Mihai Pohonţu

Lots of people changing jobs or on the hunt at the minute. Some useful tips to be mindful of from Amanda here. Even though you'll understandably be focused on landing the new role as smoothly as possible, these aren't unreasonable expectations at all and much easier to tackle up front than to deal with after the fact.

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Come learn about Xsolla's strategies to improve your mobile games revenue.

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Much busier day than yesterday. Today on GamesIndustry.biz... (Thursday, April 18th 2024) 1. Your must read today is Marie Dealessandri's superb interview with Swen Vincke on the success of Baldur's Gate 3, why Larian is moving on from it, and the industry's unstainable growth https://lnkd.in/eyQCnAtJ 2. You also need to read Jeffrey Rousseau's interview with Strange Scaffold CEO Xalavier Nelson Jr. on making money and keeping players happy (without exploding in the process) https://lnkd.in/eravtuAA 3. And please do give a read of my chat with Kim Parker Adcock about how the recruitment space is changing amid all the layoffs, and the events that led to the collapse of OPM https://lnkd.in/eSfnq28S 4. Clearly the Fallout series on Amazon Prime is encouraging people to play the games, as Fallout 4 was the best-selling game across Europe last week (with three other Fallout games in the top 10) https://lnkd.in/eXZaynVT 5. Panic announced the Playdate storefront has paid out over $500,000 to developers over the past year https://lnkd.in/eZ2AwvnZ 6. Lords of the Fallen dev CI Games reported record revenues for 2023 https://lnkd.in/eNkXAnYM 7. A recent survey by Game Developer indicates that 70% of devs are concerned about the sustainability of live service games https://lnkd.in/eCvATW2k 8. Void Interactive, the studio behind Ready or Not, confirmed it has been hacked but said no player or staff data was stolen https://lnkd.in/eEf9Jwyn That's it for today. Be sure to sign up to the GI Daily to get all this and more delivered to your inbox https://lnkd.in/eAkx_zen

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Dear Stretch Network Partners, Please allow me to inform you about additional changes that will take place in the global network on July 8. 🍀 All Heads-up tables will be removed 🍀 Badugi cash tables will be removed 🍀 Sonic cash tables will become 6-max 🍀 The minimum buy-in for Sonic Omaha cash tables will be 20 BB 🍀 Sonic Omaha 7 card cash tables will be added These changes apply only to cash tables and only to our Global Network. In your local networks, you decide your product strategy, but we would be happy to assist you in managing your local networks as well. If you need our help, please contact us. The above-mentioned changes are part of the new strategy for the Stretch Network Global Network, which prioritizes the comfort of novice players and casual traffic to maintain the proper balance of our ecosystem between amateurs and professionals. Caring for the ecosystem of the Global Network is our priority. The changes we are implementing now and will continue to implement will significantly improve the user experience for your players, extend their LTV, ARPU, and, of course, Revenue.

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Sony's VP Sadahiko Hayakawa recently noted, "single-player titles remain a strength due to predictability in hits, while live-service games bring a higher upside but also increased release risk." This is where everyone's headed. We've all had the publisher conversations in which they're look to derisk their portfolios. There is more DLC coming out. Newer IP needs to be much further along in production (your risk) and market tested (their job). Having medium budgets is the right choice. It's not all doom and gloom though. Building IP will make future success let's "hits driven". Sequels make more money. Just look at Nintendo. So, with the next game you're making - ask yourself: "Will this be a franchise?" https://lnkd.in/dW6ENays

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Gamescom is upon us 🍻 glad to be back and moderate this key roundtable about "Game Discovery" together with a terrific panel of experts. Join us and participate - we're going to dive into lots of practical knowledge on how to do things, discuss, debate and share our daring opinions about what's missing, which trends to follow and what is the future of game discovery. From finding your key discovery hooks early, to developing strategies for marketing and community while utilizing a planning framework, all through researching & trying new tools, harnessing data, thinking outside the box, and developing a growth mindset. Come and ask these seasoned experts and myself everything you wanted to know. Erik Peterson - Biz Dev @ Steam Benoit Clerc - Head of Publishing @ Nacon (Robocop, Terminator, Greedfall 2) Charlotte Cook - Global Commercial @ Team 17 (Hell Let Loose, Overcooked! 2, Golf with Friends) Jeremy Fielding - Head of Community @ Stunlock Studios (V Rising) Gregory Queste - CEO @ Trailsparker and veteran brand marketing Tuesday 20.8 - 3pm - at Stage 13 More details: https://lnkd.in/dsgwJQZH

