Podcasts about console gaming

Fourteen years after launch, Subway Surfers is still one of the biggest games in the world. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Mathias Gredal Nørvig, CEO of SYBO, to unpack how a mobile game launched in 2012 continues to attract between 100 and 150 million monthly players while nearly every other hit from its era has faded away. They explore the philosophy behind Subway Surfers' iconic World Tour live operations, why empowering artists and designers has kept the game feeling fresh for more than a decade, how community ideas have directly shaped new characters and game modes, and why collaborations with games like Brawl Stars have become some of the studio's most successful partnerships. Mathias also shares how Subway Surfers Cities evolved from years of experimentation, why SYBO deliberately avoided cannibalizing its flagship title, and what they're still learning as they build the franchise's next chapter.The conversation also dives into one of gaming's most remarkable organic marketing stories: how Subway Surfers became one of TikTok's biggest gaming phenomena without spending on user acquisition, why SYBO gives its social team extraordinary creative freedom, and how the studio thinks about virality, platform expansion, and community-first marketing. Mathias shares SYBO's measured approach to AI, lessons from becoming part of Miniclip and Tencent, why the company stepped back from large-scale licensing despite nearly five billion downloads, and how sustainability, accessibility, and healthy gameplay have become core parts of the studio's long-term vision. The episode offers a rare look inside one of mobile gaming's most enduring success stories and what it takes to build an evergreen franchise that continues to evolve without losing what made it special.We'd also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast 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.Who's On:Guest - Mathias Gredal Nørvig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noervig/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned:https://sybogames.com/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gaming-Good-Unlocking-Create-Better-ebook/dp/B0CSDHG8KC/https://www.goodgame.club/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 19th. In this week's issue, we shine a light on the memo that undid 10 years of Xbox strategy, focusing on what CEO Asha Sharma is actually trying to achieve. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-memo-that-undid-ten-years-of-xbox-strategyMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is moving from an experimental monetization channel toward a more established part of game publishing, but adoption remains uneven. Host Devin Becker is joined by David Stelzer, CSO of Appcharge, to discuss findings from the company's recent report and what they reveal about the current state of DTC. They examine why more than half of studios are still making few meaningful changes, what separates the small group of innovators pulling ahead, and where developers continue to misunderstand web stores, player behavior, and the operational demands of running DTC effectively. The conversation also looks ahead to dedicated DTC teams, standardized technology stacks, broader adoption beyond games, and what winning in DTC could look like over the next three to five years.We'd like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.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.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 12th. In today's issue, we evaluate the memory boom's effect on the present and future of gaming hardware.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-ai-boom-is-repricing-gaming-hardware-and-rewiring-the-console-businessMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com India's State of Play report: https://mixiglobalinv.com/report/upload/indias-state-of-play-260708.pdf Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Vad skulle du välja – spela Super Mario utan svamp, eller blomma, eller Zelda utan svärd? Niklas har knåpat ihop några kluriga pest eller kolera-val som vi måste ta ställning till. Det blir kul! https://ia600701.us.archive.org/21/items/pest-eller-kolera/Pest%20eller%20kolera.mp3

This week, David can’t make it to the War Room, but is locked in with the rest of the hosts for next week’s QUARTER QUELL – 1976. On this episode, Da7e has questions for Patches about the no-good-very-bad news for the console gaming industry over the past couple of weeks. Then, Katey reports on Minions […]

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

Dan Moren joins Mikah Sargent this week! XBOX resets itself. Wealthy families are leaning towards AI tutors to better prepare their kids. AI is starting to get into the "Wrapped" trend with users' data. And New York is the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses. Microsoft laid off thousands more Xbox employees this week, and spun off gaming studios such as Compulsion Games and Double Fine, as the division struggles with thin margins & rising hardware costs. Wealthy families are pulling kids from public school for pricey new programs like Alpha School and Forge Prep that swap teachers for AI "guides" and lessons in business skills, despite no data proving they work. Anthropic debuted a new tool called Reflect, reminiscent of Spotify's "Wrapped" feature, that gives Claude users a usage dashboard with quiet hours, break reminders, and insights into their habits, though it requires memory to be turned on. And New York became the first US state to ban the use of smart glasses in courthouses, following a trend of Illinois drivers and major cruise lines prohibiting the use of camera-equipped smart glasses over recording and safety concerns. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT bitwarden.com/twit rippling.ai/tnw framer.com/tnw joindeleteme.com/twit-biz

