Naavik Gaming Podcast

Shanti Bergel, a top performer in the games industry, discusses platform shifts, global expansions, sales, and startups focusing on distribution innovations. His insights on gaming VC and adapting to diverse audiences are valuable lessons from his career at EA, Gree, and FunPlus.

Roy Lee, producer of films like the LEGO Movie and IT, discusses the deal making process for gaming adaptations and the upcoming Minecraft Movie and God of War TV and film properties. They explore the challenges of adapting video game properties, leveraging success to boost game sales, and balancing fan expectations. The significance of creating lasting impact and satisfying both hardcore fans and wider audiences is also highlighted.

Disney's $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games and potential collaboration with Fortnite. Lawsuit involving Mythical Games' $150 million investment debacle. Successful launch of Heroes of Mavia mobile web3 game and its implications for future of web3 gaming. Palworld's explosive growth and potential for smaller studios. Challenges and consumer backlash faced by WB's live service game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Potential crossover between Disney and Fortnite with DC versus Marvel fight.

Parallel, a Toronto-based company building an ambitious sci-fi themed game, discusses the intersection of web3 and trading card games. They explore their target audience, revenue model, upcoming 3v3 team mode, gameplay mechanics, and distribution strategies. Additionally, they share their favorite games and express excitement for new releases.

This podcast episode discusses the growing impact of user-generated content (UGC) in gaming, including trends and developments on platforms like Roblox and UEFN. It explores successful UGC experiences, game-changing features, and strategies for approaching this market. Additionally, it touches on the changing landscape of the gaming market, challenges faced by Fortnite compared to Roblox, unlocking creativity through UGC, and Novik's offerings.

China's proposed bans on game monetization tactics and their impact on Chinese game stocks; Tencent's CEO's reflections on the company's gaming performance and outlook on AI; EA's and Microsoft's earnings reports including boost from Activision Blizzard acquisition; Microsoft's layoffs at Activision Blizzard and Johanna Faries' new role at Blizzard; Apple's compliance with EU DMA law; smartphones surpassing Nintendo as primary gaming gateway for younger audiences.

Maria Kochmola, Managing Partner at The Games Fund, and Arseny Lebedev, CEO and Co-Founder at Original Games, discuss the challenges and opportunities in Eastern Europe's gaming market. They explore misconceptions about the region, the process of relocating gaming teams, and the advantages of countries like Cyprus. They also address issues such as managing bank accounts, legal challenges, and bureaucratic delays. The speakers predict a promising future for the gaming market in Eastern Europe and provide their contact information for those interested in learning more.

The podcast discusses the popularity of Palworld, the layoff news from Riot, and Newzoo's 2024 market predictions. They also offer their insights on the future of the gaming industry.

Robbie Ferguson and James Ferguson, co-founders of Immutable, discuss their ambitious plans for the web3 gaming space. They touch on topics such as the company's history, the challenges they faced on Ethereum, and the success of their game Gods Unchained. They also discuss the importance of a big hit game for driving adoption in web3 gaming and the challenges and advantages of game distribution in the web3 context. Finally, they share their roadmap for 2024, including the launch of Immutable ZKVM and the upcoming release of Guild of Guardians.

Moritz Baier-Lentz, Head of Gaming at Lightspeed, discusses the state of gaming VC in 2024, including lessons learned as an investor, growth-stage deals, and Lightspeed Gaming's first year. He also highlights areas attracting their attention, such as cross-platform forever games, generative AI, interactive media, 3D innovations, XR, and AI-driven devices. The podcast delves into the evolution of gaming VC, the impact of AI, XR, and sensing devices in gaming, and investment strategy in the competitive landscape.