150. What's The Worst That Could Happen? Jen MacLean On Founding A Game Studio For GenZ

7 factors of success for game studios

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In this episode, Sophie Vo welcomes Jen MacLean, former Xbox executive and now founder of Dragon Snack Games. Jen shares her personal and professional journey—from leaving a corporate role to founding her own studio—with deep reflections on purpose, family, and alignment. They dive into building a value-driven studio, the importance of intentional team culture, early-stage prototyping, and engaging a player community early in development.

Jen discusses Dragon Snack's mission to create collaborative, player-driven experiences for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, while emphasizing the power of belonging and connection through games. A conversation packed with wisdom for founders, leaders, and anyone seeking to build meaningful, human-centered companies.

Topics Discussed:

* Why Jen left a high-powered job at Xbox to start her own studio.

* The personal wake-up call: how family conversations revealed deeper misalignments.

* Asking two critical questions: What’s the worst that can happen? and What’s holding you back?

* Building Dragon Snack Games with intention: starting with values and principles, not just product ideas.

* The importance of co-founder alignment, clear roles, and trust from the beginning.

* Why Dragon Snack targets Gen Z/Alpha and focuses on social, collaborative game experiences: "We’re building a neighborhood, not a metaverse."

* Early prototyping and the belief in bringing players into the process far earlier than traditional models.

* Fundraising challenges and staying true to the company’s vision and community-first approach.

* Designing for emotional needs: belonging, validation, and impact through gameplay.

* The future of Dragon Snack Games and how listeners can follow or get involved.

Resources Mentioned:

* Book: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (discussed around digital validation and Gen Z behaviors)

* Learn more on Dragon Snack Games : dragonsnacksgames.com

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