Naavik Gaming Podcast

Devin Reimer, founder and CEO of AstroBeam, and Ed Saxton, Chief Product Officer at Schell Games, dive into the vibrant world of VR gaming. They share insights on the evolution of iconic games like Job Simulator and Among Us VR, discussing how humor and creativity shape immersive experiences. The duo debates the future of generative AI in gaming, voice interactions, and the intriguing notion of smell-o-vision. With tales of smart NPCs and sensory immersion, they explore the uncharted territories of virtual relationships and player engagement.

Nick Popovich, CEO and Founder of Monomi Park, shares insights from his journey in indie game development, known for the hit Slime Rancher. He discusses the challenge of growing a studio without external funding, emphasizing strategic hiring and a strong studio culture. The conversation covers how to engage players effectively, innovative game design principles, and the balance between creative integrity and business fundamentals. Nick also addresses navigating luck in game success, making it a valuable listen for aspiring developers.

In this engaging discussion, Justin Stolzenberg, co-founder of Metica and veteran of King and Apple, dives into the future of gaming analytics. He shares insights on how Metica is leveraging AI to deliver personalized experiences, moving beyond mere data collection to actionable insights. The conversation touches on the evolving landscape of personalization in gaming and the critical role of AI in enhancing user engagement. Justin also talks about the challenges faced in the saturated analytics market and shares exciting upcoming initiatives in the industry.

Kyu Lee, Chief Business Development Officer at Com2Us and Partner at CRIT Ventures, discusses the company's impressive evolution from Gamevil to a mobile gaming giant, best known for Summoners War. He shares insights on their strategic focus on licensing Western IPs, particularly in sports, and the rising importance of blockchain in gaming. Kyu also explores the unique challenges of expanding into global markets, the untapped potential of Korean content, and future innovations set to reshape gaming trends. A fascinating dive into the industry's dynamic landscape!

In this episode, host Niko Vuori speaks with Jeff Zirlin, co-founder of Sky Mavis and the play-to-earn OG, Axie Infinity, about the significant developments in the web3 gaming space, particularly the transition of the Ronin blockchain to a permissionless model.They discuss Jeff's background and journey into web3, the origin story and wild ride of Axie Infinity, the evolution of the Ronin blockchain, the introduction of the Ronin Developer Console, and the impressive growth metrics of the Ronin ecosystem. The conversation touches on the current state of the Axie Infinity economy and the future of third-party gaming projects on the Ronin chain. We also explore the balance between quality and openness in game development, the incentives for developers, and the potential for future growth as more games launch on the Ronin network.We’d also like to thank TikTok for making this episode possible. In a dynamic gaming market where a majority of games fail within three years, TikTok has become a critical partner in helping games achieve long-term player retention and substantial revenue growth. Learn more: https://bit.ly/LiveOpsProgramNAVPodcast If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this engaging discussion, Anand Agarawala, Founder and CEO of Spatial, shares his journey from AR collaboration to creating the top-earning VR game, Animal Company. He reveals how to pivot effectively as a founder and tackle competition from Roblox. Anand discusses the importance of community engagement and unique monetization strategies in VR gaming. He also dives into the significance of affordable gaming hardware and the evolving dynamics between developers and players in the VR landscape, all while exploring the future of user-generated content.

Jacob Rapoport, CEO of Evil Plan, and Nico Vereecke, strategy expert at the same company, dive into the revolutionary world of AI-powered unscripted fantasy entertainment. They discuss how AI can solve the content shortage in the industry by enabling dynamic, community-influenced storytelling. The duo highlights the shift towards interactive narratives, where audience participation shapes plots in unpredictable ways. They also touch on the exciting intersection of technology and gaming, redefining how stories are created and experienced.

Cloud technology is transforming the way games are developed, hosted, and maintained. In this episode, host Devin Becker is joined by Chris Melissinos, AWS Principal Evangelist for video games, to discuss the growing role of cloud services in game development. Chris highlights how Amazon Web Services (AWS) is empowering developers with tools that reduce production costs, streamline workflows, and enable innovations like off-client AI processing. We also explore how AWS helps address challenges such as scalability, user-generated content moderation, and matchmaking for player-driven experiences.The conversation dives into real-world examples of cloud-driven advancements, and Chris shares insights into how cloud servers can help preserve game history, handle complex computing tasks, and improve collaboration across distributed teams. The discussion also touches on how cloud services support developers facing today’s rising production costs and how cloud infrastructure is shaping the future of game development. Whether you're a developer, designer, or producer, this episode offers a practical look at how cloud tech is unlocking new possibilities for the game industry.We’d also like to thank Neon – a merchant of record with customizable webshops optimized for conversion – for making this episode possible! Neon is trusted by some of the biggest names in gaming and can help you sell direct without the typical overhead. To learn more, visit https://www.neonpay.com/?utm_source=naavik If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

In this episode, host Alexanda Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Spike Laurie, Partner at Hiro Capital, to dissect gaming finance's grim reality in 2025. The conversation starts with a discussion on the industry's downturn, marked by studio closures and a reduction in funding, particularly at the Series A level. Venture capital, once a goldmine for game studios, is now retreating, and if not retreating, shifting many of their investments to infrastructure. The duo discuss hard questions such as founders' frustrations that VCs have set the bar too high for the products they are making, whether investing in infrastructure actually sidesteps content risk (given the clients of ‘picks and shovels’ are venture-backed gaming studios), and whether a fund would ever return raised capital back to their LPs given the recent market’s low returns. They discuss what options founders have in 2025 and what Hiro may be looking for as they deploy Fund II ($340M USD). They also discuss Snowprint Studios' sale to MTG and how that relates to fund strategy in games. The episode concludes with a look at what the future holds for gaming VC in 2025, with a focus on the importance of backing resilient teams and innovative IP.We’d also like to thank AWS for Games for making this episode possible. AWS for Games aligns purpose-built game development capabilities — including AWS services like Amazon GameLift as well as solutions from AWS Partners — to help game developers build, run, and grow their games. For more information, visit https://aws.amazon.com/gametech/If you like the episode, please help others find us by leaving a 5-star rating or review! And if you have any comments, requests, or feedback shoot us a note at podcast@naavik.co. Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Luke Barwikowski, Founder and CEO of Pixels.xyz, dives into the sustainability of Play-to-Earn gaming. He shares the remarkable growth of Pixels, boasting 10 million users and over $20 million in revenue. The discussion covers innovative monetization strategies that enhance player engagement without traditional ads. Luke also highlights shifting player demographics in Web3 and the challenges faced in maintaining user retention. The conversation even touches on creative community initiatives, including virtual weddings, showcasing the strong bonds formed within the gaming ecosystem.