Mobile Mavens

Our panel of experts drawn from all sectors of the mobile gaming industry

Featured

How damaging will paid App Store search ads be for the discovery of indie games? BLOCKED CHANNELS Jun 29th, 2016

How damaging will paid App Store search ads be for the discovery of indie games?

Our Indie Mavens weigh in

Aaron Fothergill Co-founder Strange Flavour
Matthew Annal MD Nitrome
Nathan Fouts Founder Mommy's Best Games
Pierre-Luc Vettier CEO Zero Games Studios
Simon Joslin Creative Director The Voxel Agents
Travis Ryan Studio Head Dumpling Design

Recent articles

Does E3 need mobile games more than mobile games need E3? SQUARE PEG, ROUND HOLE? Jun 20th, 2016

Does E3 need mobile games more than mobile games need E3?

Mobile Mavens discuss the mobile dearth at E3 2016

Dave Castelnuovo Owner Bolt Creative
Harry Holmwood CEO Marvelous Europe

A games programmer before joining Sony’s early PlayStation team in 1994, he then founded developer Pure Entertainment, which IPO’d and launched a free-to-play online gaming service way back in 1999.

He was also a director of pioneering motion gaming startup In2Games, which was sold to a US group in 2008.

Along the way, he’s been a corporate VP, troubleshooter, and non-exec to a variety of companies and investors in and around the games sector.

Harry was European CEO of Marvelous AQL, a Japanese developer and publisher of social, mobile and console games, known for console games like No More Heroes and Harvest Moon, but now highly successful in the free-to-play mobile and web space in Japan and Asia.

Harry is CEO of Magicave.

Jared Steffes Co-founder Muxy
John Ozimek Co-founder Big Games Machine

John is co-founder of PR and marketing company Big Ideas Machine. Also an all-round nice guy...

Scott Foe Chief Product Officer Ignited Artists
Shintaro Kanaoya CEO Chorus Worldwide

Founder and CEO of Chorus Worldwide, a publisher for Western mobile developers seeking success in the Asian markets, Shintaro has over 20 years' experience within the gaming industry.

He has worked in various roles from game production, localisation, marketing and business development at companies such as EA, SCEE, Rare and Microsoft.

William D. Volk Chief Futurist Forward Reality
as Will the introduction of carrier billing unlock paying users' intent for India? MODALITY VS INTENT Jun 14th, 2016

Will the introduction of carrier billing unlock paying users' intent for India?

Indian Mavens discuss structural change

Amit Goyal Co-founder SuperSike Games
Deepak Madathil Founder Pixel Ape Studios
Hrishi Oberoi Founder Photon Tadpole
Laxmi Desai-Khanolkar CEO and co-founder Apar Games
Poornima Seetharaman Director of Design Zynga

Poornima has been part of the gaming industry for over 15 years and undertaken roles varying from Game Designer to Producer to Studio head and Entrepreneur.

She has been part of companies like Indiagames (Disney India), Jumpstart, GSN Games etc.

She is currently a Director of Design at Zynga.

She has worked on franchises like BioShock Mobile, How to Train your Dragons, Neopets, and FarmVille 2: Country Escape to name a few.

She is a Women in Games Ambassador and also a Hall of Fame Inductee at the Global WIG Awards 2020, making her the first Indian game developer to receive such an honour.

Raoul Nanavati CEO BYOF Studios
Shaan Mishra Founder, Designer Tryhard Entertainment
Shailesh Prabhu Founder Yellow Monkey Studios

Shailesh Prabhu is an Indie Game Designer from India who has been designing games for over ten years. Seven years ago he founded Yellow Monkey Studios and is the recipient of numerous game design and entrepreneurship awards around the world. Socioball, HUEBRIX, It’s Just a Thought are some of his recent games. Shailesh is also an excellent cook, loves playing tennis, gardening and DIY projects apart from sporting facial hair.

Vaibhav Chavan CEO and Founder underDOGS Gaming Studio

7+ years of experience in Gaming Industry. Currently spearheads underDOG Gaming as a Game Designer, Business and Product Guy.