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If you care about Mental & Physical health, Screen Time, Hearing Loss etc- then please take a gander ❤️ gamescom I'm collaborating with the World Health Organization to leverage the gaming industry's reach and creativity for public health challenges and rapid response during emergencies. In truth -- this work just builds on the already amazing work that folks like CCP Games and Hilmar Veigar Pétursson have been doing for over a DECADE!! Yup, you read right - for over TEN YEARS they have been thinking about these things! And it builds on what Ian Livingstone has known for several decades -- that games are a powerful way for people to connect, learn and grow. The plan is has 3 pillars: 1.⁠ ⁠Corporate Wellness Provide interested companies with data and information on how mental health impacts our work and everyday lives, which they can use internally to align their policies and culture. 2.⁠ ⁠Gamer-Facing Part I: Information Network Establish a network of partners from the largest corporations to the individual gamer -- to combat misinformation and quickly disseminate accurate information. This includes creating reusable WHO-branded templates for use in games, websites, platforms [looking at you Uri Marchand] messaging apps [looking at you Robert Ferrari] and more. BTW - this is the part where I am most active, and will be asking friends for help. For example, a game character could convey a WHO message against harmful behaviours - like - OHHH, maybe using bleach as a treatment for Covid-19 is not such a great idea? 🤔 Delivering the information in an authentic and impactful way. 3.⁠ ⁠Gamer-Facing Part II: Developer Resources: Offer developers access to verified WHO information and research for health-related content in their games. This helps them incorporate accurate health messaging and use WHO as a reference when publishing their games. HOW ARE WE EXECUTING? Gathering like-minded-souls, and beginning with the END in mind ... which is just good business practice, and some may know as 'Commanders Intent' in the military! WHO CAN TAKE PART? YOU! Everyone! Everyone games - so everyone should be able to take part. That is what gaming is -- a community. Whether you want to send an emoji to friends in chat - or you have a website and need a banner - or are a platform - when the message needs to get out -- ANYONE can show their support and in doing so -- make the world just a little better.  HOW DO WE WIN? By sharing the 3 pillars above with our partners, THEY can determine what resources and creativity they can bring to the party. They will each deliver the magic in their own uniquely creative way -- to their audiences -- so that together we can all fight mis/disinformation and make the world a better place! Whether you are a HUGE platform and share messaging with your community, or one person sending an emoji - you matter! ...OVER TIME - fingers crossed -- hopefully gamers will embrace the WHO into the Gaming Family!

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"Web3 games are boring and dull" Well, that statement couldn't be further from the truth. People who are still dissing 'Web3' games are missing the evolution in the space and are probably still complaining about the internet speed of their dial-up modem. As I mentioned in many of my posts before, I can't wait until we finally arrive at the stage where we drop the disclaimer of 'Web2' vs. 'Web3' and just talk about games again. The difference is that Web3 allows you to own your data aka. game assets. Period. Take a look at #TheMachinesArena by Directive Games for example. A fast, exhilarating, adrenaline-pushing, hero shooter that not only looks fun but has all the elements of a great game that's addictive to play with your squad. I'm excited about the advent of all of these new games seeing the light of day and making the best use of cutting-edge technology by fulfilling the most important task: creating a great experience for the gamer. On that note, happy hunting and level up! #FeatureFriday

