- Game Founders: Get In Front of the Camera
One team had success marketing to Gen Z by going direct. This is another strategy that Lulu Cheng (fmr. Chief Communication Officer ATVI) advocates, but for different aims. One for founders to remain in the driver’s seat of their own story, while another is about great marketing creative that drives authenticity.
I rarely see game founders take the lead on either of these dimensions. To the extent game founders “talk to customers”, it’s usually customers talking at them rather than proactively seeking to extract from random samples. UXR is useful here, but it’s one data point, just as talking to customers is another.
The great thing about marketing creative is that it’s cheap to try, so there’s not a lot to lose. At worst, you experience the entire marketing funnel hands-on.
- AI is Still A Supply-Side Phenomenon
AI is justifiably everywhere, but the discussion remains on improving existing workflows. It’s telling we haven’t seen massive increases in quantity yet, however. What game is shipping 4x as many cosmetics, or even 2x as many match-3 levels, because of AI?
Early game developers were engineers, not game designers, who essentially tinkered with technology. I see few engineers doing the same to utilize AI to create unique experiences. Even the obvious stuff, like an AI-powered Nintendogs, remains a year away.
- Crazy Rich Asians Nailed It
Singapore is what was promised. I’ve never seen a greener city, and possibly never better transit. Urbanists: there’s a functioning cable car system that fills crucial transportation cap. That includes things like a monorail. Gardens by the Bay is as green as the film portrayed, and includes daily night light shows.
The food is top-tier and includes an incredible mix of Korean, Japanese, Indian, and Chinese cuisine. Biryani was out of this world, Pork Rib soup was savory, and may we rendezvous Chicken Rice.