Naavik Gaming Podcast
Episodes
India’s Blue Gaming Ocean
24 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
India’s gaming market is well known for its betting and gambling companies, including unicorns like Dream11 and Mobile Premier League, but what does...
Unity Backpedals / Playtika Acquires / Next-Gen Console Leaks
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Naa...
Driving ROI with Data Analysis – Part 1
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Overwolf: Building the All-In-One UGC Ecosystem
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
User generated content is a multi-decade wave that continues to grow and transform the games industry. One company pioneering this future is Overwolf,...
Unity Sparks an Uproar / YouTube Instant Play / Roblox Developers Conference
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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’...
Surveying the Web3 Gaming Landscape
13 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 o...
AI and Player Psychology
10 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“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...
Starfield Launches / Actors Strike May Hit Games / Humble Bundle’s Expansion
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
AI x Games: What’s the Path Forward?
03 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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’r...
Supercell Cancels Floodrush / Gamescom Highlights / Epic’s Revenue Boost
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Roundtable, the squad delves into Supercell's cancellation of Floodrush and highlights from Gamescom 2023, including NetEase’s Projec...
What Can the Bitcoin Lightning Network Do For Web3 Gaming?
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 I...
Digital Fashion Houses
27 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
PlayStation Portal / Ubisoft Gets Microsoft’s Streaming Rights / NetEase Expansion
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
How 100 Thieves is Building Beyond Esports
20 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
100 Thieves is a premier lifestyle brand and gaming organization that’s building a highly unique ecosystem of products and services. This now includ...
Zynga’s Web3 Launch / Netflix Cloud Gaming / Gran Turismo Movie Release
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fi...
The Gaming Industry’s Data Nightmare
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Together with Dive, one of our Open Gaming Research Initiative partners, we’re exploring the topic of data and games through a limited podcast serie...
More or Less: Gaming Podcasts & Blogs
13 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are more than 3 billion gamers in the world, but the number of gaming professionals interested in business and development content pales in comp...
Baldur's Gate 3 Launch / Playtika Earnings / Dota 2 Arcade Shutdown
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses the massively successful launch of Baldur’s Gate 3. Sebastian shares a story around monetizing Dota...
The Future of Avatars
06 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As virtual worlds become more immersive and widespread, how we all represent ourselves — via avatars — becomes all the more important. That’s wh...
Inworld AI Raise / Playtika Acquires Youda / EA Earnings / BattleBit Remastered
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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. The...
How Mythical Games is Balancing Web2 & Web3
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fo...
Influencer Marketing 101
30 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Influencer houses, influencer agencies, and influencer campaigns — these are some of the most important forces in gaming distribution. Nadia Bubenni...
Blizzard On Steam / CD Projekt Cuts / EA Post-FIFA / Earnings Reports
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses Tencent becoming a majority shareholder of Techland and what Blizzard bringing some of its games to S...
Inside Gardens: From Journey, Sky & Edith Finch to a New Collaborative Game
23 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Bl...
Google Play vs. App Store Blockchain Policies / New Game Development Models
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s Roundtable, the squad discusses the latest news on how mobile platforms are enacting blockchain policies. In particular, we hit on Go...
The Future of Player Betting
16 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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,...
Microsoft Unblocked / FF16 Sales / Classic Game Archive Issues
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Breaking the Rules & Gamifying Life
09 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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: successf...
Niantic Layoffs / Square Enix’s Future / FTC Lawsuit Revelations
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 alongs...
Building a Sustainable Web3 Game With Sorare
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 fundame...
AAA vs. Gaming Startups
02 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is greenlighting really that different? Who leads innovation, and who fast follows? Should you accept your gaming startup offer? Lee Reed is Studio Pr...
2023 Half-Year Review
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re halfway through 2023, so let’s pause, reflect, and think about the future. This episode’s panelists – Aaron Bush, Anil Das-Gupta, Jonath...
Nexon’s CEO on Leadership, Virtual Worlds, Innovation & Antifragility
25 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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. Th...
FTC Halts Microsoft’s Acquisition / AI Narrative Gaming / EA Restructuring
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 al...
What’s Next For Move-to-Earn Pioneer Stepn?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“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 mill...
Games for Good
18 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Tr...
Embracer Restructuring / Apple’s AR / Not-E3 Week
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 d...
Our Most Anticipated Web3 Games
11 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Piers Kicks, founding partner of Delphi Ventures and venture partner at BITKRAFT, joins host Aaron Bush to discuss their most anticipated web3 games. ...
MENA Region Growth / Supercell’s Dueling Betas / SEC Web3 Actions
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 g...
