Naavik Gaming Podcast

49:05

How Behavioral AI Helps Fight Cheating

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/10/06

As cheating becomes more sophisticated, anti-cheat is increasingly shifting from detecting software to understanding player behavior. Host Devin Becker is joined by André Pimenta Ribeiro, CEO & Co-Founder of Anybrain, to discuss how behavioral anti-cheat analyzes player inputs, where it fits alongside traditional tools, and why some approaches avoid software access entirely. The conversation explores the business impact of cheating on retention and revenue, when studios should begin

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16:20

Naavik Newsletter: The Road Toward AI-Enabled Fandom

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/10/03

This episode covers Naavik’s AI x Gaming newsletter published on September 29th. In this week’s issue, we take a broader look at the entertainment landscape to map out what recent announcements from Disney, Hasbro, and miHoYo could mean for the future of gaming fandom.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.substack.com/p/from-disney-to-mihoyo-the-road-toward Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note:

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16:11

Naavik Digest : 'Tis the Season - Holiday Live-Ops In...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/27

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 decade of Sensor Tower revenue and download data across 15 top mobile titles, alongside console and Roblox data.Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch our episodes: YouTube ChannelFor more episodes

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59:53

How AI Makes Game Creation More Accessible

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/22

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 Becker welcomes Robby Yung, CEO of The Sandbox, to discuss Sandbox Studio and its approach to AI-assisted UGC development. Robby explains what the team learned from the original Game Maker, where Studio draws the line between structured creation and “vibe coding,” and how AI can combine code, assets, systems, and

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16:36

Naavik Digest: The Real Value of Licensed IP

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/20

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 video game’s success.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.substack.com/p/the-real-value-of-licensed-ip Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at podcast@naavik.co.Watch

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45:28

Is Gaming in an AI Bubble? What the Deal Data Says

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/15

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 Michael Metzger, Managing Partner at Drake Star Partners, to work out what that actually signals. Michael leads Drake Star's gaming and digital media practice and is behind the quarterly report the industry reads to track where capital is moving. He starts with the question everyone is circling: is this an AI

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13:24

Naavik Digest: The New Money Behind Indie Games

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/13

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 their own publishing businesses.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.substack.com/p/the-new-money-behind-indie-games Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note: https://naavik.co/contact-us/ Let us know what you think by sending us a note at

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54:13

How AI Is Transforming User Acquisition

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/08

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 Amit Carmi, co-founder and CEO of Sett, to explore how AI is being used to combat creative fatigue, generate video and playable ads, and increasingly automate parts of the UA workflow. Amit breaks down where AI creative works well today and where it still falls short. The conversation also tackles the risks of

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65:38

A New Era of Publishing

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/09/01

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 CEO of Midwest Games, to unpack what she calls "new age publishing." With traditional deals no longer the only game in town, Ben explains why he built Midwest Games to run two publishing models under one roof: a classic invest-and-revenue-share arm, and "Shadow Publishing," a for-hire services model that lets

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15:21

Naavik Digest: The Future of Kids Games

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/30

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 Netflix launching Netflix Playground and Haveli acquiring Budge Studios.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.substack.com/p/the-future-of-kids-games Learn more about Appcharge: https://www.appcharge.com/?utm_source=naavik Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot

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48:36

The Game Server Hosting Company Private Equity...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/25

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 how a Minecraft server that went dark for three days turned into a 15-year infrastructure business serving hundreds of thousands of customers across more than 140 countries. Max put the first hardware on a credit card, recruited a co-founder he met in his own Minecraft community, and built the company to nearly 100

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14:43

Naavik Digest: The Great Mobile Convergence

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/23

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 games industry keeps converging on best practices across genres — and what that means for the future.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://naavik.substack.com/p/the-great-mobile-convergence Want to explore working with Naavik? Shoot us a note:

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61:36

Can Portugal Become Europe’s Next Gaming Powerhouse?

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/18

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 Valadares, Co-Founder and CEO of partNerd and President of the Portuguese Association of Game Development Companies, to unpack whether a country long known for exporting its best talent can become a home for original IP. Jefferson has seen the industry from nearly every seat, as Studio GM at EA, Executive Producer at

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14:28

Naavik Digest: Roblox's Expensive Year of Good...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/16

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 reported Q2 2026 results. We explore what the latest numbers might mean for the present and future of the company.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/robloxs-expensive-year-of-good-intentionsMeet with Naavik at Gamescom:

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12:16

Naavik Digest: How Friendslop Is Disrupting the...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/09

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 disrupting established live-ops practices, and whether it is sustainable long-term.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/friendslop-disrupting-the-live-ops-status-quoMeet with Naavik at Gamescom:

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13:14

Naavik Digest: Why Platform-Led Gaming in China Is...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/08/02

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 Alibaba’s likely sale of Lingxi Games, the studio behind Three Kingdoms Tactics.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-structural-failure-of-platform-led-gaming-in-chinaMeet with Naavik at Gamescom:

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52:13

Fractional Talent’s Growing Role in Game Development

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/07/31

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 potential middle ground between full-time hiring and conventional consulting. Host Devin Becker is joined by Aaron Bush, co-founder and Managing Partner of Naavik, to discuss why the company expanded from research and advisory into fractional talent, what meaningfully separates fractional leadership from

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14:07

Naavik Digest: How Online Fandom Is Rewriting the IP...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/07/26

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 — sometimes memes or worlds that no one owns — are starting to take the entertainment world by storm in new ways.You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/how-online-fandom-is-rewriting-the-ip-playbookCheck out Naavik’s fractional talent network:

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56:09

Inside Subway Surfers, Mobile Gaming's Most Enduring Hit

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/07/21

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 unpack how a mobile game launched in 2012 continues to attract between 100 and 150 million monthly players while nearly every other hit from its era has faded away. They explore the philosophy behind Subway Surfers' iconic World Tour live operations, why empowering artists and designers has kept the game feeling fresh

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12:49

Naavik Digest: The Memo That Undid 10 Years of XBOX...

Naavik Gaming Podcast ·

2026/07/19

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 on what CEO Asha Sharma is actually trying to achieve. You can read the newsletter (with even more sections and visual detail) here: https://www.naavik.co/digest/the-memo-that-undid-ten-years-of-xbox-strategyMeet with Naavik at Gamescom: https://naavik.typeform.com/to/qE3Yw6pa?typeform-source=www.dropbox.com Want

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