Christopher Anjos🎗️ 🔜 The Game Awards

The dominance of brown and gray color palettes in early HD era games (PS3/Xbox 360) was driven by artistic trends and market pressures toward gritty realism.This visual shift became especially prominent in action and shooter games between 2005 and 2010.Technically, the new HD hardware had significant capabilities compared to previous generations. However, developing high-resolution textures, advanced lighting models, and detailed assets was resource-intensive.For some developers, using muted colors became a way to blend mixed-quality assets and mask visual inconsistencies. Lower-saturation environments could hide pop-in, jagged textures, and lighting seams, creating a more cohesive look even with limited resources. The more decisive factor was artistic direction. Following the critical and commercial success of titles like Gears of War (2006) and Resident Evil 4 (2005), many developers leaned into a darker, grittier visual style. This aesthetic choice reflected a broader industry push for cinematic realism. At the time, both video games and Hollywood blockbusters often favored bleak, desaturated tones to convey maturity, seriousness, and a war-torn, post-apocalyptic atmosphere. This trend quickly saturated the market, especially in genres like shooters, RPGs, and third-person action games.It wasn't until the late 2000s did consumer and critical response to this visual sameness began to shift. Newer releases began embracing more diverse visual styles, such as Borderlands (2009) and Mirror’s Edge (2008).To me the period reflects how technical, artistic, and market forces can converge to shape the visual identity of an entire generation of games, even when the technology itself allowed for more variety all along.I wonder what we'll say 15 years from now on the games made from the past 5 years.

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Jason Della Rocca

I was poked by Bryant Francis for his quick piece on investor expectations and the current state of funding in games: "Are 'unreasonable investor expectations' the cause of poor video game market conditions?"https://lnkd.in/gRHvj7PnSince he was only able to incorporate a couple of my quotes, thought I'd paste in my full response here...Q1. According to our data, game developers say that the number onefactor driving “poor market conditions” in the video game industry is“unreasonable investor expectations.”Developers are understandably frustrated, but pointing to investors asthe number one factor driving poor market conditions is totallymisplaced. In fact, it is the complete reverse! It is the marketconditions that are driving investor expectations.Developers need to wake up and adapt to the new reality that they canno longer just be in the game making business. They need to embracebeing in the fan building business, and understand that studio valueand sustainability comes from identifying a specific audience/playerbase and feeding them great games.Too often, developers just want to make what they want to make, withno consideration for who the audience could be... or whether they areeven in a genre that is viable. And, they look to investors to solvetheir "missing money problem". The reality is, no one cares about yourmissing money problem. Publishers and investors aren't there to helpyou stay afloat so you can make your dream game. They are there topartner with you to bring a great game to market and delight fans andmake a profit.And, actually, roughly the same number of deals are being done bypublishers, for example. There are just more NOs, because there aremore games than ever being pitched.Q2. We also have data saying developers are having an easier timefinding funding in 2025 than they were in 2024.The smart developers are adapting and driving towards audiencevalidation much earlier. They are frontloading visuals, getting to agameplay trailer and playtestable build as fast as possible. Thosedevelopers that focus on audience validation and community buildingare creating evidence there is a market for their game... and theinvestors are throwing their money at those studios and projects.This is a major shift towards evidence-based investing. Developers whodon't adapt are going to have a very hard time moving forward.The real market failure is that there are very limited sources offunding for prototype + audience validation. Most developers have tobootstrap that phase. Or, depending where in the world you are, maybeyou have access to government grants, or can join an incubator.So, the "poor market conditions" are much more a factor of not doingyour audience validation and generating evidence players even wantyour game. Solve for that, and the money will flow.