Are codeless development tools making the mobile indie development scene stronger? SAY NO TO CODE Jun 10th, 2016

Are codeless development tools making the mobile indie development scene stronger?

Opening development to a new generation

Aaron Fothergill Co-founder Strange Flavour
Ben Murch Co-Founder Perchang
Dan Menard CEO Double Stallion
Matthew Annal MD Nitrome
Mike Rose PR Manager and Developer Relations Ripstone
Molly Heady-Carroll Co-founder & Lead Artist Arcane Circus
Pierre-Luc Vettier CEO Zero Games Studios
Sebastian Lindén CEO & Creative Director Qaos Games
Simon Joslin Creative Director The Voxel Agents
Tanya X. Short Creative Director Kitfox Games
Travis Ryan Studio Head Dumpling Design
Mobile Mavens discuss Vivendi's risky Gameloft acquisition CONSOLIDATION Jun 7th, 2016

Mobile Mavens discuss Vivendi's risky Gameloft acquisition

And will it be a good thing for either party?

Christopher Kassulke CEO HandyGames
John Ozimek Co-founder Big Games Machine

John is co-founder of PR and marketing company Big Ideas Machine. Also an all-round nice guy...

Nicolas Godement-Berline Head of Operations Asmodee Digital
Oscar Clark Chief Strategy Officer Fundamentally Games

Oscar Clark has been a pioneer in online, mobile, and console social games services since 1998. He is also author of the book, Games As A Service – How Free To Play Design Can Make Better Games.

Scott Foe Chief Product Officer Ignited Artists
as Would a Tencent acquisition of Supercell benefit it or the mobile game industry? FORCED MARRIAGE? May 31st, 2016

Would a Tencent acquisition of Supercell benefit it or the mobile game industry?

Mobile Mavens discuss a potential giant

Devin Nambiar Head of Product and Partnered Development Electronic Arts
Harry Holmwood CEO Marvelous Europe

A games programmer before joining Sony’s early PlayStation team in 1994, he then founded developer Pure Entertainment, which IPO’d and launched a free-to-play online gaming service way back in 1999.

He was also a director of pioneering motion gaming startup In2Games, which was sold to a US group in 2008.

Along the way, he’s been a corporate VP, troubleshooter, and non-exec to a variety of companies and investors in and around the games sector.

Harry was European CEO of Marvelous AQL, a Japanese developer and publisher of social, mobile and console games, known for console games like No More Heroes and Harvest Moon, but now highly successful in the free-to-play mobile and web space in Japan and Asia.

Harry is CEO of Magicave.

Jared Steffes Co-founder Muxy
Oscar Clark Chief Strategy Officer Fundamentally Games

Oscar Clark has been a pioneer in online, mobile, and console social games services since 1998. He is also author of the book, Games As A Service – How Free To Play Design Can Make Better Games.

Torulf Jernström CEO Tribeflame
as With Indian women playing more than men, should more games target them? INDIAN MAVENS May 30th, 2016

With Indian women playing more than men, should more games target them?

Is this engaged player-base overlooked?

Laxmi Desai-Khanolkar CEO and co-founder Apar Games
Manish Agarwal CEO Nazara
Rituraj Behera Co-founder Cympl

My name is Rituraj Behera and I am Co-founder of Cympl, an Indie game studio started back in November 2012.

I had begun my career as an application developer but I always loved playing games which attracted me to the fast growing mobile games industry.

I had started the organization with a vision to create high quality mobile games and an attitude to learn & improve everyday.

Can Google's Daydream accelerate a slow-to-start 'year of VR'? MOBILE MAVENS May 25th, 2016

Can Google's Daydream accelerate a slow-to-start 'year of VR'?

Are the Mobile Mavens Daydream believers, or wide awake?

Christopher Kassulke CEO HandyGames
Jared Steffes Co-founder Muxy
Oscar Clark Chief Strategy Officer Fundamentally Games

Oscar Clark has been a pioneer in online, mobile, and console social games services since 1998. He is also author of the book, Games As A Service – How Free To Play Design Can Make Better Games.