Building an RPG for Web3 With Azra Games
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 visi...
Can Esport Leagues Be Profitable?
04 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 espo...
Sony’s Showcase / Capcom’s Resurgence / NVIDIA’s AI Demo
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sony showcased new games, PSVR 2, and an emphasis on live service games, including Bungie bringing back its original franchise Marathon. We dig into C...
Embracer’s Deal Collapse / Take-Two & Ubisoft Earnings / Mortal Kombat 1
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
What Will the Saga Phone Do For Web3?
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we dive into the frustrations of bringing web3 experiences to mobile platforms and explore a unique solution that Solana has taken: b...
Amazon's New MMO / Google Shows Off AI / Cross Platform Gaming Data
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
5 Reflections Since Founding Naavik
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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, A...
Sega + Rovio Plans / Stillfront + Playtika Earnings Reports / Sony vs Microsoft - RT
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is Sega's strategy for Rovio? What do the earnings reports for Playtika and Stillfront say about their acquisition methods and growth? Can TreesP...
How Yuga Labs is Defining the Future of Web3 Gaming
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 B...
Founding Funds, Paths to Partner, and Glass Ceilings
07 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Holly Liu is the co-founder of Kabam and now managing partner and co-founder of PKO, a collective investing in tech and entertainment. Phylicia Koh is...
Microsoft Acquires Speedbumps / Apple’s Legal Victory / Ballooning Game Costs
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we discuss Microsoft's acquisition challenges, Apple's win against Epic, and the impact of record-breaking successes in the Mario Bro...
Interoperability, Game Ecosystems and Web3
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Interoperability between game ecosystems and economies has been held up as a possibility that is opened up by decentralized protocols, blockchain te...
The Tabletop Renaissance
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Chung Hoffaker is an Emmy winning executive producer for League of Legends’ Arcane Series that’s now embarking on a new adventure: building a...
Sega Acquires Rovio for $776M / Niantic’s New Games / New AI Upgrades - Roundtable
21 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sega swoops in to acquire Rovio, but are they the right buyer? Niantic announced more licensed games, but will these reach Pokemon Go levels? We dig i...
The State of Esports, UGC, and Venture Capital
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is an interview with Sebastian Park, an ex-esports executive who is now co-founder of Infinite Canvas (creating and acquiring UGC ga...
Mario Movie / Dream Games / Scopely Acquisition / Sony’s Cloud / AI - Roundtable
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does the Mario movie mean for games? What is Dream Games follow-up to Royal Match? Where does Phillip La go after Sky Mavis? Was the Scopely acqu...
Growing a YouTube Channel (Gotta Catch ‘em All)
09 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to grow a YouTube gaming channel? In this week’s episode, your host, Alexandra, sits down with Aaron Zheng, a professional VGC Pok...
eSports Winter / E3 Cancelled / Mobile Markets / Ronin Games - Roundtable
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is eSports winter a flywheel-breaking cycle? What’s next for E3? Is the mobile gaming market truly stabilising? We dive into the latest games busine...
Sky Mavis, Delegated Proof of Stake and Building on Ronin
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sky Mavis, the developers behind the OG web3 game Axie Infinity, with $1.3B in lifetime revenue, have been busy beefing up the security of their Ronin...
Game Analytics: Tactics, Advice, and Lessons Learned
02 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Game analytics may sound easy in theory, but it can be extremely complex in practice. Every game and genre is different, and every team works with dif...
GDC Shakeups - Roundtable
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We finally got progress on Microsoft’s Activision/Blizzard/King acquisition. Unity joined the mandatory AI bandwagon at GDC. There’s yet another w...
Build or Buy: Gaming Backends
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Choosing a backend is one of the most important choices a developer can make in their product lifecycle and has long lasting implications on live se...
Expansions and Partnerships - Roundtable
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How are Netflix and other game studios expanding while Amazon and Twitch make layoffs? What does a partnership between the two heavyweights of web3, I...
Kylan Gibbs: Using AI to Build Smarter NPCs
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
NPCs in games are notoriously goofy. They walk into walls, they repeat themselves over and over again and they run out of cover in the middle of a gun...
Lucy Hoffman: Unleashing Africa’s Gaming Opportunity
19 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Lucy Hoffman – co-founder and COO of Carry1st – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:#1 Africa’s exciting gaming traje...
SVB Collapse / Applovin Spawns Redemption - Roundtable
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Fandom Gone Viral (Building Community Partnered Games)
12 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Believer’s $55M Series A / Exits in Gaming / Gen AI Playtesting - Roundtable
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does raising venture capital affect studio operations and exit strategies? How has generative AI delivered playtesting workflow efficiencies? We d...