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/ Now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@bayNeighborGamers

Mobile has spent the last decade perfecting paid acquisition, and often, paid UA comprises 99% of a mobile game's marketing budget. PC and console gaming generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue, yet most studios have never tried performance marketing once. PC and console have always played in the field of brand, festivals, press, influencers, and content creators due to a variety of reasons that we unpack in this episode. Alexandra Takei, VP of Platform Revenue at Medal, sits down with Jules Baculard, founder and CEO of AdZap, to unpack why PC performance marketing has lagged behind mobile and what it would take to build a real acquisition stack for Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. The conversation covers the structural challenges: thin desktop inventory, cross-device attribution, Steam's limited data visibility, long purchase windows, and the uncomfortable reality that many Steam purchases are never played. Jules explains how AdZap built their performance platform using mobile ad infrastructure, Steam's companion app, landing pages, signal engineering, and retargeting to drive qualified traffic and wishlist growth. The episode also digs into real case studies across indie and Ubisoft titles, incrementality testing, CPI benchmarks, and why wishlists still matter, even if they are an imperfect KPI.For any studio trying to make every marketing dollar work harder, this is a tactical look at PC performance's next frontierWe'd also like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.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.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 5th. In today's issue, we discuss the underrated, emerging intersection of creators and DTC — and why creator codes specifically are becoming an increasingly low-cost, high-reward way to drive player engagement and monetization.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-next-wave-of-creator-led-growthWant to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Förutom att gå loss på roliga spel vi spelat så kommer vi, tro’t eller ej, prata en del om Sonys omställning till att endast sälja spel digitalt från och med 2028. Eller vi och vi, Emil kommer ha en rant – eller? Det blir kul! https://ia601608.us.archive.org/33/items/sonys-digitala-spelmarknad/Sonys%20digitala%20spelmarknad.mp3

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/ Now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@bayNeighborGamers

In this special episode of the Naavik Gaming Podcast, recorded live from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, host Kalie Moore sits down with fellow Cannes Lions Gaming Jury member Cheryl Platz, author of The Game Development Strategy Guide, and former UX leader at Riot Games, Scopely, Microsoft, and Amazon. Together, they pull back the curtain on what it was actually like judging one of the world's most prestigious creative awards programs, from the multi-stage evaluation process to the debates that shaped the final winners. They discuss the challenges of evaluating gaming campaigns across vastly different audiences, genres, and markets, and share lessons for brands, agencies, and developers looking to create work that genuinely resonates with players.The conversation explores some of the most memorable campaigns from this year's competition, including a deep dive into Supercell's big year. Kalie and Cheryl unpack why Copycat's Welcome earned the coveted Grand Prix, how Pocket-Sized Halftime Show won Gold and dominated the conversation across all entertainment conversations, and what these campaigns reveal about creativity, player insight, and measurable impact. They also discuss Skittles' viral gaming flute, Silent Clean's horror game for a century-old cleaning brand, and campaigns that used gaming to tackle organ donation, wildfire prevention, and medical education. The episode offers a rare inside look at how creative excellence is judged at the highest level and what the future of brand integration in games might look like.We'd also like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! With its fully managed analytics and LiveOps platform built for game studios, 95% of their clients grow revenue in one year. All of that without having to hire an in-house data team. Learn more here: dive.games/scale..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.Who's On:Guest - Cheryl Platz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylplatz/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned:https://www.cherylplatz.com/https://www.gamedevelopmentstrategyguide.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/enduring-play-a-game-development-podcast/id1826460395?l=es-MXhttps://www.lovethework.com/en/awards/winners-shortlists/cannes-lions/entertainment-lions-for-gaming?tag=publication+dates%40%40year%40%402026

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 28th. In today's issue, we uncover two underrated mobile development regions that are flying under the radar — a downloads powerhouse and a small but mighty region punching above its weight. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/two-underrated-mobile-development-regionsWant to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Det är blandat under kontrollerade former. Det har tittats på både bra och dålig film och spelats en del spel. Det är varmt också. Det blir kul! https://ia600805.us.archive.org/5/items/mumien-housemaid-och-bondspel/Mumien%2C%20housemaid%20och%20Bondspel.mp3

