Job News

Mobile gaming streamer Mobcrush adds ex-Appler Greg Essig and ex-Googler Koh Kim to team

Beams are crossed

Mobile gaming streamer Mobcrush adds ex-Appler Greg Essig and ex-Googler Koh Kim to team

With the likes of Twitch, Everyplay and Kamcord already staking out their claims, the mobile game streaming sector is already getting competitive.

Los Angeles-startup Mobcrush is looking to deep industry partners to ensure it gets its share of the pie.

To help it, it's just hired Apple’s former Apple App Store lead Greg Essig and Google Play’s old games lead Koh Kim as co-heads of business development.

Two heads

Essig and Kim both worked for just over three years with the Californian giants, with Essig increasing games billings by over six-fold during his tenure at Apple and Kim being instrumental in launching Google Play’s business development team in Asia.

“Greg and I have always respected each other and believed in the engagement and reach of mobile,” said Kim.

“We've always wished we could work more closely together, and now are able to combine forces, pulling from both of our backgrounds to offer a unique expertise that spans the whole mobile space and will help creators and mobile game developers interact with their fans.”

Koh Kim founded Korea's Google Play development team in 2013, before aiding the platform's Asian expansion

They will join former Xbox veteran Eric Doty, who joined Mobcrush in April and completes the leadership line up as senior director of community and content partnerships.

Stream this

Mobcrush hopes that hiring two key figures from the major mobile platforms will position itself as first choice for mobile game communities, having also secured $4.9 million in funding from backers including Raine Ventures, First Round Capital and CrunchFund in May 2015.

The mobile streaming platform enables players to livestream gameplay sessions with just one tap, engaging with fellow fans and saving videos for future engagement.

Clearly, the new appointments point towards a global push for expansion.

Kim, Essig and Doty each have extensive experience in building communities, with Doty having been director of user acquisition for Microsoft, as well as Xbox community manager and strategist.

During June 2015, the Mobcrush community viewed more than 2 million minutes of video, with 90% returning for more.

After leaving Apple, Essig worked with Chinese publisher Funplus

“Our team is excited to have Greg and Koh join and lead our business development efforts, and further establish our leadership position on iOS and Android, as well as establish our global reach that includes the key mobile markets of Asia, Europe, and Latin America,” said Royce Disini, Mobcrush's CEO.

“Eric’s expertise building community is also a huge boon to us, as we build a new era with mobile gaming’s influential streamers.”

News Editor