Jonathan Knight: The New York Times Games Strategy
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Alvaro Duarte: Voodoo’s Ongoing Evolution
05 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Krafton Targets India / Hogwarts Legacy’s Success / Unity Earnings - Roundtable
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Manish Agarwal: India x Web3 Gaming
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Manish Agarwal – ex-CEO of Nazara Technologies and founder of IndiGG, a web3 gaming DAO focused on India – joins Naavik co-founde...
Next Up with N3TWORK (Mobile Pivots to Web3)
26 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
‘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, N...
Growth By Acquisition / Roblox Gen AI / 2020-22 Gaming Deals Highlights - Roundtable
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is there further evidence whether a growth by acquisition model is sustainable? What are the consequences of Roblox leaning into generative AI? What c...
Bringing Web3 Games to Mobile
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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, an...
Capcom & Netmarble Earnings / Supercell’s Letter / Game Acquisitions - Roundtable
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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-o...
Deconstructing Bored Ape Yacht Club’s Dookey Dash
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 exc...
Venture Debt 101
12 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
‘‘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 ...
Earnings & Strategy Analysis for Sony, Take Two, Konami, Nintendo - Roundtable
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 busin...
Solana and Web3 Gaming - Crypto Corner
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Web3 game developers have choices to make regarding which blockchain they build on. In this episode, your host Niko Vuori talks with Solana’s Direct...
Lexi Sydow: The State of Mobile 2023
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Mo...
Microsoft, EA Earnings / Metacore x Everdale / Web3 Slotomania - Roundtable
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are the highest priority challenges for Microsoft to drive further gaming growth? Why is Metacore well positioned to take on Everdale’s mantle?...
Why Playtika Chose Rovio / Exit Jam City, Enter Plai Labs / Gorilla Tag - Roundtable
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What problems would Rovio’s acquisition solve for Playtika? Why did Champions Ascension spin into Plai Labs? We dive into the latest game business n...
Understanding Web3 Player Behavior - Crypto Corner
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Voodoo Blockchain & Hybrid Casual / Ubisoft’s Underperformance - Roundtable
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why is Voodoo uniquely positioned to pursue blockchain gaming and are they likely to succeed? What’s next for Ubisoft and why are they underperformi...
Moritz Baier-Lentz: The State of Gaming VC
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Moritz Baier-Lentz – Partner and the Head of Gaming at Lightspeed Venture Partners (LSVP) – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to...
NetEase’s SkyBox Acquisition / Square Enix Analysis / Meta UA - Roundtable
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why are NetEase and Tencent diversifying into Western AAA game development? How could EU regulations affect Meta’s performance as a UA channel? We d...
Web3 Predictions for 2023 - Crypto Corner
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 Of...
Christian Facey: Building on the Cutting Edge of AdTech
08 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ad...
Web3 Investing with Animoca Brands - Crypto Corner
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 An...
2022 Gaming Deals Review / Game of the Year & Unicorn Awards - Roundtable
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Wen Metaverse? - Crypto Corner
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
End-of-Year Learnings & Predictions - Roundtable
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 wi...
Land Speculation & Economies - Crypto Corner
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 e...
Cross-Platform Strategy / Moore’s Law Revival / Gwent Sunset - Roundtable
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Should studios lean away from an all-in mobile strategy and pursue cross-platform? What is the impact of Intel’s vision to revive Moore’s Law? We ...
Open vs Closed Economies in Web3 Games - Crypto Corner
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One of the promises of web3 is the opening up of in-game economies, and for players to retain some kind of residual value for all the hours they put...
China’s Console Market / Web3 Investment / Cosy Games - Roundtable
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Should console studios target mainland China’s market? Is building a web3 gaming studio still an investment advantage? We dive into the latest game ...
Future of UGC (and does it need the blockchain?) - Crypto Corner
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
“UGC Gaming is Gaming 3.0” says Uri Marchand, CEO and co-founder of Overwolf, a software platform that powers one of the biggest modding communiti...
Blizzard x NetEase / Google Play Competition / Gameloft Strategy - Roundtable
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why didn’t Blizzard renew its partnership with NetEase? How will they return to mainland China’s market? We dive into the latest game business new...
Building the Web3 Marketing Stack - Crypto Corner
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In web2, the marketing stack is rich in every area that matters - when a marketer wants to spend on a game, they have many places to do it, they can s...
Unity, Krafton, Nintendo Earnings / Future of Community Play - Roundtable
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What can we learn from Unity, AppLovin, Roblox, Krafton and Nintendo earnings? What’s the next evolution of community play? We dive into the latest ...