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/ Now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@bayNeighborGamers

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Angela Yu, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of StoReel, to explore one of the fastest-growing entertainment categories that gaming executives should be paying attention to: AI-native microdramas. While many still think of microdramas as shortened TV shows, Angela argues they have far more in common with mobile games, relying on retention loops, emotional hooks, creator ecosystems, user acquisition economics, and increasingly interactive experiences. She shares how StoReel is building both a consumer platform for AI-generated serialized stories and a creation suite that enables creators to produce content dramatically faster and cheaper than traditional production methods. Along the way, they unpack the KPI performance of AI-produced titles and what game studios can learn from the category's rapid growth.The conversation also explores one of the most fascinating cultural divides in technology today: why attitudes toward AI look dramatically different in China versus the West. Having spent half her life in both markets, Angela offers a unique perspective on why creators, companies, and consumers in China have embraced AI far more aggressively, and what that means for the future of entertainment. They discuss creator ownership, AI-powered storytelling, underserved content genres, interactive characters, and why the next generation of entertainment may look less like Hollywood and more like a creator-driven marketplace where anyone can build, monetize, and distribute serialized stories. The episode ultimately examines how AI is reshaping not just production workflows, but the entire relationship between creators, audiences, and entertainment itself.We'd also like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast 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.Who's On:Guest - Angela Yu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-yu-0a0379112/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc CabeLinks mentioned: https://storeel.com/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 21st. In today's issue, we dive deep into LEGO's 30-year history, examining its roots, how it is quietly starting to change, and what comes next for the company in gaming. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/thirty-years-of-gaming-at-lego Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/ Now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@bayNeighborGamers

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 14th. In today's issue, we discuss the current state of microdramas — a category which rapidly evolved from a niche Chinese entertainment phenomenon into one of the fastest-growing mobile content categories in the world — exploring the widening gap between audience expansion and monetization, a trend which raises important questions about the category's long-term economics.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-microdrama-volume-vs-value-paradox Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/ Now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@bayNeighborGamers

Gaming M&A is no longer just a story about strategics buying obvious hits. In this episode, Alexandra Takei, VP of Platform Revenue at Medal, sits down with Brogan Keane, Managing Partner at Double Black Capital, to unpack what actually happens when a game studio reaches the end of its company lifecycle: sale, exit, or recapitalization. The conversation breaks down who is buying game companies today, from private equity firms and Korean strategics to non-gaming entertainment companies looking for transmedia exposure. Brogan explains why PE buyers care most about profitability and risk mitigation, while strategics may pay more aggressively for IP, portfolio gaps, genre expertise, or future revenue replacement.The episode also gets practical for founders. Alexandra and Brogan discuss what makes a studio acquirable, why the “million units sold” threshold matters, and why founders should focus on one valuable IP rather than distracting side projects. They also walk through deal structure, including upfront cash, retention-based earnouts, performance earnouts, and why headline deal values are often misleading.We'd also like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.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.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 7th. In today's issue, we shine a light on Embracer after the company recently announced it is splitting up again. We look back at the key strategic decisions the company has made and what they might mean for its future.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/embracer-splits-again Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/ Now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@bayNeighborGamers  

Keeping players playing is getting harder as player attention fragments and expectations rise, so understanding churn has become a core live-ops competency. Host Devin Becker sits down with Elad Levy, Founder & CTO of Dive, to break down how churn is defined (and when it's actually “permanent”), the behavioral signals that players are drifting toward the exit, and the underlying causes teams can often address before it's too late. They dig into practical interventions from in-session nudges, to win-back campaigns as well as what reacquisition can realistically accomplish. The conversation wraps with the dumbest reason players quit, the single most important retention move, and a game Elad thinks nails it.We'd like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.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 | Website

