Player Driven

Episode Description: In this episode of Player: Engage, Greg chats with Dang-Stefan La Hong from Playa Games and Conor McGinley from Bytro. They dive into the transformation of customer support in the gaming industry, exploring the shift from external to in-app support systems, the integration of community platforms like Discord, and the balance between automation and human interaction. Learn how...

Description: In this exciting episode of the Player: Engage, Greg is joined by Mike O'Connor, CEO of Mr. Kite and the visionary behind Today The Game. Mike shares his insights on integrating AI and Web3 technologies to create an innovative social sandbox game. With a rich background in filmmaking and game development, Mike offers a unique perspective on the future of immersive gaming experien...

Episode Description: In this episode of Player: Engage, Greg hosts a panel with three distinguished guests from GDC's Community Clubhouse: Mike Pappas, CEO of Modulate; Kieran Donovan, CEO of KID; and Tess Lynch, a privacy and IP attorney at Premac Rogers. They discuss the delicate balance of trust and safety in gaming, addressing technical solutions, legal challenges, and best practices for...

Episode Description: In this episode of Player: Engage, Greg interviews Sharon Fisher, the Head of Trust and Safety at Keywords Studios. Sharon shares her extensive experience in building and managing trust and safety teams, the challenges of moderating online communities, and the role of technology and AI in preventing harmful behavior. The conversation also covers strategies for creating safer g...

Episode Description: In this episode of Player: Engage, Greg talks with Dan Fox, a seasoned expert in cybersecurity and the leader of the cybersecurity team at ScalePad. Dan shares his career journey, insights into building successful startups, and the importance of staying curious and adaptable in the ever-evolving tech industry. They discuss the role of AI in cybersecurity, the importance of cus...

Episode Description: In this episode of Player: Engage, Greg interviews James Gallagher, the Head of Community Management at Keywords Studios. James shares his journey through various roles in the gaming industry, the evolution of community management, and strategies for building and maintaining strong player communities. They discuss the importance of community managers, the distinction between a...

Description: In this episode, Greg Posner chats with Patrick Jesseman, founder of Alkemi Labz. They discuss the intricacies of indie game development, the importance of a small, dedicated team, and the innovative techniques used to create high-quality games. Patrick shares his journey from film to game development and highlights the tools and strategies that make Alkemi Labz' projects stand o...

In this episode of Player: Engage, Greg is joined by Dr. Ruth Diaz, a psychologist and conflict resilience expert. Ruth leads The Troll Project, a VR initiative designed to combat alienation and foster human connection. She shares insights from her Deepen Orient Transform model, explores the psychological aspects of trolling, and discusses how to build inclusive communities online. Listen Here: Ru...

Key Takeaways Evolution of In-Game Economies : The gaming industry has shifted from paid games to free-to-play and subscription models, significantly impacting game economies. Smartphone gaming has popularized business models that perform well on mobile platforms. Role of Economists in Game Development : Economists play a crucial role in balancing in-game economies to ensure fair and engaging play...

In this episode of the Player Engage podcast, Greg welcomes Lesley Nagy, the founder of Mind Body Trivia, a unique mobile game that combines health, fitness, and wellness with engaging trivia gameplay. Lesley shares her journey from being a TV host to creating a women-led startup that is making waves in the gaming industry. She discusses the inspiration behind Mind Body Trivia, the challenges of d...

In this engaging episode of the Player Engage podcast, Greg sits down with Aislinn McDivitt, the Global Engagement Specialist at Hyper Hippo. Aislinn shares her intriguing journey from aspiring to be a teacher to diving into the gaming industry, highlighting her transition through various roles and how her background in media and cultural studies influenced her career path. The discussion delves i...

In this episode of the Player Engage podcast, host Greg Posner interviews Ivan Zaguirre from SocialPoint. Ivan shares his nine-year journey at SocialPoint, discussing his various roles and the recent release of their new game, Top Troops. Ivan emphasizes the importance of understanding the gaming audience and tailoring the product to their tastes and preferences. He also highlights the significanc...

In this engaging episode of the Player: Engage podcast, we delve deep into the world of community in gaming from multiple perspectives. Our host, Greg, is joined by three distinguished guests from the gaming industry:  Ben Kvalo from Midwest Games, Anna Wright from Niantic, and Carlos Figueiredo from Minecraft. Each guest shares their unique insights on building and nurturing gaming communities, e...