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James Purell

🎮 Major Roblox news! Voldex has acquired Brookhaven - one of the platform's most successful experiences with 120M monthly active players and 60 BILLION life time visits.This is an exciting milestone for the Roblox ecosystem, with significant backing from Raine Partners II LP (lead), Makers Fund, QIA, and MIT. Shamrock Capital is providing additional financial support with Ares Management Credit funds 💪The acquisition makes Voldex the largest Roblox developer, reaching 145M monthly players. For context - top Roblox creators are generating $30M+ annually, with the community earning over $2.8B since 2018 📈

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Felix LaHaye

I often get asked how I would describe the current state of the gaming space by friends from other industries and those in venture capital ask what kind of opportunities currently exist. Here are a few of my thoughts on the matter.The Gaming Industry: A Hits-Based Business The gaming industry is of course booming with revenues reaching $187.7 billion in 2024, 7 games being released every day on Steam, and cultural adoption nearing 100% with Gen Z. However, much like the traditional music industry, gaming is a Hits-Based Business. 1. Consolidation at the TopThe big players are getting bigger, gobbling up smaller studios like a voracious Pac-Man (e.g.  Bungie, Zynga…etc). AAA Game development is getting extremely expensive, and major players have decided to pull back on the number of projects their newly acquired subsidiaries are developing to focus on the highest hit-probability. 2. Venture-Backed Studios: The Indie RebellionEnter the new venture-backed studios, often launched by industry veterans backed by VC funding and dreams of dethroning the gaming giants. These devs are not just rolling the dice; they are aiming for critical hits. Venture capital investment in gaming peaked in 2021 and 2022 thanks to the “Covid Bump” but remains strong with over 300 deals still happening throughout 2024 with more VCs focused on getting in early in the dev cycle - according to Matthew Ball’s most recent report. The future of VC backed studios still looks exciting especially after the successes of games like Among Us, Pal World and Balatro seeing massive success in recent years. I am personally convinced that the next Riot Games is amongst the 40-60 core new LA studios that are set to release their first title in the next couple of years.3. Gaming Franchises: The Curse of SequelsGamers can be picky and always hungry for the next big thing. Remember when Overwatch 2 was supposed to be the primary hero shooter for the next decade?  Whilst sequels and established IPs still dominate, the market share of new IPs has been steadily increasing, thanks to new major “hits” like Balatro and Wukong while many major IP and franchise launches struggled including the most recent Suicide Squad title that built off the Batman Arkham series. ConclusionThe gaming world is a hit-driven business. As the industry evolves, the people standing at the top will be those creating major trends that are just one step ahead of the masses; which I am thinking of writing about next week.#gaming #gamingindustry #esports

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Arron Goolsbey

Mythical Games is making waves! "From the National Football League (NFL) to FIFA and Pudgy Penguins, Mythical has locked in some of the most coveted licenses in both sports and crypto culture. Landing these deals is quite a feat, particularly in obtaining the rights to use the #NFL’s IP – something the organization is extremely selective about doling out. Having previously only entrusted EA Sports to gamify its football stars, its faith was rewarded.The real magic is that Mythical actually delivered, turning the NFL brand into a best-in-class web3 sports game. Its success lends weight to the assertion that they’ll do the same for #FIFARivals and #PudgyParty."https://lnkd.in/g5yxDMFk

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Joe Minton

“The video game industry is approaching $200B in global revenues and so nearly any business plan is worth funding!!” At least, that was the sentiment a few years ago. With the deflation in investor enthusiasm tied to failed returns from this euphoria, spending on new projects has dropped dramatically. Even so, pitch materials still often reference the entirety of interactive to entice funders. In addition, many pundits looking for compelling angles commonly use statements like “Roblox has grown 30% since last year and dwarfs the concurrent player base of Battlefield 6 – traditional game developers had better transition if they want to remain in business!” This is false equivalency.What do mobile F2P, PC/Console premium, online, Roblox/UEFN, VR, casino and web games have in common? They are interactive experiences and require similar development roles to create them. Because of this, they have been placed under a single entertainment umbrella, but in reality they target vastly different markets. A typical mobile slots player was not lured away from League of Legends. Someone might enjoy each of these, but this is no different than liking to both watch baseball and to play Clash of Clans. Certain interactive segments even have more in common with other media, such as strategy games and tabletop games, than with other video games. It is the 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘺 of entertainment that is zero sum, so UEFN player growth may well be a much larger problem for social media apps, TV and recreational sports leagues than for PC gaming. As Netflix CEO Reed Hastings indicated back in 2019, “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO”.The consequences of mistaking ourselves as one homogenous industry are hindering forward progress. We are still clearing the terrible wreckage from oh-so-many new IP $100M+ PC games that have been scrapped one after another. When an investor is looking at a pitch for a premium PC/Console game, what should matter is the size, stability and growth of the PC/Console premium game industry. At DDM, we have seen so many game pitches untethered to this market reality. As an industry we are all navigating the consequences of funder hubris and outsize project expectations. It is certainly true that there is a struggle to find an audience given the tsunami of entertainment content, yet marketing difficulties have been a consistent complaint since the first game disks & cartridges were sold. Throughout 2025, we have seen one PC game success after another on a regular cadence, many from smaller companies, who have sized their projects correctly and created community.It is vital to remember that we are many industries! It is incumbent on all of us to scale appropriately and take risks accordingly in order to weave sustainability into interactive. With this, investor and publisher confidence will continue to return in measured ways, strengthening industry stability and generating a lot more positive news.

