The Naavik Gaming Podcast is a business-focused exploration of the companies, trends, strategies and leaders that are defining the future of games. To learn more and see other great content visit www.naavik.co.
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Sep 27, 2026 · 16:11
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, September 27th. In this week’s issue, we take a look at how seasonal live-ops performs in 2026, analyzing a…
Sep 22, 2026 · 59:53
AI is making game creation more accessible, but building reliable games that can reach players across multiple platforms requires more than simply prompting an LLM. Host Devin…
Sep 20, 2026 · 16:36
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, September 20th. In this week’s issue, we dig into the data and assess to what extent external IP drives a…
Sep 15, 2026 · 45:28
Gaming financing hit a 12-month high in Q2 2026, with over $2.5B raised across fewer than 100 rounds. In this episode, recorded in person at Gamescom, Kalie Moore sits down with…
Sep 13, 2026 · 13:24
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, September 13th. In this week’s issue, explore the recent increase in notable indie game developers launching…
Sep 8, 2026 · 54:13
AI is rapidly changing user acquisition (UA), not just by speeding up creative production but by expanding how campaigns themselves can be managed. Host Devin Becker is joined by…
Sep 1, 2026 · 1:05:38
Live from Gamescom at the Xsolla Clubhouse in Cologne, Alexandra Takei , VP of Platform Revenue & Gaming at Medal and General Intuition, sits down with Ben Kvalo , Founder and…
Aug 30, 2026 · 15:21
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 30th. In this week’s issue, we explore the present and future of kids games through the lens of…
Aug 25, 2026 · 48:36
Game server hosting is the layer nobody thinks about until it breaks. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Max Podkidkin, Co-Founder and CEO of BisectHosting, to unpack…
Aug 23, 2026 · 14:43
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 23rd. In this week’s issue, we share our latest podcast episode and tackle how and why the mobile…
Aug 18, 2026 · 1:01:36
Between 2018 and 2024, the turnover of Portuguese games companies went from around 5 million to nearly 100 million. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Jefferson…
Aug 16, 2026 · 14:28
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 16th. In this week’s issue, we examine Roblox, which lost nearly a third of its value after it…
Aug 9, 2026 · 12:16
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 9th. In this week’s issue, we discuss the rising “friendslop" phenomenon, why it’s somewhat…
Aug 2, 2026 · 13:14
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, August 2nd. In this week’s issue, we discuss the decline of platform-led gaming in China through the lens of…
Jul 31, 2026 · 52:13
As studios contend with layoffs, hiring freezes, longer development cycles, and a growing supply of experienced talent outside traditional roles, fractional work is emerging as a…
Jul 26, 2026 · 14:07
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 26th. In this week’s issue, we examine how a new generation of creators and internet-native IP —…
Jul 21, 2026 · 56:09
Fourteen years after launch, Subway Surfers is still one of the biggest games in the world. In this episode, Kalie Moore sits down with Mathias Gredal Nørvig, CEO of SYBO, to…
Jul 19, 2026 · 12:49
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 19th. In this week’s issue, we shine a light on the memo that undid 10 years of Xbox strategy, focusing…
Jul 16, 2026 · 49:38
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is moving from an experimental monetization channel toward a more established part of game publishing, but adoption remains uneven. Host Devin Becker is…
Jul 12, 2026 · 17:23
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 12th. In today’s issue, we evaluate the memory boom’s effect on the present and future of gaming…
Jul 7, 2026 · 59:39
Mobile has spent the last decade perfecting paid acquisition, and often, paid UA comprises 99% of a mobile game’s marketing budget. PC and console gaming generate tens of…
Jul 5, 2026 · 15:20
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, July 5th. In today’s issue, we discuss the underrated, emerging intersection of creators and DTC — and why…
Jun 30, 2026 · 1:08:25
In this special episode of the Naavik Gaming Podcast, recorded live from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, host Kalie Moore sits down with fellow Cannes…
Jun 28, 2026 · 14:27
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 28th. In today’s issue, we uncover two underrated mobile development regions that are flying under the…
Jun 23, 2026 · 47:47
