a16z Podcast

a16z Podcast: Tech Trends Changing Gaming

Jun 4, 2015
Tim Schafer, the creative mind behind iconic titles like Grim Fandango, joins Justin Bailey and Herman Narula to discuss the seismic shifts in gaming brought about by crowdfunding and tech advancements. They delve into how these changes have empowered indie developers and sparked new forms of engagement, such as modding communities that shape game outcomes. The trio explores the potential of virtual reality to redefine storytelling, emphasizing the importance of player choice and moral implications in gaming experiences.
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INSIGHT

Crowdfunding Restores Creative Control

  • Crowdfunding shifted creative control back to developers and created direct relationships with players.
  • Tim Schafer says this removed gatekeepers who previously constrained creative vision.
INSIGHT

Tools Amplify Indie Reach

  • Lower barriers let indie developers reach audiences without big publishers, changing technology priorities.
  • Justin Bailey highlights tools that make games faster and cheaper to build as strategically important.
INSIGHT

Funding Shifts Mirror Film's Auteur Era

  • Crowdfunding resembles past film-financing shifts that unleashed creative explosions.
  • Herman Narula links today's funding changes to historical auteur emergence in film.
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