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In this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast, Lizzie Mintus sits down with Anton Bernstein, the CEO and founder of Pocket Worlds, the fast-growing Y Combinator-backed company that has connected over 45 million users and 10,000 creators through shared virtual experiences. Pocket Worlds is the parent company behind two major platforms: High Rise and Everskies.
High Rise is the leading virtual world where users create avatars, express themselves, and forge deep friendships through shared experiences. Meanwhile, Everskies offers a creative space for users to dress up pixel dolls and interact with their community. Anton shares how these platforms have shaped social interactions in online gaming and how experimentation led to the growth and success of High Rise.Tune in for an inspiring conversation about growing up in the Soviet Union to founding multiple successful companies. Anton reflects on his entrepreneurial journey and offers valuable insights into user acquisition, engagement strategies, and the importance of social connection in virtual spaces.
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In this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast, Lizzie Mintus chats with William Schmitt, the Head of Studio at Proof of Play, a company on a mission to shepherd games into Web3's on-chain universe through uncompromisingly fun games. With over 32 years in the gaming industry, William has held key leadership roles at Disney Interactive, Scopely, THQ, Activision, and more. He has launched 60 titles across 23 platforms, including Tetris Worlds, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Spider-Man, and Madden Football.
Tune in to explore William's "fail fast" philosophy and how rapid prototyping and player feedback shape his game design approach. He shares insights on balancing quality with deadlines, the importance of iterative development, and focusing on core features that deliver “the fun.”
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Joe Schaeppi is the CEO and co-founder of Solsten and is on a mission to fundamentally change the way that humans connect. With a strong background in psychology, he leverages his expertise in human behavior and motivation—gained from leading UX strategy at McCann and his impactful work as an adventure-based psychotherapist—Joe is pioneering the use of video games for cognitive assessment, which opens up new possibilities for patient retention, preventative care, and even mental health diagnostics and treatment.
🎮 Tune in to discover how Solsten's data-driven insights reveal what truly makes players tick, capturing 400+ psychological data points related to desires, motivations, values, and personality traits. Joe and his team empower developers to understand player behavior, enhance personalization, and effectively target market segments. Their mission is to create games that resonate deeply with players, fostering emotional connections and driving engagement.
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Garrett Young is a 25+ year game industry veteran who led development teams at major companies, including Microsoft, Activision, Disney, and Id Software, contributing to the creation of iconic franchises such as DOOM, Quake, and Rage. He also played a pivotal role in launching the Forza Motorsport and Project Gotham Racing franchises, along with delivering numerous other AAA titles.Today, Garrett brings his extensive expertise to lead Empty Vessel, where excitement is building for their upcoming game, Defect, which has already garnered over 1.9 million views on its YouTube trailer.
Tune in as we explore Garrett Young's remarkable career, discussing the critical role of playtesting, his insights on emerging industry trends, and reflections on the key elements that have driven the success of legendary titles. -
Heidi Vogel is a seasoned entrepreneur with over five companies under her belt, and today she shares her incredible journey from tech pioneer to gaming innovator. As a mother of four, she faced challenges managing her children's digital playground, which inspired her to develop GuardianGamer's monitoring solution. Her latest venture, GuardianGamer AI, seeks to bridge the gap between parents and kids in the gaming world by equipping parents with the tools they need to understand and connect with their children's gaming experiences. Through this initiative, Heidi is not only transforming the way families engage with gaming but also fostering a safer and more positive environment for children.
Whether you’re a parent, gamer, or entrepreneur, tune in for valuable insights on the positive impact of gaming on kids, the evolution of technology, and how to navigate new industries with confidence.
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John Goodale was employee #60 at Unity in 2010, where he launched and rapidly expanded Unity Asia. Under his leadership, he transformed Unity into the preferred platform for game developers across the region, driving exceptional growth and establishing the company as a dominant force in the gaming industry.
Having also held key positions at Sega and Activision, John now serves as the CEO of Jam.gg, where he leads an innovative B2B cloud gaming service that offers developers powerful white-label solutions.
Tune in for exclusive insights into John’s early days at Unity, the leadership strategies that fueled Unity Asia's success, his approach to nurturing international partnerships, and his vision for the future of cloud gaming.
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Chris Quaidoo is the Content Acquisition Lead at Carry1st, a leading African mobile games publisher backed by investors like Bitcraft and A16Z. He's also a Venture Partner at Griffin Gaming Partners and hosts Venture Games, a podcast where he interviews key players in gaming and venture capital.