In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Angela Yu, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of StoReel, to explore one of the fastest-growing entertainment categories that gaming…
Jun 21, 2026 · 15:44
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 21st. In today’s issue, we dive deep into LEGO’s 30-year history, examining its roots, how it is…
Jun 14, 2026 · 22:53
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 14th. In today’s issue, we discuss the current state of microdramas — a category which rapidly evolved…
Jun 9, 2026 · 1:05:24
Gaming M&A is no longer just a story about strategics buying obvious hits. In this episode, Alexandra Takei , VP of Platform Revenue at Medal , sits down with Brogan Keane ,…
Jun 7, 2026 · 14:11
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, June 7th. In today’s issue, we shine a light on Embracer after the company recently announced it is…
Jun 2, 2026 · 57:07
Keeping players playing is getting harder as player attention fragments and expectations rise, so understanding churn has become a core live-ops competency. Host Devin Becker…
May 31, 2026 · 16:43
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 31st. In today’s issue, we dive deep into Scopely and the three titles which generate close to 95% of…
May 26, 2026 · 54:55
In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with James Nicholls, Studio Director at Scriptic, to explore one of the most fascinating intersections emerging in entertainment…
May 24, 2026 · 15:04
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 24th. This week, we take a closer look at Asha Sharma's progress and plans three months into her tenure…
May 20, 2026 · 57:10
Host Devin Becker sits down with Tom Gayner , CEO of Levellr , to dig into what it actually looks like to listen to players at scale, and how to turn the constant stream of…
May 17, 2026 · 20:40
This episode covers the Naavik Digest newsletter published on Sunday, May 17th. This week, we conduct a focused case study within the highly competitive Merge-2 subgenre of the…
May 14, 2026 · 1:03:46
Most premium games are treated like opening-weekend businesses: if they do not spike, studios cut losses and move on. This episode challenges that instinct. Alexandra Takei , VP…
May 10, 2026 · 13:06
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on May 10th, 2026. This week, we dive deep into Savvy Games Group, exploring what the Saudi Arabian gaming…
May 5, 2026 · 1:00:43
In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Julia Palatovska, Co-Founder and CEO of Dorian, to explore one of the most underappreciated shifts in entertainment: the…
May 3, 2026 · 13:07
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on May 3rd, 2026. This week, we examine what direction China’s gaming giants are taking following the decline…
Apr 28, 2026 · 57:58
In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Terry Lee, CEO of Fusebox Games, to unpack one of the most overlooked but powerful business models in mobile gaming: interactive…
Apr 26, 2026 · 11:18
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 26th, 2026. This week, we dive into Unity’s ongoing turnaround, the promise of Vector (its ad…
Apr 21, 2026 · 53:28
Host Devin Becker sits down with Nicolas Vizioli (Founder of Lemonade ) to unpack what “AI coding for UGC in Roblox” actually looks like in practice, ranging from how Lemonade…
Apr 19, 2026 · 15:13
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 19th, 2026. We examine the exploding number of mobile games made with AI, exploring how advances in…
Apr 14, 2026 · 1:07:58
It can feel like modern game development competes to ship the best game with the smallest possible team. We constantly hear stories about breakout titles built by a handful of…
Apr 12, 2026 · 17:43
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 12th, 2026. We dig into the past, present, and future of music games – exploring the nuances of…
Apr 8, 2026 · 1:10:38
Host Devin Becker sits down with Aaron Bush (Managing Partner & Co-founder of Naavik) for a grounded look at how games are using AI today, separating real production wins from…
Apr 5, 2026 · 14:19
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on April 5th, 2026. We explore Epic Game’s strategic shake-up in the wake of its latest layoffs, including its…
Mar 31, 2026 · 1:14:49
In this episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Stephen Totilo, founder of Game File and a veteran games journalist with over two decades of experience across MTV News, Kotaku,…
Mar 29, 2026 · 13:46
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 22nd, 2026. We explore a slightly overlooked area of AI in game development: consumer research. We…
Mar 26, 2026 · 56:07
Host Devin Becker sits down with Sam Aune (Gaming Analyst at Sensor Tower) to break down Sensor Tower's State of Gaming 2026 report , which covers the current mobile, console,…
