Naavik Gaming Podcast Naavik

NPCs in games are notoriously goofy. They walk into walls, they repeat themselves over and over again and they run out of cover in the middle of a gunfight. At their best, they kind of just blend into the surroundings and the player barely notices they are there. At their worst, they actually ruin the gameplay experience. But what if we could use the latest developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to give NPCs more intelligence and real personalities? Could NPCs and how they behave become a core part of the game, even a reason to play and replay a game? Kylan Gibbs, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Inworld.ai is trying to do just that, and joins your host, Niko Vuori, to discuss how, and why now.

Inworld.ai: https://inworld.ai 

If you would like us to discuss any other blockchain gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!
 
And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

TLDListen?: Episode summary
Watch the episode: YouTube video 
Join the discussion: Naavik Discord
Read more: Naavik Digest
Watch more: YouTube channel
Go premium: Naavik Pro
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website
Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

In this episode, Lucy Hoffman – co-founder and COO of Carry1st – joins Naavik co-founder Aaron Bush to discuss:

#1 Africa’s exciting gaming trajectory, including how the region’s extreme diversity poses unique challenges and opportunities

#2 The state of Carry1st with breakdowns of the company’s publishing, game development, and technology strategies

#3 Lessons learned about managing company culture with a fully remote and rapidly growing team
#4 How obsessing over serving customer needs could lead to even bigger opportunities down the road

To learn more, make sure to visit Carry1st’s website. You can also find Lucy on LinkedIn.

As always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Go premium with Naavik Pro to access an ever-growing library of deep exclusive research including free-to-play and blockchain game deconstructions, and market analysis. Check out the link to request a demo.
 
TLDListen?: Episode summary
Watch the episode: YouTube channel
Join the discussion: Naavik Discord
Free newsletter: Naavik Digest
Go premium: Naavik Pro
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

How did the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank affect games? Why did Applovin spin out new studio Redemption? We dive into the latest games business news with Maria Gillies, Aaron Bush, David Kaye, and your host Devin Becker.

00:00 - Start02:20 - Microsoft delays and cloud updates06:36 - Google shuts down cloud streaming services09:10 - CoD:M competing with Warzone mobile18:14 - SVB Collapse affects studios and VCs39:10 - Applovin spins out Redemption Studios53:52 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!
We’d love to see you at the Leanplum & Naavik Exclusive VIP GDC party, and you can request a spot here. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect and network with like-minded individuals.
 
And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Go premium with Naavik Pro to access an ever-growing library of deep exclusive research including free-to-play and blockchain game deconstructions, and market analysis. Use the promo code METACAST to save 10%.
TLDListen?: Episode summary
Watch the episode: YouTube video 
Join the discussion: Naavik Discord
Read more: Naavik Digest
Watch more: YouTube channel
Go premium: Naavik Pro
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

 It is rare to create a truly genre defining game. Founded in 2015, The Game Band is one of these studios. In 2020, inspired by a mission to increase connectivity during the pandemic, the viral sensation “Blaseball” came to be. Blaseball is a genre of its own – hard to describe – but best put as a game in which the developers set the stage / simulation and the players and community work arduously to influence the outcomes, create backstories and art for characters, vote to change the rules, and more. Your host, Alexandra Takei, sits down with Sam Rosenthal, the founder and CEO, to talk about an avant garde studio that is truly building alongside its community without the blockchain, the cloud, or any of the other tech buzzwords that are concomitant with the community partnered games hype. 

Reminder to RSVP for the Naavik & Leanplum Party on March 23rd at 8PM here. We have limited spots, so get your ticket soon! Second, check out The Game Band’s GDC talk and be on the lookout for the final Free-to-Play Panel: Do Video Games Need the Blockchain? 

And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

TLDListen?: Episode summary
Watch the episode: YouTube video 
Join the discussion: Naavik Discord
Read more: Naavik Digest
Watch more: YouTube channel
Go premium: Naavik Pro
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website
Sound design by Gavin Mc Gabe.

How does raising venture capital affect studio operations and exit strategies? How has generative AI delivered playtesting workflow efficiencies? We dive into the latest games business news with Aaron Bush, Sebastian Park, and your host Maria Gillies.

00:00 - Start03:03 - Generative AI - Playtesting Workflow21:57 - CS:GO Sequel Rumours27:23 - The Believer Company’s $55M Series A39:16 - Gaming Exits Are Harder to Land48:50 - Outro

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, reach out at podcast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your feedback!
We’d love to see you at the Leanplum & Naavik Exclusive VIP GDC party, and you can request a spot here. Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect and network with like-minded individuals.
 
And as always, if you like the episode, you can help others find us by leaving a rating or review!

Go premium with Naavik Pro to access an ever-growing library of deep exclusive research including free-to-play and blockchain game deconstructions, and market analysis. Use the promo code METACAST to save 10%.
TLDListen?: Episode summary
Watch the episode: YouTube video 
Join the discussion: Naavik Discord
Read more: Naavik Digest
Watch more: YouTube channel
Go premium: Naavik Pro
Follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Website

Sound design by Gavin Mc Cabe.

 The New York Times is one of the world’s most recognized and respected newspapers, and has been in circulation since 1851. With almost 10 million subscribers (of which 8.6 million are digital-only), the Times has a huge audience and an even larger cultural impact. But the Gray Lady isn’t content to just rest on her laurels and focus on news - other verticals in which the Times operates are product reviews (The Wirecutter), sports (through their 2022 acquisition of The Athletic), cooking and, of course, games. In addition to their 7 home-grown casual titles, the Times of course famously acquired viral sensation Wordle for “7 figures” in early 2022. To talk more about the Times’ games strategy, your host Niko Vuori talks with Jonathan Knight, Head of Games at The New York Times. 

New York Times Games: https://www.nytimes.com/subscription/games 

Who’s On:
Jonathan Knight: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jk00011/ 
Niko Vuori (Host): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikovuori/ 

If you would like us to discuss any other gaming-related topics, do reach out at metacast@naavik.co. We’d love to hear your general thoughts and feedback too!
 
More from Naavik
TLDWatch?: https://naavik.co/themetacast
Listen to the episode: https://open.spotify.com/show/5mkaaxf5LCesU0SxMYZz9V?si=495be102f5e64eaa
Discord: https://naavik.co/community
Newsletter: https://naavik.co/digest
Go premium: https://naavik.co/pro
Contact us: https://naavik.co/contact-us

Follow Us
Website: https://naavik.co/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/naavik_co
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naavik-co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naavikco

Sound and Video Design
Gavin Mc Cabe: http://www.gavinsound.net/