PGbiz Podcast #6 - Original Games and the rise of merge
Hello, world! Welcome to episode six of the PocketGamer.biz podcast, your regular roundup of the world of mobile gaming.
The team dive into the recent news, with a focus on funding and finance.
According to Drake Star partners, the amount of investment in 2021 to date is already double that from the whole of 2020, with 844 individual deals identified, with a total value exceeding $71 billion.
The crack PG.biz editorial crew explores where this is taking us and where blockchain may fit… (01m:40s)
In this episode, we have a world exclusive chat with two of the founders of ‘supergroup’ studio Original Games. Founded by veterans and executives from Machine Zone and Rovio, the developer has just raised a significant amount of money and plans to take a game mechanic into the big time.
Listen in to find out more and hear from co-founders Ville Heijariand Arseny Lebedev about their reasons for founding the studio and plans for the future. (12m:32s)
We also run down the forthcoming events, expos, conferences, pitches, parties and rap battles coming from the team at Steel Media.
Listen, learn, love
You can - and should - listen to the first five PocketGamer.biz podcasts, which feature a galaxy of the great and good from the wide world of mobile games, including our exclusive interview with Facebook Audience Network's Imran Khan, exploring the future of app monetisation.
You can find them all on the PocketGamer.biz podcast page.
That's all folks
With thanks again to Ville, Arseny and the Original Games team. Do check out Merge Inn on your devices of choice.
We hope you’re enjoying the podcast. If you are, please let us know. You can drop us an email directly to: podcast@pocketgamer.biz or leave a comment on Twitter where we are @PGBiz.
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Show Notes and links
- Original Games
- Investment in mobile games continues to grow
- Indian mobile esports outfit MPL raises $150 million on a $2.3 billion valuation
- Homa Games raises $50 million to scale hypercasual
- My.Games Venture Capital invests in Tworogue Games and Wideview Games
- Nazara raises $42 million to fund growth initiatives and acquisitions
- Bitkraft Ventures launches $75 million fund for blockchain gaming
- MZ and Rovio vets launch Original Games with $6 million seed round
- Zynga closes $525 million StarLark acquisition, expands portfolio with Golf Rival
- AppLovin purchases MoPub from Twitter for $1 billion cash
- Axie Infinity developer Sky Mavis raises $152 million on a $3 billion valuation
- OP Games raises $8.6 million to combine blockchain, NFTs and DAOs
Thanks for listening.
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