Mar 22, 2026 · 11:11
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 22nd, 2026. We look into the Korean games giant NCSoft’s 70% acquisition in the Berlin-based…
Mar 17, 2026 · 52:05
In this special GDC episode, host Kalie Moore sits down with Tiago Correia, the Founder of Save Point, and a longtime operator and investor at the intersection of gaming, media,…
Mar 15, 2026 · 12:24
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 8th, 2026. We take a look at the Japanese publisher Capcom, exploring how it has managed to sustain…
Mar 10, 2026 · 1:02:03
In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Bastian Bergmann, Co-founder & COO of Solsten, about the collision between gaming and branding, and why most companies still don’t…
Mar 8, 2026 · 13:35
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 8th, 2026. We look at Nexon and how the success of ARC Raiders might transform the company’s future.…
Mar 3, 2026 · 1:08:04
A new breed of “micro-indie” publisher is emerging: teams that fund sub-$200K games, ship fast, and treat releases like a portfolio. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , VP at…
Mar 1, 2026 · 9:37
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on March 1st, 2026. We provide a snippet of our new deep dive covering all things UGC gaming. We break down…
Feb 22, 2026 · 14:56
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 22nd, 2026. We explore how niche subgenres – Block, Sort, and Screw – are reshaping the mobile…
Feb 17, 2026 · 1:01:04
Medical training is still stuck in the arcade era: expensive, basement-bound simulators and outdated software that rarely capture the real stakes of clinical decision-making. In…
Feb 16, 2026 · 18:18
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 15th, 2026. We explore Turkish game development in 2026, discussing what other countries can learn…
Feb 10, 2026 · 1:09:30
After a volatile few months across games, tech, and public markets, it’s time for a grounded check-in on where the industry actually stands. Host Devin Becker is joined by Aaron…
Feb 8, 2026 · 11:27
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 8th, 2026. We look into Project Genie — Google’s experimental AI that generates short, navigable…
Feb 3, 2026 · 52:32
In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with David Lee, Co-founder & CEO of Nex, to unpack one of the rarest success stories in modern gaming: launching a new consumer console…
Feb 1, 2026 · 12:16
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on February 1st, 2026. We dive deep into the “fair” gacha Asian action RPGs to explore the performance of…
Jan 25, 2026 · 15:43
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on January 25th, 2026. We examine Square Enix’s recent performance, explore what’s changed since the last time…
Jan 20, 2026 · 53:44
The PC games “gray market” isn’t just a couple of shady websites. It’s an economic behavior that exploits regional pricing and promotion timing to siphon revenue away from…
Jan 18, 2026 · 16:22
This is the audio version of the Naavik Digest newsletter published on January 18th, 2026. We look back at the mobile Match-3 and Merge genres in 2025, exploring what succeeded,…
Jan 14, 2026 · 1:05:23
The direct-to-consumer (D2C) model is expanding beyond traditional webshops and into the world of user-generated content (UGC), especially on PC and console. In this episode,…
Jan 6, 2026 · 53:05
In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Dmitri Johnson and Mike Goldberg, co-founders of Story Kitchen, the production company behind major game-to-screen adaptations…
Dec 16, 2025 · 54:53
Generative AI has made major leaps since we last explored its use in game QA, and this episode dives into how that progress is reshaping the field. Host Devin Becker is joined…
Dec 9, 2025 · 1:08:34
World models are rapidly becoming AI’s next frontier, and in this episode we break down why. Host, Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with Pim de Witte ,…
Dec 3, 2025 · 1:03:08
On this episode, host David Taylor dives into one of the most eventful stretches the Fortnite Creative / UEFN ecosystem has seen in months. Epic has rolled out a wave of major…
Nov 18, 2025 · 55:36
Pushing the boundaries of what's possible in gaming often means embracing unproven technologies and building in the fog of innovation. In this episode, host Devin Becker is…
Nov 11, 2025 · 1:13:28
EVE Online is one of the longest-standing MMOs of all time, celebrating its 22nd anniversary since its launch in 2003. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus…
Nov 4, 2025 · 35:34
In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Zach Letter, Co-founder & CEO of Wonder Works Studio, the makers of hit Roblox experiences, including three SpongeBob titles this…
Oct 28, 2025 · 1:02:53
