Dive into the future of AI in game development with this insightful panel from GDC featuring Aaron Farr (CTO at Jam and Tea Studios) and Liam Dean (Principal Analyst, Games at Omdia). They explore AI-native games, emergent gameplay, development acceleration, and how AI is transforming both game creation and player experiences. Essential viewing for game developers, executives, and anyone interested in how AI will reshape the gaming landscape.Timestamps0:00 - Introduction and panel overview1:50 - How revolutionary will AI be for gaming?3:30 - Current limitations of AI in game development5:10 - The concept of "AI native games" explained8:00 - Retail Mage: A real example of an AI native game11:10 - Emergent gameplay with AI - The painting IOU story14:20 - AI games vs. multiplayer games comparison17:40 - The controversy around AI in the games industry18:50 - Ethics of AI in game development22:20 - Who wins and loses with AI in game development?24:40 - The "organizational meta" and how AI will reshape studio structure27:40 - AI's impact on product development velocity30:20 - How traditional game studios will adapt (or fail)34:00 - Behind the scenes of an AI-native studio36:10 - How AI dramatically reduces development time (8 weeks vs 4 years)38:10 - The AI Dungeon Master example43:30 - Practical AI applications available right now47:10 - Q&A: Examples of AI-native games in the market49:30 - Q&A: Impact on staffing and team sizes52:40 - The future of game development organizationsSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1• TWITTER → @jokim1• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/

Join us for an in-depth discussion on the Game Developers Conference 2025 with industry veterans as they share their perspectives and what was learned during GDC on the current state of the gaming industry. This candid conversation explores attendance trends, market challenges, investment landscapes, and what's next for game developers in a changing economy.Our panel discusses:⭐ GDC attendance trends and the shift to more exclusive, executive-focused events⭐ The "age of efficiency" and austerity measures affecting game studios⭐ Investment challenges and the evolving VC landscape for gaming⭐ Platform dynamics between developers and companies like Apple and Google⭐ AI's current and potential impact on game development⭐ Unity's latest developments and challenges⭐ The changing nature of GDC itself and its future prospectsFeatured Speakers:🗣️ Eric Kress, Principal at Gosser Consulting and host on the Deconstructive of Fun podcast🗣️ Brett Novak, CEO from Liquid and Grit🗣️ Solomon Lichter Ruiz, Senior Director Global Gaming at CleverTap🗣️ Joseph Kim (Host), GameMakers & CEO of Lila GamesRecorded March 2025 following the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.#GameDevelopment #GDC2025 #GamingIndustry #GameDev #GameDesign #AI #MobileGames #GameInvestingTimestamps:00:00 - Intro and GDC attendance discussion04:00 - San Francisco city impressions06:30 - Event format changes and networking dynamics12:40 - Industry challenges and the "age of efficiency"20:00 - Platform dynamics (Apple/Google)30:00 - AI in gaming discussion36:00 - Event highlights and notable gatherings42:00 - Bing Gordon's insights47:00 - Final thoughts on GDC's future

This week I share thoughts from my years in game development about why teams often struggle with addressing their most critical problems. I discussed this with Ben Carcich in a pod I published a couple of weeks back: the "Building Better Games" episode.Some questions came up and I wanted to try something new, a bit of a rant on this topic.Is it lame? Is it useful? Let's try it and find out.

Dive deep into Battle Pass design with industry experts discussing Overwatch 2's approach, player psychology, and monetization strategies. Learn essential insights about progression systems, player choice, and value perception from game developer Ted Park and former Riot meta-systems expert Chris Cobb, hosted by Joseph Kim of Lila Games.Content Overview0:00 - Introduction and Battle Pass Overview3:35 - Hero-Based Games: The Main Character Problem7:20 - Battle Pass Progression and Grindiness13:15 - Value Perception and Premium Options18:40 - Customization vs Production Realities24:10 - Battle Pass Currency and Mythic Rewards System31:25 - Loot Boxes: Their Surprise Return38:15 - IP Integration and Themed Content43:50 - Ideal Battle Pass Design: Expert Recommendations52:15 - Conclusion and Key TakeawaysSUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/

Ben Carcich, a game industry consultant with a military background and experience at Riot Games, shares valuable insights on game production. He discusses why successful games often come from challenging development processes and the dangers of premature scaling. Ben emphasizes the importance of balancing creative vision with technical execution and addresses the critical role of leadership in navigating uncertainties. He also highlights lessons from military training that can enhance adaptability and decision-making in the high-pressure world of game development.

