Interview

Speaker Spotlight: Gismart's Vera Rabkina on music and games

"Gismart has a beautiful mission to bring music, in all its forms and variations, to every corner of the world"

Speaker Spotlight: Gismart's Vera Rabkina on music and games

Pocket Gamer Connects London 2019 will take place on January 21st to 22nd. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.

For more details on PGC London and to book a ticket, head to the website here.

In today’s speaker spotlight, we’re talking to Gismart product manager Vera Rabkina, who will be a part of a session called the 'Future of Casual Music Game Publishing - Trends, Struggles and Hacks'.

PocketGamer.Biz: Can you tell us a bit about your company?

Vera Rabkina: Founded in 2013, Gismart is the leading independent developer and publisher of music-based apps and games.

The company's product portfolio, which includes the likes of Beat Maker Go, Beat Maker Star, Karaoke Face, Piano Crush, WeDrum, Guitar Play, DoubleTune and Hello Piano, has reached over 350 million downloads with more than 17 million active monthly users.

What does your role entail?

Gismart encompasses music, entertainment and helps people to express themselves with it.

I am in charge of managing music edutainment products, which includes product planning and execution throughout all phases of development.

At Gismart the role of Product Manager is all about vision, spotting trends and helping different teams work together to deliver the best results possible.

Why did you want to work in the games industry?

I think gaming is a fascinating field to be involved with since it allows you to create something that brings joy to so many people (I mean, who doesn’t love a good game?).

I think it's an industry where you can push the boundaries of creativity, invent new worlds & characters, and find your way to build something unique. 

Gismart has a beautiful mission to bring music, in all its forms and variations, to every corner of the world! Knowing this I just couldn’t resist the temptation of joining the team.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?

Be bold and fierce. Figure out what your strong suits are and don’t be afraid to show them.

I think the most critical thing in any career is the ability to understand and focus on what's most important, at the right moment. 

So, remain focused and always follow your passion. That would be my advice.

What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?

I think the shift in monetisation patterns has made the development of mobile games much more affordable for small companies and allowed large companies more freedom to launch innovative products and features.

As a result, we're currently seeing the most diverse market within the history of the industry.

What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?

I think these current trends are set to continue. Besides this, there is a rising trend of so-called “serious” games, which support the edutainment trend on mobile devices.

These games focus on combining education and entertainment into a well-rounded package for the user.

As mobile phones are always close to hand, they present a perfect platform for edutainment especially for people with less free time. 

Watch this space for more edutainment games from Gismart!

How has the games industry changed since you first started?

The first game I worked on was back in 2012. Since then the industry has grown and become more accepting of different game styles, visual aesthetics and types.

I think the era of indie gaming has changed the industry and shown the world that there are countless ways in which you can create a great game that will still find its audience.

Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?

I am thoroughly interested in the Indie Zone lectures as well as the Very Big Indie Pitch which, with Gismart's interest in publishing casual and hypercasual games, is promising to be a great insight into a wealth of fresh ideas and projects.

Find out more about Pocket Gamer Connects London 2019 on the website.