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Ralf Reichert

Street Fighter 6 joins the Esports World Cup through 2027.Today, we’re announcing a three-year partnership between the Esports World Cup Foundation and Capcom, bringing Street Fighter 6’s legendary competitive ecosystem - the CAPCOM Pro Tour and Street Fighter League - into the Esports World Cup through 2027.This is the core of EWC: long-term commitments that build a sustainable future for esports. It’s about giving the best players and Clubs a global stage to compete for life-changing prize money, while bringing more fans into the experience.The Road to EWC will be the ultimate test of skill. Direct qualification pathways from CAPCOM CUP 11 and Street Fighter League: World Championship will lead the way, alongside premier events like Evo Japan, CPT Combo Breaker, and Blink Respawn.This partnership also marks an important step in connecting esports with a wider gaming audience. Street Fighter 6 will integrate EWC directly into its in-game experience, engaging players worldwide and strengthening the link between community and competition. More to come.With every partnership we progress on our mission as the foundation. In just a few months, we’ll be celebrating epic moments at EWC 2025. But the foundation we’re setting today - multi-year collaborations that grow both games and esports - is what will define success for years to come.#EsportsWorldCup #StreetFighter #EWC2025 #CapcomProTour #FightingGames

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Alexandra Takei

UA Financing is all the rage in games today, with more funds than ever raising directly against the mandate or carving off portions of their mainline fund for UA growth, especially in mobile, where UA dollars typically correlate with the success and reach of the game. Tilting Point, a longstanding mobile publisher and financier, recently raised a $150M UA fund for that purpose and has spent the past 5 years shifting and refining its mobile approach in the wake of ATT. Asi Burak, CBO at Titling Point and previously the former Chairman of Games for Change right here in NYC, joins me on air to discuss why UA funds are becoming more prolific. 🔊 We discuss:The Landscape of Mobile Publishing- Why do we need a mobile distributor? - What are the big differences between PC/Console and mobile publishing? - Data still rules, and always has in mobile- What changed about the mobile market in the past 5 years that spurred UA?UA Funds 101- High-level fund math and structure - What a good return looks like- What's attractive nowadaysTilting Point's 3rd Party Approach- A shift away from 3rd party publishing to 3rd party financing. Why? Tilting Point's 1st Party Approach- What is the TP value proposition in the rollup? - Why were AN Games and Budge Games successful acquisitions? - How is the organization structured to support 3rd party financings & central resourcing for acquired studios? That and more. Listen to Naavik's channels on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube below in the comments. #gaming #financing #podcast

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Alyssa Padia Walles

#TWOPERCENTAs someone who experienced this challenge firsthand, here's my story of one idea that never found funding and ultimately was abandoned.In 2002 B!G Screen Gaming was a video game platform that capitalized on the nascent shift from analog to digital projection in movie theaters*. B!G Screen Gaming would have transformed the passive movie experience into active and engaging interactive video game sessions with games designed specifically to enable large groups playing together. Despite my connections and support from industry leaders** and a solid business plan - I struggled for 9 years to secure VC funding and had to walk away. My experience reflects a broader issue that we are highlighting today: women founders receive only 2% or less of venture capital funding, even though they start about half of all U.S. startups.This funding gap not only holds women back, but also deprives the world of new ideas. It's particularly frustrating given that founding teams including women outperform all-male founding teams by delivering a 35% higher ROI (according to research from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation).Let's change the narrative. It's time for VCs to recognize the value women bring to the table and start investing in our ideas. * B!G Screen Gaming was not esports or advergaming or renting out a theater to project a PC or console game onto a movie theater screen – it needed games designed specifically to be played on a massive screen, in movie theaters. Like any new video game platform, B!G Screen Gaming needed B!G investment to establish itself before 3rd parties would invest and develop games for it.**A MASSIVE THANKS to those who believed in me and helped along the way.