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 31st. In today's issue, we dive deep into Scopely and the three titles which generate close to 95% of the company's monthly in-app revenue, examining their current states and future prospects. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/dissecting-scopelys-mobile-empire Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with James Nicholls, Studio Director at Scriptic, to explore one of the most fascinating intersections emerging in entertainment today: true crime, interactive storytelling, streaming platforms, and AI-powered production. Scriptic's breakout title, Scriptic: Crime Stories, became one of the top-performing games in Netflix Games history by turning players into detectives investigating crimes through phones, voice notes, chats, and digital evidence. James breaks down how the studio built a new category they call “narrative play,” where stories come first and gameplay is designed to feel invisible, intuitive, and accessible to audiences far beyond traditional gamers.They also dive into why true crime became the perfect genre to unlock mass-market interactive storytelling, how Scriptic's TikTok strategy generated over 100 million views, and why platforms like YouTube Playables and streaming-first gaming represent a major shift in distribution. Along the way, James shares how Scriptic uses AI across its production pipeline without sacrificing human storytelling craft, and how the future of entertainment may blur the line between watching a prestige drama and stepping inside it yourself.We'd also like to thank Dive for making this episode possible! With its fully managed analytics and LiveOps platform built for game studios, 95% of their clients grow revenue in one year. All of that without having to hire an in-house data team. Learn more here: https://www.dive.games/scale/.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.Who's On:Guest - James Nicholls: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-nicholls-3814759/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.Link Mentioned: https://www.scriptic.com/

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 24th. This week, we take a closer look at Asha Sharma's progress and plans three months into her tenure as CEO of Xbox — reviewing her early moves and what she may need to do to reverse Xbox's fortunes. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/where-will-asha-sharma-take-xbox Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh? Console Gaming or PC Gaming? Anime subs or dubs? Paul, Alec, and even Larry return this week to play "This or That" with all of their favorite nerdy hobbies!

Host Devin Becker sits down with Tom Gayner, CEO of Levellr, to dig into what it actually looks like to listen to players at scale, and how to turn the constant stream of feedback from places like Discord and Reddit into usable sentiment signals. Tom breaks down how Levellr gathers and organizes that data, what teams gain when they treat social channels as a living feedback layer, and how different communities or players tend to “slant” the conversation in different ways. They also get practical about workflows (dashboards and reports vs. hands-on collaboration), how to group feedback into meaningful player personas, when proactive outreach makes sense, where social sentiment shines (and where research methods like focus groups still matter), and what the next 3–5 years of player feedback might look like as tools, and player expectations, keep evolving.We'd like to thank Heroic Labs for making this episode possible! Thousands of studios have trusted Heroic Labs to help them focus on their games and not worry about gametech or scaling for success. To learn more and reach out, visit https://heroiclabs.com/?utm_source=Naavik&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Podcast 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.

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Gaming's future is here; adapt or be left behind. Danny Peña reveals why change is crucial, answering fan mail questions about generational differences in gaming and whether we should have movie or TV game adaptations. All this and more only on Gamertag Radio!Send us questions - fanmail@gamertagradio.com | Speakpipe.com/gamertagradio or 786-273-7GTR. Join our Discord - https://discord.gg/gtr chat with other GTR community member.

This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 17th. This week, we conduct a focused case study within the highly competitive Merge-2 subgenre of the casual mobile F2P market, where certain Eastern developers are now consistently out-monetizing their Western counterparts while competing for the same audience pools. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-eastern-playbook-for-dominating-western-audiencesWant to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

Most premium games are treated like opening-weekend businesses: if they do not spike, studios cut losses and move on. This episode challenges that instinct. Alexandra Takei, VP of Platform Revenue at Medal, sits down with Ian Fielding, CEO of Super Evil Megacorp, to discuss how studios can build durable premium games, manage back catalogs, and survive as independent AA companies in a market that increasingly punishes the middle.The conversation traces SEMC's evolution from Vainglory and Catalyst Black to its current cross-platform, IP-driven chapter with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate and Bloodline. Ian explains why SEMC moved away from large-scale PvP free-to-play, how it operates a fully remote mid-size studio across multiple live titles, and why proprietary tech still gives the company an edge. The core case study is TMNT: Splintered Fate, which has grown years after launch through disciplined platform expansion, meaningful DLC, free updates, cross-play, bundles, and smart use of licensed IP. The episode ultimately explores a harder question: what does it take for an independent, multi-project studio to keep games alive, grow audience over time, and avoid betting the company on one giant moonshot?We'd like to thank Overwolf for making this episode possible! Whether you're a gamer, creator, or game studio, Overwolf is the ultimate destination for integrating UGC in games! You can check out all Overwolf has to offer at https://www.overwolf.com/.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.

