GameMakers Joseph Kim

Purnendu Mukherjee, CEO of Convai, shares insights into innovative approaches to developing human-like AI characters that can intelligently interact with users, perform actions, and engage in natural and responsive conversations.

This discussion sheds light on the future of interactive gaming, educational tools, and real-world applications of AI NPCs, from Mukherjee's personal journey, which sparked his deep interest in the mechanics of the human mind and AI, to the technical challenges and societal impacts of integrating AI within virtual spaces.

OUTLINE:
0:00 Introduction to Convai and AI NPCs
1:19 Purnendu's background and how he got into working on AI NPCs
04:22 - Current limitations of AI NPCs and what's needed to make them indistinguishable from humans
5:00 - Technical Challenges and Innovations
07:34 - Overcoming latency issues with AI NPCs
08:50 - Potential AI applications in gaming and why AI NPCs are attracting significant funding
15:17 - Differentiating factors and focus areas for Convai compared to competitors
19:19 - Steps for developers to integrate Convai's technology into a game
24:12 - Comparing effort and impact of using AI NPCs vs traditional dialogue trees and behavior trees
29:25 - Economics and business model of Convai - pricing for different types of games
34:31 - Bringing down costs for games with massive usage and appeal to global audiences
38:48 - Early traction and use cases Convai is seeing from customers today
43:18 - Potential for AI to enable new kinds of gaming experiences
47:55 - Feasibility of doing a fully AI-driven Dungeons & Dragons game with current technology
50:16 - Optionality if Convai solves AI NPCs for gaming to expand to other domains
53:14 - Purnendu's entrepreneurial learnings and the meaningful suffering of a startup journey
59:04 - Constructive criticism from GDC and Convai's commitment to enabling great art
59:55 - Conclusion

👇 EPISODE LINKS:
- Conv.ai: https://conv.ai/
- Purnendu Mukherjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/purn3ndu/
SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.com/

😃 —CONNECT WITH ME! —
• MY INSTAGRAM → @jokim1
• TWITTER → @jokim1
• LINKEDIN → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jokim/


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We compare two major gaming companies, Embracer and Ubisoft, on this episode of Pixels and Profits.

✅ Business performance

✅ Valuation

✅ Future outlook of both companies

We analyze their strategies, financials, and potential for growth.

Timeline Summary:

00:00 - Introduction to the topic and overview of Embracer's business

03:00 - Discussion of Embracer's financials and debt situation

10:15 - Embracer's restructuring efforts and asset sales

13:45 - Embracer's tabletop gaming business and profitability

16:20 - Outlook for Embracer's PC and console division

21:20 - Embracer's mobile gaming business and challenges

24:25 - Valuation and investment potential for Embracer

26:45 - Introduction to Ubisoft's business and strategy

29:55 - Ubisoft's financials and revenue per employee issues

37:10 - Ubisoft's upcoming titles for fiscal year 2024



42:40 - Ubisoft's future outlook and titles for fiscal year 2025

49:50 - Valuation and investment potential for Ubisoft

52:05 - Concerns about Ubisoft's development strategies and efficiency

56:10 - Ubisoft's mobile gaming efforts and challenges

58:30 - Closing thoughts on Embracer and Ubisoft's future prospects

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


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We discuss key themes & trends, critical takeaways, GDC panels/talks, and rumors from GDC 2024.



OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
2:35 VC, publisher investment in gaming is down
3:50 Moving to tighter efficiency in game development
7:05 More pain coming, 3-6 more months of industry rationalization
15:30 UA deterioriation since beginning of year
17:17 AI & Liveops key areas of focus
21:40 Importance of marketing and UA for mobile game success
23:45 Sensor Tower acquisition of data.ai
30:45 GDC Talks
37:10 Frank + Frank Supercell Brawlstars talk
41:20 King’s AI Talk - how they improve liveops on Candy Crush Soda Saga
43:15 Epic’s UEFN talks
49:05 Ken’s GDC tips
55:10 Key takeaways
1:05:40 GDC rumors

SUBSCRIBE TO GAMEMAKERS:
- Spotify Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3Cpyq7i
- Newsletter: https://gamemakers.substack.com/


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Ludovic Bodin is an entrepreneur, investor, and now author of the book Atomic Scaling. Ludovic has learned lessons from the titans of the games industry and created a framework he believes can be applied to any other industry.

Learn more about the lessons from Supercell, Valve, Zynga, and others and how they can apply to your games studio or company outside of games.

OUTLINE:
0:00 Intro
1:20 How Ilkka Paananen, CEO of Supercell inspired Atomic Scaling - Keeping teams small for as long as possible
7:08 How Gabe Newell, CEO of Valve, further inspired Atomic Scaling - Lessons from the games industry are widely applicable
9:35 Ludovic’s great book endorsements, learning from game industry experts, and the sharing culture in gaming
12:21 Motivation to write Atomic Scaling
14:10 3Ps 3Rs framework explanation- People, Prediction, Playbook and Revenue, Reach, Retention
14:52 People principle
22:00 Prediction principle: prediction vs. prophecy - hypothesis, measurement, then change
34:22 Playbook principle - getting the team on the same page
42:13 Revenue, Reach, and Retention
44:05 LiveOps and the LOVE framework - Live product development, Organized event calendar, Very special sales & offers, Engagement and re-engagement
47:10 What should readers take away?



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Eve Chang shares her invaluable experiences and lessons from working on iconic mobile games like Temple Run and Bejeweled Blitz. Get ready for a session full of actionable insights and strategies that could redefine your approach to game development and live operations.

Outline:

[00:00] Introduction to Eve Chang and Overview
[01:10] Eve Chang's Journey in Game Development
[02:10] Eve's Approach to LiveOps
[06:55] Designing and Product Decisions for Live Games
[13:45] Biggest Lessons Learned from LiveOps
[22:55] Eve's Take on the Current Market Environment
[26:35] Final Thoughts and Where to Find Eve Online

Key Highlights:

🔑 Eve reveals her strategic framework for LiveOps, emphasizing market analysis, player desires, and aligning game objectives.
🔑 Insights on making design and product decisions that resonate with players while enhancing game longevity.
🔑 Eve shares candid lessons from her extensive career, including successes and missteps that have shaped her approach to LiveOps.
🔑 A look into the current state of the mobile gaming market and advice for developers navigating these challenging times.

Links:
Eve Chang LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evechang/

Subscribe to our channel for more insights from industry leaders and game development veterans. Don't forget to like, share, and comment below with your thoughts or questions for Eve!


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Matthew Kanterman, Joseph Kim, and Brian Peganoff discuss Nvidia as well as gaming related offerings from the company:


Nvidia business overview
Future growth drivers
Valuation
Competitive landscape
Future outlook




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