Ricardo Flores Executive Producer/Co-Founder B5 Studios

Sports and Action Sports games related with Brands have been his mantra, having worked at Biodroid for 7 years he had the opportunity to develop Skate, BMX, Surf, Olympics and football games.

Early in 2015, he started his own Studio, B5 Studios, a real mix approach to game dev from truly indie games to physical/hardware interaction experiences that combine mobile with external interfaces because games are made to make people happy.

Thomas Nielsen Osao Games
Torulf Jernström CEO Tribeflame
Will the success of Slither.io have a lasting effect on indie mobile games? NEXTGEN SNAKE May 20th, 2016

Will the success of Slither.io have a lasting effect on indie mobile games?

The Indie Mavens weigh in

Aaron Fothergill Co-founder Strange Flavour
Erik van Wees Co-founder Arcane Circus
Henrik Johansson Designer and artist Mediocre
Kepa Auwae Business / Design RocketCat Games
Matthew Annal MD Nitrome
Molly Heady-Carroll Co-founder & Lead Artist Arcane Circus
Pavel Ahafonau Co-founder Happymagenta
Pierre-Luc Vettier CEO Zero Games Studios
Sebastian Lindén CEO & Creative Director Qaos Games
Tom Sennett Game Designer
Travis Ryan Studio Head Dumpling Design
It dominates casual gaming, but can King also be successful in midcore - whatever that is? CANDY CRUSH PVP May 16th, 2016

It dominates casual gaming, but can King also be successful in midcore - whatever that is?

Mobile Mavens discuss

Adam Telfer Consultant MobileFreeToPlay

Adam has been in the mobile game industry since 2007, creating games independently. He's since grown into a full 50+ person studio manager.

Recently he's taken a position at Wooga in Berlin to sharpen his design skills and work with the world's best to create amazing, well-crafted products onto the mobile marketplace.

Devin Nambiar Head of Product and Partnered Development Electronic Arts
Harry Holmwood CEO Marvelous Europe

A games programmer before joining Sony’s early PlayStation team in 1994, he then founded developer Pure Entertainment, which IPO’d and launched a free-to-play online gaming service way back in 1999.

He was also a director of pioneering motion gaming startup In2Games, which was sold to a US group in 2008.

Along the way, he’s been a corporate VP, troubleshooter, and non-exec to a variety of companies and investors in and around the games sector.

Harry was European CEO of Marvelous AQL, a Japanese developer and publisher of social, mobile and console games, known for console games like No More Heroes and Harvest Moon, but now highly successful in the free-to-play mobile and web space in Japan and Asia.

Harry is CEO of Magicave.

Nicolas Godement-Berline Head of Operations Asmodee Digital
Torulf Jernström CEO Tribeflame
William D. Volk Chief Futurist Forward Reality
Are Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing good choices for Nintendo's first mobile games? OFF TO A FLYER? May 9th, 2016

Are Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing good choices for Nintendo's first mobile games?

Mobile Mavens weigh up commercial prospects

Alexey Sazonov CEO Panzerdog
Dan Gray Chief Creative Officer Ustwo games
Harry Holmwood CEO Marvelous Europe

A games programmer before joining Sony’s early PlayStation team in 1994, he then founded developer Pure Entertainment, which IPO’d and launched a free-to-play online gaming service way back in 1999.

He was also a director of pioneering motion gaming startup In2Games, which was sold to a US group in 2008.

Along the way, he’s been a corporate VP, troubleshooter, and non-exec to a variety of companies and investors in and around the games sector.

Harry was European CEO of Marvelous AQL, a Japanese developer and publisher of social, mobile and console games, known for console games like No More Heroes and Harvest Moon, but now highly successful in the free-to-play mobile and web space in Japan and Asia.

Harry is CEO of Magicave.

John Ozimek Co-founder Big Games Machine

John is co-founder of PR and marketing company Big Ideas Machine. Also an all-round nice guy...