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Jason Scorrano

𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀: Gamers aren’t just your audience—they’re your critics, advocates, and cultural trendsetters. Are you paying attention yet? 🎮Gaming has evolved into a 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲, and platforms like Medal.tv are at the forefront of this transformation. By empowering gamers to clip, share, and relive their favorite moments, Medal.tv has turned individual plays into viral cultural moments—moments brands need to be part of.Here’s why brands need to step up:1️⃣ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀:Gamers value realness. In 2024, Monster Energy’s collaboration with Overwolf modders brought value directly to players by integrating into games like Call of Duty MW3. Similarly, on Medal.tv, we see gamers sharing raw, unfiltered highlights that connect communities. For brands, these organic spaces are an opportunity to integrate authentically and enhance the gaming experience instead of disrupting it.2️⃣ 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲:Gaming moments are the new cultural milestones. Think of Evo Moment #37—a Street Fighter III showdown that’s still celebrated today. Platforms like Medal.tv make these moments discoverable and shareable, keeping gaming culture alive. Brands like Chipotle Mexican Grill at Evolution Championship Series (EVO) understood this by seamlessly integrating into Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 tournaments, amplifying both the event and their connection to the community.3️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝘀 𝗞𝗲𝘆:Social gaming thrives on connection, and new platforms are emerging, bringing players together through shared moments. Brands that want to thrive here need to do what Chipotle’s competitive gaming activations did: not just advertise but become part of the story. They earned trust and engagement far beyond a single campaign by sponsoring tournaments or rewarding players with relevant perks.𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: Social gaming isn’t just a niche—it’s the new town square. Platforms like Medal.tv and Overwolf amplify these conversations, making every highlight clip, every clutch play, and every laugh-out-loud fail a chance for gamers to connect and for brands to engage.𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆? 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽—𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.What’s the best gaming campaign or moment you’ve seen recently? Let me know in the comments. 👇Let’s chat about your brand gaming journey. #GamingCulture #SocialGaming #BrandPartnerships #CulturalRelevance

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Michail Katkoff

The games industry is hitting saturation in traditional spaces. And while we look at VR, XR, Web3, and handheld consoles, we fail to see what's right in front of us - Consumer Apps. Consumer Apps are the next big frontier. They've adopted the free-to-play playbook, call it gamification and now generate more in-app purchases than games. Best of all, apps are creating new opportunities for gaming talent as both employers and startup concepts. But who am I to talk about it?That's why I asked my good friend Vin (former Zynga and Reddit product leader) to write 5 Predictions for Consumer Apps in 2025 on Deconstructor of Fun. Here’s a sneak peek at the predictions:1️⃣ Gaming features in apps: Non-gaming apps will borrow retention mechanics from games (think Duolingo meets battle passes).2️⃣ Entertainment apps doubling as games: The lines between streaming platforms and games will blur (choose-your-own-adventure Netflix?).3️⃣ AI-first apps dominating: Apps leveraging generative AI for hyper-personalized experiences will be breakout hits.4️⃣ Rise of social-first productivity apps: Platforms merging collaboration with fun will keep users engaged longer.5️⃣ Health & fitness apps go gamified: From leveling up your workouts to competing in virtual challenges, apps will motivate you through play.The app landscape is evolving fast, and it’s time for the games industry to take notice. Dive into the full breakdown of Deconstructor of Fun.