Tune in to this episode of the Here's Waldo Podcast to gain valuable insights into the African gaming market, highlighting its challenges, growth potential, and how Carry1st is driving innovation with local payment solutions. Chris also shares his perspective on what makes a game thrive in emerging markets and the importance of networking and mentorship in building successful careers in gaming.
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Sami Ramly, founder of Echo Chunk AI and creator of the viral game Echo Chess, takes us on a journey from his early days learning chess at just 3 years old to the development of Echo Chess—a viral puzzle game that combines chess mechanics with real-time AI-driven obstacles. Recently, he raised $1.4M pre-seed to take Echo Chess and his vision for the company to the next level.
Tune in to dig into Ramly's iterative design process, his vision for blending puzzle and strategy games, and the role of AI in game development. The episode also touches on the importance of early user feedback and the impact of innovative game designers like Vlado on Ramly's approach to game design.
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Neel Upadhye is an award-winning writer, director, and transmedia storyteller with over 15 years of experience in the video game industry. After starting as an assistant editor, he rose to become the marketing creative director at Electronic Arts (EA), where he played pivotal roles in marketing and narrative development. His contributions included multiple internet-breaking shorts for Apex Legends and the production of Star Wars: The Old Republic and Squadrons - "Hunted," which won the Silver Pencil.
Today, Neel runs a thriving consultancy, collaborating with major clients like Scopely and Giant Skull. Tune in to hear the behind-the-scenes on how he changed game marketing from transactional to compelling storytelling.
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We’re entering a new era where games can be prescribed as part of medical treatment or used to train doctors more effectively than traditional lectures. In this episode, join host Lizzie Mintus and guest Noah Falstein, who was among the first 10 employees at Lucasfilm Games (later known as LucasArts), and has also worked with 3DO and DreamWorks Interactive. Noah served as the first elected chair of the International Game Developers Association and was Chief Game Designer at Google. His contributions include classic arcade games like Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, The Fate of Atlantis, and The Secret of Monkey Island, as well as cutting-edge VR experiences.
Today, Noah applies his vast experience as the founder of The Inspiracy, advising and consulting on the integration of game technology with health. Tune in to explore how games are revolutionizing medical training and health improvement, the future of VR and AR in healthcare, and the invaluable lessons Noah has learned over four decades in the industry.
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If you're a fan of Diablo I, Diablo II, and Battle.net, don't miss our latest episode featuring David Brevik, a 33-year gaming industry veteran behind these legendary titles and services. David takes us on a journey through his career, from co-founding Condor Inc., which later became Blizzard North, to the original Diablo pitch and its iconic sequel—one of the most influential action RPGs in gaming history. He also shares insights into pioneering the first looter shooter with Hellgate: London and developing Marvel Heroes as CEO of Gazillion Entertainment.
Today, David continues to push the boundaries of game design and development, mentoring the next generation of game creators while working on exciting new projects as President of Graybeard Games and Skystone Games. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at his transition from big corporate projects to indie development and the valuable lessons he's learned along the way.
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Fun fact: Mark Subotnick, aka "Bot," began as an SF club promoter in the '80s-'90s before starting his game industry career in 1993 as a QA tester at SEGA of America, earning $9/hr.
A longtime gaming and technology executive, Mark is renowned for his key roles at Intel, Microsoft, and SEGA, spanning multiple generations of technological innovation. He has worked in nearly every category of gaming—from production and business development to QA and marketing—and has credits in over 31 games with experience across 10 platforms and 8 platform launches.
Today, he’s the SVP of Partnerships at ProbablyMonsters, where his roles encompass partnerships, operations, business development, developer relations, live services, and more.
Mark emphasizes that recognizing the value of fostering connections has been crucial to his career growth. Tune in to hear about his unconventional journey, the evolution and challenges of the gaming industry, and the importance of nurturing relationships on the Here's Waldo Podcast.
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Michael Fridley is the CEO and studio director of Squanch Games. He has contributed to many titles since he started in the industry 26 years ago, including The Elder Scrolls, Morrowind and Oblivion, Fallout 3, Reckoning, Call of Cthulhu, PGA Tour, NBA Live, Dragonvale, and most recently Squanch Games' hit game, High on Life- the largest third-party launch on Xbox Game Pass. Tune in to learn about the unique culture at Squanch Games, where the focus is on creating narrative comedy games that resonate with players. He also opens up about the challenges and triumphs of running a fully remote studio, his distinctive approach to leadership, and more.