In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with Robert van Hoesel , co-founder and CEO of First Look , now part of Pragma , to explore how…
Oct 21, 2025 · 51:35
As digital platforms evolve, so too does the business of tabletop RPGs (TTRPGs). In this episode, host Devin Becker sits down with David Scott , CEO of Evil Genius Games , to…
Oct 14, 2025 · 53:13
Are AI games right around the corner? In our second-ever live audience show, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with Serge Kynstautas , Head of…
Oct 7, 2025 · 1:03:01
In this episode, host David Taylor sits down with two fantastic guests to explore why large entertainment companies are increasingly paying attention to Roblox, how they’re…
Sep 30, 2025 · 35:27
In this episode, host Kalie Moore talks with Charlie Blackstock, Co-founder & CEO of Remix.gg , the “TikTok of games” where anyone can instantly play and remix community-built…
Sep 24, 2025 · 1:14:19
With the games industry in constant evolution, it’s important to occasionally pause and take stock of where things stand. Host Devin Becker is joined by Aaron Bush , Managing…
Sep 16, 2025 · 57:23
Mobile publishing is a beast of its own, built on speed, data, and above all, user acquisition. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with…
Aug 29, 2025 · 1:02:23
With AI taking over the tech industry, its role in game development is slowly shifting from novelty to potential necessity. Host Devin Becker sits down with Francois Courset ,…
Aug 12, 2025 · 1:06:56
The video game labor market is in crisis, and few understand it better than Amir Satvat . In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with Amir,…
Aug 5, 2025 · 53:21
In this episode, host Aaron Bush sits down with Monica Dinsmore , Head of Esports at EA, to unpack her journey from finance and ops to leading esports strategy at one of the…
Jul 29, 2025 · 1:26:19
Former Nexon CEO Owen Mahoney joins Aaron Bush for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the current and future state of the games industry. While Owen had a successful…
Jul 16, 2025 · 50:11
In this episode, host David Taylor sits down with The Gang. Originally a team of five entrepreneurs, The Gang was one of the first venture-backed studios to go all-in on Roblox…
Jul 8, 2025 · 54:22
Pim de Witte , founder and CEO of Medal, joins Aaron Bush to discuss his journey building a leading platform for capturing and sharing gaming moments. From running Soulsplit (the…
Jun 24, 2025 · 1:08:19
In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with Mac Reynolds , co-founder and CEO of Night Street Games and Night Street Records, and Matthew…
Jun 17, 2025 · 1:01:52
On this episode, host David Taylor sits down with Dan Bunting , the former Studio Head of Treyarch and one of the key creative leaders behind the Call of Duty franchise. With…
Jun 10, 2025 · 54:04
The esports industry has heavily evolved over the past few years, and big moves continue to occur – especially out of Saudi Arabia. In this episode, host Aaron Bush is joined by…
Jun 3, 2025 · 1:08:59
Apple’s forced policy shift following the outcome of its legal battle with Epic Games has opened the door for more flexible Direct to Consumer (DTC) strategies, and game studios…
May 27, 2025 · 1:05:12
Africa’s gaming market is young, fast-growing, and mobile-first. In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , is joined by Cordel Robbin-Coker , CEO of…
May 20, 2025 · 56:02
In today's episode, host David Taylor dives into the world of Minecraft’s massive creator ecosystem with two of its most influential creators: Raf is the co-founder of Spark…
May 7, 2025 · 1:05:36
In this episode, podcast David Taylor is joined by Alexander Hicks , the co-founder of Twin Atlas, one of the most innovative studios in the Roblox ecosystem. Twin Atlas is the…
Apr 29, 2025 · 54:17
In this episode, host Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , sits down with Derek Qiu , Head of Overseas Operations at NetEase, to explore the cross-border distribution…
Apr 22, 2025 · 1:13:33
Our guest today, has led teams overseeing some of the biggest commercial successes from the MMORPG genre, and has leveraged those experiences to support dozens more through…
Apr 8, 2025 · 1:11:42
In this episode, host Devin Becker welcomes fellow Naavik host and consultant David Taylor to discuss insights from Naavik’s recent State of UGC Gaming deep dive and beyond. We…
Apr 1, 2025 · 1:03:46
In this episode, host, Alexandra Takei , Director at Ruckus Games , dives into the intersection of brand marketing, live streaming, and culturally relevant branded experiences.…
Mar 28, 2025 · 58:09
In this episode, host Sam Distaso dives into the cutting edge of VR game development with Devin Reimer (founder and CEO of AstroBeam) and Ed Saxton (CPO of Schell Games). From…
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