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🌟 Over 20 Years of Game Award Winning Industry Leadership – Now Seeking New Opportunities! 🌟 With over two decades of crafting engaging game experiences across mobile, PC, console, and MMO platforms, I'm excited to explore new opportunities, either through my LLC, FrostFire Games, or direct hire opportunities. My career has focused on leading teams, developing live service features, and implementing ethical monetization strategies, always keeping the player at the front of our minds. 🚀 What I Bring to the Table: ♦ Live Service Design & Operations: Expertise in designing and managing live service features, including seasonal content, meta systems, and monetization strategies. ♦ Team Leadership & Management: Proven ability to build and mentor high-performing design teams, fostering collaboration and driving successful outcomes. ♦ System Design & Balancing: Experience in developing and balancing complex game systems to ensure player retention and satisfaction. ♦ Monetization Strategy: Skilled in creating ethical monetization models for F2P and Premium games, aligned with player engagement goals. ♦ Cross-Platform Experience: Versatility across mobile, PC, console, AR/VR, and social games, with a keen understanding of each platform's challenges. ♦ Product Vision & Roadmap Development: Adept at crafting and aligning teams around clear product visions and roadmaps for long-term success. ♦ Pitching & Business Development: Strong track record in pitching game concepts and securing partnerships. 🎮 Key Roles: ♦ CEO / Design Director, FrostFire Games: Leading vision, design, and business models for multiple successful games. ♦ Director of Live Service, Final Strike Games: Driving live service design for unannounced AAA titles. ♦ Design Director / Lead Designer, Apex Legends Mobile: Leading design and live ops, earning multiple Game of the Year awards. ♦ Lead Product Manager / Design Manager, Wargaming: Overseeing publishing, progression, monetization, and social systems for PC and console games. ♦ Design Director / Co-Founder, Apella Games: Creating and leading the design and early access launch of an innovative action arena game. 🏆 Achievements: ♦ Successfully launching and sustaining live service games with high retention and monetization. ♦ Leading the transformation of a AAA game to a F2P model, boosting its market presence. ♦ Receiving multiple Game of the Year awards for Apex Legends Mobile on both iOS and Android platforms. ♦ Developing training programs that have advanced the careers of numerous designers. ♦ Consistently delivering game designs that resonate with players and meet market demands. I'm eager to collaborate with new partners or join a forward-thinking team to create the next big success. If you’re looking for someone with a deep understanding of the game industry, proven leadership, and a passion for innovative design, let’s connect! #GameDesign #LiveService #Monetization #Leadership #GameIndustry #Hiring

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Epic Games is doubling down on being the destination for all developers. The addition of Fab to Unreal and UEFN increases the intensity of Unreal's desire to best Unity. Unity is the market share winner by a large degree, but the constellation of developer ecosystem resources that Epic has put together is showing the lens through which developers of the future—from massive AAAs to indies to brands to a rag-tag group of friends—will be making decisions. Here's how things shake out in Epic's growing developer solutions landscape: - Unreal Engine: the de facto toolkit for many AAA PC/console developers, Unreal is the choice for the DIY dev who needs to build from the ground up. - UEFN: Don't want to start from scratch? Build on top of Fortnite, make whatever you want, and tap into an existing audience of Fortnite players. UEFN works for a group of friends as much as it works for professional dev shops building lands for consumer brands. The caveat? You mostly live and die by Fortnite, and whatever rev share schema Epic wants to put in place. - FAB: Fab's aggregation of Unity tooling doesn't mean that Epic is suddenly going to scoop up Unity players (much of that happened with Unity's pricing change debacle), but it does mean that Epic increasingly becomes the destination for developer exploration and education. And then, hey, while you're there, maybe check out UEFN or Unreal? This is part of a growing trend that we're seeing as a large part of gaming continues to consolidate and the commoditization of tooling gives way to increased focus on new ways for developers to get to market more quickly and leverage new revenue streams (like a UEFN). Of course, Unity has answers to a lot of this as well and is generally more established in revenue solutions for developers, but what Unity doesn't have is a title like Fortnite (and its UEFN offshoot) to dogfood its own tech and also give developers the land on which to build more quickly and leverage existing audiences. Fab isn't going to shake up the engine landscape over night, and obviously showing off Unity tooling doesn't directly benefit anything in the Unreal world, but the ethos of bringing more and more developers under the Epic umbrella is fully on display with this move. https://lnkd.in/geNXjMp4

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Worried your voice casting is slowing down production and falling flat? Do this: Work with vendors who deliver speed, quality, and a personal touch. Too many game producers rely on large agencies with overbooked studios and slow communication. The result? Frustration, delays, and missed opportunities. Instead, choose partners who: Plan proper setup time so sessions run smoothly. Offer direct, responsive communication—no layers of PMs. Provide scalable options, like a studio network for flexible booking. The right approach saves time, avoids headaches, and creates unforgettable performances. Struggling with voice casting? Let’s talk.

