Interview

PocketGamer.biz Podcast – AR, AI, and Subscription Models — Oh, My!

Our PocketGamer.biz team recaps GDC 2023 and riff on the topics that stole this year’s show.

PocketGamer.biz Podcast – AR, AI, and Subscription Models — Oh, My!

Nearly 30,000 game developers descended upon San Fransisco for the annual Game Developers Conference this past March. The week-long event was action-packed, with over 100 workshops and summits on the first day alone. Our cohost Peggy Anne Salz was on the ground with conference attendees, including KooApp’s CK Wang and Mintegral’s Shobier Shobieri. Check out the full GDC recap with the PocketGamer.biz podcast team below.

I don't think anyone's going, ‘Oh, free-to-play is dead, or it's not going to still be a massive driver of revenue’. But I think when it comes to starting new projects and looking ahead, I think there's more interest, excitement, and opportunity.
Chris James

On this week’s podcast

Steel Media CEO Chris James and COO Dave Bradley join Peggy Anne Salz and Brian Baglow for a post-conference conversation in this episode, breaking down the major topics of interest at this year’s GDC.

The group discusses the rise of the subscription model, the resurgence of VR, and creative use cases for AI that are transforming games and NPC characters. What’s more, Chris and Dave reveal details about upcoming PG Connects in Seattle, Dubai, and Toronto and share tips for creating events curated to their location.

About our guests

Chris James boasts over 25 years of experience in gaming and technology, with the past 18 years focused on our very own Pocket Gamer brand. Chris is a familiar face at industry events and often calls out to fellow gaming enthusiasts, encouraging them to “give [him] a bell” when he’s in town for one of the numerous annual PG Connects.

Dave Bradley keeps the ball rolling as COO at Steel Media, where he oversees editorial, marketing, and events teams and participates in industry gatherings. Dave also mans the helm of Electric Box Media, his personal consultancy company that provides high-quality content and advice to companies like Dialect and That Media Thing. In his spare time, Dave also participates in Bath Spa University's Industry Mentorship program, where he mentors students pursuing careers in publishing.

Listen. Learn. Love

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Enjoy!


Managing Editor

Brian has been working in the games industry since the mid-1990s, when he joined the legendary studio DMA Design, as a writer on the original Grand Theft Auto. Since then he's worked with major publishers, founded his own digital agency, helped numerous startups with PR, marketing, communications, narrative design, branding and making money.

Back in 2004 Brian created the Scottish Games Network, the industry body for the country's videogames sector. He also lectures at Napier University on the transformative power of interactive media on the creative industries, is a board member of Creative Edinburgh, and helps to organise games, tech and creative industries events.

In his spare time he plays videogames and is usually, proudly, at least one generation behind the cutting edge consoles.