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Mark Otero

The RPG industry just hit an inflection point that most developers are missing.We're watching the boundaries between mobile and PC gaming dissolve in real-time.But instead of recognizing this as the birth of something new, the industry keeps trying to force outdated categories onto experiences that transcend them.It's time for a new framework. RPGs have evolved through distinct generations, each solving the limitations of the previous while creating new possibilities.The first generation emerged in the 1980s with early PC titles like Ultima and Wizardry.These games established the core DNA but were limited by primitive hardware and tiny audiences.The second generation arrived with console dominance in the 1990s and 2000s.Final Fantasy, Elder Scrolls, and Mass Effect brought cinematic storytelling and massive worlds to mainstream audiences.But they remained tethered to living room experiences.The third generation came with mobile gaming's rise in the 2010s.Suddenly RPGs could reach billions of players worldwide.The trade-off? Most mobile RPGs sacrificed depth for accessibility, creating a false choice between reach and sophistication.Now we're entering the 4th generation.4th generation RPGs reject the artificial limitations that defined their predecessors.They deliver console-quality experiences that work seamlessly across mobile and PC platforms.Real-time strategic combat that's intuitive on touch but deep enough for hardcore players.Narrative systems that create genuine emotional connections, not just progression mechanics.Cross-platform experiences where your choices matter regardless of how you play.This isn't about better graphics or faster processors.It's about fundamentally rethinking what becomes possible when you stop accepting the constraints of previous generations.UnGodly represents the first true 4th generation RPG.Our Affinity System creates emotional bonds between players and characters that evolve based on genuine interaction, not scripted events.The dark fantasy setting explores themes that respect player intelligence while delivering the visceral satisfaction that made RPGs legendary.Cross-platform design means the experience adapts to your device without compromising depth.We've invested significant time in development because building the future requires rejecting shortcuts.This vision has attracted backing from leading investors who recognize potential in the gaming space.They understand that the companies defining 4th generation RPGs today will dominate the next decade of gaming.

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Andrew Sheppard

Transcend Portfolio Spotlight - LIVE AWARE🎮 Live Aware, led by industry veterans Sean Vesce, David Berger, and Nathan Wheeler, transforms game development with an AI platform that eliminates 40+ hour weekly workflows of manually processing gameplay feedback. Brain Jar Games achieved 85% workflow time reduction optimizing Dead as Disco🏆 Combined $5B+ lifetime career revenues as lead creative and engineering on blockbuster franchises Tomb Raider and Halo, now solving workflow friction they experienced at AAA scale📈 In less than a year, 13+ studios from indie to enterprise scale have adopted the platform, processing 15TB+ monthly gameplay footage for Krafton, Gardens, and Roboto Games💰 $4.8M Seed round proudly led by Transcend.

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Kris Webster

The Blockchain Revolution Is Coming for the Music IndustryIn 1997, David Bowie pioneered financial innovation by securitizing future royalties from his first 25 albums, raising $55 million to regain control of his music catalog. Fast forward to today, and we're witnessing the perfect storm for a revolutionary shift in how artists control their work. Imagine if Taylor Swift—whose battle to reclaim her masters became a cautionary tale about traditional record contracts—could leverage Web3 technologies to raise capital directly from fans while offering them actual ownership in her catalog's future earnings.This isn't speculation—it's an inevitable evolution. The market for tokenized real-world assets hit $15.2 billion by late 2024, with stablecoins pushing that figure into the hundreds of billions. The architecture now exists for musicians to create fractional ownership models with instant global liquidity, smart contract-based royalty distributions, and secondary markets from day one. Legacy record companies must recognize that blockchain technology eliminates their primary leverage over artists: control of capital and distribution.While platforms like Royal and Audius have experimented with tokenized music ownership, mainstream adoption requires better onboarding experiences and infrastructure. Even artists with massive star power like Beyoncé haven't yet cracked the code with traditional approaches to challenging incumbent systems. The breakthrough will come when global artists adopt these tools not as novelties but as default mechanisms for ownership and monetization—cutting out exploitative middlemen who have profited from unfair contracts for decades.The technology exists today for artists to create direct financial relationships with their communities through NFTs, tokenization, and fractionalized ownership models. Swift's struggle to reclaim her masters highlights exactly why the future belongs to blockchain-based solutions that provide transparency, ownership, and fair compensation. Legacy record companies can adapt to this new paradigm of community ownership and fair artist compensation—or they can watch as a new generation of creators builds a more equitable industry without them.#MusicOnChain #ArtistOwnership #Web3Revolution #FairCompensationhttps://lnkd.in/gyYPbnKS

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