Scott Foe Chief Product Officer Ignited Artists
Shintaro Kanaoya CEO Chorus Worldwide

Founder and CEO of Chorus Worldwide, a publisher for Western mobile developers seeking success in the Asian markets, Shintaro has over 20 years' experience within the gaming industry.

He has worked in various roles from game production, localisation, marketing and business development at companies such as EA, SCEE, Rare and Microsoft.

Wilhelm Österberg Head of Studio Black Anvil Games
as India has a burgeoning indie scene, but can it find commercial success? CREATIVITY = PROFIT? May 5th, 2016

India has a burgeoning indie scene, but can it find commercial success?

Indian Mavens weigh up the creative/commercial balance

Abhinav Sarangi Co-Founder All in a Days Play
Chirag Chopra Founder Lucid Labs
Poornima Seetharaman Director of Design Zynga

Poornima has been part of the gaming industry for over 15 years and undertaken roles varying from Game Designer to Producer to Studio head and Entrepreneur.

She has been part of companies like Indiagames (Disney India), Jumpstart, GSN Games etc.

She is currently a Director of Design at Zynga.

She has worked on franchises like BioShock Mobile, How to Train your Dragons, Neopets, and FarmVille 2: Country Escape to name a few.

She is a Women in Games Ambassador and also a Hall of Fame Inductee at the Global WIG Awards 2020, making her the first Indian game developer to receive such an honour.

Rituraj Behera Co-founder Cympl

My name is Rituraj Behera and I am Co-founder of Cympl, an Indie game studio started back in November 2012.

I had begun my career as an application developer but I always loved playing games which attracted me to the fast growing mobile games industry.

I had started the organization with a vision to create high quality mobile games and an attitude to learn & improve everyday.

Roopak Nair Business Leader - Live Games & CMO Reliance Games
Shailesh Prabhu Founder Yellow Monkey Studios

Shailesh Prabhu is an Indie Game Designer from India who has been designing games for over ten years. Seven years ago he founded Yellow Monkey Studios and is the recipient of numerous game design and entrepreneurship awards around the world. Socioball, HUEBRIX, It’s Just a Thought are some of his recent games. Shailesh is also an excellent cook, loves playing tennis, gardening and DIY projects apart from sporting facial hair.

Siddharth Sivaraman Co-founder Dastan Games
Indie Mavens on why Crunch - including indie self-crunch - is a failure of process DON'T PUSH IT May 3rd, 2016

Indie Mavens on why Crunch - including indie self-crunch - is a failure of process

Don't confuse passion with servitude

Aaron Fothergill Co-founder Strange Flavour
Dan Menard CEO Double Stallion
Erik van Wees Co-founder Arcane Circus
Kepa Auwae Business / Design RocketCat Games
Leanne Bayley Developer We Heart Dragons
Matthew Annal MD Nitrome
Molly Heady-Carroll Co-founder & Lead Artist Arcane Circus
Pavel Ahafonau Co-founder Happymagenta
Sebastian Lindén CEO & Creative Director Qaos Games
Tanya X. Short Creative Director Kitfox Games
Tom Sennett Game Designer
Travis Ryan Studio Head Dumpling Design
Will Clash Royale's success herald a wave of synchronous PVP imitators? ATTACK OF THE CLONES? Apr 25th, 2016

Will Clash Royale's success herald a wave of synchronous PVP imitators?

Mobile Mavens on clones and eSports

Adam Telfer Consultant MobileFreeToPlay

Adam has been in the mobile game industry since 2007, creating games independently. He's since grown into a full 50+ person studio manager.

Recently he's taken a position at Wooga in Berlin to sharpen his design skills and work with the world's best to create amazing, well-crafted products onto the mobile marketplace.

Devin Nambiar Head of Product and Partnered Development Electronic Arts
Jas Purewal Lawyer & Partner Purewal & Partners
Jon Hare Owner Tower Studios

Jon Hare is one of Europe's best known creative directors and game designers with over 10 international number one games to his name and nearly 30 years of experience in the games industry.