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Netflix's new game hire is interesting. Alain understands development, portfolio management, but also cross-over experiences. But it still needs more. I talk about Netflix a lot and where I think they're underutilizing the ability to connect their worlds https://lnkd.in/gwSfYXMu Each Netflix game is a silo unto its own, only unified by a single-sign-on with your Netflix account. Alain comes from traditional games, in which each game is so cordoned off, that requires a lot of effort for publishers to connect them. As the Netflix portfolio grows, not only on mobile but also TV and PC, and the IP itself ends up in non-Netflix owned platforms (like their partnership with Roblox), it will be increasingly vital for Netflix to have a cohesive understanding of its audience, and also commercially beneficial to tie these universes together. Alain also comes from Fortnite, and so he likewise understands the complications of a quickly growing metaverse of games. The issue is that traditional game technology is not easily adaptable to this kind of fragmentation—the kind of fragmentation that Netflix already has and is planning to balloon with its game efforts. Tim Sweeney himself recently said that he feels Fortnite is a full 7 years away from meaningfully connecting its thousands of game worlds. That's pretty bonkers when you consider that web3 games are all connected automatically, out of the box. True, not necessarily with interoperability in the way we'd think of it (this sword shows up identically in all games), but that doesn't mean there aren't many ways to reward players (and developers) with other kinds of interconnected data, benefits, etc. right now. This is where I hope that Alain will bring a keen awareness of the issues facing the games industry overall, and the opportunity that Netflix has to be at the forefront of leveraging new technologies to ensure its users have a seamless and powerfully unified experience. I'll be watching their next steps closely. https://lnkd.in/gfq7P65T

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‘Algebra, My Love (Nik Vocals)’ by Nik Bear Brown is on #SoundCloud https://lnkd.in/eFV4rSzG Algebra, my love, Vocals, Lyrics, Arrangement, and Production: Nik Bear Brown [Verse 1] Algebra, my love, My dear algebra, you know, Many equations since I've solved, Without thinking of your numbers, But the thought makes me smile. [Chorus] I'm so tired of yearning, Yearning for more knowledge. I know it's complex, but what am I to do? I need some mental space to think, So give me some room. [Verse 2] Algebra, my love, Your logic is as hard as stone. Since the last theorem I've proved, I've never felt so challenged, But the thought makes me smile. [Chorus] I'm so tired of yearning, Yearning for more knowledge. I know it's complex, but what am I to do? I need some mental space to think, So give me some room. [Verse 3] Algebra, my love, You're integral to my being. I know one day I might diverge, Can you just stay till Pi Day? The thought makes me smile. [Chorus] I'm so tired of yearning, Yearning for more knowledge. I know it's complex, but what am I to do? I need some mental space to think, So give me some room, So give me some room, I need room. #acoustic, #country, #folk, #originalmusic, #math, #algebra, #love, #poetry, #singer-songwriter, #emotional, #storytelling, #lyrics, #intellectual, #musicwithmeaning, #heartfelt, #creativity, #education, #knowledge, #melody, #guitar, #mathlover, #mathsongs, #musicaljourney, #romance, #friendship, #mentalspace, #selfdiscovery, #inspiration, #passion, #learning

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Our new quarterly report is out. Pearls of wisdom here!