Join gaming industry veterans as they break down the unprecedented transformation of mobile 4X games. Featuring insights from Joseph Kim (Lila Games), Justin Yau (Wharton MBA), UA specialist Matej Lancaric (2.5 Gamers) and game design specialist Jakub Remiar (2.5 Gamers) on how Chinese gaming companies are achieving $8M+ daily revenue through innovative UA strategies and product design.Key Topics:🔑 Evolution of 4X game design🔑 UA innovation and AI creative production🔑 Server economics and monetization strategies🔑 Future industry predictions⏰ Timestamps:0:00 Introduction and Speaker Backgrounds3:09 First Fun/River Game Partnership History8:05 Modern 4X Game Economics15:20 UA Strategy Evolution23:45 Creative Production at Scale31:30 AI's Role in UA Innovation38:15 Product Design Integration45:40 Server Management Strategies52:30 Future of 4X Gaming57:15 Non-Consensus Predictions🔍 Featured Experts:Joseph Kim (CEO, Lila Games)Justin Yau (Industry Analyst, Wharton)Matej Lancaric (UA Specialist)Jakub Remiar (Game Design Consultant)💡 Additional Resources:Previous Matej +: JK Collaboration Podcast on 4X UA Strategy: https://youtu.be/IvRjmGvWhdQDissecting Best-Selling Mobile 4X Game Metrics by Ning Wang: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dissecting-best-selling-mobile-4x-game-metrics-ning-wang-vk1pc/Join the GameMakers newsletter for more industry insights and discussions: Newsletter: www.gamemakers.com#MobileGaming #GameDev #UserAcquisition #4XGames #GameStrategy

Learn the insider strategies from industry legends Frank Yan (Brawl Stars), Dafna Ben Onn (SciPlay), and Ivan Trancik (Superscale) on mastering mobile game operations! 📍 Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction to LiveOps Fundamentals 2:15 - Frank Yan: Rapid Content Deployment Strategies 4:30 - The Art of Player Segmentation 7:00 - Dafna Ben Onn: Optimizing Rewards and Retention 10:45 - Balancing Monetization and Player Experience 14:20 - Ivan Trancik: Analytics and Experimentation Stages 18:30 - Building a Data-Driven Game Development Machine 22:00 - Key Takeaways and Future of LiveOps 🔑 Key Insights: How to update games instantly without client updates Personalization techniques that keep players engaged Building a robust analytics infrastructure Experimental strategies for game growth 💡 Perfect for: Mobile game developers Product managers Game studios looking to optimize performance Entrepreneurs in the gaming industry

Leading mobile gaming experts break down everything you need to know about Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) in 2025. Get insider perspectives from AppsFlyer, Wildcard Games, and industry veterans on when to use MMPs, how much they really cost, and where the industry is heading. Perfect for mobile game developers, UA managers, and studio executives looking to optimize their marketing strategy and understand the evolving role of MMPs in today's privacy-first environment. OUTLINE: 00:00 - Introduction & Overview 03:43 - What is an MMP? Core Functions Explained 05:28 - SDK Integration Benefits 08:02 - Attribution & Performance Tracking 12:24 - Impact of IDFA Deprecation 16:32 - When Do Studios Need an MMP? 24:42 - Cost Breakdown for Studios 27:54 - Self-Attributing Networks (SANs) 32:45 - Working with Multiple Ad Networks 38:59 - Creative Optimization & AI Tools 43:08 - Data Clean Rooms & Privacy 51:09 - Open Source MMP Projects 53:52 - Future Trends in Mobile Marketing 57:47 - Industry Changes & Consolidation 1:01:02 - Final Thoughts & Recommendations SPEAKERS: ✅ Josh Chandley. Co-founder and COO at WildCard Games. ✅ Joseph Kim. CEO at Lila Games. ✅ Brian Murphy. Head of Gaming and New Product Strategy at AppsFlyer. ✅ James O’Claire. Former COO at Bubbleye. Founder Open Attribution. For links and additional info go to Gamemakers.com

Join us as we explore the future of user-generated content (UGC) in gaming with Playmakers, diving into why community-created content converts 30% better than studio content and how AI fits into the UGC ecosystem. Essential insights for game developers looking to scale content creation through community engagement. #GameDev #UGC #gaming Co-hosted with Anton Bernstein, CEO at Pocket Worlds. OUTLINE: 0:00 Intro 0:40 Best game examples of UGC cosmetics 1:20 How cosmetics work in Counterstrike 3:05 The Playmakers UGC platform business 6:52 Dealing with the biggest UGC problem: Time To Penis (TTP) 9:10 Other problems: Trademarks and duplicates 10:18 Economics of enabling a UGC cosmetics platform 12:06 Balancing professional content vs. UGC content in a game 13:52 The kinds of games better adapted for UGC content 16:10 AI as a complement or competition to UGC: UGC vs. AGC vs. UGAC 20:37 In a world of infinite free content, how to give UGC items value 22:40 Biggest concerns to integrating UGC content in their games 24:40 Integration issues for integrating UGC in games 26:16 The functions required for a UGC platform 27:48 Getting over the cold-start problem getting creators to start making UGC 32:40 Can UGC content be cross-game content? 34:00 Big upcoming UGC macro trends 37:15 Depth vs. shallowness of UGC support Roblox vs. Minecraft 39:20 The trend of UGC remixing 41:35 Future Playmakers roadmap 👇 EPISODE LINKS: - Playmakers: https://www.playmakers.co/ SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS: - Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i - Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/ 😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! — • MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1 • TWITTER → @jokim1 • LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/ — POPULAR CONTENT — 🤑 Economy of the Metaverse with Tim Sweeney https://youtu.be/h6ClJxjuRvw ℹ️ How to Build the Amazon of Game Companies https://youtu.be/bkd2TOpKt4I 🔮 Gaming Trends | A Look Ahead at 2021 https://youtu.be/NejFzHtpiZI 🖥️ The Future of PC Gaming https://youtu.be/_QT7O3Wxi2s 🔴 Games Industry M&A https://youtu.be/65nyPk6WNrs 🔴 Netcode for Multiplayer Games https://youtu.be/tHq3PzmjhLw 🔴 IDFA Deprecation Product Impact https://youtu.be/Ojec4wGKpso 🔴 Trip Hawkins on the New High Score https://youtu.be/5egTSQ6AiRA 🔴 LiveOps F2P Best Practices https://youtu.be/tmzqqnYbjNY

The gaming industry experienced seismic shifts in 2024, from record-breaking layoffs to China's rising dominance. In this comprehensive analysis, we break down the five key developments that shaped gaming in 2024 and what they mean for 2025. We'll explore: 🔑 The true impact of the gaming recession 🔑 Why live service games are harder than ever to compete with 🔑 How China became a global gaming powerhouse 🔑 The surprising comeback of live operations 🔑 Why UGC platforms struggled to monetize Plus, we'll dive into our predictions for 2025, including: 🔑 The evolution of game development models 🔑 AI's growing role in gaming 🔑 Market recovery catalysts 🔑 Companies to watch 🔑 Industry transformation ahead Whether you're a developer, investor, or gaming enthusiast, this analysis will help you understand where the industry is headed and why it matters. Join us for an in-depth look at gaming's past year and future prospects. Outline 0:00 - Introduction & Overview 2:15 - 2024 Year in Review Overview 3:30 - Gaming Recession Deep Dive (Industry layoffs, Shift in cost-cutting approaches) 7:45 - Live Service Games Dominance (Steam engagement statistics, Why established games maintain power) 12:30 - China's Gaming Success Story (Mobile market dominance, HD gaming breakthrough, Strategic advantages) 18:15 - Live Operations Excellence (Brawl Stars case study, Impact on game performance) 22:45 - UGC Platform Challenges (Monetization struggles, Platform economics) 26:30 - 2025 Predictions Overview 27:45 - New Development Models (Shift from traditional approaches, Efficiency focus) 32:15 - AI Integration in Gaming (Three levels of integration, Future possibilities) 37:30 - Market Recovery Catalysts (Key upcoming releases, Market conditions) 42:15 - Companies to Watch (Detailed analysis of key players, Growth opportunities) 48:30 - Industry Transformation (Workforce changes, Operational shifts) 53:15 - Conclusion & Key Takeaways 55:00 - Final Thoughts