EP.97: Building the Game Studios of the Future with Marcus Holmström
Aug 8, 2024
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Marcus Holmström, Founder and CEO of The Gang, shares his journey of building a game studio focused on Roblox and the metaverse. He discusses the successes of branded experiences like Vans and Shrek, and the future of integrating real-world commerce into virtual environments. The conversation touches on the challenges of adapting to Roblox's unique audience, the importance of community feedback, and the evolving role of brand partnerships. Holmström also highlights the emerging potential of new gaming platforms and innovations on the horizon.
The importance of adapting game design to align with Roblox's unique social environment emerged as a crucial lesson for successful development.
The discussion highlighted the potential for brands to engage and innovate within Roblox, emphasizing the need to understand community dynamics for effective marketing.
Deep dives
Emerging Opportunities in the Metaverse
The Metaverse represents a significant advancement in technology and online experiences, with various companies paving the way for its development. The growth of platforms like Roblox exemplifies how digital spaces can be leveraged for gaming and social interaction, attracting millions of users. Amidst this expansion, the conversation highlights the importance of recognizing the potential of the Metaverse as an alternative digital frontier. With many organizations investing time and resources, early adopters are positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
The Transition to Roblox
The discussion delves into the founder's journey of launching a game development studio, initially aiming to create content for traditional gaming platforms like Steam. However, a pivotal conversation led to an unexpected pivot towards developing games for Roblox, which was relatively overlooked at the time. This strategic decision resulted in the studio's timely entry into a budding market with a rapidly growing user base, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated interest in online gaming. By adapting their approach based on audience feedback and evolving market conditions, the studio capitalized on the increasing popularity of Roblox.
Challenges in Understanding Platform Dynamics
As the studio began creating games on Roblox, the initial attempts faced significant challenges, reflecting a disconnect between traditional game design and the expectations of Roblox players. The team learned that understanding the platform's unique social environment was crucial for success, leading them to redesign their games to align better with user experiences. This iterative process of development and active engagement with the community played a substantial role in refining their games and enhancing player satisfaction. Ultimately, learning from failure and adapting to player feedback became fundamental components of their success on Roblox.
The Future of Brand Integration
The rapid adoption of the Roblox platform by brands highlights the growing intersection of marketing and gaming, yet it remains early in this journey. Building successful brand experiences within Roblox requires a nuanced understanding of the platform's community while measuring effectiveness beyond mere visitor counts. It’s suggested that brands should engage early, experiment with different strategies, and continuously learn about how their offerings resonate with the community. As the platform evolves, its capability to support brand-driven monetization and connectivity will further develop, potentially creating lasting partnerships.
Welcome to Into the Metaverse, in this week’s episode, Yon welcomes Marcus Holmström, Founder and CEO of The Gang, for a conversation centered around their experiences building a game studio for Roblox and the wider metaverse.
Marcus discusses the inception and growth of The Gang, the success of their branded experiences like Vans and Shrek on Roblox, and the future of integrating real-world commerce into virtual worlds. The two then discuss the importance of being an early adopter and continuously learning from the community, before touching upon the challenges of adapting to Roblox's unique audience and social components, the strategic growth of the company, and the role of new technologies and brand partnerships in shaping the future of the platform.
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