Gamescom 2023 kick off. Microsoft's second run at ATVI. And VC's role in gaming.
Laine is OOO, leaving Joost in charge. Woo boy.
In his first solo episode, Joost takes an early look at Gamescom 2023 and lays out the latest on Microsoft’s endgame to finally earn the UK's approval to buy Activision Blizzard.
With Laine out of office, Joost instead talks to Shan Shan, a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. Together they take a critical look at the role of venture capital in the games industry, how it has become a more prominent source of funding in recent years, and what lies ahead. Starting with the observation that gaming is the new social media, Shan shares her experiences as a lifelong gamer, going all the way to high school, to becoming a partner at LSVP. “Gaming represents time spent virtually with friends and is a form of social networking.”
Shan and Joost offer listeners an insider's perspective on how financial backing influences game development and distribution.
“I continue to believe there will be new monetization methods that are creative, innovative, and not as simple as what is the click-through of this ad. That is my hope.”
Don’t miss this one.