuori talks with Web3 analyst Thomas Pan to find out if Dookey Dash is the next big mile...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 19 min
‘‘Tis the season for raising and the landscape is rough. As a founder, you might be steering your company through adverse times, on a tightrope between capital raising and dilution, or looking to compliment prior raised capital. In today’s episode, your host, Alex Takei, chats with Patrick Lee, founder and managing partner of Top Corner Capital, about a financing vehicle often misunderstood: venture debt. What is venture debt and where did it come from (turns out, it’s 20% of the venture market)...
Feb 12, 2023•52 min
What is Konami building for their profitability to have sunk? Why is the strength of IPs more important than ever? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush , Anil Das-Gupta , Aaron Morley , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 02:22 - Meta Earnings 06:00 - Nintendo Earnings 07:12 - Hogwarts Legacy Sticks the Landing 11:21 - Konami Earnings & Strategy 20:51 - Sony Earnings & Strategy 37:30 - Take Two Earnings - When GTA 6? 52:25 - Kadokawa’s Next Steps 58:20 - Ou...
Feb 10, 2023•59 min
Web3 game developers have choices to make regarding which blockchain they build on. In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks with Solana’s Director of Gaming, Kuleen Nimkar, about Solana’s support for the growing web3 gaming ecosystem, making direct investments into web3 gaming startups, the company’s ambitions for their upcoming Saga mobile phone and much more. Solana: https://solana.com Solana Games Kit: https://solanafoundation.notion.site/Solana-Games-Kit-10da2edd41264c78b4aa410fb6616c16 ...
Feb 07, 2023•58 min
In this episode, Lexi Sydow – Head of Insights at data.ai – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss: #1 The launch of data.ai’s State of Mobile 2023 report #2 The performance of various mobile gaming genres and subgenres, including what to expect this year #3 What’s new with data.ai’s products and what the team is building next To learn more, make sure to visit data.ai’s website , you can read the report here , and you can find Lexi on LinkedIn . As always, if you like the episode, you can...
Feb 05, 2023•50 min
What are the highest priority challenges for Microsoft to drive further gaming growth? Why is Metacore well positioned to take on Everdale’s mantle? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush , Tammy Levy , David Kaye , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 04:52 - Metacore Takes On Everdale’s Mantle 11:55 - PSVR2 Slashes Sales Expectations 15:50 - EA Earnings & Game Sunsets 20:29 - Microsoft Earnings Analysis 35:36 - eSports Sustainable Business Model 54:32 - Playtika'...
Feb 03, 2023•1 hr 2 min
What problems would Rovio’s acquisition solve for Playtika? Why did Champions Ascension spin into Plai Labs? We dive into the latest game business news with Abhimanyu Kumar , Matt Dion , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 02:09 - Blizzard Games Shutdown in China 04:32 - Carry1st Raises $27M Investment 10:45 - The Last of Us Serie Drives Game Sales 12:30 - Jam City Exits, Plai Labs Raises $32M 28:36 - Playtika’s Rovio Acquisition Proposal 50:14 - Gorilla Tag, VR Market 01:11:17 - Outro A...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 12 min
What makes web3 players different from web2 players? Why is it so hard to get actionable insights in web3? How can you combine on-chain and off-chain data? To answer these questions, and many more, your host Niko Vuori is joined by Nathan Snell, founder of web3 data analytics company Raleon, who brings a wealth of experience to the key question: “how can I understand my web3 player behavior better”? Raleon: https://raleon.io If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related top...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr
Why is Voodoo uniquely positioned to pursue blockchain gaming and are they likely to succeed? What’s next for Ubisoft and why are they underperforming? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush , Anil Das-Gupta , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 00:50 - Latest Regulatory ATVI/MSFT Concerns 05:06 - Amazon Game Services First-Party IPs 11:20 - Last of Us Transmedia Success 13:55 - Ubisoft’s Underperformance Analysis 35:25 - Voodoo Enters Blockchain Gaming 59:45 - Outro ...
