Alex Seropian

Alex Seropian, founder of Bungie, and Amy Wu, partner at Menlo Ventures, sit down with the host to discuss building in the UEFN ecosystem, business models for UGC studios, and the showdown between Roblox and UEFN. They also touch on the importance of community support, better tools in game development, monetization and budget allocation, protecting content on Roblox, and building successful games on Epic and Roblox.

 I welcome Alex Seropian, founder and CEO of Look North World on this episode kicking off the 5th (wow, 5th) year of the podcast. Hear as Alex shares insights about his current role, including hosting The Fourth Curtain podcast and his new studio, Look North World. Learn about the growing significance of user-generated content (UGC) in the gaming industry and the potential for UGC to become a major part of the industry in the coming years. Alex also reflects on his journey in the game industry, from his early exposure to video games to the founding of Bungie after college and working on games like Marathon and Halo.We then get into his curiosity about the future of the game industry, particularly in relation to the impact of technology, such as AI and virtual reality. He also raises concerns about job stability and diversity within our industry, emphasizing the importance of building a diverse workforce. Alex then shares his excitement about the Steam Deck hardware and highlights his ongoing passion for gaming.In closing, Alex offers a piece of advice for those working in the industry, expressing optimism about the future of the game industry, and the role of entertainment in people's lives. We acknowledge the fluctuations and challenges within the industry but maintain a positive outlook for its future.Bio:Alex Seropian is an entrepreneur and video game developer who has been creating video games for more than 30 years. He is currently the founder and CEO of Look North World, a developer of games & entertainment for creator communities. Alex started in the video game industry by founding Bungie (Halo, Marathon, Myth). He is also the founder of Wideload Games and Industrial Toys. Alex has held executive positions at Microsoft, Disney, and Electronics Arts. Along with starting companies, he is the host of The Fourth Curtain Podcast, a mentor and advisor to numerous startups, and serves as a board advisor to the Tumo Center in Armenia.Show Links:* The Fourth Curtain Podcast - website* UGC - GamesBeat* Bungie - Wikipedia* UEFN Game Engine - website* Steam Deck - Steam websiteConnect With Links:* Alex Seropian - LinkedIn* Look North World - website* Alex Seropian - X/TwitterGame Dev Advice Links: * YouTube Podcasts - check out this episode with a guarantee of 100% more video* Patreon - 1:1 career coaching through the Gain Wisdom membership* website - show notes, links, stuff* X/Twitter - pretty dormant * info@gamedevadvice.com - reach out!* Game Dev Advice hotline: (224) 484-7733* Level Ex website - Careers page for advancing the practice of medicine through play* Subscribe and go to the website for full show notes with links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Legendary developers including Alex Seropian, founder of Bungie and Industrial Toys/EA, and Pete Hawley from 100 Thieves discuss their excitement for Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) and its potential as a rival to Roblox. They compare the technical limitations and advantages of UEFN and Roblox, explore the economic opportunities for developers, and discuss the importance of collaboration, diversity, and community in game development. They also address the switch from Roblox to UEFN and the reasons why some developers are hesitant to make the jump.