#17 - Pontus Mahler: “How To Get Money In Gaming Playbook” - Investment Landscape, Dealing With Publishers, Securing Funding & more

Today’s guest is Pontus Mahler, co-founder of Agora Gaming Partners, a global investment bank and advisory firm focused on video gaming.

With over a decade of experience in creating, managing, and driving projects within gaming & esports, he's now focused on creating business opportunities in the video game industry and aiding talented gaming startups in reaching the next levels with guidance, and collaboration with investment & publishing partnerships.

In this podcast, he dives into the 2024 investment landscape and the rights and wrongs of dealing with publishers. With experience reviewing thousands of pitch decks, Pontus shares what actually works when securing funding and offers practical advice on negotiating with publishers. We also explore the key differences between VCs and publishers, and whether angel investment is a viable option, wrapping up with a rapid-fire Q&A.

This podcast is ideal for game developers, indie studios, double- and triple-A companies, and anyone looking to better understand the funding process, pitch strategies, and publisher negotiations.

Connect with Pontus:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pontusmahler/

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
Youtube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Sign up to Gaming Rally Newsletter (Harry Phokou & Ali Farha's weekly newsletter): gamingrally.net

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:45 Analyzing Investment Landscape of 202416:17 VCs vs. Publishers: Funding Your Game Development
28:54 Are Microtransactions and DLCs Important In Pitches
35:26 Do Publishers Fund Only Completed Games Today?
38:54 The Dos and Don'ts of Deals with Publishers
49:59 Angel Investment as a Game Funding Option
59:01 Learning More About Pontus And What He Does
01:06:40 Rapid-Fire Q&A with Pontus Mahler
01:23:28 Negotiating Better Deals With Publishers and Platforms
01:30:05 Presenting Playtest Data In a Pitch Deck
01:33:15 Ways To Connect With Pontus