In  this special episode of the Player: Engage podcast, host Greg delves  into the world of gaming accessibility with guests Olivier Nourry and Tim  Lansiaux, founders of Games Accessibility Hub. The episode is timely, coinciding with Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and focuses on the importance of digital access and inclusion in gaming. Olivier and Tim  share their journey and mission to make...

In this enlightening episode of the Player: Engage podcast, host Greg is joined by Olli Mäntylä, a pivotal figure in the gaming industry. Olli, who serves as the director of the Game Development World Championship (GDWC) and the founder and CEO of Ace Lagoon, shares an in-depth look into the workings of the GDWC. He explains how the championship is not just a competition but a platform that allows...

In this episode of the Player: Engage Podcast, host Greg is joined by Christine Dart, the Global Head of Marketing at Helpshift and a Marketing Leader at Keywords Player Engagement. Christine shares her extensive experience in B2B marketing within the video game industry, discussing her dynamic strategies that have led to significant growth in revenues and leads. She also delves into her personal...

In this insightful episode of the Player: Engage Podcast, host Greg delves into the intricate world of backend game services with tech visionary Patrick Twohig. As the fractional CTO of Wheelhouse and founder of Elements, Patrick shares his extensive experience in streamlining the delivery of high-quality streaming content and developing interactive applications for both Web 2 and Web 3 spaces. Th...

In this episode of the Player: Engage Podcast, Greg sits down with Emily Pierron from Nightmarket Games to delve into the intricacies of her role as a producer and the importance of psychological safety within gaming studios. Emily shares her journey from Eventbase to Nightmarket Games, providing insights into the unique responsibilities of a producer in different studio environments. She emphasiz...

Welcome to another exciting episode of Player: Engage Podcast! In this episode, we dive deep into the gaming industry with our special guest, Pasqual Batalla, COO of Sandsoft. Pasqual shares his journey from engineering to leading a gaming company, the growth of gaming in Barcelona, and the future of Sandsoft. Episode Highlights: Pasqual's unexpected path to becoming the COO of a gaming compa...

Player: Engage Podcast: Live from GDC with Bertrand Bodson, CEO of Keywords Studios! Welcome to a special live episode of the Player: Engage Podcast, where host Greg sits down with Bertrand Bodson, the CEO of Keywords, at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). Bertrand shares his journey from aspiring tennis player to leading a major player in the gaming industry, his insights on AI, and the entrep...

Welcome to another episode of the Player Engage Podcast, where we  dive deep into the gaming industry's most intriguing topics. Today,  we're thrilled to have Gemma Doyle, co-founder and CCO of SurgeROI, join  us to share her insights on VIP programs and their impact on player  loyalty and engagement. Episode Highlights: Gemma's Journey : Discover Gemma's transition from real m...

In this episode of the Player Engage podcast, host Greg Posner and guest Erik Ashby, Senior Director and Head of Product Research at Helpshift, delve into the evolving landscape of gaming technology and player experiences. They kick off the discussion with the buzz around GDC, sharing their excitement for the event and the latest trends in the gaming industry. Erik, with his extensive background a...

The Future of Gaming Through the Lens of Accessibility Episode Summary: Join us on a journey through the pivotal realm of gaming and media accessibility with our special guests, Améliane Chiasson and Jenna. Améliane, an advocate for accessible gaming at Player Research, and Jenna, a live and interactive producer at Descriptive Video Works, share their insights on the challenges and triumphs of cre...

In the latest episode of the Player Engage podcast, we had the pleasure of hosting Rustam Kuramshin from AppQuantum, a seasoned expert in player support. Rustam shared a wealth of knowledge from his eight years in the industry, discussing the intricacies of player support and the importance of creating a seamless player experience. From the evolution of customer support in gaming to the role of AI...

In this insightful episode of the Player Engage podcast, host Greg delves into the fascinating world of gaming AI with industry veteran Stephen Peacock. With over two decades of experience, Stephen has been at the forefront of technological advancements in gaming, from his early days at AudioBrain to his transformative roles at Amazon Web Services and now as the head of games AI at Keyword Studios...