

Designer Notes 82: Mitch Lasky - Part 1
May 6, 2024
Venture capitalist Mitch Lasky discusses game industry insights, shareware models, EA buying Maxis, paying for mobile visibility. Memories of arcade gaming, legal complexities, early revenue strategies, theory of fun in game design, Spore evolution. Negotiations, founding a mobile game studio, online gaming business models, narrative-driven games evolution, customer data consolidation strategy, EA restructuring vision, sports subscriptions, and VC success.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Missed Opportunity
- Mitch Lasky passed on Half-Life while at Activision.
- He considers this one of his biggest career mistakes.
Early Gaming Memories
- Lasky's first gaming memory is Computer Space, an arcade game similar to Asteroids.
- He was drawn to tech from a young age, playing arcade games socially with friends.
The Amiga and a Career Shift
- In law school, Lasky and his wife bought an Amiga, sparking his interest in game development.
- They attempted to create a game together, which led to his wife's career at Activision.