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The games industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation today. With news of layoffs and team restructuring dominating our channels almost every other day, the question I often get - 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠? The normalization of unprecedented gains during COVID, overestimated future demand, inflation, challenges in user acquisition post-IDFA/privacy changes, an overcrowded market, rising costs, and the complexity of game production and live services are all contributing factors. Additionally, Gen AI forces everyone to rethink production to stay competitive. 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 Over the years, the risk-to-reward ratio for new game launches has been shifting unfavorably. Increasing costs, red ocean markets, and the complexity of live services make capturing, engaging, and retaining players to achieve profitable outcomes incredibly challenging. Efficiently translating game ideas/IPs into successful games is tough. Highly experienced teams equipped with cutting edge technology and tools are more likely to create great games. In contrast, inexperienced teams often end up over-iterating, learning on the go, stretching timelines, and/or diluting quality. Great talent is essential today and in the future to build great games. Period. 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 & 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐀𝐌  This is a safer, more predictable, and an incremental risk path for companies with successful games. Doubling down on existing games is a no-brainer part of every company's strategy. However, due to talent bandwidth constraints, companies often focus on their top games while many high-potential games in their portfolio are deprioritized and forced to die a slow death. In my years of experience in the industry, this is a massive untapped opportunity highly worth leveraging! Expanding TAM (Total Addressable Market) can provide significant gains for successful games. This complex task depends on a deep understanding of market differences and motivations that drive engagement and monetization behaviors, applying these insights to game and live services operations to unlock growth. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 This is undoubtedly a massive event on the games industry timeline. But time will reshape how games are designed, produced, and shipped to global audiences in meaningful ways. Gen AI and other technologies will make game production more efficient, high-quality, and predictable. 𝑃𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝑒𝑤, 𝑢𝑝𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠, 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒!

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Painfully long is right. 😲 It look 8 years to build Concord and about 2 weeks for Sony to axe it. This is a strong example of what's wrong with the games industry, especially in the AAA space. How can a game remain relevant and feel innovative to audiences when it takes that many years to develop? And exactly how high of a bar do you have to hit in terms of quality and scope to meet player expectations after that length of time?! Indie studios can continue to lead the way in demonstrating 'what good looks like' for an industry that desperately needs a re-write. I firmly believe we can deliver outstanding experiences for our audiences by combining sustainable development with scalable growth strategies. In summary, we need to be embracing shorter, iterative and more cost effective development times, and identify scalable strategies to maintain Live Services. #indiegames #gamedevelopment #gamedev #innovation Sony Simply Sweet Games #gameindustry #videogames

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Field Day Lab is compiling an exhaustive list of classroom-ready learning games and could use your help in finding them. Specifically we need to find every game that meets the following requirements: - Grade 3 through 20 - Free or at least a demo - Playable on a chromebook - Designed to teach a specific subject, or has materials that translate the game into classroom subjects We’ve found all the games that used to be on gameUP, and some of the bigger collections like icivics. Do you have any other lists or game titles we should include?

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Capcom has released a less-than-positive annual report. There's nothing critical in it; all the declines are tied to a pause in releases. Capcom certainly has a vast catalog of successful franchises for upcoming releases. Resident Evil (RE) stands out distinctly. While Capcom didn't start with RE, it played a crucial role in their history and has had a significant impact on the gaming industry as a whole. Today, RE comprises 32 releases across 33 platforms. These are incredible numbers and a testament to success. Moreover, judging by Metacritic scores, Capcom manages to maintain a high standard of quality. I gathered a timeline of all RE releases on one website (link in the comments). I thoroughly enjoyed watching videos, reading books, reminiscing about my own experiences playing the games, and playing with friends and colleagues. Here are a few interesting facts about RE and Capcom: - Resident Evil 4 was released on 14 platforms. - The first RE took 3 years to develop, instead of the usual 3-6 months for Capcom in 1996. Consultants hired from the U.S. advised shutting down the project when it was almost complete, predicting its failure. - Devil May Cry and Dino Crisis were born while searching for fresh gameplay for RE. - Capcom was one of the first companies to start paying revenue shares to developers, which is particularly noteworthy for Japanese companies. - Toy Story I and RE I were released around the same time. - For a while, music for RE was composed by a well-known Japanese composer who was said to be deaf. It later turned out that he wasn't actually deaf and didn't compose the music himself. PS. In 2026, the series will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and there will likely be a special release or edition. Or perhaps they'll simply release a version with full DualSense support.

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