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Sid Dhulipalla is the CEO and co-founder of Hathora, the server orchestration platform powering Frost Giant Studios' new game, Stormgate. In this episode, listeners get a glimpse of Sid's journey transitioning from engineering management roles at Databricks and Palantir Technologies to founding Hathora. He also shares insights into the interplay between cloud and bare metal servers, the challenges of building a successful tech startup, and the critical role of industry connections in scaling Hathora. Tune in for insights on tackling multitasking challenges, optimizing costs, and building strategic partnerships in the gaming industry, including collaborations with industry leaders like Tim Morten for Stormgate.
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Tim Morten is the CEO and Production Director of Frost Giant Studios. From his early days at Activision in 1994 to leading major teams at EA and Blizzard, Tim has seen it all. Now, he’s steering Frost Giant Studios as they launch their highly anticipated RTS game, Stormgate, which is now available for Early Access! Stormgate builds on the legacy of StarCraft 2 with a brand-new universe, crafted with Unreal Engine 5 and innovative tech. Recent playtests and demos suggest it’s shaping up to be a major hit.
In this episode, Tim reveals the behind-the-scenes challenges and strategies of developing Stormgate, the vital role of player feedback, and the complex world of venture capital and crowdfunding. Tune in to discover how Frost Giant Studios is setting new standards in the RTS genre. And mark your calendars: Stormgate will be available for free-to-play on August 13th!
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David Elton brings nearly three decades of expertise in the game industry, having worked with top studios like Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Zynga, and Capcom. He has held diverse roles from Vice President - Product to Creative Director, contributing to a wide array of titles from Microsoft's Solitaire to iconic franchises like Need For Speed and SSX.
Today, David serves as the Fractional COO at Dave Elton Consulting, guiding studios in striving for operational excellence while they develop their best games possible. Join us to explore David's role as a fractional executive, his insights on game development and business development, and his contribution to Mario Kart Bowser's Challenge for Universal Studios, the first major attraction to incorporate AR. The discussion highlights the intersection of virtual and physical worlds in gaming and theme parks, offering a glimpse into the future of interactive entertainment.
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Yonatan Raz-Fridman is the CEO and founder of Supersocial, Inc., a pioneering studio that builds boundary-pushing virtual worlds on immersive social platforms like Roblox. Roblox is the most engaging platform on the Internet, with its 72 million daily active users spending an average of 2.4 hours per day—three times more than TikTok and five times more than Instagram. Brands are racing to tap into these immersive gaming experiences, and Supersocial is at the forefront, setting new standards in interactive and engaging digital experiences for the next generation.
Discover Supersocial's innovative collaborations with influential brands like NARS Cosmetics and GUCCI, and learn about Yon's vision for shaping the future potential of Roblox as a platform for gaming, social interaction, and commerce.
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Justin Sacks has worn many hats in his 15+ years in the game industry—from competitive gamer to content creator to leading business development for a global multimedia game company. Today, he serves as the CEO of Nexus, a platform specializing in building and managing creator programs for the world's top live service games.
Nexus provides a comprehensive platform that not only supports creators but also offers publishers key insights into their performance. Tune in to learn about the evolution of game marketing, the significant impact and potential of content creators, and effective strategies for incentivizing creators to authentically engage with games they truly love, fostering long-term partnerships and sustainable content creation. -
Ethan Evans is a career development expert dedicated to helping professionals overcome career blockages and advance to the next level. After retiring as VP from Amazon, where he built Prime Gaming, managed Amazon's first game studio, and contributed to Twitch, he shifted his focus to paying forward his good fortune by assisting clients from top US companies. With 70+ patents, over 10,000 resumes reviewed, more than 2,500 interviews conducted, and experience leading global teams of 800+, Ethan offers a wealth of expertise. Join host Lizzie Mintus to explore his remarkable career journey, including insights on overcoming career challenges, the significance of proactivity and emotional intelligence, and practical advice for advancing your career.
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Shawn Foust is the Co-founder and COO of Fortis Games, a global game studio with a mission to create worlds that matter – that challenge minds, build connections, and inspire communities. Before founding Fortis, Shawn was VP of Central Operations at WB Games after its acquisition of PlexChat, which he co-founded and led as CEO. Prior to that, he served as SVP of Business Operations at Machine Zone following its acquisition of Quark Games, where he was also CEO.
Tune in to learn about his journey from a lawyer to an executive and founder of multiple studios. The episode also touches on Sean's personal experiences with layoffs from both perspectives, scaling global remote teams, and navigating the ups and downs of startup life.
- Visa fler
