In this engaging discussion, David Risher reveals a heartfelt farewell gift from Jeff Bezos as he transitioned from Amazon to Lyft. Jason Kilar dives into the emotional rollercoaster of public relevance and anonymity, while Eoghan McCabe reflects on the challenges of 're-founding' his company. Mark Fields shares insights from his experience navigating a public clash with Donald Trump. John Hanke emphasizes the importance of balance in intensity, and Rony Abovitz discusses lessons learned from the pandemic's impact on his ventures. Mark McLaughlin highlights self-awareness in work-life balance, and Taylor Francis addresses preserving company culture amid growth.

John Hanke, the CEO of Niantic, played a crucial role in the phenomenon of Pokémon Go, which earned $100 million in its first week. He reflects on the initial anxiety surrounding the game's success, fearing it might be too good to last. The conversation touches on the evolution of augmented reality, the challenges of sustaining user engagement, and the emotional journey of entrepreneurship. Hanke also shares insights on balancing work with family life and the future of gaming technology, highlighting the role of innovation in delivering extraordinary experiences.

John Hanke is the CEO of Niantic, a company that makes the wildly popular Pokemon Go mobile game in partnership with Nintendo and the Pokémon company. Pokemon Go, and its predecessor Ingress, are now the largest and most successful augmented reality games in the industry, which means John has long been at the forefront of what we’ve all started calling the metaverse—digital worlds that interact with the real world. Lots of companies are chasing metaverse hype but John’s been at it for a while, and I wanted to talk about the reality instead of the hype. We also coin the phrase “marketplace of realities.” It’s a ride.Links:What’s left of Magic Leap?Microsoft is supplying 120,000 HoloLens-based headsets to the US ArmySnap’s first AR Spectacles are an ambitious, impractical startFacebook just revealed its new name: MetaThere will never be another Pokémon GoPokémon Go is still incredibly relevantHarry Potter: Wizards Unite is shutting down next yearSpringboard: the secret history of the first real smartphone is out nowThe best thing to do in VR is work outNFT's, explainedPokémon Go creator Niantic is working on AR glasses with QualcommTranscript:https://www.theverge.com/e/22596531Credits:Decoder is a production of The Verge, and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.Today’s episode was produced by Creighton DeSimone, and Jackie McDermott with research by Liz Lian and it was edited by Callie Wright.The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Our Sr Audio Director is Andru Marino and our Executive Producer is Eleanor Donovan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices