Early MMOs like Ultima Online and Everquest were not ambitious enough and failed to reach beyond their core 500,000 users, while World of Warcraft found the product market fit and became a top product for 17 years.
The speaker looks for something that can have a distribution advantage upfront, gain differential profits versus competitors, and then reinvest.
The strategies discussed are relevant beyond just games, as some investors are looking to invest beyond the gaming industry.
We sit down Benchmark’s legendary gaming investors Mitch Lasky and Blake Robbins (now also of the excellent Gamecraft podcast fame) to discuss the history and future of gaming business models. This episode is the perfect bookend to our Nintendo/Sega gaming series this season on Acquired — no one is more qualified than Mitch and Blake to breakdown how the business side of the industry has evolved so radically from the Periscope quarter-drop days to the forever games and platform based publishers of today.
Regardless if you’re a gamer, understanding the incredible innovation that’s taken place over the past two decades in gaming and what it portends for other industries is critical for any founder and investor to understand. Tune in!
Note: Acquired hosts and guests may hold assets discussed in this episode. This podcast is not investment advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. You should do your own research and make your own independent decisions when considering any financial transactions.
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