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This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on May 10th, 2026. This week, we dive deep into Savvy Games Group, exploring what the Saudi Arabian gaming holding company now owns, how it's performed, and its endgame.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/inside-saudi-arabias-gaming-empireMeet with Naavik at the Nordic Game 2026: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/Jc5cl7eY Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

You can find our social media pages on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JayNbaypodcast/

In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Julia Palatovska, Co-Founder and CEO of Dorian, to explore one of the most underappreciated shifts in entertainment: the convergence of user-generated content, interactive storytelling, and female-first fandoms. As microdrama consumption explodes globally, Julia argues that the real opportunity isn't just in passive viewing but in turning audiences into creators and stories into interactive, monetizable experiences. She breaks down how Dorian is building a no-code platform that enables creators from cosplayers to webcomic artists, to launch games, iterate in real time, and generate meaningful income through free-to-play mechanics typically reserved for professional studios.They also dive into why most UGC platforms fail to translate creation into commercial success, how Dorian shifted from volume to unit economics, and what it takes to build a true creator marketplace from scratch. Along the way, Julia challenges long-standing assumptions in gaming from the industry's blind spot around women players to the over-indexing on mechanics over narrative and shares why human-made content still outperforms AI in creator-driven ecosystems. The conversation ultimately paints a picture of a new kind of platform: one where the next billion-dollar IP for Gen Z women might not come from a studio, but from a solo creator with a laptop and a deeply engaged fandom.We'd also like to thank Medal.tv for making this episode possible. If you're a PC gamer and want to clip your moments or a studio, publisher, or marketer looking to reach a high-quality gaming audience and get your game in front of the right players, check out all Medal has to offer at https://grow.medal.tv.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.Who's On:Guest - Julia Palatovska: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palatovska/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on May 3rd, 2026. This week, we examine what direction China's gaming giants are taking following the decline of the traditional Anime-Gacha ARPG model.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/beyond-gacha-why-chinas-gaming-giants-are-pivoting-to-lifestyle-sims Meet with Naavik at the Nordic Game 2026: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/Jc5cl7eY Our most recent AI x Gaming newsletter: https://naavik.substack.com/p/kraftons-radical-ai-transformation Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Terry Lee, CEO of Fusebox Games, to unpack one of the most overlooked but powerful business models in mobile gaming: interactive fiction built on licensed IP. While much of the industry chases scale through mechanics or ads, Fusebox has quietly built a $30M+ business by turning hit TV shows like Love Island into living, evolving games with some of the highest payer conversion rates in mobile. Terry shares how the studio transformed from a one-season-per-year content cycle into a high-frequency content machine, why writing (not tech), is their true competitive moat, and how they've engineered a system where narrative, data, and monetization continuously inform each other in real time.They also explore what makes fandoms move seamlessly between TV and games, how Fusebox approaches community (including its complicated relationship with Reddit), and why the team is expanding beyond romance-driven gameplay into broader storytelling formats with IP like Big Brother and The Traitors. Along the way, Terry offers candid insights on leadership, scaling under pressure, and navigating the role of AI in creative industries - arguing that the real advantage won't come from replacing talent, but from amplifying it.We'd also like to thank modl.ai for making this episode possible! Using a combination of computer vision, reasoning models, and feedback loops, modl:QA+ autonomously explores builds, detects bugs, and generates actionable reports that sync directly with your existing workflows. To learn more, visit modl.ai.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.Who's On:Guest - Terry Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-lee-296a089/Host - Kalie Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaliemoore/ Watch the episode: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.Links Mentioned:https://www.amazon.com/CEO-Sixteen-Lessons-Career-Level/dp/B0G49VV3R8

This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 26th, 2026. This week, we dive into Unity's ongoing turnaround, the promise of Vector (its ad platform), and what comes next as AI evolves game development.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/unitys-ad-driven-turnaroundLet us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes and details: Podcast WebsiteFree newsletter: Naavik DigestFollow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | WebsiteSound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

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