IP games, running Hutch & building a new studio in the AI era

Unpredictable Hits is a series of sharp, fun, and brutally honest conversations with the people shaping the future of mobile gaming in the AI era.

In this episode, we sit down with Shaun Rutland, ex-PlayStation and founder of Hutch, to explore how the playbook for building a studio is shifting, and what it takes to do it with clarity and speed.

From Royal Mail to PlayStation to Hutch, Shaun’s career moved across roles, platforms, and company sizes — all the way to building his own AI-first studio today. It’s a look at how experience, adaptability, and timing shape the way modern game studios are built.

We dive into:

(00:00) Intro: AI, Mobile Games, and the Unfiltered Truth

(01:17) Shaun's Path: Postman, PlayStation, and Hutch's Origin

(08:22) Crucial Lesson: Why You Must Ship the Game

(15:25) The Danger of Hyper-Growth & Team Alignment

(28:25) AI-First Studio: Why Now is the Best Time to Build

(34:29) AI's Biggest Impact: Why It's Not Just Art Assets

(45:50) Competitive Edge: Distribution Trumps Execution

(50:10) Early Marketing Hire: Finding the Science-Driven Marketer

(57:15) Founder Advice: Community, Focus, and Giving Back

Check other episodes: https://www.sett.ai/podcast

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sett-ai/posts/?feedView=all