This Week in Startups Frost Giant CEO Tim Morten on gaming business models, Esports & more | E1503
Jul 9, 2022
Tim Morten, CEO of Frost Giant Studios and former StarCraft II developer, delves into the evolving business models in gaming, discussing shifts towards free-to-play and the rise of esports. He also highlights the importance of community loyalty and innovative funding strategies for gaming startups. Richard Mensah, co-founder of Salley, shares his insights on being an international founder and the dynamic nature of the U.S. startup landscape. Together, they explore the intersection of gaming and entrepreneurship.
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Atari and Sequoia
- Tim Morten and Jason Calacanis reminisce about their shared experience of starting with the Atari 2600.
- Calacanis details the history of Atari and Sequoia Capital's involvement.
Early Gaming and Activision
- Morten's first video game experience was with Breakout and Pong on a pre-2600 Atari.
- His first job at Activision involved working on Return to Zork and MechWarrior 2.
RTS Introduction
- Tim Morten was initially intimidated by real-time strategy games' complexity.
- He got hooked after trying an early build of Warcraft 2, appreciating the strategic depth.