Jon co-founded and managed the legendary 1980/90s development company Sensible Software, creating games such as Sensible Soccer, Cannon Fodder and Wizball to great critical acclaim and commercial success and has also worked in senior posts in two of the UK's biggest games developer/publishers Codemasters and Jagex.

Since 1999 Jon has been one of the top game design and business development consultants in Europe working for many different publishing and development clients.

His own new company Tower Studios specializes in developing, publishing and licensing games on mobile and digital formats enjoying recent international success with the release of Speedball 2 Evolution and Word Explorer across numerous mobile and digital platforms.

Jon has also been a full BAFTA member for over 10 years, serving on the BAFTA Games Committee and is a regular Chairman of juries for BAFTA Games awards, as well as acting in a mentor capacity for both BAFTA and NESTA.

Marcelo Careaga Head of Production Miniclip
Nicolas Godement-Berline Head of Operations Asmodee Digital
Oscar Clark Chief Strategy Officer Fundamentally Games

Oscar Clark has been a pioneer in online, mobile, and console social games services since 1998. He is also author of the book, Games As A Service – How Free To Play Design Can Make Better Games.

Richard Hazenberg CEO Lunagames
Scott Foe Chief Product Officer Ignited Artists
Torulf Jernström CEO Tribeflame
Will Luton Founder/CPO Village Studio Games Village Studio
William D. Volk Chief Futurist Forward Reality
Monetizer Mavens on the simple, sophisticated, genius, and extremely aggressive gacha monetisation (and retention) of Clash Royale CROWNED Apr 13th, 2016

Monetizer Mavens on the simple, sophisticated, genius, and extremely aggressive gacha monetisation (and retention) of Clash Royale

Smart moves

Dimitar Draganov Director Product BoomBit Games

A game design and monetization analyst with professional gaming background and degrees in Social Sciences, Economics and Probabilities and Statistics, Dimitar also writes the Freemium Game Designs blog.

Jordan Blackman CEO Bright Black Associates

Jordan Blackman is a lead designer and producer with over ten years of experience designing, producing, and managing hit content for companies like Zynga, Ubisoft, NovaLogic, & Disney.

Over 80 million people have played games that Jordan worked on as either a producer or designer.

Jordan’s credits include Lead Designer on FrontierVille & CastleVille, Senior Producer and Original Concept on CSI: Crime City (Facebook), Producer on Delta Force: Black Hawk Down, and Writer on Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising.

Justin Stolzenberg Director, Product & Monetization Flaregames
Michail Katkoff Founder of DeconstructorofFun.com
Mikkel Celinder Owner, AppCrimes.com
What do the Mobile Mavens think of Nintendo's mobile debut Miitomo? HELLO WORLD Apr 12th, 2016

What do the Mobile Mavens think of Nintendo's mobile debut Miitomo?

Mario or Luigi?

Christoph Safferling Head of Game Analytics Ubisoft Blue Byte
Christopher Kassulke CEO HandyGames
Jared Steffes Co-founder Muxy
John Ozimek Co-founder Big Games Machine

John is co-founder of PR and marketing company Big Ideas Machine. Also an all-round nice guy...

Nicolas Godement-Berline Head of Operations Asmodee Digital
Oscar Clark Chief Strategy Officer Fundamentally Games

Oscar Clark has been a pioneer in online, mobile, and console social games services since 1998. He is also author of the book, Games As A Service – How Free To Play Design Can Make Better Games.

Shintaro Kanaoya CEO Chorus Worldwide

Founder and CEO of Chorus Worldwide, a publisher for Western mobile developers seeking success in the Asian markets, Shintaro has over 20 years' experience within the gaming industry.

He has worked in various roles from game production, localisation, marketing and business development at companies such as EA, SCEE, Rare and Microsoft.

Tony Gowland CEO Ant Workshop

Tony’s career has covered the whole spectrum from AAA console to handheld, mobile and flash titles, working on huge franchises such as Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, and Call of Duty.

In 2015 he founded Ant Workshop to develop his own titles and to offer his experience as a design consultant.

Will Luton Founder/CPO Village Studio Games Village Studio
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