Jan 20, 2023•1 hr 1 min
In this episode, Moritz Baier-Lentz – Partner and the Head of Gaming at Lightspeed Venture Partners (LSVP) – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss: #1 His move to LSVP and the team’s revamped ambitions to invest across the games industry #2 Lessons learned as a VC, including how he’s grown as an investor #3 The current state of the venture market and his advice to founders on how to navigate tougher times #4 Insights on investing in web3, AI, game studios, and more! To learn more, make s...
Jan 18, 2023•51 min
Why are NetEase and Tencent diversifying into Western AAA game development? How could EU regulations affect Meta’s performance as a UA channel? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush , Matt Dion , and your host Maria Gillies 00:00 - Start 04:25 - China Issues Licences for International Games 09:12 - YouTube Policies Demonetize Gaming Content 15:10 - PSVR2 Soon! 20:32 - NetEase’s SkyBox Acquisition: Why? 33:44 - EU Personalised Ads Regulation (GDPR Fun) 47:03 - Square-Enix Pre...
Jan 13, 2023•1 hr 3 min
2022 was a rollercoaster year for web3 gaming - what does 2023 have in store? To find out, your host Niko Vuori talks to Justin Hulog, Chief Studio Officer at Immutable. Immutable: https://www.immutable.com/ If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co . We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too! And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review! TLDListen?: Episode su...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 12 min
In this episode, Christian Facey – co-founder and CEO of Audiomob – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss: #1 The current state of audio ads, and how non-intrusive in-game audio ads can play a larger role in the future #2 Why Audiomob exists, how it’s scaled so far, and what it’s plans are for the future #3 Christian’s lessons learned as an entrepreneur, including how to plan for an IPO so early on, how to build a diverse recruiting pipeline, and how to prepare for the worst while also p...
Jan 08, 2023•44 min
Happy New Year from The Metacast We are ringing in 2023 with Yat Siu, the founder of the Crypto & Blockchain titan Animoca Brands. We focus the Animoca origin story, how they found Crypto Kitties, their investment strategy (and why it’s totally different than a traditional VC), digital property rights, and more. It’s a new year, a fresh start for crypto, and there’s no better place to begin than the OGs. Yat Siu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yatsiu/ If you would like us to discuss any other b...
Jan 03, 2023•1 hr 5 min
What are the trends when looking back at 2022’s gaming deals? What were our highlights of the year? We dive into the latest game business news with Abhimanyu Kumar , Anthony Pecorella , Matt Dion , Anton Gorodetsky , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 07:30 - 2022 Gaming Deals Trends Review 17:40 - Highlights Awards: Game of the Year 37:15 - Highlights Awards: The Good 51:03 - Highlights Awards: The Bad 01:01:02 - Highlights Awards: The Unicorn 01:16:49 - Outro Also, a big thanks to dat...
Dec 23, 2022•1 hr 18 min
There is a ton of hype around the notion of the metaverse, with no shortage of companies trying to build it. We have legacy operations that have been around for years like Second Life. We have huge tech giants like Meta trying to brute force their way to the metaverse by spending billions on it. We have medium sized players that target a particular consumer like Roblox does for kids. We have newer start ups like Decentraland and The Sandbox that are building on blockchain and embracing web3. But...
Dec 20, 2022•54 min
What’s the funding environment going into 2023? Can mobile be conquered by studios with short runways? We dive into the latest game business news with Aaron Bush , Anil Das-Gupta , Joakim Achrén , and your host Maria Gillies . 00:00 - Start 10:20 - Console Acceleration 20:26 - Mobile Growth or Decline 38:35 - Multi-Core-Gameplay Genre 45:00 - Mainstream Blockchain Gaming 59:24 - M&A and Funding Environment 01:05:30 - Generative AI 01:10:43 - Outro Also, a big thanks to data.ai for supporting...
Dec 16, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Why are there housing crises in online games, and how did a plot of “virtual land” go for $4M in Sandbox’s Metaverse last year? What is a land economy, and how do you run it? We bring on Lars Doucet, virtual land economy consultant and author of “Land and Why It Matters” and Khaled Alroumi, Head of Monetization at Big Time Studios to discuss the concept of land economies, whether land should be a primary or secondary driver of your game economy, what to do about taxes and rent, and the do’s and ...
Dec 13, 2022•58 min
