Original IP on Roblox

Launching Original IP on Roblox

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 team behind blockbuster experiences like Creatures of Sonaria, which ranks among the top 30 Roblox games in terms of revenue and engagement according to CreatorExchange.io. At the time of…

Cross-Border Publishing: Lessons From Netease’s Once Human

Cross-Border Publishing: Lessons From Netease’s Once Human

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 journey of Once Human, a supernatural survival game from Starry Studio. They discuss the rapid evolution of China’s gaming market, how Chinese developers like NetEase are increasing their presence in the West, and…

Live Ops

The State of Publishing and Live Ops

In this conversation, David Taylor sat down with Crystin Cox, Head of Publishing at Arena Net and a 20-yr veteran of the video game industry, to discuss her experiences leading live-ops on Maple Story, monetization on Guild Wars 2, and publishing at Xbox Game Studios Publishing and now Arena Net. They explore how the landscape has evolved over…

UGC Games

The State of UGC Games in 2025

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 discuss how leading UGC platforms are evolving and where they face the most promise and challenges, from Roblox’s growing ad and brand integrations to Fortnite’s challenge of escaping its battle royale roots. …

Bridging Brands

The Future of Brands in Live Streaming

In this episode, host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, dives into the intersection of brand marketing, live streaming, and culturally relevant branded experiences. Joined by Wiktoria Wójcik, co-founder of InStreamly, the conversation explores how brands can integrate into live streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Kick. InStreamly connects brands with thousands of streamers, facilitating authentic collaborations through technology…

Fun in VR

Finding the Fun in VR with AstroBeam and Schell Games

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 the early startup days of VR to the evolution of mixed reality, Devin and Ed share how their studios use first-principles thinking to craft…

Self funded studios

Sustainable Growth: Building Studios Without External Funding

For the first time in Naavik’s history, we’re excited to bring a live audience show experience to air! At GDC, host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sat down with Nick Popovich, CEO and Founder of Monomi Park, in San Francisco for a conversation centered around “doing it all yourself” in the indie games market — no external funding,…

Game Analytics

Personalization in Gaming: The Holy Grail of User Experience (and Monetization)

In this episode of the Naavik Gaming podcast, host Niko Vuori interviews Justin Stolzenberg, co-founder of Metica, a startup aiming to revolutionize gaming analytics through AI-driven insights and personalized experiences.  Founded by ex-King and ex-Apple employees, Metica’s approach is a unique combination of King’s iterative, hyper-data-driven approach and Apple’s high-polish culture. The company recently announced their $9 million seed round….

IP, Mobile, Globalization

Com2Us’s Evolution: Gaming Innovation and Global Expansion

In this episode, our host, Alexandra Takei, Director at Ruckus Games, sits down with Kyu Lee, Chief Business Development Officer at Com2Us, Partner at CRIT Ventures, and ex-president of Com2Us USA. They explore Com2Us Holdings’ evolution from its early days as Gamevil to becoming a global mobile powerhouse with hits like Summoners War, one of the industry’s biggest mobile IPs that…

Next Gen Play to Earn

Why Web3 Gaming Is Just Getting Started: Insights from the Ronin Ecosystem

In this episode of the Naavik Gaming Podcast, host Niko Vuori speaks with Jeff Zirlin, co-founder of Sky Mavis and the Play-to-Earn OG, Axie Infinity, about the significant developments in the Web3 gaming space, particularly the transition of the Ronin blockchain to a permissionless model. They discuss Jeff’s background and journey into web3 and crypto, the origin story and wild ride…